Micah Richards accepts Thomas Tuchel's authority over the England squad, but he does not think the balance is right. Richards said England should have kept more attacking threat, with Phil Foden and Cole Palmer the names he would have protected, and Jordan Henderson the midfielder he would have sacrificed.
Thomas Tuchel left out Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire and Trent Alexander-Arnold from England's World Cup squad. Richards said he would have had at least Foden or Palmer in the squad, and probably would have taken Trent Alexander-Arnold as well.
Why Richards thinks England should have kept more threat
Richards was blunt about the kind of players England need when matches tighten up. Speaking to metro.co.uk, he said: "I would have maybe sacrificed that for an Alex Scott, a Foden, a Palmer, someone who might not get the minutes they expect but come alive in those big moments in games where it can all change. I would have taken Foden or Palmer, one or both of them, 100 per cent. Just because they can change the game."
He also argued that set pieces and slower tempo will matter. Speaking to metro.co.uk, Richards said: "Defensive set pieces and attacking set pieces are going to be so important. And because of the temperature, the tempo is going to be a bit slower. Harry Maguire has never let England down so I was surprised by that one. Foden could come on and change a game even if he hasn't done it for England like we expect for him. Those players have something special. But I love Tuchel for making his decision and sticking to it. He doesn't care about the noise."
That is the point Richards keeps coming back to. He is not attacking Tuchel's nerve, he is questioning whether England have left too many decisive players out of the room.
Henderson's place gives the selection debate its edge
Henderson's inclusion is what gives this selection call its hardest edge. Richards said Henderson is playing in his seventh major competition, which is an amazing record, and Jordan Henderson's selection for a seventh major international tournament surpassed Wayne Rooney and Sol Campbell to set a new record.
The numbers around England's recent tournament form do not suggest a team starting from scratch. England's last five World Cup matches in the stats pack show 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, and they scored 6 against Iran in their most recent listed World Cup game. Croatia's last five World Cup matches also include only 4 total goals conceded, which is part of why Richards' argument about bench creativity has some bite.
England begin their campaign against Croatia on Wednesday night with a 9pm kick-off, and that is where the selection call gets tested rather than debated. If Tuchel's squad delivers, Richards' complaint will sound like a familiar selection gripe. If England need a player to change a tight game, the case for Foden or Palmer will look even sharper.
Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →