England, like Manchester United, have experimented with using a converted winger in a left-back berth, but former captain Terry Butcher has declared that “Ashley Young is my pet hate”.
At 32 years of age, an experienced performer at Old Trafford has enjoyed something of a renaissance since being shifted into defence by Jose Mourinho.
Young, as a man accustomed to getting forward, is considered to offer the perfect blend of hard running, tough tackling and dangerous crossing.
England boss Gareth Southgate has bought into that way of thinking, with a man who can comfortably operate as a wing-back drafted into his World Cup 2018 squad, but former Three Lions skipper Butcher believes established options are required on the grandest of global stages.
A man who helped England to the semi-finals of Italia ’90 told the Express: “Ashley Young is my pet hate and the one area Gareth Southgate seems to have a blind spot.
“He seems to think that because he is a forward-thinking player with experience who has had a good season for Manchester United, he can do a job for England.
“Your wing-backs have to be quick going forward and quick in recovery. Young is neither, which makes him reluctant to go forward because he is worried about the amount of cover he is giving the centre-backs.
“That one area down our left-hand side could be our undoing. You saw that in the second half against Nigeria at Wembley. And at the World Cup, just one weakness can put you out of the tournament.
“Without a doubt, it is vital Danny Rose is fit to play in the tournament.”
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Tottenham defender Rose provides the other left-back option in Southgate’s squad, with Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand the unfortunate man to miss out.
Young’s experience could yet see him get the nod, with England having favoured a 3-5-2 formation since booking their place at the 2018 World Cup.
There is, however, still time for tactical tweaks to be made, with the Three Lions kicking off their campaign against Tunisia on June 18.
They will then go on to face Panama and Belgium in their other Group G fixtures.
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