England's Euro 2024 squad: Who are the alternative picks for the tournament?
Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad has not raised many eyebrows, perhaps expectedly so.
Ahead of games against Malta and an away trip to North Macedonia, the Three Lions boss has persevered with his trusted players to get the job done.
Competition is tougher than ever and even in-form players like Raheem Sterling are missing out. It’s still worth looking at players who could make a solid case for themselves for future camps or even the European Championships next summer.
Young talents across the board.
Cole Palmer
- NOTE: Cole Palmer has been called up to the latest England squad following the initial announcement
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been one of the bright sparks of a Chelsea side that gradually seem to be gathering momentum in the Premier League.
Mauricio Pochettino has always managed to get the best out of young players and it looks like Palmer is the next big project. He is the Blues’ penalty chief, converting four out of four this season. The former Manchester City man has also chipped in with a couple of assists of his own.
Cutting inside off the right with his dangerous left-foot, Palmer creative underlying numbers all place him in the 90thpercentile or higher amongst attacking midfielders/wingers across the Top Five leagues as per FBRef.
With 0.51 xA per90, Palmer is averaging elite creative figures already at Chelsea.
Southgate’s midfield/attack options will be tough to break into ahead of the upcoming Euros next year, however, it wouldn’t be entirely impossible to see Palmer force himself into the side.
Anthony Gordon
Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon is looking like the best player in a Magpies shirt by a long mile.
With six goal contributions in the league in 11 matches played, he is one of the form players in the Premier League.
Industrious in his attacking and defending on the flanks, Gordon is an exciting player in possession of the ball.
He has attempted the most dribbles amongst all Newcastle players in the Premier League (46) and also averages a highly impressive 2.42 tackles+interceptions per90.
A rare combination of skill and work-rate, Gordon’s star is already on the up following his success with the U21 England side at the Euros and if he keeps this form up, there’s no reason why Southgate wouldn’t consider him for the upcoming Euros.
Jarrad Branthwaite
Sean Dyche and Everton are starting to their feet together again and one of the big reasons has been the defensive partnership of captain James Tarkowski with England youngster Jarrad Branthwaite.
The left-sided centre back is comfortable playing out from the back and defending space behind him too, making him the perfect complement to someone like Tarkowski.
After spending two seasons in the Netherlands honing his game at PSV Eindhoven’s youth and senior sides, the 21-year-old is showing his qualities at the top level.
Southgate isn’t short of left-sided options at the moment with the likes of Harry Maguire, Levi Colwill and Marc Guehi all occupying important spots, but if one of those were to drop out of contention, Branthwaite would undoubtedly be the best candidate to step up.
Sean Longstaff
One of the lesser spoken about players in Newcastle’s midfield and yet a hugely significant presence all the same, Sean Longstaff has improved leaps and bounds under Eddie Howe.
The perfect box-to-box number eight, Longstaff is a tireless presser in the middle of the park with an eye for a goal.
His three-goal tally in the Premier League and Champions League combined shows he can contribute with the odd goal every now and then.
Not the flashiest of players, Longstaff is extremely effective at executing his role on the pitch and makes up for his weaknesses in ball progression with important goals and assists.
Another player that Southgate could definitely use if someone like Conor Gallagher were to drop out. At the age of 25, Longstaff is entering the prime years of his career and a strong finish to this season could make him difficult to ignore.
Odds correct at 1030 GMT (13/11/23)
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