Now is the time for the REAL England to turn up. Do so, and they can blow Slovakia away, writes GRAEME SOUNESS

Sunday isn't astir 'mighty' Slovakia, a state pinch a 5.4million population, astir half that of London, it's astir 'mighty' England turning up.

If nan existent England we know, pinch awesome attacking players, yet shows itself, past we don't request to beryllium concerned astir Slovakia, England should triumph pinch goals to spare.

In my 7 years astatine Liverpool, I tin only retrieve america paying typical attraction to nan guidance once. That was nan 1981 European Cup semi last successful Munich erstwhile Sammy Lee was asked to spell man for man connected Bayern Munich awesome Paul Breitner. On each different juncture it was: 'don't interest astir nan opposition, ore connected getting your ain crippled right'.

England shouldn't beryllium worrying astir nan alleged lesser lights. But truthful acold we person witnessed 3 predominantly uninspiring, miserable games wherever statistic show america England person mustered 10 attempts connected target. Ten!

So what that tells america is, now is not nan clip for loyalty from Gareth Southgate.

England haven't performed and they request to make changes.

Time is not your friend successful tourney shot truthful you can't support waiting for players to deed form.

I said it past week and I will re-iterate it again, England request to put Phil Foden down Harry Kane, make Jude Bellingham much alert of his protect duties alongside Declan Rice and bring Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer onto nan wide areas.

They huffed and puffed against Slovenia, but didn't frighten nan extremity and why? Because, simply put, their imaginative players didn't create and springiness immoderate ammunition for Kane to people nan goals.

You are talking astir 1 of nan apical goalscorers successful Europe. He is simply a extremity instrumentality who scored for nosy successful nan Premier League past went to nan Bundesliga and carried connected breaking scoring records there, truthful Kane is not nan problem. At nan infinitesimal he has not had nan supply. He needs nan clever and tiny passing from nan imaginative players that are connected nan field.

That hasn't happened but nan different night, successful nan short play they were connected nan pitch, Gordon and Palmer brought a acold amended power to nan wide areas than we person seen before. We saw nan quality from 2 players who person been bang successful shape for their clubs this season.

Under Eddie Howe, Gordon has travel connected successful leaps and bounds this year. His dribbling skills person ne'er been successful uncertainty but he is showing he understands nan different broadside of nan game, nan protect part, nan difficult yards.

It's evident different logic he should commencement is to get much retired of Kieran Trippier.

He's not been astatine his best, a right-footed subordinate astatine left-back, but he's played location before. Gordon knows him wrong out. That relationship, nan knowing they person from training pinch each different each day, will only use England.

I said Palmer would travel connected arsenic a substitute and make specified an belief that he would springiness his head a headache, good that clip is now. He has to start.

And arsenic for Foden, he is nan Premier League Player of nan Year, inquire him wherever he wants to play and it will beryllium much cardinal than nan wide areas, down Kane.

Football is rather simple, you want your champion players connected nan shot arsenic overmuch arsenic you perchance tin and centrally is wherever he will do nan harm for England. Kane will use enormously from his intelligent play and we person to underline nan extremity threat Foden carries himself - he scored 28 goals past play for nine and country.

I tin understand that Southgate will beryllium reluctant to inquire Bellingham to alteration his attacking instincts connected nan backmost of a play erstwhile he has been Real Madrid's apical scorer successful La Liga but I do deliberation he is much than tin of being a disciplined midfield subordinate alongside Rice without diminishing his extremity threat excessively much.

He has nan talent and athleticism to play successful immoderate of nan roles a modern midfield subordinate is asked to execute today.

I was amazed to perceive him talking astir being 'dead' astatine nan extremity of nan Slovenia crippled but that is much psychological than physical. He has had an breathtaking commencement to his shot life successful Spain, a play that culminated successful him winning nan Champions League, it tin beryllium tiring mentally but arsenic you get older your encephalon will set and woody pinch nan demands of master shot astatine nan highest level. He will cope.

The indications from nan training campy though are that Southgate whitethorn determine connected a different partner for Rice.

He has tried Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher past introduced Kobbie Mainoo. None person been nan correct 1 successful my opinion.

My interest pinch Mainoo is that he empties nan centre of midfield excessively often. I person watched him play for Manchester United and England and he is exceptional pinch nan shot astatine his feet but he has yet to show he understands each nan disciplines of nan position. Against nan amended teams, I would interest Rice would beryllium near isolated.

I maintain, that retired of nan 2 starlets, Mainoo and Adam Wharton, it is nan Crystal Palace boy who has a amended knowing of nan protect duties of a midfield role.

Whoever Southgate selects, he needs nan existent England to move up.

Now is nan clip to artifact retired each nan disapproval that has been coming their measurement and show nan qualities they person shown for their nine sides complete nan past 9 months. The genuinely large players are mentally tough, now is nan clip to show that England

Stars get excessively overmuch flak? Deal pinch it! 

England players were a spot put retired aft coming nether disapproval this week. It comes arsenic Germany's Toni Kroos besides bemoaned that his country's guidance to their tie against Switzerland had been treated for illustration a 3-0 defeat. My reply is: 'Deal pinch it'.

Modern players get disconnected lightly.

I judge location is much liking successful shot now pinch each nan different platforms and societal media but it's a mini value to salary erstwhile you are earning £100,000 aliases £200,000 a week, and they would do good to punctual themselves of that.

Footballers successful this state don't get criticised anyplace adjacent arsenic overmuch arsenic they do successful different countries aliases so get arsenic overmuch instrumentality arsenic erstwhile generations. Now it is much astir really nan managers aliases coaches are to blame: 'It was nan tactics', 'he picked nan incorrect team'.

So if each 2 years while pinch your state you are exposed to much scrutiny past I don't deliberation it is simply a large issue. That's nan value connected nan summons erstwhile you're an world footballer.

I knowledgeable it astatine my first awesome tournament: nan World Cup successful Argentina, 1978. We'd gone location pinch nan hype that we would triumph it, which was ne'er a reality. We mislaid our opening crippled to Peru, drew pinch Iran past needed to hit Holland, nan eventual finalists, by 3 clear goals but only managed to triumph 3-2. During nan full tournament, nan flak was flying but it ne'er near a people connected me.

We sewage criticised pinch nine and country, but you woody pinch it and understand location are a batch much benefits to being a master footballer.

England's players would do good to retrieve nan same.

Ruud reunion will use United 

Ruud van Nistelrooy returning to Old Trafford tin only beryllium bully news for Manchester United.

A existent footballing personification who enjoyed a awesome playing profession will beryllium important going forward.

You would for illustration to deliberation players specified arsenic Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford, if they stay there, would pat into his knowledge and study from personification who was a fabulous striker.

However, I'd re-iterate, for each nan changes to coaching staff, nan astir important facet Manchester United get correct this summertime will beryllium their recruitment. That will find really agelong Erik 10 Hag and his backroom squad stay successful charge.