Adebayo Akinfenwa leaves West Ham United star Declan Rice out of England team for the World Cup
Adebayo Akinfenwa has told talkSPORT that he would leave West Ham star Declan Rice out of his England starting lineup for the World Cup.
The Hammers skipper has struggled for form this season and was part of the England side that suffered defeat to Italy on Friday night, which saw them relegated from the top division in the UEFA Nations League.
But speaking live on talkSPORT [25 September], former striker Akinfenwa named his Three Lions side for the opening World Cup game and picked Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson ahead of Rice for the defensive midfield position and insisted they would win the tournament with his side.
“So I’ve got Pickford in goal,” he said. “I’m going to go right-back, Trent. I’m going to throw a spanner. Tomori and Dier centre backs for me. I think Tomori gets overlooked because he’s not in the Prem, but anyway.
“And then on the left I’m going Kyle Walker. I’m going Kyle Walker on the left.
“I’m playing like a diamond. My three in the middle of the diamond would be Hendo [Jordan Henderson] sitting, Foden and Bellingham in the middle. That’s my three.
“I’m going to have Sterling in the hole and up front right now I’ll have Kane and Ivan Toney.
“That would be my team going to the World Cup. That’s winning it.”
No chance
I think most people will agree that England have a very slim chance of winning the World Cup with Declan Rice in the side, and even less if he isn’t playing.
Despite his struggles this season he is still among the best midfield players in the country and he offers a unique skillset to other options in his position that Gareth Southgate could select.
Now it’s possible that Akinfenwa simply forgot about Rice and went for Henderson because he’s a Liverpool fan and has a big club bias.
But if Southgate seriously considers going into the World Cup without Rice, who is his best central midfield option right now, then he is a fool and deserves all the criticism that will come his way.
Rice’s performance absolutely needs to improve ahead of the tournament, but he has done more than enough over the last few years to earn his place in the team if he’s fit and available, especially with David Moyes under pressure at West Ham.