Former England right-back and commentator Danny Mills has given his backing to Newcastle United captain Kieran Trippier to be England's first choice right-back at this month's Fifa World Cup 2022.
Mills identified Trippier, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James and Kyle Walker as the quartet in contention, and gave his verdict on each, and the absence of Chelsea's Reece James, who Mills says he wouldn't even take to Qatar, Trippier is his favoured 'second choice' unequivocally, saying:
"At the moment it's Kieran Trippier and there's no conversation at all about it. No one else is fit and Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of form, it's as simple as that.
"I've said all along that my second choice out and out right back would be Kieran Trippier if everyone is fit. "He's a superb player, he can play multiple positions if needs be as well."
Trent's Turmoil
Mills, who enjoyed a 15 year playing career, which included stints at Manchester City and Leeds United, identified Trippier's particular expertise in set pieces as a stand-out asset, making direct comparisons with Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
"People talk about Trent's delivery and forget that in 2018 Trippier played as a wing-back and (Kyle) Walker played as a centre-back to fit them both in and that was because of Trippier's delivery."
"It's exceptional, he takes a lot of the set pieces and of course he scored in a World Cup semi-final."
Alexander-Arnold, who has come under criticism over the last two seasons and is not assured of his place, is also not as defensively sound as Trippier according to Mills, who said:
"He has a lot of experience and is a very good defender, he won a league title with Atletico Madrid, and you have to be some defender to play for (Diego) Simeone week in week out. He has tremendous experience in that position.."
Mills went as far to say that Alexander-Arnold would not even have made his squad if all players under consideration had been fit, and it is only the injury problems faced by players like James, that means he will likely travel to Qatar.
Trent doesn't get in my squad if they're all fit, he gets in it now with the injuries, but he wouldn't go otherwise for me.
"Trent's defensive frailties are where his problems lie, and it's always been the same problem.
"Going forward he is exceptional; he's allowed to play in a Liverpool side that suits his game and allows him to get forward at will. He doesn't always have to be in those perfect defensive positions and be that solid.
"Most defenders think about defending first and attacking second but he's the complete opposite. You can't get away with that in big games..."
Mills, who featured for England at the 2002 World Cup 20 years ago, believes that there is still time for Alexander-Arnold to show that he has what it takes to make the very top grade, but questioned his focus, saying:
"Trent has all the ability in the world, he just needs to tweak his mentality slightly."
Group Games
But Mills believes that England should qualify from their group comfortably, and wouldn't be surprised to see someone other than Trippier play in the early stages of the tournament, with Mills saying that England should win the matches against Iran, USA and Wales. He said, "...we expect England to get out of the group convincingly."
"It's then down to who you get in the knockout phases when you come up against good teams and some really good players.
"So, you need good defenders and Trippier for me is my out and out first choice right back without a shadow of a doubt."
James Jilted
Danny Mills clearly stated that he would not take an unfit Reece James to Qatar, dismissing the idea out of hand. The Chelsea defender appears to be Gareth Southgate's favoured right-back with a clean bill of health, but he picked up a knee ligament injury in his side's UEFA Champions League tie against AC Milan last month, and faces a race against time. Which Mills says is not a risk worth taking, even though it is thought he could be fit enough for the latter stages of the competition:
"I wouldn't even take Reece James; he's not going to be fit and the squad goes in less than two weeks.
"He's not going to be fit enough to go."
Walker Waits
Mills was less certain on the fate of Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker who has not featured since early October when he picked up a groin strain in the Manchester derby.
"With Kyle Walker you can probably get away with it because of his experience, if it was a young player, I think it would be very difficult.
If Kyle Walker has a week or two of full training, then I would take him because of the size of the squad he's got.
I think he's a fantastic player, he has a lot of leadership experience, and he can play in different positions, so you might need him.
Maybe not in the first group game, you might be able to bring him on for 10 or 15 minutes, then maybe 30 minutes in the second game and wherever you might need him in other games."
Southgate is to trim his current 55 man squad down to 26, with an announcement believed to be due on the 10th November, just 11 days before England's opening games against Iran. According to Mills, it is only Trippier who should be sure of a seat on the plane, while James, Alexander-Arnold and Walker sweat on their selections.
This interview was provided by OLBG
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