England’s Left Side Problem Never Went Away
It’s 2001 and you’re having the time of your life. You’re at Old Trafford, barely tall enough to see above the row in front. “Hey Baby” by DJ Oizi is blasting out of the stadium speakers on a loop. David Beckham has just dragged England to World Cup qualification with his magical right foot.
That team had some special players but as everybody knows, they didn’t win anything. Looking back to those years, England’s ‘Golden Generation’ weren’t hampered by a lack of talent, but more a lack of balance. We all remember the issue of the Lampard/Gerrard pairing that followed, but shortly before that, the issue that everyone spoke about was England’s left sided midfielder.
In the pre-historic days of the early millennium, England and most Premier League teams played 442. Most teams had 2-3 left footed players, and because no-one else could, the weird lefties played on the left – either left back or left midfield. A simple solution. The problem for England at the time was their left-sided midfielders weren’t as talented as their teammates.
Football has moved on since then, and the rise of other formations and player roles (like ‘inside forwards’ cutting in from the wing) meant the rigid 442 isn’t that fashionable anymore. The England team slowly moved with the times. They started to use skilful right-footed players like Joe Cole and more recently Raheem Sterling on the left side of the midfield or forward line. They also boasted a truly world class player (they haven’t had many) on the left side at left back – Ashley Cole. The left side wasn’t a problem anymore.
However, these solutions mostly revolved around ignoring left footed players altogether. Aside from Ashley Cole, only 13 [Listed at the end of the article] of England’s 78 outfield players with 10+ caps in the last 20 years were predominately left footed. That sounds like a fair %, but of those, only 3 never played left back for England (Daniel Sturridge, Jack Wilshere, Adam Johnson (yikes!)). For most games, England’s only left footed player was at left back.
A quick aside - there has also been a small handful of England players who are ‘two-footed’. Statistically, this can be shown by players using their ‘weaker foot’ for at least 25% of their passes. Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy are two of the only English examples. Of the current crop of young players, Mason Greenwood is an obvious example.
Football has kept on moving and England’s lack of left footed players is now obviously hampering them again, just like in the early 2000s. This time it’s at centre back.
This lack of left footed players, or two-footed players, is especially damaging at the back in modern football. The rise of intelligent pressing is one of the biggest recent changes to football at the top level and, well, very right-footed defensive lines are very easy to press. You just make the player on the ball move left. If they aren’t brave enough to dribble around you (most aren’t), they’re forced to turn their body to the left. Once they’re facing left and forced to use their right foot, the only place they can easily pass the ball is to their left, either sideways or backwards.
If you’ve had the misfortune of watching England recently, this problem happens again and again (and again and again). When England have the ball against an organised opposition press, it gradually goes backwards and left. It feels like the pitch is a wonky snooker table.
Though Gareth Southgate could mitigate for this better, it’s hard to find players who provide the solution. International managers are essentially caretakers who stick around. They barely get any time on the training ground. They are almost entirely limited by the talent pool they’re working with.
The English talent pool is deep but it’s deeply imbalanced, and this isn’t a new problem. The left-footed or two-footed players available to Gareth Southgate is a small pool. While there are a few talented forwards emerging (Phil Foden and Dwight McNeill for example) there is a dearth of centre backs who can build up play on their left side. Analysing passing data from the Premier League, the options are essentially:
· Ben Mee (recently returned from injury)
· Jack O’Connell (out for the season)
· Dan Burn
· Tyrone Mings
· Aaron Cresswell (who only recently started playing at centre back in a 3)
· Jack Robinson
· Max Kilman
Faced with this, it’s hard to offer up a great solution to England’s build up issue at the back. Mings and Mee should get an opportunity to play at left centre back, but neither are especially technically gifted.
So, next time you’re clamouring for Grealish to start or Mount to not, you should consider whether Southgate’s side can even progress the ball far enough for them to matter. The problem starts at the back. A bit of left field thinking for you.
Ben Chilwell (left back)
Danny Rose (left back)
Fabian Delph (left back/midfield)
Ryan Bertrand (left back)
Daniel Sturridge (striker)
Jack Wilshere (midfielder)
Adam Johnson (midfielder)
Kieran Gibbs (left back)
Joleon Lescott (centre back/left back)
Stewart Downing (left midfielder/ left back)
Wayne Bridge (left back)
Gareth Barry (midfielder/ left back)
Leighton Baines (left back)