I’m sure Bukayo Saka will step up if England have another penalty shootout, the Euro 2020 final won’t bother him at all
I WONDER if the England fans realise what a truly great player we have in Bukayo Saka.
Yes, I know I’ll be accused of bias because Bukayo plays for Arsenal but, honestly, he has special gifts.
What amazes me about him is he always makes the right decision, it’s incredible.
It is so rare for a young player – he’s only just turned 21 – to instinctively know what is right in any given situation. I stress with my Arsenal Under-18 players to study him.
If the situation calls for a five-yard pass he’ll do it but if he has to beat someone he’ll do that too. Bukayo always gets it right, which is a skill itself.
His level of understanding is that he’ll know if he plays a certain pass, the free player will be there. He won’t try and force it.
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He can make the difference too with his scoring and assists.
He is the most humble kid – not one of those big-time types – who will come over and watch my U-18s and talk to them.
In the training ground restaurant, he’ll be over to chat and shake everyone’s hand.
Bukayo was in the academy when I was in the first team. I watched him impress in a few Youth Cup games but you never know how someone will react once they’re on the big stage.
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But when Unai Emery came in as manager he put a bit of trust in him, playing him in a few Europa League games and, again, he made all the right decisions.
In the Euros last year, Gareth Southgate trusted him too.
He missed that crucial penalty in the final but bounced back and now he’s Arsenal’s penalty taker.
I’m sure if there’s another penalty shootout he will step up. He won’t be bothered at all by what happened before.
We should have no trouble against Iran, who I suspect will sit in and frustrate us but we have the players in Bukayo, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish who can unlock the door.
What worries me is if Harry Kane gets injured, what do we do?
I played with Callum Wilson at Bournemouth and he’s fantastic at what he does.
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He makes bad balls look good and will run in the channels but to ask him to start would be a big challenge.
I was disappointed Tammy Abraham was left out because if Harry gets injured Tammy would have been a good alternative to start. It’s such a big role to fill.
Part of me likes a winter World Cup. They should all be feeling good because it’s not the end of a long, gruelling season.
At Arsenal we used to call it ‘six-week syndrome’ where, six weeks before the end of the season, you could feel it in your body that the season was coming to an end. There isn’t that this time.
We’ve got a group who have been with Gareth Southgate for a while and they know his playing style, so I don’t feel only having a week’s preparation will be a problem.
Against Iran we should dominate the ball and can use players who there have been doubts about, like Trent Alexander Arnold.
He won’t be seriously tested defensively and we can use his vision and ability to help break them down.
And if he gets some confidence from that match, he can go on and have a good tournament.
Foden. who I’d like to see play centrally, and Grealish can create an overload or dribble past someone.
We don’t need two holders so I’d play with what I call two No 8s. If you have Declan Rice sitting I’d play Jude Bellingham higher up with Foden, someone who can take the ball and beat players.
Bellingham is playing so well he has to start but Grealish can come on and be an impact player when they are tiring.
What I don’t like about the squad is there’s no left-footed centre-back. You need balance.
I’d also prefer Aaron Ramsdale in goal because of his ability with his feet.
Jordan Pickford’s good at going longer but Ramsdale can play through the lines and eliminate players.
The biggest thing I’ve learned in coaching is that everyone has to be clear and everyone has to be committed.
“Are you clear with the playing style? Are you clear with what we’re going to do when we are out of possession? Do you see the reasons why we are doing this?”
If they get those two aspects right, then we have enough talent to go a long way.
