Ollie Watkins believes players coming off the bench could have a major influence on England’s World Cup campaign as the squad prepares for the challenges posed by the conditions in the United States.
The Aston Villa forward made an immediate impact after being introduced during England’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica, scoring the third goal in the team’s final public warm-up match before the tournament.
Watkins was one of several substitutes to make a difference in Orlando, with Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers all helping England raise the tempo as their opponents began to tire.
Heat could increase importance of squad depth
With matches set to be played in demanding temperatures and varying altitudes throughout the tournament, England manager Thomas Tuchel is expected to rotate his squad and rely heavily on players from the bench.
Watkins believes those conditions will create opportunities for substitutes to influence games.
“Even from the bench you can feel how hot it is,” he said.
“If it’s difficult when you’re sitting there watching, you can imagine what it’s like for the players on the pitch trying to maintain a high intensity.
“The game tends to open up after 60 or 70 minutes and that’s where fresh legs can really make a difference.”
Final preparations continue
England’s preparations are not quite complete despite the victory over Costa Rica.
The squad will take part in a behind-closed-doors fixture against Miami FC before bringing their training camp in Florida to an end.
Players will then be given a short break before travelling to Kansas City, where they will establish their tournament base.
Watkins says the squad have put in a significant amount of work since arriving in the United States.
“We’ve been working hard every day,” he said.
“There have been plenty of training sessions, but even when we’re not on the training pitch we’ve had meetings and set-piece work.
“It’s been a busy schedule, so it will be nice to have a little bit of downtime before we move on to Kansas.”
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