Anthony Gordon “pushing hard for a place” | Back Pages Tonight

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Back Pages Tonight discusses the importance of Anthony Gordon, if Bukayo Saka could play in a different position for Southgate’s starting XI and if Jude Bellingham should be rested in England’s Round of 16 game against Slovakia on Sunday.

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[Music] time now for Back Pages tonight here on Skys sports news bringing you a first look at the sports stories in the morning’s newspapers and joining us tonight very pleased to say the telegraph’s chief football correspondent Jason Bert and Jack Rosser from the Sun good evening to you both let’s quickly run through the back pages dominated by the England football team and Anthony Gordon in particular biker the net I’ll do cycling s if I’m goal scoring hero says crash Gordon a bike of the net after his fall and Promises cycling celebration if he scores tomorrow tomorrow being Sunday of course at the mail back page thank you for your support England prais the daily males campaign to Back Our Heroes at the Euros I had a lucky Escape admits Gordon and Murray’s given an extra day to get fit for Wimbledon will he make it express back page I’ll break dance if I score Gordon to wheel out cycling celebration and another tennis story major title to major degree question mark concerning Emma ranu and the sun crash Gordon’s V score and I’ll be a break dancer batted amp planned bike goal celebration scr are the Slovakian Captain taunts the three lines and red naap gareth’s in game’s top job that’s Harry redn a guardian may can step up for Southgate Manchester United midfielder in line to start against lakia as foden returns after the birth of his third child Murray’s Last Stand A fitting fight to the end for Wimbledon and Gordon I went 10 ft into the air chin first at the time so Rooney Wayne Rooney’s fears for Jude England star must not let frustrations boil over or he risks getting sent off slov will handle long ball England I love pain of running only Olympic gold will do for driven rii and a telegraph for sports supplement really poignant piece by svor Erikson ahead of his first column I don’t know how long I have left it’s better that way and simply the England story Southgate sticks to his guns well let’s start though with the Kier and trippier story Jason coming to you regarding that hasn’t made a lot of the papers yet but a major doubt at left back for England we understand hasn’t trained with with a calf issue that preceded the tournament what’s your understanding of that and how worrying would that be for Gareth Southgate yeah I mean it’s it’s part of our news story this evening um we’ve obviously majored on the line that Gareth will will stick with um The Players largely that have got England to this stage um we think obviously Kobe man will come in ahead of Conor Gallagher but there is that concern over Kieran trippier s understanding he hasn’t trained for the past two days um he’s hoping to train tomorrow uh we think he will be ready to play we think he will be able to play on Sunday but I think as you as you’re suggesting it it it casts really further doubt as to the wisdom of only taking one uh specialist left back who is Luke Shaw who’s not fit and has not played yet and we and he he expects only to be on the bench on Sunday so the balance of the squad is is a question uh we were concerned that about that when the squad was announced in the first place that Gareth was just taking one specialist left back and so far it’s become a bit of a problem for him in solving that issue to the extent that even today Baya Saka was asked whether he would be prepared to fill in at left back by by journalists and obviously made it quite clear that he he didn’t want to do that so is an issue for England I think I think if trippier is not able to play as I said I think he will play if he’s not able to play I think it may be an opportunity for ezri Konza who’s played there before but only really for charlon athletic I think he’s experienced as fullback and mainly on the right hand side of the pitch so again you’re feeling in somebody who’s not a specialist in that area and it all comes back to that question as to whether Gareth was wrong to pick just one uh left back in the first place and a left back who wasn’t fit obviously kieran’s played there before but he’s not a specialist and as you say he was suffering from a calf problem coming into this tournament what what do you think about that Jason potential you mentioned Bayo Saka not wanting to play at left back would would left wing back be more inviting potentially do you feel yeah I mean it’s it’s an interesting debate you know we’ve seen Gareth switch between four at the back and three at the back in the past not least in the last European championships when England played against Germany they went from a back four in the previous game to a back three and then he switched it to a back four again I just feel right now he’s doubling down a little bit on his team selection and formation and I just don’t really think he wants to go to a back three I think it’s more likely that he will fill somebody else in at left back if he needs to and trippy is not able to play the other option of course is is to push k Walker over there when he he finished the game against Slovenia at left back and bring in Trent Alexander Arnold at right back so what I think is pointing to the determination to keep a back four really I think it would surprise us all if he switched to back three at this stage he may do it later in the competition if england go further but I don’t think he’s planning to do that right now fair enough we we’ll move away from the left back let’s talk about the actual back pages that they’re in there the star back page biker the net I’ll do cycling s if I’m goal scoring hero says crash Gordon which is a moniker a lot of the papers have have gone with as well he saved Humanity didn’t he Flash Gordon we hope crash Gordon can may do that for England Jason what’s your take on the tone and and energy of of Anthony Gordon it’s pretty refreshing wasn’t it Anthony Gordon is one of the best talkers I think we’ve ever had in an England squad he’s he’s an incredibly confident young guy very articulate man got lots going on in his life he’s he’s well read he’s out here reading books he talks about the books he’s been reading and and so on and so forth fourth and he’s a very confident speaker when he addresses the media and this this story is is you know it’s a really interesting thing that happened obviously he he came off his bike but the way he’s described it it’s just it’s just incredible really and and he’s obviously talking about doing a bike celebration if he gets onto the pitch and scores for England on Sunday so you kind of almost hoping he does get that opportunity to sort of see what celebration he’s got in mind but no he’s been a real breath of fresh air in terms of the confidence he brought into the squad and he’s pushing hard for a place I think think as I say I think Gareth Southgate will stick with his forward options that he’s gone with so far but obviously Gordon again like Cole Palmer came on against Slovenia although he got far fewer minutes and but he did make an impression and you know we talk to a lot of England players all the time out here when we’re covering these tournaments and I’ve got to say in all the years I’ve been doing this job he’s certainly one of the more confident articulate players it doesn’t mean he deserves a starting place but certainly he talks a very very good game yeah pressure is a privilege he promises to be a nightmare for any opponent let’s try Jack bring him in now once again jack good to have you back with us what’s your take on on Anthony Gordon we’ve got a male headline here I had a lucky Escape amidst Gordon and by the looks of his chin in his hands it was pretty lucky wasn’t it he didn’t do any damage to the the parts of the body required for football yeah he has got away with it I think he was he was saying today that he was trying to take a video on his phone so I think he’s just got a bit distracted but we we’re quite fortunate he’s got through and like Jason said it’s been fantastic to see the way that he’s spoken about it opened up about it and addressed his his form the his mindset as well it’s something really refreshing and the way England have been playing the last few games where they’ve looked a bit unsure of what to do and where they’re going a player like that is is maybe something that England really need at the moment no real fear of of what’s going on and he sort of said that he’s been discussing the the criticism and Noise with coaches and tackling that head on I don’t think he’s going to start the game and and Southgate will to stick with the players he’s put out there’s he’s trying to get all of the best players on the pitch up top but G’s a fantastic option to to have off the bench and I think a lot of England fans will hope to see him a lot earlier against Slovakia indeed back page of the express again leads with with Anthony Gordon I’ll break dance if I score Gordon to wheel out cycling celebration again pitcher with a big smile across his face Jason I know he’s a great speaker but he’s potentially isn’t he a very Fearless player he says he won’t get played off easy He he’ll run at people I mean the shame of gazer at 90 Owen in 98 Rooney in 2004 is this what England need a player like this at the moment well one of the lines he he came out with today he described himself as a defender’s nightmare so he’s he’s certainly got the confidence uh to try and take players on and I think it’s an interesting argument whether or not he actually deserves an opportunity because one of the one of the big discussion points with England at the moment is the sort of pace out wide and whether or not Harry Kane in particular might benefit from some more sort of you know Pace either side of him so he can drop in and play those sort of forward passes and something Anthony Gordon would fit that perfectly I guess the counter argument to that is you’re playing Slovakia who will defend quite deep and maybe there won’t be the space to run in behind for something like Anthony Gordon maybe he he should come off the bench when when the games become a bit more stretched maybe when the opposition a bit more tired and one of the things that GTH Southgate talked an awful lot about before this tournament and a little bit about during it is basically how substitutions are going to be really crucial to England if they’re going to win this and to have strong bench and have those options Off the Bench such as Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer we’ve seen e as well Jared boen so he has got a lot of Firepower out wide that he can turn to and I think that’s part of his game plan really to look at those players and think I might need you at crucial moments in games to come on and and finish those games and be part of the team and I know he addressed the squad at the start of the tournament said look you may start the games but you’re not necessarily going to finish the games and I fully intend to try and use the five substitutes available to me when the opportunities arise so far he’s he’s done that quite a lot although I think most people will argue he maybe should have rotated the team a bit more because there have been signs of tiredness but at this stage obviously he’s into the Knockouts he’s not going to make major changes now okay so Gordon maybe is an impact substitute still but there will be a change in central Midfield Jack We Believe Guardian Sports supplement front page Mayu can step up for Southgate Manchester United midfielder in line to start against Slovakia as foden returns after the birth of his third child how secure will Mayu feel lining up in central Midfield cuz you don’t get longer than 45 minutes to prove yourself to you at the moment in that position for South Gate no I suppose there’s there’s a bit of nerves around the way that a couple of the uh the Midfield experiments have been started and stopped quite so quickly but whenever he’s been put in a pressure situation kobby martinu he’s he’s excelled really you have just have to look at the the F FA Cup Final for Manchester United when he made his England debut uh back in March he did fantastic in that role and I didn’t get to watch the game because I was traveling back for another one but listening to the radio and and reading everything L that you did following that he impressed when he he came on at halim and and settled things down a bit he’s a player that looks really confident on the ball knows what he wants to do it knows that he wants to go forward and again where there’s been that bit of confusion in terms of how England are are working on the ball working off the ball as well then that could be really encouraging and something that that England really do need if they’re going to kick into gear and and go far in the tournament it’s just whether you’ve got someone there that’s got the leadership to organize that that off the ball stuff I know people have mentioned the fact that there’s no sort of Jordan Henderson Carriage there you’re not really expecting kobby Min come in and start telling Declan rice and Jude Bellingham where to go but he brings a lot of confidence a lot of positivity and and some energy as well it’s amazing story Jason isn’t it seven months on from making his Manchester United Premier League debut Slovakia though in their games have been fast starters do you expect both Mayu and rice to be really pressured with their press early on how how do you expect Mayu to stand up to that well I think what would be quite crucial is how England um line up really I’m a bit worried about Kobe Mayo playing as a number six I think he doesn’t quite have the defensive discipline just yet to play that role I think he’s much more effective playing as number eight and that’s what happened against Slovenia so I would like England to to line up in a 4-1 4-1 it obviously puts a lot more pressure onto Dean rice but I think it would free up Kobe Mayo a little bit more I’m hoping that’s what they do on Sunday but you know as as you say it’s an awful lot of um expectation and pressure to put on a young player but we’ve seen that playing for Manchester United he’s he’s taking it all in stride I really do think he deserves his chance um he was probably a little bit unfortunate actually not to start the first game really when I don’t really I never really agreed with the experiment of putting Trent Alexander Arnold in there in Midfield I think it was very unfair on him I don’t think he’d had enough opportunity to play that role he’s not a specialist he’s not a midfielder in that way and he’s never played like that for Liverpool I was always against the idea never thought it would ever work Franklin it’s not I say not fair on rold to do that so I think Kobe May was unlucky not to actually start earlier for England and and Conor Gallagher obviously didn’t take opportuni so really it’s now it’s his shirt to keep and and I hope obviously he steps up and and Carries On the way he did against Slovenia indeed although as uh Milan scer of Slovakia has been saying apparently England will probably play long ball so we’ll talk more about that in due course in the next part of the program we also take a quick break when we come back we look at more of the back pages and we’ll look at Jason’s stories Jason Bert on Cole Palmer who says the reason he’s at the Euros is because of Marcio poo really good read we’ll talk about that next [Music] you are watching Back Pages tonight welcome back to you and welcome back to the telegraph’s chief football correspondent Jason Bert and Jack Rosser from the Sun Jason let’s discuss your piece in the telegraph then with Cole Palmer and really fascinating tribute to to Marcio pochettino yeah no it was really interesting um we sat with Cole Palmer today a few of and sort of talked through his career so far and his hopes and expectations for England and actually one of the more interesting lines that came out was him talking about how he wouldn’t really be in this squad without mcio Postino clearly that’s self-evident because he had a great he had a great season at Chelsea but he also talked about how he thought long and hard about joining Chelsea and and working with pochettino because of pochettino’s record for developing young players and he clearly has been the big success story and the big beneficiary of that at Chelsea in the last season a difficult campaign for them and obviously Poo’s now left and he talked about how shocked he was at that as well that you know the P te left but at the same time he also talked about Enzo Moresco and Cole Palmer plays in the right right wing right hand side of the attack and it was Enzo Moresco actually who was at at Manchester City at the time who converted him from being a striker to to to play on the right so he’s gone from one coach who’s obviously benefited his game hugely in marito portina to another who who basically created the position for him now that’s got him into this England squad so although he’s very disappointed to see um Mar ptin leave Chelsea he’s also very sort of you know relieved I guess that he’s got a coach such as Mesa who’s who’s been such a beneficiary beneficial effect sorry on on his career so far but we we covered an awful lot of Waterfront with Cole Palmer today I think he’s one of the more kind of shy speakers in the England squad but actually talking uh just a small group of us it was really fascinating to to talk through his career so far and his journey but that poo line in particular jumped out of me as as as one that I think breeders will be interested in in uh in looking at what’s your take on on Palmer Jack in terms of of what he offers you said maybe that or we’ve discussed that Anthony Gordon may not be best suited to Slovakia because of the fact they may sit deep would would Palma not work in that scenario he he certainly could I think it’s that that confidence and that ability to to create something out of nothing I mean he’s had to do it for for Chelsea All Season being a star on a dysfunctional team that that weren’t giving him too much help so maybe he can do it in this one as well but I think it’s that freedom and confidence that he spoke about Marcio Postino giving him the that has really turned him into the play we’ve seen all season and the one that could be such an asset for for England at these Euros as we said if if Slovakia are going to sit deep and and try and frustrate England he could be the sort of player to to unlock them there’s been a few questions over the the fitness and form of of Pico sacka but you’d expect him to start again so again he could be another one of those fantastic options to come in Off the Bench he just doesn’t look afraid of of having the pressure on his shoulders you know he moved and took penalties for Chelsea see last season he stood up in in moments when they were really up against it and dragged them through on a number of occasions and you think he’d really back himself to do that with England as well yeah we’ll see if Palmer gets run out at any stage on Sunday let’s talk one former England Legend one time record goal scorer talking about the current central figure for a lot of people Jude Belling and this is the back page of the times Rooney my fears for Jude England star must not let frustrations boil over or he risks getting sent off would you be concerned about that Jason at all what Rooney’s warning of there is there a danger that too much is being placed on Bellingham shoulders I think the Rooney column in the times has actually been really of interesting and entertaining and he’s been quite Punchy in his in his views I mean obviously he came out very strongly before the tournament started instead he didn’t think Trent Alexander Arnold should be playing in Midfield and and obviously now’s he’s not held back in his opinions on on JW Bellingham and and we’ve seen some frustration from Bellingham during this tournament so far he’s at times his body language has been a little bit of somebody who’s who’s found quite difficult he obviously had that very good game um in the opening tie against Serbia well at least a good hour or so and then he seemed to tire and I do fear for the amount of football he has played I think tiredness is an issue it was very interesting spoke the other day about how basically he he was dead on his feet when he when he came off the pitch in the last game but I think that frustration is something we’ve got to keep an eye on um Rooney would know all about it of course I mean he expressed his frustration himself when he played for England and got red cards at very sort of vital moments to the 2006 game against Portugal so he is speaking from experience I hope he’s wrong I think he probably is wrong I think dude will keep a keep a lid on it but it’s certainly a good talking point and and an interesting column well is there a case Jack for not only alleviating the pressure on on Belling him but maybe giving him a rest I think he’s definitely going to start and I think a player like that he’s got to start as well but I I think it’s more I’ve been surprised that you know when he has faded in these games he’s not been one of the ones that that Southgate has looked to change and and looked to put some fresh legs on in that position just to give him that break because he has played an awful lot of football across a very big season under a lot of pressure in his first year at Real Madrid it’s a lot to take on and then to go into a major tournament it’s his third major tournament but it’s the first one really where he’s the proper central figure or one of the the central figures for England and I think it’s it’s a debate we had sort of you know around one of the the last breaks before whether his temperament was something that that there should be concerns over he seems to be on the the sort of perfect balance of arrogance you need in a a proper player somebody that’s got a lot of confidence in their own ability isn’t afraid to take on opponents but sometimes that can just tip over and go a little bit too far and as Wayne Ry points out in that column and it is it is a good one that the frustration that he’s seeing now and maybe not quite clicking with teammates is something that could tip that over so I think he’s got to start the game because he’s he can have such a good influence when he’s there and and in the mood but I wouldn’t be surprised if he if he didn’t play the full 90 minutes on Sunday yeah indeed hard to pull him off think at the moment isn’t it in terms of his determination to be at the center of things let’s uh uh reflect on Slovakia and what they’ve said ahead of this one Jason we saw in the time Slovakia will handle long ball England then hit this in the sun scrar Milan scr their Captain taunts The Three Lions PSG Defender Slovakia Captain what did you make of his press conference comments did mind games at work here I think typical tournament knockabout basically and and fair play to him you know it’s his he’s got to use every little trick in the book um and I think it’s it’s one of those things that uh is built partly on Old perceptions of England I mean I think some of us might argue that we wouldn’t mind them getting the ball forward a bit quicker play a few more long bards actually because that’s been one of the issues with England this tournament is how slow the buildup play is so maybe if they got it forward a bit more they might have a b more success but uh certainly that’s not a criticism I think it’s going to hit them very hard and and obviously accusing them of not being a team okay fair enough you can say whatever you want but it’s just one of those very good sort of knockabout you know tip Fort you know having a little bit of a go using whatever weapons you can in terms of trying to gain an advantage I’m surprised he didn’t sort of say it’s not coming home because obviously that’s another one we get from a lot of the teams that England face but um yeah I don’t think it’ll affect England Camp very much but yeah it’s good knockout stuff and certainly what we’d expect at this stage of a tournament already got about 30 seconds Jack he’s not been watching England though has he because they’ve been criticized for pedestrian sideways passing as Jason says they’re not long balls no he definitely hasn’t it’ be quite nice to see them go and try and hit Harry Kane quickly I think like Jason said it won’t have too much of an impact on garyth Southgate and his players but it’s definitely something they would have noticed and would have been chatting about and it might per them up a little bit more just to go and and prove them wrong and and play some very good football against Slovakia and then maybe one or two of them will drop a little bit out of it but these are the sort of things that we really enjoy tournament football for it it’d be nothing if players like this couldn’t have a dig we’d be quite bored sitting through these press conferences if they stuck to a line I think BR we’ve got 5 Seconds jet Jack give us a prediction then we’ll get to Jason oh God it’ll be painful I think one nil one nil it was nil nil last time they met in a major competition at the Euros in 2016 Jason what are you going for I’m going to be slightly more optimistic say 2N but I think it may be a bit of a painful watch along the way brilliant Jason Jack thank you very much for your time thanks for you watching [Music]