WHY does every major tournament considered by England have to feature a player who has just come out of the outpatient unit?
Manchester United’s Luke Shaw is this year’s candidate, without a game since February and with just fifteen appearances to his name all season, but does he still appear to have the edge over perfectly-suited alternatives?
Shaw is 100 percent on my team all day long. I don’t know why Ben Chilwell wasn’t included in the extended group ahead of the likes of Curtis Jones or Jarrell Quansah – who always had the chance to make the cut – but took a half-fit Shaw for Ezri Konsa. who has looked good in a few different positions for England is nothing short of crazy.
I’m also waving the flag for James Trafford to become England’s third-choice goalkeeper, purely because it will do him good for years to come if he fulfills his own prophecy and becomes his country’s number one.
Nothing against Dean Henderson, very solid, but he’s not going to play. Trafford would get more out of the experience.
Fellow Cumbrian Jarrad Branthwaite is definitely up there for me, along with Harry Maguire, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Joe Gomez. I haven’t seen much from Lewis Dunk to suggest he’s of international quality, but stranger things have happened.
I like what I’ve seen from Adam Wharton and while I don’t see him and Kobbie Mainoo getting much game time when you have Declan Rice, Connor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold for company like Trafford, I could see the The tournament was an important first step for both of them.
I think Phil Foden can win this tournament for England and I have a funny feeling that Jack Grealish might force a few words down people’s throats by playing a bigger role this summer too.
There’s always one player who comes out of nowhere to start a tournament on form, and that could be Ebere Eze, who was on fire at Crystal Palace and seems to have taken him into the international season. His unpredictability makes him a perfect impact sub.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka are obviously going, and it would be crazy not to include Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer, so one of Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen and Ivan Toney gets the chop for me. Sorry Ivan, you may be the newest option – for obvious reasons – but form has to count for something, and you haven’t done anything for Brentford lately.
Minced meat: Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones, Luke Shaw, Dean Henderson, Lewis Dunk, Ivan Toney, James Maddison.
Our Blackburn Rovers writer Elliott Jackson has opted to drop James Trafford from the England squad (Image: PA)
Elliot Jackson
JAMES Trafford is an easy player and the pecking order in the goalkeeping department is quite well established.
For me, at least two, if not three, of the other names have to come from the pool of defenders. Jarrell Quansah was always unlikely to finish and his absence from the friendly against Bosnia probably indicates he won’t make it.
Lewis Dunk would be the other obvious casualty, having seen his form decline at club level. There are big question marks over Harry Maguire’s fitness, but if he is available I would put him alongside John Stones, Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite.
If Maguire is not fit, Ezri Konsa would go. Otherwise, the Aston Villa defender would be very unhappy and miss out on my selection. Joe Gomez covers the same options and is more natural as a left-back substitute.
Luke Shaw at left-back is a risk worth taking and he does so, even if he is only available in the knockout rounds. Kieran Trippier can play in that side and replace Kyle Walker.
Declan Rice, Connor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold are shoo-ins. Adam Wharton has to make the plane for me.
The former Blackburn Rovers star has a unique skill set compared to his teammates. His cameo against Bosnia showed exactly what he is about, with 36 of 36 passes completed, each perfectly weighted.
Kobbie Mainoo should also be in the squad, which means I still have to select one more player.
I would take Jack Grealish because we know he has the ability to change a game. He needs to rediscover the freedom in his game that made him a £100million player, but he showed glimpses on Monday.
Ebere Eze also gets my nod, so it’s a showdown between Ivan Toney and Jarrod Bowen. Toney’s arguments are a more comparable replacement for Harry Kane and his penalty-taking skills, but he didn’t have a great season.
I like Bowen, but England have three left-footed players who start ahead of him on the right. He can do that, but if he plays up front, I use him for that reason too. In reality, I probably would have chosen James Maddison.
Minced meat: James Trafford, Ezri Konsa, Lewis Dunk, Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones, Ivan Toney, James Maddison.
Eberechi Eze should be dropped from the England squad, says football writer Dan Barnes (Image: PA)
Then Barnes
I was already planning on leaving Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones off the final roster. The Liverpool duo will have benefited from their presence in camp, but more experienced options are needed for the upcoming tournament.
The decision to leave out James Maddison has taken me a bit by surprise, although there are plenty of strong options for the number 10 role. Phil Foden needs to start in the middle rather than on the left if we as a nation have learned anything from the Paul Scholes saga.
I would also drop Lewis Dunk and Marc Guehi as Gareth Southgate has decided to call up around a million centre-backs.
Dunk has given his best when wearing the England shirt and while Guehi is an exciting talent, as far as I’m concerned Jarrad Branthwaite should just be on a plane to Germany. Joe Gomez also provides cover in the heart of the defence, although he has often played at full-back for Liverpool recently.
James Trafford is the obvious candidate to leave the goalkeeping department after experiencing Premier League football for the first time this season with Burnley. Getting plenty of game time in the top flight will do him a world of good, even if it proves to be a tough campaign for the Clarets.
The last spot is quite difficult. Southgate certainly cannot drop Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton given their performances for Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively.
Jack Grealish hasn’t done much for Manchester City this season, but reminded us of his quality on Monday night with a brilliant assist for Trent Alexander-Arnold against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
I’m impressed with Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen is a useful option coming off the bench, meaning Eberechi just misses Eze.
Minced meat: Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones, James Maddison, Lewis Dunk, Marc Guehi, James Trafford, Eberechi Eze.