this would be my lineup although against weaker opposition I’d drop mount back to centre mid and play foden on the right. Also it’s literally a coin toss for me between shaw and chilwell at lwb. I’d be looking to do a Val and bringing Rashford and Sancho off the bench fairly early.
Nowhere near as good as David batty? Well interesting notion. He was obviously well rated at leeds, blackburn, newcastle. But in all of his England caps I don’t recall him ever passing a ball forwards. At France ‘98 he was a drain on the side in my eyes. I think Phillips is a much better player. He wouldn’t be in my first 11 for England, but not too far away.
I don't really remember his performances for Leeds, but he played a key role in the Blackburn championship winning team. All I remember of him though was being a limited footballer with a real hard working attitude who loved a tackle. It's a long time ago though and I was only 13 in 1995, so maybe I am doing him a disservice. I still don't think there's a place for a Batty type player in this England team or in most modern football teams. I think the technical level of young footballers today far exceeds the majority of those pre 2010 or so. Not sure they've still got the heart and desire, and most definitely don't love a tackle in the same way, but football in terms of fitness, sports science and technical ability is streets ahead.
Eventually every team will be just as adept at attacking as defending and defenders will be able to slot in up front. You only have to look at some of the football played by Man City and Barcelona without out and out centre forwards (in the old fashioned sense).