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Neil Warnock says using John Stones as a makeshift right-back could be the solution to stabilising Englandâs back four.
The Three Lions looked defensively suspect in three of their four World Cup matches with head coach Thomas Tuchel yet to find the right quartet.
Englandâs backline looked particularly shaky during Wednesdayâs tense 2-1 win over DR Congo.
The right-back position is one that has garnered most attention and more so following Reece Jamesâ injury.
The Chelsea skipper started Englandâs first two matches but since being sidelined with a hamstring issue, the position has been shared by Jarell Quansah and Djed Spence.
Neither player has been able to stake a claim to succeed James for the rest of the tournament with the right-back berth very much up for grabs ahead of Sunday nightâs clash against Mexico.
Warnock, who took charge of 20 different clubs during a staggering 46-year managerial career, believes Englandâs defensive line will be crucial in how far they go at the World Cup.
And he says Stones would provide the perfect replacement for James ahead of the last-16 clash at the Azteca Stadium.
Defence is key
âI think itâs all going to come down to how the back four do,â Warnock told talkSPORT.
âWhen you look at the top sides, the back four that played (for England) the other day were poor.
âI think theyâll have to step up. I look at [Marc] Guehi and [Ezri] Konsa and I like [Nico] OâReilly.
âItâll be interesting to see who he plays at right-back. Personally, I think he might play Quansah there.â
Asked who he would play at right-back, he said: âIâd play John Stones there.â
Stones is no stranger to the position having featured there 65 times in his career, scoring three times and registering one assist.
If Warnock was to get his way it would see Spence dropped to the bench immediately after his starting role in the win over DR Congo.
Warnock knows Spence well from their time together at Middlesbrough however the pair became embroiled in a public spat when the legendary boss hit out at the starâs attitude.
Mistakes made?
Despite the ongoing furore around the omission of Trent Alexander-Arnold among other big names that were left out of Tuchel’s squad, Warnock stopped short of saying the German made blunders with his squad choices.
âI think whatever squad he picks is going to be questioned by certain people. You can never please everybody as a manager, Warnock added.
âHeâs got to believe in what he thinks. Heâs seen the dressing room and heâs decided to leave one or two people out.
âLuke Shaw for me, at the end of the season I thought he warranted a position,
âBut heâs (Tuchel) seen something else and youâve got to go with him really. Heâs a top manager.â
Asked if heâd have taken Alexander-Arnold in the 26-man squad, Warnock said: âIâm not 100 per cent sure about that. I think we need a good defender, thatâs what I think.
âI think weâve got the best midfield in the whole tournament.
â{Elliot] Anderson, that ball through to [Jude] Bellingham for the second goal (against DR Congo).
âThatâs what weâve got to do at altitude. Weâve got to have a pass going forward breaking the lines, not passing sideways like a lot of the teams are doing.
âAnd Anderson just gave us that. Bellingham, heâs on fire again.
âI like [Anthony] Gordon starting. I donât think people realise he had a full-back against him that just man-marked him.
âAnd weâve got the best striker (Harry Kane) going, his second goal was wow.â
Neil Warnock says using John Stones as a makeshift right-back could be the solution to stabilising Englandâs back four.
The Three Lions looked defensively suspect in three of their four World Cup matches with head coach Thomas Tuchel yet to find the right quartet.
Englandâs backline looked particularly shaky during Wednesdayâs tense 2-1 win over DR Congo.
The right-back position is one that has garnered most attention and more so following Reece Jamesâ injury.
The Chelsea skipper started Englandâs first two matches but since being sidelined with a hamstring issue, the position has been shared by Jarell Quansah and Djed Spence.
Neither player has been able to stake a claim to succeed James for the rest of the tournament with the right-back berth very much up for grabs ahead of Sunday nightâs clash against Mexico.
Warnock, who took charge of 20 different clubs during a staggering 46-year managerial career, believes Englandâs defensive line will be crucial in how far they go at the World Cup.
And he says Stones would provide the perfect replacement for James ahead of the last-16 clash at the Azteca Stadium.
Defence is key
âI think itâs all going to come down to how the back four do,â Warnock told talkSPORT.
âWhen you look at the top sides, the back four that played (for England) the other day were poor.
âI think theyâll have to step up. I look at [Marc] Guehi and [Ezri] Konsa and I like [Nico] OâReilly.
âItâll be interesting to see who he plays at right-back. Personally, I think he might play Quansah there.â
Asked who he would play at right-back, he said: âIâd play John Stones there.â
Stones is no stranger to the position having featured there 65 times in his career, scoring three times and registering one assist.
If Warnock was to get his way it would see Spence dropped to the bench immediately after his starting role in the win over DR Congo.
Warnock knows Spence well from their time together at Middlesbrough however the pair became embroiled in a public spat when the legendary boss hit out at the starâs attitude.
Mistakes made?
Despite the ongoing furore around the omission of Trent Alexander-Arnold among other big names that were left out of Tuchel’s squad, Warnock stopped short of saying the German made blunders with his squad choices.
âI think whatever squad he picks is going to be questioned by certain people. You can never please everybody as a manager, Warnock added.
âHeâs got to believe in what he thinks. Heâs seen the dressing room and heâs decided to leave one or two people out.
âLuke Shaw for me, at the end of the season I thought he warranted a position,
âBut heâs (Tuchel) seen something else and youâve got to go with him really. Heâs a top manager.â
Asked if heâd have taken Alexander-Arnold in the 26-man squad, Warnock said: âIâm not 100 per cent sure about that. I think we need a good defender, thatâs what I think.
âI think weâve got the best midfield in the whole tournament.
â{Elliot] Anderson, that ball through to [Jude] Bellingham for the second goal (against DR Congo).
âThatâs what weâve got to do at altitude. Weâve got to have a pass going forward breaking the lines, not passing sideways like a lot of the teams are doing.
âAnd Anderson just gave us that. Bellingham, heâs on fire again.
âI like [Anthony] Gordon starting. I donât think people realise he had a full-back against him that just man-marked him.
âAnd weâve got the best striker (Harry Kane) going, his second goal was wow.â
đĄ Puntos Clave
- Este artĂculo cubre aspectos importantes sobre Football,World Cup
- InformaciĂłn verificada y traducida de fuente confiable
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đ InformaciĂłn de la Fuente
| đ° PublicaciĂłn: | talksport.com |
| âď¸ Autor: | Lee Davey |
| đ Fecha Original: | 2026-07-03 12:11:00 |
| đ Enlace: | Ver artĂculo original |
Nota de transparencia: Este artĂculo ha sido traducido y adaptado del inglĂŠs al espaĂąol para facilitar su comprensiĂłn. El contenido se mantiene fiel a la fuente original, disponible en el enlace proporcionado arriba.
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