The Euros 2020: Has Southgate Picked England's Best Team?

                                       

                                                          The Euros 2020: England’s Squad Dilemma

It’s safe to say England aren’t running short on talent all over the pitch, but this raises the question of who Gareth should be picking to fill the twenty-six places available to take to the 2020 Euros. With the depth within the England squad paired with the relative success from the last international competition they were involved in (making it to the semi-final in the 2018 World Cup), the Euro’s is most definitely a trophy Southgate will have his eyes on, so it is vital he picks a team he believes is fit to win. With UEFA knocking on his door to pick and submit his team, as the competition starts in just under two weeks, will he have regrets with his squad selection? 

 

One of the bigger shocks to come out of the squad reveal was the surprise dismissal of James Ward-Prowse. A true set piece specialist, the best England have, and Southgate has left him out. For what reason we might never know but he is a huge miss as set pieces are so vital in the modern game. The only other set piece specialist which made the cut are Trippier and Alexander-Arnold, yet they don’t possess the true specialist capabilities of Ward-Prowse which he has shown this season as he has scored the most free-kicks within the premier league this year. It is safe to say Ward Prowse will be disappointed that he didn’t make the final twenty-six. 

 

But the biggest news came from him picking all four right full backs: Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Reece James. Taking four Right full backs isn’t a problem as all four are versatile players with them all capable of playing right wing back and James and Walker capable of filling in as a centre halves, so I can see why Southgate thought plausible. Yet, he has picked four adept centre halves in John Stones, Harry Maguire, Connor Coady and Tyrone Mings. So, the logic behind his reasons don’t really add unless he plays a five-back defensive system with one of these players filling in as a centre half.

 

With the unknown fitness of Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire could it have been safer to take another centre half like Ben Godfrey or a midfielder like Ward-Prowse or Lingard? It just seemed a little odd why he has brought four right backs when he could have been more productive picking someone else. 

England players Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Kieran Trippier training at Rockliffe Park 

With him taking 4 right backs, it seems he will be most likely going to be playing a more defensive style like we saw at the World Cup. Yes, we got to the semi’s playing that way, but with the vast generational attacking options to his disposal, England should be looking to be on the front foot, attacking teams, rather than defending them.

 

We can all agree that Gareth has gotten the attacking picks spot on apart from greenwood who had to leave due to injury. He has picked the best of the English attacking talent from the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane and it he sets them up right as we saw in the 2018 World Cup with Kane taking home the golden boot with seven goals.

Southgate has made his choice and all we can do as fans is support him with his decision. The England manager does have until the day before the opening match vs Croatia to replace squad members if injuries occur in the stages leading up to the tournament, so Lingard and Ward-Prowse aren’t completely written of yet, but the team Southgate has picked is more than good enough to challenge for this trophy. Anything less than a quarter-final will be disappointing for this calibre of players. Let's just hope he and his assistance’s get it right this time.