England’s interim manager, Lee Carsley, is contemplating a bold tactical shift by positioning Jude Bellingham as a false nine for Thursday’s Nations League match against Greece. This comes in light of captain Harry Kane’s likely absence due to an ankle injury.
According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, Carsley is weighing various options, including Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke, but is seriously considering Bellingham’s potential in the role.
Bellingham, who has previously played as a false nine for Real Madrid, may partner with attacking talents such as Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Anthony Gordon. Despite not scoring for Real Madrid this season, Bellingham finished the last campaign with an impressive 27 goals for club and country.
If implemented, this tactical adjustment would allow Palmer and Foden to operate deeper in midfield alongside Declan Rice, while Saka and Gordon would provide width. Carsley’s decision to trial Bellingham in this position, rather than relying solely on traditional forwards like Watkins and Solanke, may surprise some fans.
Watkins, who scored the decisive goal for England in their European Championship semi-final against the Netherlands, has netted four times for Aston Villa this season. Solanke has also been in fine form, contributing three goals for Tottenham. However, Carsley noted the depth of options available in the No. 9 position, stating, “We’ve got plenty of options, but obviously Harry’s been the outstanding player for us.”
This match against Greece is crucial for Carsley as he vies for the permanent England manager role. Successfully integrating Bellingham into the team could enhance the attacking dynamics with young stars like Foden and Palmer. Reflecting on his tactical approach, Carsley remarked, “In between driving from game to game, you are constantly thinking about combinations, relationships.”
He aims to avoid the pitfalls faced by former manager Gareth Southgate, who struggled to harmonize the talents of Bellingham, Foden, and Palmer during the European Championship. Carsley is determined to maximize the impact of his young stars, drawing parallels to past managerial challenges.
Palmer, who outperformed both Bellingham and Saka to become England’s men’s player of the year, may also see an expanded role after his strong performances for Chelsea. Carsley has praised Palmer’s form, highlighting his ability to handle the intensity of consecutive games.
As England prepares to face Finland just three days after the Greece match, Carsley is expected to rotate his lineup, using both fixtures to fine-tune his tactical strategies. He remains focused on creating a system that fully leverages the strengths of his key players, stating, “Phil’s an unbelievable player, and we need to make sure we put him in positions where he can really affect the opposition.”
