00:00England's team is starting to come together nicely ahead of the World Cup, but there's one pretty big issue.
00:04Who takes the left-wing spot in England's front three?
00:07Because I'm not really sure that even Thomas Tuchel knows yet to be honest.
00:11But with a few names in the mix, there's one that stands out above the rest. Someone with individual brilliance.
00:16Someone who brings balance to the England front three.
00:19I'm Jacob Horsfall, 442's resident tactician, and this is why Marcus Rashford is the key to England's World Cup.
00:28First off, we've got to look at who Marcus Rashford's competing with.
00:32Because not too many left-wingers have actually stood out this season.
00:35Since Tuchel came in, Rashford has created the most chances, has the most successful dribbles,
00:39has the most pass at the final third, and the second most shots of any left-winger.
00:45He's been a regular at left-wing, and more often than not, he's delivered the goods under Tommy T.
00:49Although, Anthony Gordon has pushed him a little bit.
00:52But Gordon is someone who almost exclusively wants it in space, where he can attack in-behind the opposition's defence.
00:58Which is why I chose a wide variety of stats.
01:00We've got shots, we've got chances created, we've got successful dribbles, we've got passing to the final third.
01:05They tick boxes for every single type of game plan Thomas Tuchel may have for any team in the World
01:11Cup.
01:11As much as Rashford is known for his wide forward, in-behind movement, and he can be deadly in those
01:16scenarios,
01:17he has a versatile skill set, which is part of the reason why he's my favourite to go into that
01:22left-wing slot for the World Cup.
01:24England will face a deep defence like this a ton at the World Cup.
01:27Wingers will often be doubled up on, but the defenders will be less engaged with the ball.
01:32However, Marcus Rashford's dual-footedness means he is a constant threat.
01:36Here, he forces the defender to engage with him.
01:38The dummy for that cross into the box means the defender is terrified, he thinks something's gonna happen.
01:43But then Rashford chops away and then he has that separation to properly deliver in space into the box.
01:49Rashford is terrifying for full-backs, not just when he's dribbling at top speed or in 1v1s,
01:54but the ability to create a yard and deliver an attack in action.
01:57That's what breaks deep defences.
01:59The key for England against these teams will be to overload the right-hand side of the pitch.
02:03You have Saka, you have Jude Bellingham, you have Harry Kane, Declan Rice in that area.
02:08So then the ball switch quickly to Marcus Rashford, who can then attack a defence that is reshuffling their position.
02:13However, that's not always possible and football isn't as simple as just reshuffling a low block.
02:18Sometimes this will be the situation.
02:20Settled possession where the opposition are happy to sit on the edge of their own box,
02:24but when Rashford receives the ball here and fires it back in to then receive again and carry into the
02:29box,
02:29that's where he makes the difference for this England team.
02:32Rashford can be the catalyst for England's block-breaking.
02:35That is an interesting way to describe someone who speeds up the tempo, but it's true.
02:39He can be the guy who changes the flow of a game and destroys a deep defence.
02:44Only 16 players have attempted more take-ons than Marcus Rashford this season,
02:48which may seem like a good few, but Rashford's only started 14 games for Barcelona in La Liga.
02:55So that sheer volume of take-ons puts him in that makes things happen category.
02:59Now every big club who breaks a low block has a makes things happen player,
03:03whether it be Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City for years, Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United for years,
03:09Cole Palmer at Chelsea for a good few seasons now.
03:12But that skill, that ability to make things happen also translates to those big games.
03:18This is a position that England will find themselves in at the World Cup.
03:21Everyone behind the ball, everyone box defending.
03:23Potentially England might be hanging on against a high-quality team.
03:26But you see, as soon as England win that first duel to clear their lines, Rashford's head is down.
03:31He's legging it into space. So when that ball's played, he's attacking space in the opposition's half,
03:36looking to exploit that transitional moment.
03:39He's got that ridiculous burst of speed and able to hit a very high top speed,
03:44which means he's just a constant threat, whether it be in settled play or in transition.
03:4932.8 kilometres is Rashford's top speed in the Champions League this season.
03:53Despite most of the passes receiving being to feet and in a ball-dominant side,
03:58the fact he eats up ground so quickly and is so constant in his want to take people on,
04:03gives you something different to Bakayo Saka at right wing.
04:06Because Bakayo Saka, he's a control variable in those big games.
04:10The ball is played to Saka and he's probably going to retain possession.
04:13He's going to keep it and wait until the perfect moment to strike on the opposition,
04:16which is so, so valuable. It really, really is.
04:19But you guessed it, that means the other winger has to make things happen.
04:23When Harry Kane drops out the front line to receive the ball, you do want a runner in behind
04:27like Anthony Gordon. So in that sense, being an impact at attacking space and getting in
04:32beyond the opposition's defence, Gordon and Rashford aren't too dissimilar,
04:35but Rashford has something that Gordon can't even dream of.
04:39When England come away from pressure with seven players inside their own box
04:42and Rashford picks the ball up, you know the opposition are in danger.
04:46Here he uses small directional touches to force the opposition player to engage with him
04:50before then bursting away and driving England forwards.
04:52Now look at Anthony Gordon in a similar position. He tries to shimmy inside under slight pressure,
04:58but his touch is too loose, leading to Japan closing the space,
05:01and then he can only tap the ball to a Japan player.
05:05I mean, against Japan, the Newcastle winger completed zero successful dribbles.
05:09I really do like Gordon as a player. He's got so much to bring to this England World Cup setup,
05:13but is he someone who will drive past three or four players and get you out of pressure?
05:17The data would suggest no, at least in comparison to Marcus Rashford.
05:21And that's no slight on Gordon, but when England are in them big games and they're under the cosh
05:26against a high quality side, Rashford can not only cause goals from his own half,
05:30but he can prevent you from conceding those goals.
05:33Teams like Spain will look to pin England in when they have the ball and maintain pressure constantly,
05:38so when England win it back, they've got to break that pressure instantly.
05:41Uruguay collapsing onto any England player when England turned the ball over showed exactly what we
05:45can expect from a high pressure opposition side at the World Cup.
05:49Two players look to pin Rashford towards the touchline. Well, three, but this plug's already
05:54been skinned. Now, Rashford doesn't let them pin him in. He starts to slow down to engage both
05:58defenders. He dummies that feint inside before then bursting away from them, taking them both
06:03completely out the game. Because Uruguay looked to press the ball carrier so aggressively, England have a
06:083v3 inside Uruguay's box. But that's only possible because of Rashford's ability to go 1v3 and win.
06:15And that's absolutely terrifying for any opposition, any opposition in the world.
06:20So, Rashford at left wing, that absolutely has to be the plan. However, Rashford isn't just a left
06:26winger. Main man Marcus has spent 33.65% of his career leading the line at club level.
06:32Now, I can hear you. Harry Kane is leading our line. He's one of the best strikers in football
06:36right now. And yes, you would be completely correct, but his backup's Ollie Watkins,
06:40someone who's banged out of form. And the other option is Solanke, who's constantly injured.
06:45So having another option, someone else who can do that job, that's not a bad thing.
06:50No Barcelona player has registered more La Liga shots per 90 than Marcus Rashford this season,
06:55and he outperformed his XG in all competitions.
06:57So, we've got a high volume shooter with the ability to break a game with his shooting.
07:03And that's valuable, whether it be in a battle against Serbia or in a quarter-final against France.
07:08Here, he's basically in a 1v5, but instead of rushing the action,
07:11he takes valuable touches to create separation from Tonali and rifles home off the crossbar.
07:16Now, yes, he may not be in that exact position too regularly at the World Cup,
07:21but if he is to drop in while someone else goes in behind,
07:23you can trust him to create a yard and then rifle a shot towards goal.
07:27And hey, sometimes volume can equate to brilliance, especially if you're against higher quality
07:31opposition, like England may find themselves against a Spain in the final again.
07:36Nevertheless, Thomas Tuchel does have some squad selection headaches,
07:40but that left-wing role, who is going to be his main man on that left wing, should not be
07:45one of them.
07:45Rashford can shift inside and deliver a beautiful in-swinging cross.
07:49He can take a touch and beat his man relentlessly.
07:51And as we all know with Rashford, he's got a little bit of magic in his locker.
07:56Just like the 442 YouTube channel.
07:58So if you have enjoyed today's video, please do leave a like and subscribe.
08:00Let us know if you think Rashford should be starting at the World Cup.
08:04And I'll see you again next week for some more analysis.
08:06I'll see you again next week for some more analysis.
08:063
Comments