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Confusion over the top job, and Harry Kane's importance - Five England talking points from October's international break

Ash Rose
Confusion over the top job, and Harry Kane's importance - Five England talking points from October's international breakMatt McNulty - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Nations League games provide more questions for England and who will be the next manager of the national team.

England finished the second international break of the season with a lot more questions about the manager and team than they did going into the games against Greece and Finland. 

What looked like two pretty winnable Nation League games proved to be anything but, as the Greeks inflicted defeat on interim boss Lee Carsley and his experimental line-up before a win over Finland that wasn't short of concerns. 

Here are five talking points from an eventful England camp... 


Jude BellinghamGetty

Has Lee Carsley blown it? 

Going into this international break, Lee Carsley's stock was pretty high and he was among the favourites to land the England job permanently.

However, he's come out of the other side with huge questions over whether he is the right man for the future. Most of the doubt comes from the defeat to Greece, where the interim boss gambled and tried something new with his selection, which, unfortunately for him, backfired terribly. 

England fans got their wish with the line-up, and one can't fault Carsley for trying something new.

However, the decision to throw all of the side's attacking talents into one team - without a recognised striker - saw England taste their first competitive defeat at Wembley for four years. The side was left horribly exposed at the back, thanks to a lack of numbers in the midfield, which led to some panicked schoolboy defending that saw Greece score their first-ever goals against England, and the result could have been a lot worse. 

In attack, the plethora of number 10s failed to get behind the Greece defence and without a focal point, there was a lack of link-up play and final ball.

True, Carsley rectified things against Finland - despite some scares - but there is less faith in him going forward than there was a week ago. 

Who wants the permanent job? 

Before we can consider if Lee Carsley is still a contender for the job, there is some confusion over whether the former midfielder actually wants it full-time.

After the Finland game, he seemed to distance himself from the role, declaring, "This job deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies, and I am still on the path to that."

Yet, later on in the post-match press conference, he still hinted that he wanted to be considered for the post. 

The FA's radio silence on the matter only adds to the speculation. Carsley was given three camps to take care of the national team, but there seems to have been little movement outside of that plan on who will actually be Gareth Southgate's successor.

Thomas Tuchel is currently the bookie's favourite, but there are still no indications from The FA of who is in their thinking and if the interview process has even begun. 

Jack GrealishGetty

Harry Kane is important shock 

Part of Lee Carsley's thinking against Greece was having to field an England side without Harry Kane, who missed the game with a knock.

Rather than give Ollie Watkins a deserved chance from the start or even blood Dominic Solanke, the interim boss chose to go with a 'false nine' type approach, and it only highlighted further how important the England skipper still is. 

Kane didn't score against Finland, but his mere presence as a focal point and danger to the Finnish backline made England a much better all-round team.

Perhaps playing without a striker is something England could do in the future if drilled well enough and long enough, but while he's still relevant and scoring goals at the incredible rate he does, Kane is still the first name on the teamsheet. 

And perhaps, if he is missing again for whatever reason, giving a proper understudy a go would also be hugely beneficial for Carsley and his side going forward. 

Harry Kane
 Getty

If you have a left foot, call the national team 

One of England's other issues across the two games was who to play at left-back.

Carsley had already mentioned in the build-up to the games the players who could play in that position - citing even Cole Palmer - but would it not be more constructive for someone who is actually a left-back to play there? 

In this break, he tried Rico Lewis - who struggled against Greece - and Trent Alexander-Arnold in those positions, and neither came out of it having laid down a marker in the position. And in Alexander-Arnold's case, he probably didn't want to. 

Somehow, Luke Shaw remains the number one choice, despite barely kicking a Premier League football in 2024, while Ben Chilwell has been relegated to the Chelsea reserves under Enzo Marsca.

Outside of those two, England are scratching their heads, looking around for anyone to wear the number three.

Does anyone know what Tony Dorigo is doing these days? 

Will the real Phil Foden please stand up 

Transitioning club form to the international scene is never as easy as fans think it is.

For years, John Barnes was given stick for not producing the same kind of form for England that he did in his Liverpool pomp, but it's always difficult coming into an international camp with a different manager, system and players - and in fairness, Barnes did very well overall for the Three Lions. 

In saying that, however, there must be some questions about Phil Foden and his form for the national team.

Last year's overwhelming Player of the Year has yet to find his place in the England team, and we're still waiting for a moment to truly saviour from the Manchester City man in a white shirt.

He now has 43 caps and just four goals for his country, and for a player who many have said England should 'build a team around' he is yet to really produce on the international stage. 

For all his talents, trying to get the best out of him, as well as trying to accommodate Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and more, is proving a harder job than anything else for England. 

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