Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: England Squad & Premier League Insights

Striker Depth Concerns

I think you’ve got to be worried, haven’t you, because we haven’t certainly got a like-for-like replacement for Kane. He’s such a good player, Harry Kane, that that’s always going to be difficult anyway. And his style differs from a lot of centre-forwards in the way that he drops in.

Ollie Watkins has got himself a goal and is looking a little bit more lively now. But we’re so thin on the ground for centre-forwards these days, aren’t we? Everybody goes back to those times where we had five or six – Shearer, Owen and Fowler, Cole, Sheringham, Wright, all those. And now we’ve got very few. So I’m sure Thomas Tuchel will be just hoping that Kane can stay fit.

Jack Grealish’s Omission

Well, he’s had a brilliant start to his Everton career, and he is somebody that’s just a little bit different with the way that he can keep the ball, dribble and release it at the right time, attract players. So listen, Phil Foden can’t get in at the moment. Then Jack Grealish will think, well, I’m in good company and obviously Jude Bellingham as well. So, if he carries on like he is at Everton, I think he will get in.

James Trafford’s England Prospects

If you’re not playing for your club, I think it’s difficult to come into the England squad and win a starting place, and he has players like Pope, doing well for Newcastle, vying for their spots back. So for Trafford, I’ve spoken about him before.

He’s a young lad, he’s a deputy now to Donnarumma, one of the best in the world. So he’s getting a great education. He’s a very talented keeper himself. He’s got a lot of time on his side. So he would be disappointed not to be starting for England, but I think he would have to understand.

Centre-Back Partnership

The two who started in Serbia, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi. At the moment, I think they’re at the head of the queue. I think they go well together as a partnership. There’s pace in there. Guéhi playing on the left suits him, like he does at Palace, albeit in a three.

They’re gaining more experience at the international level. John Stones has obviously had his injury problems. You wouldn’t discount John, but for Dan Burn, no, I don’t see him at the moment as somebody who’s going to be good enough to rival the two I’ve mentioned, and also Stones, if he’s fit.

England’s Best Player and World Cup Chances

Listen, if Kane’s fit, he’s the captain, he’s probably the best. It’s hard to compare strikers to defenders and that. But he’s the main man. Declan Rice is just very consistent for club and for country. We have so many players at our disposal, but the back four has always been a little bit weak on the ground in terms of numbers.

Can we win the World Cup? Yeah, we can. We’ve got close, haven’t we, getting to the latter stages, semis and finals of these major tournaments. So winning it is the next step. So let’s hope we can do it next year.

England vs Wales Prediction

I think we’ll beat them 2-0.

Title Race Assessment

I don’t think Chelsea will be in it, as good as they were against Liverpool the other day. But City are a bit of an unknown quantity. Maybe we thought this year they weren’t going to be able to mount a challenge. I think they might hang around and make things difficult for Arsenal and Liverpool. Haaland’s absolutely flying. Rodri, if he’s not in there, they’ve got to make alternative arrangements, and that might affect them because he can’t play every game. But City are still in the conversation. But they might be third in line.

I still see Arsenal as the favourites. Liverpool have got the problems, haven’t they? Defensively especially. But possibly now I’d say a three-horse race.

Gyökeres vs Havertz at Arsenal

I think there’ll probably be matches when Arteta looks at the opposition and the defence and thinks “Oh, Havertz might suit this one better” because he’s a really good talent and obviously offers something different to Gyökeres, who’s an out-and-out centre-forward. So, there might be times, and that’s a great option to have.

But Gyökeres, I’m a fan of his. He’s not like your archetypal Arsenal striker of recent years. He’s quite direct, forthright in the way that he plays. He’s very strong. He’s very quick over five yards or so.

I think he’s been a good signing, and he will be going forward. I think he’ll get his fair share of goals. Maybe technically, he’s not on the level of some of those attacking players. But I think he brings something different from what they’ve had. So I think the fans should keep the faith.

Chelsea’s Madueke Loss

Who knows how Chelsea feels when it comes to these comings and goings? Gittens hasn’t been an upgrade; he’s just been disappearing up blind alleys, and we’ve not seen the best form from him. That was a strange move; it felt unusual at the time, and it looks even more out of place now. But that’s Chelsea at the moment, isn’t it?

Ben White’s Situation

When you’ve got such a strong squad, you will have these players who aren’t getting regular games thinking, well, maybe time for a move, and you don’t want to lose them, but it’s hard to keep them happy. So it all depends on Ben and how he feels about the situation, whether he feels, yeah, I still will get my fair share of games, and I want to be at a club that’s going places. We’d have to see on that one, down to the individuals.

Jurriën Timber’s getting the nod. Ben White’s had his injury concerns, but he had that really good relationship with Bukayo Saka, which maybe Timber hasn’t developed to that extent yet.

Leeds’ Season Prospects

They’re holding their own, aren’t they? Apart from the Arsenal game, they’ve competed well. They’ve stayed in games, even if they’ve ended up losing them. So I think Daniel Farke will be fairly pleased with how things have started.

I like Leeds in the Premier League, they’re a big club, fantastic atmosphere at Elland Road. Maybe they’ll finish just a couple of points above the drop zone.

Leeds’ Attack and Calvert-Lewin

Calvert-Lewin looked quite lively against Spurs. Had one or two moments. He’s regaining that match sharpness, which you only get by playing games every week. So, fairly encouraging signs. He got himself a goal the other day against Wolves. A good header. So, that’ll buoy him a little bit.

But they haven’t got many options. Okafor has come to the club and got a couple of goals playing off the left, so that helps. But they are weak through the middle. Calvert-Lewin’s injury record speaks for itself, so if they were to lose him, I think it would affect the team. Because even if he’s not scoring, he does give you a good focal point, somebody who’s going to occupy centre-halves. An area of weakness for Leeds.

Leeds’ January Priority

You’d think a central striker, but a lot of teams are after that player and getting the right quality is not easy, especially in January. And I would imagine that is the area if they’ve money to spend where they would be looking.

Sean Dyche and the Rangers Job

Would it be a good move? He’s got a lot of ground to make up on Celtic, big pressure. I don’t think he’d shy away from the pressure of it. I’m just guessing here but I think he might hold out for an English club and ideally a Premier League one. We’ll see on that. Steven Gerrard might be ahead of him. He sounds quite keen for that job.

But I think he’s enjoying his time off at the moment. He’s been in work a long time, Sean Dyche, and just enjoying a bit of time out of it. But you’d see him coming back at some stage. Maybe not at Rangers. I might be wrong, but maybe not the right fit for him.