Talk of an England recall had been rife for James Maddison lately, despite Leicester’s desperate start to the season.
His performance in the recent 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest showed exactly what the 25-year-old offers on his day, but with England boss Gareth Southgate in the King Power Stadium stands against Crystal Palace on Saturday, he may have failed his final audition.
It was a game Leicester needed to win after one victory in nine, but nerves got the better of them as they endured a 0-0 stalemate. Maddison, as he usually does, showed glimpses of his class, but failed to inspire his side to a second victory this season as he did their first.
A booking for simulation in stoppage time means he misses Thursday’s clash with Leeds, and will play before Southgate names his provisional World Cup squad.
‘Maddison makes things happen’
Five goals and two assists in nine Premier League games is an impressive return, considering the misfiring Foxes have struggled so much. His manager Brendan Rodgers said after the game that he hopes Southgate will take his overall form into consideration.
“You can’t judge him on this one game,” Rodgers said. “I thought he had a good game, he was really creative. He is a guy playing out of position for the team [on the wing].
“He is one of the most talented creative players in the league. He is a top player at this level. Unfortunately at the end he is obviously looking for the penalty.”
There was collective backing for Maddison, too, from the BT Sport punditry team during their coverage of the game, with Maddison’s bravery and leadership praised in particular.
Peter Crouch – who played for England in two World Cups – said: “In a struggling side, it takes a big character to continuously get on the ball and hunt and create things. Maddison is not playing safe, he is trying to play through the lines, play progressive passes and that takes a lot of ability.”
Ex-England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole said: “Maddison’s levels haven’t dropped. He was getting on the ball, trying to make things happen.
“Gareth will know the difference between judging a player when the team is flowing, especially a player like Maddison who needs a system around him to flourish.
“He is producing the level of consistency but he is in a poor team, which shows massive character. He feels like a leader at their club, he is a big player.”
The potential issue is where he would fit into Southgate’s 4-3-3 system. While that is the same formation Rodgers employs at Leicester, with Maddison cutting in off the right, he would have a job usurping Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling from the wide positions.
Jack Grealish and Jarrod Bowen are ahead of him in the pecking order too, and while he can operate in a midfield trio, Mason Mount and Jude Bellingham look nailed on to start against Iran in the opening group game.
There is no doubting Maddison’s quality, but given the fact that he has just one England cap to his name, coming three years ago, it is difficult to see how he forces his way in after a difficult day and no further opportunities to impress.
‘If Maddison can’t get in, what chance has Eze got?’
For Crystal Palace, Eberechi Eze was lively, going close with a shot from the edge of the box in the first half. There has been talk of the 24-year-old uncapped midfielder being a potential England wildcard after successfully recovering from an Achilles injury.
He has two assists and one goal this season, but perhaps more importantly has provided Patrick Vieira’s side with another attacking dimension to complement the threat posed by talisman Wilfried Zaha.
But former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam says the competition is too great for Eze to be on the plane to Qatar.
“If Maddison can’t get in, what chance has Eze got? That is the level of quality England have in that midfield area,” Adam told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It is going to be a very tough ask to go to the World Cup. There is a lot of quality not involved in the squad. You can only dictate with your performances.
“If he does unbelievably well between now and the World Cup, then he’ll have a chance. He’ll be on the radar because England will need everybody.”
Eze and Maddison will not have long to wait to see if they are under consideration. Southgate is expected to name a provisional squad on Thursday, 20 October.
If they do not make it, it will only be because of the number of quality players in the mix. It is a nice headache to have for the England boss.
