How soon can Lewis Cook fully break into this England team?

Lewis Cook didn't get into the England World Cup squad, but he was mighty close as a standby. Whether Gareth Southgate sees Lewis as a player that can challenge for a starting place in the team in the coming months is what I am keen to know.

Lewis Cook now knows he is trying to get
into one of the top four international sides.

England have a few friendlies coming up in September after the World Cup. The first game will be against Switzerland at Wembley and the USA in November. However, there are some UEFA Nations League matches to be played against Spain and Croatia in the autumn months. It's arguable that Southgate will want to try some new players after the heroics of the summer in the UEFA Nations League games, and that could give Lewis Cook a big opportunity.

If there was anything that pundits felt England were not so blessed with in Russia it was creative midfielders. Now Lewis might not score many goals at the moment, but he does spot the passes to get other players in, and if he can add a few shots on the end of his own runs he will become an England player who is a rarity in running at defenders. In the World Cup, only Raheem Sterling really has the playing style for England to run at defences and Lewis Cook may offer a more flexibility for Southgate in future England games.

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Bournemouth play three at the back like England have been doing and Lewis has played as a three in midfield with two wing backs either side. Lewis tends to play centrally, but he would perhaps need to work at playing slightly more advanced in the positions that Lingard and Ali play for England in to force his way into the side. Bournemouth tend to play more regularly with two strong central midfielders and three attackers, so a degree of adaption for Cook might be needed to show he can vary his passing and his movement in a 3-5-2 set up, when he gets the chance to drive forward.

Southgate's World Cup - Day 22 France await