As early as November 2020, Gareth Southgate managed to laugh at “memes” created to mock his adoration for midfielder Mason Mount.
The Chelsea star was nurtured and followed into the ranks of England by Southgate and, frankly, Mount never misled the Three Lions when he was called.
He has 29 games to date, Southgate as a man is fiercely loyal to those who supply him and the “memes” soon became popular after he answered a question about Jack Grish, discussing Mount.
“I guess you mean Mason, whose only crime is not being Jack right now,” Southgate joked.
“I also realize I need to talk about Mason, because then memes make me talk about Mason,” Southgate added carelessly.
It was a carefree joke with many Aston Villa fans, annoyed by Grillish’s lack of minutes compared to Mount. Now the head of England will find that he is confusing much more awkwardly, as the calls get louder and louder to push Grillish in front of Mount.
Mason Mount (right) was again replaced by Jack Greenish (center) serving in England
Gareth Southgate (center) will soon call for Grealish to start before Mount
Returning to a tested 4-2-3-1, Mount was again the one who started behind Harry Kane. He also started the 1-0 defeat by Hungary, playing to the left of Kane in a 3-4-3 system.
Capacities № 28 and № 29 proved unconvincing for Mount, although many of them did not reach their levels in the last two games, given the tired legs accumulated at the end of a long season.
But it is inevitable that Southgate, no matter how much a fan of Mount, just does not get the most out of it.
Since November 2020, he has not scored a goal for his country and, reflecting on the European Championship, the last major tournament used as a starting point, he managed to make only one assist in five games.
This is not to destroy Mount, who is emerging through the Chelsea academy and in their first team as a good player under Frank Lampard, and now Thomas Tuchel.
But five months after the World Cup in Qatar, Southgate will be under increasing pressure to turn to Grillish in an attempt to bring life to life in their attack – at the expense of Mount.
Not that any of the players agree that a decision has to be made.
“I would never see this as a rivalry,” Mount said after a routine victory over the Republic of Ireland in 2020.
“We are two different players and we do different things. We are quite different players. We can play different roles.
“Jack?” You know what he can do. He is a world-class player who can create and score goals and that is what we need in every England team. There are different players on this team who can play in different positions. ‘
Mount (right) was also replaced by Grealish in Hungary, both looking either-or
And Grilish, do you agree? I bet he does.
“I love Mason,” he said.
“It’s a little annoying, because he probably gets a little bit of a stick at times, but I’ve always been close to Mason, I think he’s an absolutely great player.
“I don’t even think we’re really fighting for the same place, to be honest.
“Like I said, I think Mason is underrated and he deserves all the credit he gets. I think people who know football will understand how good it is. ‘
They can emphasize how much they do not compete as much as they like, this does not make the reality less true.
In both games last week, Southgate turned to his bench in search of a difference, shouted Grillish and signaled to Mount that his night was over.
As Jude Bellingham is seen as an option in a deeper role, Grillish and Mount will have months to bolster their affairs, starting in Qatar’s first match against Iran on November 21.
Based on the cameo against Germany on Tuesday, it was Grillish who won public support.
The key difference, if nothing else, in the eye test is that Grillish is the risk taker, the individual person that every top team needs.
Southgate (left) is a big Mount fan, but his attacking output in 29 games is minimal.
Mount, while a threat and facilitator, as Chelsea have repeatedly shown, feels a much safer choice. He is diligent out of possession and is said to be the dream of the manager to work with.
Grillish, meanwhile, can be as great as it is frustrating.
Given 20 minutes at the Allianz Arena, it was much more great than disappointing. Despite such a limited run, the City man completely turned the game upside down, playing a key role in England, which saved a 1-1 draw.
Statistically, Grillish did well; the success rate of only 71 percent is not something to write about, but the eye test told its story.
Grillish was direct, as he often is, and brought England forward. The team has slightly better ball carriers than Grilish.
“We are not blind to being a good player,” Southgate told Grilish at a press conference on memes in 2020. It is now impossible to ignore.
In 22 games and only one goal – although many participations were limited minutes or, as in the case of Euro 2020, they saw him replaced, only to be replaced again, in the semifinals against Denmark.
Grillish excites fans, the belief that he can convey the game to opponents. Risk and reward, something that doesn’t feel particularly Southgate.
And this is the mystery of the boss of England. There is a lot of pressure in Qatar, as there is always with England in a big tournament, but will he compromise his pragmatic approach to unlock Grillish?
“The start of the match, the challenge for the big players to attack, defend, try to score at a high tactical level and you have to be on the spot,” he said when asked why Grillish started on the bench.
“I think that’s an area where Jack can get better.”
Grillish is more risk averse than Mount, fighting opponents, though often late in matches
And here it is. While it would be unfair to assume that Southgate does not trust Grillish, it is clear that the glove has been put on. The urban broad man must become a mushroom for Southgate’s demands if he wants to displace Mount, while Plan 1A comes with flights to Doha.
“What he did was carry the ball, and at this point in the game, when it opens, there’s a little more space, a little more opportunity, and also that freshness,” Southgate said, praising his shot from the bench.
“The impact he and Jarod Bowen had was really important in these attacking areas. There is a good challenge, good competition for places and we must continue to push for them.
The momentum behind the player could change quickly, and Southgate will likely continue to show faith in Mount, who has been a supporter of him for so long.
But as Gary Lineker calls for Grealish to get more playing time, it’s getting harder and harder to block out the noise.
And no, they are not “different players” in “different positions”. This is a decision that Southgate must make.
Mount (second left) and Grealish (second right) are close and downplay the talk of “rivalry”
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