With the Premier League over for another season, thoughts of many football fans in England turn to the summer football, namely Euro 2024.
3 years ago, Gareth Southgate’s England made it to the final of the delayed Euro 2020 competition, where they agonisingly lost to Italy on penalties. Today, Southgate named a provisional training squad of 33 players, with upcoming matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina (3ʳᵈ June) and Iceland (7ᵗʰ June), and a deadline of midnight after the second game to cut the squad to a final 26-man tournament squad.
So who will make the squad and how far can they go?
The squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
So first off, let’s look at the keepers, and with 4 in the provisional squad, it makes sense that one of these players will miss out, as 3 allows for 1 to be injured/ill and there to still be a starter and replacement available on the bench. Though Aaron Ramsdale would be my number 1 in an ideal world, he has barely played this season due to Arsenal bringing in David Raya on loan. However, he is not the only one who found himself warming the bench at club level come the end of the season, with James Trafford dropped by Vincent Kompany in March. That all-but guarantees Jordan Pickford will retain the number 1 shirt and Dean Henderson will also make the squad after a strong end to the season with Crystal Palace. As for the final spot, Trafford struggled with the physicality of the Premier League before being dropped, so I expect Ramsdale, who is the finished product, to take the third and final seat on the plane.
In defence, Kyle Walker will surely be the starter on the right with John Stones in the centre. Southgate’s loyalty will likely see Maguire partner Stones assuming he recovers from injury, so we can expect him to make the squad. Left back is where things get interesting, though. Luke Shaw would eb the obvious choice, but is currently injured, though I think he may still travel if he looks close to a return as the only natural left-back in the squad. Kieran Trippier would be the most likely to fill his spot in the starting line-up, having previous experience of covering that side despite being more comfortable on the right, but he has had a mixed end to the season. As such, expect to see Joe Gomez on the plane due to his experience playing across the defensive line. As to the remaining centre-backs to make the squad, it could come down to who performs best in the warm-up matches, but Jarrad Branthwaite’s familiarity with Jordan Pickford could help him onto the plane after a strong season. Villa’s success could also help Ezri Konsa’s case, while Marc Guehi has been a regular in the squad recently when available. Brighton’s mixed season may have hurt Lewis Dunk’s chances, while this may be a little too early for Quansah, though he will certainly benefit from being part of the wider squad and will surely establish himself in the squad over the coming years.
Moving into midfield and we can guarantee Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice will start, though (assuming Southgate sticks to a 3-man midfield) the final spot in the starting line-up is up for debate. Such is his talent, Trent Alexander-Arnold will surely make the squad despite injury, similar to Luke Shaw. The great news here is that Southgate has finally dropped the dead weight (Kalvin Phillips & Jordan Henderson) and picked midfielders on form in this wider squad. Mainoo impressed on his England debuts and will likely make the squad, while Adam Wharton’s rise continues and his strong end to the season with Palace could help him edge out Jones, while Gallagher’s ability to play a more attacking central role could help him make the team should England need to change to a more attacking tactic.
And so we reach the forwards, and what a beautiful array of talent we have here! Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling are deservedly missing given the depth of options. Harry Kane will obviously go, as will Phil Foden (who could feature on the left or in a more central role if Southgate opts to play a more aggressive system with just one holding midfielder) and Bukayo Saka. Despite their relative inexperience at this level, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon have to travel given their form this season, while Palmer’s 100% success from the spot will also be a positive factor given England’s history in shoot-outs. Ollie Watkin’s incredible season must surely see him travel as Kane’s back-up, but who will take the third and final striker spot? At first glance, Ivan Toney would be the obvious option, but he has struggled for goals as of late, and I think that Jarrod Bowen’s ability to play across the front line could give the West Ham forward the advantage here. One player who I feel may find himself missing out is Jack Grealish, who has found himself on the bench too often for Manchester City at a time when other English wide players are flourishing, and with others able to play both wide and centrally, this lack of gametime could cost him.
The 7 players dropped (assuming Shaw, Maguire and Alexander-Arnold are close enough to fitness) will be: James Trafford, Lewis Dunk, Jarell Quansah, Curtis Jones, Eberechi Eze, Jack Grealish, Ivan Toney
So how will England do at Euro 2024?
Well, a pool containing Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia is one that such a strong England team should be topping with 3 wins from 3, while also being able to rotate the squad somewhat to keep some of their stars fit for the later rounds. That should give them a 3ʳᵈ-place team in the Round of 16, before facing the winner of “Runner-up Group A v Runner-up Group B”.
And here is where things get challenging, as Group B contains Spain, Italy and Croatia, who I think would likely emerge victorious against Group A’s runner-up. Now on paper, I think that England can match up against any of these teams and win, however the limiting factor is Gareth Southgate.
While Southgate has brought pride back to the England team and taken them closer to glory than they have come in a long time, he has also consistently chosen to play too defensive and that has cost England, who arguably will never get a better chance to win a major tournament than they had in the last 2. Despite England currently being ranked 4ᵗʰ in the world, their record against teams ranked in the Top 10 is shocking under Southgate, and all 3 Group B teams mentioned above happen to be in the top 10. Can Southgate finally learn from past mistakes and encourage his team to do what it should do best? If so, England can put a strong run together, but I’m expecting another disappointing quarterfinal exit to finally bring an end to his tenure as England manager.
Who do you think will make the final squad? How do you think England will do at Euro 2024?
Thanks for reading!
Eyes on the Ball 