With less than eight months until the World Cup, the competition for England’s squad is like never before. Gareth Southgate took one of the youngest group of players to a tournament in England’s history last summer and you can add those who have impressed this season in the Premier League to that list.
This is i‘s estimations of Southgate’s thoughts as it stands, with players grouped into five categories: definites, probables, possibles, those whose hopes are fading and those for whom the tournament might come a year too early. With 55 names in total, England have one of the deepest pools in world football…
Definites
Phil Foden
He’s still yet to produce his best for the England senior team, which means he isn’t a guaranteed starter, but there’s simply no way he doesn’t go to Qatar in November.
Harry Kane
He’s England’s captain, he’ll soon enough be England’s record goalscorer and he’s the first on the plane even before you consider that the backup striker well has suddenly run a little dry.
More from Football
Marc Overmars' rapid return to football is a slap in the face to victims of sexual harassment29 March, 2022
Why an appeal over a £50 fine proves English football needs an independent regulator29 March, 2022
England already practising penalties as Southgate pinpoints pre-World Cup concerns29 March, 2022Harry Maguire
The least secure member of this sub-list with his form at Manchester United in disarray. But he’s rarely let England down and he’s a semi-permanent threat from set pieces.
Jordan Pickford
Still England’s No 1, even before Aaron Ramsdale pulled out of this squad. Whatever you think about the lengths of his arms at club level, he’s basically never let Gareth Southgate down.
Aaron Ramsdale
Speaking of Ramsdale, he’s probably the back-up goalkeeper but that’s still a very safe spot with the third-goalkeeper position still up for grabs. And we’d have no issue with him having to play.
Declan Rice
There may be a few players nominally rivalling him for his England position, but Rice has become a world-class defensive midfielder who is also capable of going box to box. And he’s only just turned 23.
Bukayo Saka
Perhaps the most left-field choice of the certs, but Saka started three games at Euro 2020 and England won them all. Given he’s still flying at club level, there’s no way he misses out.
Luke Shaw
He’s inevitably been slightly tainted by Manchester United’s maelstrom, but Shaw started six games in the tournament and scored in the final. And Ben Chilwell has had a horrible season with injury.
Raheem Sterling
Regularly doubted, always delivering for England for a period that now stretches back four years. Sterling was also the highest-capped player in the Euro 2020 squad, which seems faintly ridiculous.
John Stones
Only nine league starts for Manchester City so far this season is far from ideal, but England haven’t lost a game that Stones has started inside 90 minutes since 2018. So there’s no doubt.
Probables
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham’s only competitive starts for England have been against Andorra and San Marino, but even at 18 there’s a clamour for him to start and so he’s surely at least in the squad.
Ben Chilwell
An awful injury has ruined his season, but he’s Chelsea’s first-choice starter when fit and that should be plenty enough for Southgate unless he takes Kieran Trippier as cover on both sides instead.
Jack Grealish
The mania of last summer, when Grealish starting became the cause celebre of every England fan, has died down a little since the Manchester City move. But he’s still a wonderful creator.
Jordan Henderson
I have a nagging suspicion that Henderson could drop down a category or two quite quickly, given the age profile of Bellingham and Rice. But it’s hard to see how that happens pre-Qatar.
Reece James
We’ve got James and Walker both in this list, because it’s hard to know exactly where Southgate stands. Walker was rested to look at younger right-backs; James promptly withdrew through injury.
Mason Mount
Like Foden, we haven’t seen Mount’s best for England. Like Foden, there’s plenty enough at club level – and in the Champions League – to show Southgate that he’s more than worth his faith.
Kalvin Phillips
Another who has had injury problems, but left a legacy at Euro 2020 with his hounding of opposition midfielders and there’s nobody else who quite does the same.
Jadon Sancho
Another who provoked demands for more minutes at Euro 2020. Got a little lost in the Manchester United noise but seems to have flourished more under Ralf Rangnick. A fine game-changing sub option.
Ben White
Hadn’t been called up since Euro 2020, but you can make a case for White as England’s more in-form centre-back. Is that worrying or reassuring – we’ll tell you in nine months.
Kyle Walker
Not a definite because of the sheer number of options in the position, but close to it given he’s always been Southgate’s man and nobody really stole a march during this international break.
More on England Football
Possibles
Tammy Abraham
Would surely have started at least one of these friendlies if he hadn’t pulled out through injury. That alone has turned him from probable to possible, but he’s still the obvious Kane backup.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Might be a certainty for another country without a million right-backs. But he’s only started nine competitive games for England and Southgate simply plays a different way to Jurgen Klopp.
Jarrod Bowen
The first uncapped player in this feature. Bowen suffers because of the options around him, but Southgate won’t be able to ignore him in June if he leads West Ham to a Europa League final (assuming the foot injury clears up).
Nick Pope
You’d think that the third-choice goalkeeper spot is his for now, at least until Dean Henderson either becomes Manchester United No 1 or moves to somewhere he can play regularly.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
If his Everton form continues, he will be nowhere near the plane. If he moves this summer (Arsenal seems logical) and hits the ground running, he’s rivalling Abraham.
Conor Coady
He’s seemingly part of a leadership group and being club captain helps. But Marc Guehi’s display against Switzerland and the likely shift to four at the back go against him.
Conor Gallagher
So much depends on what the summer brings. Gallagher cannot afford to stay at Chelsea if he’s not going to start every week. But he’s in the frame.
Marc Guehi
A big mover over the last fortnight. He can play out from the back, pass progressively and defend properly. The only nagging issue is his age in a role (back-up central defender) that often gives way to experience.
Dean Henderson
Twelve Premier League starts since July 2020. The time is now, but there are an awful lot of Premier League clubs with clear first-choice goalkeepers. West Ham, perhaps?
Marcus Rashford
Down on his luck and, frankly, looks a bit broken. But if he starts next season well he’ll be back in the picture purely because he’s played in 11 major tournament games for England.
Emile Smith Rowe
Missed the Switzerland game through injury, which was ill-timed. But rivalling Foden and Mount for club form this season. Headline: England have lots of young attacking midfielders.
Kieran Trippier
Only one cap since the Euros, which doesn’t bode favourably. But then he was at his best for Newcastle before his injury and can play at left-back too.
James Ward-Prowse
England’s best set-piece taker in a team that has previously used that as an effective attacking weapon. But screams of a player who will be named in preliminary squads and then get cut.
Chances fading
Patrick Bamford
Injuries have hit at the wrong time, leaving at least two players above him for one spot in the squad.
Eric Dier
Tottenham’s best defender this season and still not in the England squad. Will make it 18 months without an international appearance.
Fraser Forster
Lovely to be back in the fold over the last fortnight, but that’s as far as it will go. And we’re not sure he’ll mind too much.
Joe Gomez
102 Premier League minutes for Liverpool this season. Needs a move away from Anfield.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Has started three England games, all in 2019. Also might switch allegiance to Ghana should they qualify for Qatar.
Danny Ings
Just not doing enough at Aston Villa at the moment to justify a World Cup place.
Jesse Lingard
Little surprise if he’s fed up with Manchester United after staying and then playing 199 league minutes. What a waste.
Sam Johnstone
Called up to this squad almost by default and then dropped out anyway.
James Maddison
Back in form at club level, which for now must be the only focus. Too many other options ahead of him.
Tyrone Mings
This might be a little harsh on Mings, who stepped in ably at the Euros. Another who would be hampered by England playing with a back four.
Ollie Watkins
See Ings, Danny
More on Qatar 2022
Not yet
Trevoh Chalobah
More minutes for Chelsea than he might have expected, but that’s probably the upper limit for now.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
At 23 he’s not a baby, but needs another season of first-team football to push anyone out.
Harvey Elliott
Should be secretly hoping that Liverpool cash in on Mo Salah this summer, but has at least recovered from serious injury.
Ben Godfrey
Playing for Everton has not been a positive this season, in more ways than one. And he’s still not played a competitive minute for England.
Curtis Jones
Very versatile. Also very on the bench at Liverpool, which is a shame.
Tino Livramento
So, so many right-backs. But did at least start for the Under-21s against Andorra.
Tyrick Mitchell
Would probably be third-choice left-back, if Southgate didn’t have options who can play on both sides.
Jacob Ramsey
Pretty much the same as Dewsbury-Hall. But he is a baby rather than a country house in Yorkshire.
Fikayo Tomori
Can count himself very unfortunate, but time is running out to get involved in the shouting.
Ivan Toney
The second-highest English goalscorer in the Premier League this season. Bring him on for a penalty shootout?
Kyle Walker-Peters
Got his cap and did nothing wrong; still some way down the list.
from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/PhoQeGj
Post a Comment