Jose Mourinho Offers Gareth Southgate the Perfect Player to Solve England’s Defensive Issues

• Jose Mourinho claims he would not hesitate in picking Chris Smalling I the England national team
• With the World Cup drawing closer, there is still a lot of uncertainty on how Gareth Southgate will set up his squad
• The England manager has come under a lot of pressure with the team winless in their last six games
• Meanwhile, Smalling has been a revelation for Mourinho at Roma, both in defence and scoring crucial goals

Roma manager Jose Mourinho says he would not think twice about picking Chris Smalling if he was England manager.

Smalling has been one of the in-form players for Mourinho’s side this season, and was once again crucial in keeping a clean sheet on Monday, October 17 as the Giallorossi claimed a crucial 1-0 win over Sampdoria.

It was another vintage performance from Jose Mourinho’s side, who got all three points thanks to a Lorenzo Pelligrini penalty in the ninth minute.

English manager on the verge of sack says it's hard for coaches ‘unless you’re gifted like Klopp or Guardiola’

Football

Speaking after the game, Mourinho singled out Smalling for his recent performances this season, saying the former Manchester United man deserved an England call up.

As reported on Daily Mail, Mourinho claims the 32-year old defender’s adaptability was one of his biggest assets.

“He was taught to play in a two-man defence in Manchester, but now he’s got the perfect acumen to play in a three-man backline,” he said.

“If I were the coach of a national team, I would do anything to have someone like him at my disposal.”

Why Smalling would be perfect fit for Southgate

At Roma, Smalling has thrived in a back-three set-up, which Gareth Southgate is very fond of as England boss.

However, the England boss might have to make adjustments to his formation, especially with the likes of Kyle Walker and Reece James major doubts in the defensive areas.

Erik Ten Hag reveals Cristiano Ronaldo's feelings amid Man United exit rumours

Football

Southgate’s stance on Maguire

Elsewhere, Sports Brief also reported on Gareth Southgate’s stance on Harry Maguire amid the defender’s struggles at club level.

The 29-year-old has troubles at club level and has been demoted to the bench in recent weeks by Erik ten Hag, who prefers the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane as the centre-backs in the Premier League.

Players who do not get enough game time at club level usually run the risk of getting overlooked for the national team, but this might not be the case with Maguire.

Despite his club woes, Southgate has full faith in him and he will still be at the heart of the Three Lions’ defence in Qatar.