Thomas Tuchel urged to drop Arsenal star for Chelsea rival to ‘win the World Cup’ | Football

Joe Cole has included Chelsea star Cole Palmer in the England team he believes can ‘win the World Cup’.

The Three Lions underwhelmed in the final international break before heading to the World Cup this summer, drawing 1-1 with Uruguay and then losing 1-0 to Japan.

Despite those poor results, Thomas Tuchel’s side are still one of the favourites going into the tournament, having reached back-to-back European Championship finals under previous boss Sir Gareth Southgate.

England also went deep in two World Cups under Southgate, losing in the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter-finals in Qatar four years later.

Cole believes the Three Lions can end their 60-year wait for a World Cup trophy this summer but only if Tuchel, who took charge last year, picks the right team.

Ex-Chelsea manager Tuchel has selection dilemmas in a number of positions, including at centre-back, central midfield and on both wings, with the preliminary squad needing to be submitted by May 11 and the final 26-man squad by May 30.

Cole thinks he has the solution to one of England’s selection debates, however, insisting Palmer should start on the right-wing ahead of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.

Saka has been England’s first-choice in that position for several years but has endured a poor season for Arsenal by his standards, although his form has picked up somewhat in recent weeks.

While Cole has backed Palmer to start for England at the World Cup, he also wants Tuchel to put faith in Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon on the other flank.

Cole believes Tuchel should overlook Saka but says his Arsenal teammate Declan Rice could be the most important member of England’s squad.

‘Right, this is my England team for the World Cup,’ Cole, who earned 56 international caps, said on The Dressing Room podcast.

‘I’m going Jordan Pickford in goal. Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones – I would have liked him to have played more games of football this season but you need experience at the World Cup and he’s massively experienced.

‘You always have that fear of him breaking down but maybe it will work because he’s fresh, knows what he’s doing and brings experience.

‘At left-back I do like Lewis Hall but I’m going with Nico O’Reilly because he gives that penetration going forward.

‘Declan Rice starts in midfield and I’m going to go Elliot Anderson next to him. I would have Declan a bit deeper than where he plays for Arsenal – there’s a big push for him to play further forward but we’ve got so much already going forward.

‘I would tell Declan that he’s the most crucial player on the pitch and he needs to marshal that midfield. If England are going to win the World Cup we’re going to have to be really good off the ball.

‘I would have Jude Bellingham as the No. 10 but if he isn’t performing, you can quite easily make a change there.

‘I would have Cole Palmer coming in from the right like he’s been doing at Chelsea, releasing him up, and almost playing two number tens. A midfield of Rice, Anderson, Bellingham, Palmer has power, ability and goals.

‘On the left I would start with Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford because he scores goals, he’s a warrior and he presses really well and has legs to run in behind and that will help Harry Kane if he’s dropping off sometimes.

‘I think with that team we can control possession and win the World Cup.’

England were drawn in Group L for this summer’s World Cup and kick-start their campaign against Croatia on June 17.

Group games against Ghana and Panama follow as Tuchel’s side look to advance to the knockout stages and ultimately win the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

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