Peter Crouch hails James Maddison as ‘a great character with a lot of skills’ after a frustrating display for England boss Gareth Southgate… while Robbie Savage insists he was involved in ‘everything Leicester did right’ against Crystal Palace
James Maddison failed to inspire his side to victory over a poor Crystal Palace
The Englishman must have hoped to impress the watching Gareth Southgate
He was also booked for simulation late in the game and will miss the next game
However, BT Sport’s experts still praised his influence on the boring 0-0 stalemate
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Leicester midfielder James Maddison missed his chance to impress England boss Gareth Southgate after failing to inspire a beleaguered Foxes team on Saturday, but there was still plenty to take from his performance.
But he will be encouraged by the comments from BT Sport pundits Peter Crouch and Robbie Savage, who insisted he was at the center of everything his side did right.
The midfielder had two shots on target in a match that struggled to ever really get going, and although he was booked for simulation deep into stoppage time, pundits have praised his influence on the game.
James Maddison failed to impress on Saturday in Leicester’s poor 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace
“Gareth Southgate was here,” said Robbie Savage of BT Sport. “He is Leicester’s most dangerous player in terms of creativity. I just think some of the balls that came back to him were hit with too much speed.
“He was involved in everything Leicester did well.”
And Joe Cole, co-pundit for the ex-Wales international, added that the Three Lions boss may be able to see past a poor team performance today in determining his England squad.
The midfielder had two shots on target – both of which went well wide in an attempted game
The 25-year-old failed to impress Gareth Southgate with several English players in action
Cole said: “As an ex-player Gareth will know the difference between judging a player when a team is flowing.
“Maddison is a player who needs a system around him to allow his abilities to flourish. Gareth will understand the level of consistency he produces in a poor team that shows tremendous character.
“He feels like a leader at this club, 26 in a few weeks. He’s a big, big player. I think if other players had played closer to his level, they could have gotten a result today.”
However, experts believe Brendan Rodgers’ tactics are preventing his ‘skills’ from flourishing
After Harry Kane, no English player has scored or assisted more goals than Maddison since the start of the 2021-22 season.
With 20 goals and assists last season, the midfielder has started this season as the only bright spark from Brendan Rodgers’ side, who need Nottingham Forest to lose to get off the bottom spot.
But former England and Liverpool forward Peter Crouch – himself a veteran of two World Cup teams – praised the 25-year-old’s perseverance.
Crouch told BT Sport: “To create things all the time, he doesn’t play it safe, that requires a big character with a lot of skill.”
The midfielder eventually received a yellow card for simulation well into injury time