Gareth Southgate had his first England squad announcement since the World Cup last week. Turn back two months and England were playing their first World Cup semi-final in 28 years and the excitement in the camp was uncontrollable.
But now fans have dived back into domestic football. Despite England playing in the upcoming UEFA Nations league, many have put Gareth Southgate’s side on the back burner. Here is LWOF’s reaction to the England squad announcement.
Reaction to England Squad Announcement
World Cup Blues
The England boss surpassed the nation’s expectations and came out of the tournament having brought the feel-good factor back to international football in England. However, there are still many questions yet to be answered. Especially with most of the England squad only reporting back for club duty four weeks ago.
Under Southgate, England have a new system and formation that has been worked on. There has also been consistency in team selection (despite wholesome calls for changes) and a newfound drive for youth. So there was always going to be a mixed reaction to his first England squad announcement following a major tournament that promised so much.
Giving Youth a Chance?
The biggest successes of the World Cup was the injection of youth; energy and pace now fill the squad. Many of the most impressive players had been introduced less than a year before Russia and the defence, in particular, looked like it could be there for years to come.
However, there was a buzz about this England squad announcement that it would throw up some positive surprises. Maybe in the form of Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho or U-17 starlet Phil Foden. Sancho has made an exciting start in Germany and there’s no wonder the former City player is attracting attention.
As for Foden, the youngster won the World Cup with England’s U-17 team last summer. He hasn’t been in Guardiola’s plans as of yet this season, but there is no doubting his talent.
Southgate has been a man who always looked forward. Planning for the future, and most of his and his backroom staffs decisions have been in the hope that there is a trophy to win at Euro 2020. With this in mind, would it not be sensible to give young players experience now?
The nations league gives a more competitive form of international football that youth could potentially thrive off. They can earn experience with players they might be playing with for a decade.
Also getting a chance at first-team football which would be limited at club level by other foreign stars. Trent Alexander-Arnold is surely a good enough example. Showing that going to an international tournament can improve you as a player.
Welbeck Shows Vardy Retirement is Premature
Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck has been a feature in England squads for five years now. Despite never properly holding down a place in his club team. Never making much of an impact in an England shirt.
Scoring only ten goals last term, it was a strange situation England fans found themselves in during the summer. With Welbeck selected it wasn’t a surprise. But surely with his lack of goals, it should be.
He fails to light up any game and is no longer the youngster he was at Old Trafford. It would seem like Welbeck doesn’t play well to be picked, going against Southgate’s policy. This comes in the same week that Jamie Vardy announces retirement from international football.
It would appear Vardy was above Welbeck in the pecking order for places. Vardy starting the game against Belgium in the group stage an example. Alongside that, Vardy is getting regular first team football and is still Leicester’s main striker.
Bearing this in mind and that Euro 2020 is just two years away (with no obvious replacement strikers in the pipeline), should Vardy be pushing even harder to play for England and maybe partner Harry Kane?
‘Top Six’ Dominance
Just five out of England’s 23-man team are outside the so-called top six.
Southgate claims any player performing well will be considered for the team. But this doesn’t seem to be the entire truth. Players such as Adam Lallana and Fabian Delph can be seen as holding back other ‘lesser’ premier league players.
Lallana hasn’t been a regular in the Liverpool squad since he arrived at Anfield. Yet has receives numerous lifelines at the top level. At the same time, Delph has been plagued by injury. Although he has definitely made an improvement under Pep Guardiola.
However, this was as a fullback (where he has now been replaced by Frenchman Benjamin Mendy), and England have a lot of cover for this and Delph cannot challenge England’s other midfield players.
Meanwhile, Will Hughes at Watford has put in two years of hard work in adapting to the physicality and pace of the Premier League and has little reward for it. The dynamic midfielder has been a hot prospect of English football since his emergence as a teenager at Derby, although his rise has taken longer than expected he is now a good player and one that Watford value and use well in a strong midfield.
Hughes has not been considered for a place in the England team yet and will be starting to question why.
Players similar to Hughes are Nathaniel Chalobah and James Maddison. Also at Watford, the ex-Chelsea man Chalobah has had a year of first-team football at Vicarage Road and is really pushing for a starting place in a team that posses as much midfield talent as any other.
Leicester City playmaker James Maddison has made a promising start to life in the top division following his move from Norwich in the summer, although it has been only three games, it is this sort of gamble that Gareth Southgate can afford to take, and also one that could bring great reward in the future.
An Exciting Time to be English
This England squad has an excellent balance of experience at the highest level and also youth. It posses great potential and excitement following on from a brilliant summer and there should be a lot of optimism going into these upcoming games.
There will always be questions surrounding a squad announcement but so early on in the season Southgate has stuck with those that have rewarded him so much and it will be interesting to see how this team gets on following the England squad announcement.
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