It may be months away but, given the postponement of the European Championship last summer, the anticipation for the tournament is mounting early this time around, not least for England fans. There are so many players to get excited about, as well as a handful of hopefuls still aiming to force their way into Gareth Southgate’s thinking.
The England boss will know the vast majority of the players he will pick in his 23-man squad, but there are opportunities for uncapped players to make a late impression. We’ve chosen six players who will be aiming to build on their strong current form and stake a late claim for inclusion.
As far as uncapped players are concerned, James Justin is perhaps knocking on the door with the greatest force as things stand, and his versatility gives him a very realistic shot. If there is one position where England do not need reinforcements, it’s right back, or indeed right wing-back, but Justin’s ability to play just as well from the left makes him a very viable option.
England are significantly less blessed with talent on that flank, even if Luke Shaw’s recent form suggests that he is the closest to displacing Ben Chilwell. Bukayo Saka is another player that can fill in there, but it’s not his best position. Justin’s strength and athleticism – along with his ability to operate in a back three – should appeal to Southgate. The 22-year-old has played every minute for a high-flying Leicester side this season.
After a barren run of nine Premier League matches without a goal, Ollie Watkins is back among them now and his all-round performances are deservedly drawing rave reviews. To have reached double figures in his first season of top-flight football is impressive but it’s the 25-year-old’s tireless work ethic that makes him a manager’s dream and defender’s nightmare.
Simply put, Watkins does not stop running. As much as he is a gifted player in his own right, that willingness to go the extra mile for his team has been utterly pivotal to Villa’s remarkable progress this season. Dean Smith has said on countless occasions that Watkins’s press and commitment is, in his opinion, unparalleled in the division. Southgate puts a real onus on defending from the front, and Watkins will run the channels and occupy defenders constantly. If he continues in this vein, that workrate could just earn him a seat on the plane.
Patrick Bamford has never received an England call-up. If you had even suggested the idea in passing before this season, there would have been questions asked of your credentials to debate such matters. Many Leeds fans did not feel Bamford was fit for purpose in the Championship, let alone the Premier League, where, before this season, he had failed to make an impact in fleeting spells.
However, the 27-year-old has been on a mission to silence his critics and, with 12 goals, he has done just that. No player has scored more times from open play in the top-flight this season (he is level with Son Heung-min on 11). Bamford’s ability to pick up goalscoring positions cannot be questioned. His age, however, may be an issue for Southgate, who very rarely hands out first caps to players over 25. Since taking over as England manager in 2016, Southgate has given 43 players their debuts. Only three of them have been older than Bamford is now: Conor Coad, Alex McCarthy and Jack Cork, who have a total of four caps between them.
Matt Targett is another player who would have been deemed a long way off the squad before this season. But he has improved dramatically, especially over the last two months. It’s the defensive side to his game that has really developed. He is averaging more tackles per 90 minutes (2.2), is being dribbled past less often (0.8 per 90) and is committing fewer fouls (0.6 per 90) than previously.
One obvious drawback for Targett is the fact that he does not really suit a wing-back role. However, his partnership and understanding with Jack Grealish on the Villa left flank play in his favour. Should the Villa captain make the cut, as is expected, the players he tends to work closest with on the pitch are Targett and Watkins.
He is a long shot, but the impact Emile Smith-Rowe has had at Arsenal side since his introduction has been superb. His appreciation of time and space on the pitch has been outstanding. He knows when to keep the ball and when to release it, showing the deftness of touch required to play quick, one-touch football. That’s a trait Southgate admires, but the issues for Smith-Rowe are two-fold.
First and foremost, the competition for places in attacking positions is pretty frightening right now. There will be some extremely talented players with significantly more experience than the 20-year-old who miss the cut this summer. Secondly, Southgate has not used a No 10 for some time, which is why players such as Smith-Rowe and James Maddison may find it hard to force their way into the team.
• Visit WhoScored for more statistics and analysis
• Follow Martin Laurence on Twitter
• WhoScored are on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram
