Sky Sports writers debate Grealish, Sancho and Maguire for England's Czech Republic clash

England had just limped through a goalless draw with Scotland, and now, with the Czech Republic waiting on Tuesday night at Wembley, Gareth Southgate faced a choice that would define not just the final group game but the entire tournament ahead. Six Sky Sports writers sat down to debate what changes the England manager should make—and their consensus was striking: bring back Harry Maguire, unleash Jack Grealish, and find a way to get Harry Kane scoring again.

The Scotland match had exposed a problem. England's attack had stalled. Kane, the captain, had managed only one goal across two games. Sterling and Foden, despite their reputation, had not unlocked the Scottish defense. The midfield had felt sluggish, the width had been absent, and the whole machine seemed to be grinding rather than flowing. Yet England had also not conceded a goal, and a single point would guarantee passage to the knockout stages. The Czech Republic, meanwhile, needed just a point themselves to top the group. This was not a dead rubber—it was a final chance to build momentum before the real tournament began.

Maguire's absence loomed largest. The Manchester United defender had not played competitive football since early May, and his first touch in a knockout match would be a risk Southgate could not afford. Multiple writers argued he needed minutes against the Czechs, even if it meant dropping Tyrone Mings, who had been faultless in both group games. The logic was simple: if Maguire was going to play any meaningful role in the last 16 and beyond, he had to get game time now. The writers differed on formation—some favored a back three with wing-backs to provide width, others stuck with a conventional four—but nearly all agreed Maguire had to play.

Grealish's name appeared in every single proposed lineup. The Aston Villa midfielder had made a brief, eye-catching cameo against Scotland, and the writers saw in him something the starting XI had lacked: a player who thrived in tight spaces, who could win free-kicks around the box, who could unlock defenses when they sat deep. The Czech Republic were expected to park themselves defensively at Wembley, and Grealish's ability to operate in congested areas made him the perfect antidote. One writer noted that German journalists had been baffled Sancho had not come on against Scotland when England needed pace and energy. Now both Grealish and Sancho appeared in most lineups, offering fresh attacking impetus alongside Kane.

The debate over formation revealed deeper tactical thinking. Some writers proposed a 3-4-3 with Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier as wing-backs, pushing them high to provide attacking width. Others favored a 4-2-3-1, with Grealish playing as a number ten behind Kane, flanked by Sancho and Marcus Rashford. A third group stuck with the 4-3-3 that had been used so far, simply rotating personnel. What united them was the sense that this was not a game to be cautious about. England had already qualified. This was the moment to experiment, to test players who might be crucial later, to build confidence before the knockout stages began.

Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham also featured prominently in the writers' thinking. Henderson, returning from injury, needed minutes to prove his fitness. Bellingham, at seventeen, represented a bold option in midfield—a player who could carry the ball forward and inject urgency into England's play. Several writers suggested this was the perfect opportunity to give the Borussia Dortmund teenager his first competitive start, to see whether he could offer something different from Kalvin Phillips, who had shone against Croatia but struggled against Scotland.

The one certainty was Kane. Southgate had already confirmed his captain would start, a signal that the manager was prioritizing rhythm over rest. Kane had faced criticism for his performances, but one goal—even an unlikely one, as one writer put it—would silence the doubters just as England entered the knockout stages. The writers saw the Czech Republic match as the perfect stage for that redemption, a chance for Kane to regain his sharpness before the tournament truly began.

What emerged from these six competing visions was not disagreement about direction but rather different routes to the same destination: a squad refreshed, key players given crucial minutes, and England ready to compete seriously in the knockout stages. The Czech Republic match was not the end of the group phase—it was the beginning of the tournament proper.