Wayne Rooney believes that Germany will be England's toughest opponent in the knockout rounds of Euro 2020, and has encouraged Gareth Southgate to be cautious in his team selection for the Wembley match.
The Three Lions breezed into the tournament's final 16 after winning their group despite scoring just two goals in three games, while their oldest rivals barely made it out of the group of death, edging past Hungary with Leon Goretzka's late equalizer in midweek.
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With home advantage factored in, England are odds-on favorites, but Rooney believes Southgate needs to make big alterations to his starting lineup if his team is to exploit Germany's flaws.
Despite being a fan of Aston Villa's Jack Grealish, Rooney believes Southgate would be better off starting his old teammate Marcus Rashford and exploiting his pace on the counter.
The Manchester United striker arrived at the tournament with an injury and has been used little thus far, but Rooney believes the time has come to let the 23-year-old loose.
‘After all my support for Jack Grealish, I wouldn't start him against Germany,' Rooney wrote in his column for The Times. Against the Czech Republic, he was one of England's better performers, and my opinion of him has not changed.
‘Everything I believe is based on how the Germans play.' Different opponents necessitate different methods, and Tuesday's match is ideal for Marcus Rashford – but not for Jack.
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‘The more players that want to get the ball to their feet, the more Germany can press, so instead of Jack, I'd look for runners on each side of Harry Kane.'
‘When they go forward, my directive would be to attack the spaces behind their wing-backs and make runs down the channels to the flanks of their centre-backs - especially considering Mats Hummels' pace difficulties.'
Rashford is an excellent choice for the position, and one of Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka, or Jadon Sancho would round out my attacking line. Raheem has been in fantastic form, Saka impressed against the Czechs, and Sancho knows the German players better than anyone, so I don't think you could go wrong with either option.
When England wins, the initial thought should be to play into the channels with Rashford and Sterling/Saka/Sancho in behind. Having runners on the pitch will help England go up the pitch and take Germany's counter-press off the field.'
Meanwhile, Rooney has recommended Southgate to play without a designated No.10 in favor of a more conservative midfield combination of Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, and Kalvin Phillips.
He added: ‘Provided Jordan Henderson is fit I’d start him alongside Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips but Henderson has to be 100 percent. In a game of this size, where Germany will keep the ball and make you run, you will suffer if you’re not completely there physically.
‘I’d use Jude Bellingham instead if there is the slightest doubt about Henderson. That extra man in midfield would help Gareth Southgate to start the game solidly, feel how it’s going and maybe look to make the difference by introducing the quality of Grealish or Phil Foden from the bench. Against Germany, you have to be cautious.
‘They are the toughest second-round opponents England could have – I would rather be up against Portugal or France.’
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