England have made typically light work of qualifying for Euro 2024 next summer, securing first place in what looked a potentially awkward group with two games to spare.
The irrepressible Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the first names on the teamsheet during the qualification campaign, but otherwise the make-up of England’s likely starting team in Germany bears a striking resemblance to that of Euro 2020 and World Cup 2022.
While the scope for change may be limited there are still some dilemmas facing Gareth Southgate as he seeks to take England one step further than the previous Euros in what could well be his final tournament in charge.
Here’s where he will be looking for answers in the final two qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia:
Left-back void
Here’s a breakdown of England’s current full-back options: there are three specialist right-backs and no specialist left-backs.
Levi Colwill’s shoulder injury deprived Southgate of the chance to assess a potential starter in what is currently a problem position. Colwill is a centre back by trade but has played out wide for Chelsea this season.
Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell have made a combined six Premier League starts this season and none since the start of September due to muscle and hamstring injuries respectively. Bournemouth’s Rico Henry might have forced his way into the reckoning after a strong start to the season but he too is sidelined with a long-term knee injury.
Perhaps surprisingly given the absentees, Southgate opted against calling up Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell, who earned both of his two senior caps last year.
The likelihood is that a right-footer, either Kieran Trippier or the uncapped Rico Lewis will be played out of position in the upcoming qualifiers. It may not pose an immediate problem against Malta or North Macedonia, but it could do next summer.
Pickford’s lack of competition
Jordan Pickford has been one of England’s most consistent performers under Southgate and has only made fewer starts under him than captain Harry Kane. Pickford has his critics but his consistently strong form for England is undeniable.
It is safe to assume then that barring a dramatic loss of form at club level or a serious injury (neither of which have happened this season) his starting place in Germany would have been pretty secure in any case. Aaron Ramsdale’s Arsenal demotion has made it a virtual guarantee.
Ramsdale was named in the PFA Team of the Year last season and a similarly impressive showing this campaign would have given Southgate a tough decision to make. Instead, Ramsdale faces a fight to even keep his place in the squad having not played a Premier League game since 3 September.
Sam Johnstone, the other keeper in the squad, is performing well for Crystal Palace, as is Nick Pope at Newcastle, but neither will usurp Pickford. Competition for places is healthy elsewhere, but Pickford’s is virtually non-existent. Southgate will hope that doesn’t invite complacency.
Cover needed for Stones
Harry Maguire’s unforeseen renaissance at Manchester United could not have been better timed as far as Southgate is concerned given it has coincided with John Stones’ latest injury lay-off.
Stones suffered a recurrence of a hip injury that has already forced him to miss two months of the season in City’s Champions League win over Young Boys last week with Pep Guardiola admitting “he will be out for a while”.
Southgate has been reluctant to break up the Stones-Maguire axis that has been the foundation of his England side from the very beginning and while that consistency in selection has helped forge a solid partnership, the reserves lack international experience.
Discounting Maguire, the five centre-backs originally called up this month (including Colwill and Lewis Dunk who have since withdrawn through injury), have a combined 15 caps, with seven belonging to Marc Guehi. Now is as good a time as any to get others up to speed in case Stones’ injury issues persist.
Rice’s role
It may not matter that Declan Rice is playing in a different role for Arsenal than he does for England. But considering England’s dearth of top-class defensive midfielders it is not ideal either.
For the first few seasons of his career, Rice played like a typical No 6. He made interceptions and tackles, played short, simple passes, and rarely strayed too high up the pitch. He still gets through plenty of defensive work, but is far more progressive on and off the ball these days.
Initially, Mikel Arteta used him as a pivot in his favoured 4-3-3 formation, but more recently he has been utilised as a roaming, box-to-box No 8 with Jorginho sweeping up behind him. It’s a role that suits Rice’s natural fitness and his ability to cover lots of ground quickly with those long, bounding strides is invaluable when turning defence into attack.
One suspects that Rice has the tactical capabilities to switch between roles easily enough, but a lack of viable alternatives in defensive midfield means Southgate can’t really experiment with him in a more advanced position.
That could change if Kalvin Phillips moves in January, as is expected, and rediscovers his form and confidence away from Manchester.
Space for a Euros wildcard?
There should be space for at least one wildcard in Southgate’s 26-man squad and Cole Palmer is the frontrunner at the moment after making a flying start to his Chelsea career.
The 21-year-old looked to be on the cusp of breaking into Manchester City’s starting line-up more frequently after scoring against Arsenal in the Community Shield and Sevilla in the European Super Cup before making a surprise deadline day transfer to Chelsea.
Palmer admitted this week that the move is “so far paying off” and the statistics say as much. He has scored four goals (all from the penalty spot) and contributed two assists in his eight Premier League appearances for the club. Palmer has very quickly become the glue holding Chelsea’s attack together.
Palmer has a chance to showcase his qualities this week, but others will be looking to follow his lead and make a late charge for the Euros for the next get together in March when England face Brazil and Belgium.
Anthony Gordon’s omission despite his strong form at Newcastle suggests that he is below Palmer in the pecking order, but if he is able to maintain his current levels he will become increasingly hard to ignore. Eberechi Eze is fit again and was mesmerisingly good in Crystal Palace’s 3-2 defeat to Everton. He’ll be knocking on the door so long as he can remain fit.
The depth of England’s attacking options is arguably only rivalled by France in Europe, but as alluded to, centre-back is not the area of strength it once was during the nineties and noughties. If there is one who could emerge from the pack perhaps it is Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite. The 21-year-old has impressed alongside James Tarkowski and his left-footedness could count in his favour.
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