GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND COACH SAYS ROONEY
AND WALCOT WILL START ENGLAND NEXT MATCH AGAINST MALTA
Rooney will captain the side, though
Southgate would not say whether the Manchester United man will start in attack
or midfield.
"Yes he will (start). No I can't (confirm his
position)," Southgate told a press conference in St Albans, before also
revealing Walcott, who was sat beside him, would start.
"I know everybody is keen to know the team early. The
players are aware of the team. I'm sure the team will leak out, I know that's
what happens, but I don't see the point of giving the opposition the advantage
of knowing our team."
When pressed on what Rooney could offer if he were to play in
midfield, Southgate added: "Well I think his ability to control games, his
experience.
"I think this is a game where we will have a lot of the
ball. In the past few matches Malta have had 35, 40 per cent of the ball so I
expect us to control the game and we're going to have to show patience.
"I want us to be brave with the ball. One of the messages I
wanted to get across to the players this week was I want to see an England team
that are brave in possession and prepared to take chances, prepared to risk in
one v one situations."
Arsenal winger Walcott, who at the age of 17 made his England
debut against Hungary over a decade ago, echoed Southgate's call for the Three
Lions to express themselves against Malta.
The 44-cap player said: "It's a completely new bunch of
players, who've got a lot more experience following the disappointment of the
Euros, and we're wanting to put that right.
"Seeing how everyone is around the place and how we've
trained... there's no reason why we can't do better.
"Having that support behind us, we're going to just go for
it and be brave.
"You do the things that get you to play for England in the
first place. You want the right attributes to come out so you can express
yourself in games and if we can do that, it'll bode well for the future."
When asked if Southgate had a "nasty streak", the
27-year-old laughed, before adding: "We haven't really seen it yet!
"As long as we perform well hopefully we won't see it, but
if everyone's not completely ready then that side of us will have to come out.
"It comes from the players as well. There are a lot of
leaders in that dressing room and if someone's not doing something right then
we won't be afraid to tell them.
"It's important that if you see something on the pitch that
isn't working, you take note and try and change it yourself if you can."
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