Former Premier League footballer Trevor Sinclair has made clear why he feels James Maddison has been left out of recent England squads.
Despite another productive Premier League campaign that saw Maddison finish with 12 goals and eight assists, the attacking midfielder found himself omitted from the latest national team picked by Gareth Southgate for this month’s UEFA Nations League fixtures.
Should Maddison have got an England call-up?
Yes
No
Southgate has admitted that he felt the 25-year-old “finished the season very well” when speaking to TalkSport (via Leicestershire Live), but with the form of Phil Foden and Mason Mount, the manager is “happy with his players” in that area of the pitch.
The Foxes’ Player of the Year was directly involved in 30 goals this past term and scored in each of the last four league fixtures, but Sinclair feels that it is his output on the other side of the ball that has hindered his international career.
Speaking on TalkSport, he said:
“In possession and going forward – outstanding.
“I think he struggles with his physicality a little bit out of possession. So he puts everything into his going forward in possession work, and then when the ball’s turned over in transition, he can’t help the team.”
TIF Thoughts on Maddison…
A 34-minute appearance in the 7-0 thrashing of Montenegro back in November 2019 remains the £45m-rated attacker’s only England cap to date, and by the time the next international break rolls around, it will be on the mouth of the World Cup, which perhaps rules Maddison out of contention for a seat on the plane to Qatar.
Is James Maddison Leicester's most important player?Yes
No
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Nonetheless, one could argue that there is room in the squad for a player who has scored 45 goals and created 32 assists in 171 appearances for the Foxes.
With Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse in the squad alongside defensive-minded players Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice, as well as Jude Bellingham being an option in the engine room, perhaps Maddison can feel harshly treated.
You haven’t watched his games really have you? If you don’t show high work rate under Brendan Rodgers on the pitch he removes you from the lineup. I think it’s agreed he isn’t going to be the best defensive midfielder out there, but to say he doesn’t pull his weight, track back and put pressure in is laughable. To your own admission, the likes of Gallagher, JWP, and Bellingham ahead of him is an insult. He’s leagues above them. Common ground to build on.
Sinclair will defend Foden’s involvement all day long but he’s not great defensively. It’s not his job and neither is it Maddison’s. England will win nothing as by the World Cup its back to the habitual picking of players like Rashford, Sancho, Grealish, Luke Shaw , Mount etc. big six apparently? no room for form players with creativity as has been the case for decades
The fact that 94% of fans i. this survey say Maddison should be i. the Wngland squad simms up Trevor Sinclair. The most biased commentator ever even more than Micah Richard’s. He’s only ever interested in West Ham and Man City. How can you say Jack helps back and what a terrible season he has had. Foden doesn’t defend any more than Maddison and how many times has he actually watched Maddison? He’s a terrible pundit.