Gary Neville wants Thomas Tuchel to use Morgan Rogers on the left for England coach duties against Panama instead of Anthony Gordon. He said England should not throw out the plan after the 0-0 draw with Ghana, but he did want one change in the final third.
Rogers over Gordon
Neville was blunt about the left side. “I do not want to pile in on Anthony Gordon because he is a really good player and, to be fair, he has had two difficult games. But I did not think that Marcus Rashford should have come on. I actually thought it should be Morgan Rogers,” he said.
He pushed the point further by saying, “We are talking about this Rogers or Jude Bellingham debate about who plays there. Well, Bellingham's going to play number 10. I actually like the idea of Rogers coming off that left-hand side. I think he's just got a little bit more.”
Neville also said he preferred Rogers on the left because he had “a little bit more legs in him.”
Panama and the left side
The argument was not just about one player. Neville said he preferred Rogers or Eberechi Eze on the left because they offered more invention, subtlety, and game intelligence than Gordon or Rashford. He also said Rashford and Gordon were “explosive” and better suited to counter-attacking football.
That left him with a clear recommendation for a match he expects to be tight. “But if Panama are going to be very difficult to break down, you are going to need players with a little bit more invention, a little bit more subtlety in the game. I think that is Rogers or Eze on that left-hand side. I don't think it's a Gordon or Rashford argument,” he said.
He added that he would like to see a little change there, while keeping Djed Spence in his thinking and bringing Nico O'Reilly back in. His line was simple: keep most of the team the same after Ghana, but alter the left side for a game that may demand more craft than speed.
Ghana, Croatia and Tuchel
Neville did not read too much into the 0-0 draw with Ghana. He said, “I don't think you should throw the baby out with the bathwater just because you've not been able to break Ghana down.” He also said he did not get “hugely excited” after the Croatia game and did not get “actually that down” after Ghana.
His wider point leaned on defensive structure. Neville said Carlos Queiroz was Manchester United's coach for two or three years and described him as a brilliant defensive coach. He pointed to 2008, when Manchester United kept a clean sheet against Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho for 180 minutes because Queiroz orchestrated the performance.
For Tuchel, the choice now sits in one lane: keep the core from the 4-2 win over Croatia and the draw with Ghana, or give Rogers the left-sided role Neville wants. The next selection call will tell England whether pace stays first choice or whether the left side gets the extra touch of invention Neville asked for.
