Fitness doubts over the Arsenal winger mean the ultra-confident Chelsea forward should be allowed to continue his incredible run of form on Sunday
The wait is almost over. Just under three years after agonisingly missing out on European Championship glory to Italy on penalties at Wembley, and 18 months after falling to France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, England are back at a major tournament.
Injuries to key personnel and the shock defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up game have tempered expectations somewhat, although the Three Lions are still among the favourites to win Euro 2024, boasting a squad overflowing with attacking talent.
But how should England line up for their opener in Group C against Serbia? Footballblogzz picks the players who should be giving Gareth Southgate’s side lift-off in Gelsenkirchen…
GK: Jordan Pickford
There are no doubts about this one. Pickford has been England’s No.1 since Southgate took charge after usurping Joe Hart, and no one has come close to challenging him for the position. The Everton goalkeeper goes into the tournament in top form after keeping 13 clean sheets, finishing joint-second in the Premier League Golden Glove along with Ederson and behind David Raya.
That says a lot about his importance given Ederson and Raya’s sides finished first and second, respectively, but the Toffees came 15th. That Everton avoided relegation while having eight points deducted speaks highly of their defensive record, and Pickford was a huge part of that.
His fellow England goalkeepers, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson, were second-choice for their clubs this season, with Raya usurping Ramsdale at Arsenal and Henderson only getting the nod at Crystal Palace after Sam Johnstone’s season-ending injury. And Ramsdale did not cover himself in glory against Iceland, either.
RB: Kyle Walker
Walker has faced lots of competition for the right-back berth in the form of Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James and Ben White, but has seen them all off and remains the indisputable first choice. Walker is still the fastest right-back in the business, with his exceptional recovery speed being his strong point.
He is not encouraged to attack much for Manchester City or England, and that is unlikely to change in Germany. With the wealth of attacking options in front of him, he does not need to. Best to keep focusing on defending his flank and sweeping up through-balls, which is what he does best.
CB: Lewis Dunk
Normally John Stones would be first-choice, but he is an injury risk after hurting his ankle against Iceland and then being unable to train last Wednesday due to illness. Given his frequent injury problems this season, which limited him to making 12 Premier League starts, the last thing England need is to start the tournament with another setback.
Therefore, it would be advisable to give Dunk his senior tournament bow against Serbia and make sure Stones is ready for the bigger test against Denmark on Thursday. Dunk did have shaky displays against Brazil and Belgium in March, but has been in strong form for Brighton, and he is the best option to mark Aleksandar Mitrovic, unquestionably Serbia’s greatest threat.
CB: Marc Guehi
Crystal Palace centre-back Guehi will be one of the most coveted defenders in the Premier League over the summer. An Under-17 World Cup winner alongside Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho and Conor Gallagher in 2019, he has been an England regular since 2022, albeit not usually starting the biggest games.
He is in excellent form going into the tournament after helping Palace finish the season sensationally. He is ball secure and can calmly dribble or pass his way out of pressure, while showing excellent anticipation. In the absence of Harry Maguire and the injury doubts over Stones, he is England’s most experienced centre-back.
LB: Joe Gomez
Southgate has said that the opener will come too soon for Luke Shaw, who could feature in the second game against Denmark. So it comes down to a choice between Trippier and Gomez. Trippier seems to be the preferred option for Southgate, but Gomez makes more sense for a number of reasons.
He has played there regularly for Liverpool this season due to Andy Robertson’s injury problems, while Trippier has exclusively played on the right for Newcastle. Trippier’s season was also marked by injuries and his form nosediving. Even though they are both naturally right-footed, Gomez looks more comfortable on the left in both an attacking and defensive sense.
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CM: Declan Rice
Arsenal midfielder Rice has been one of the first names on Southgate’s team sheet since the last European Championship, and only injury or suspension will prevent him from starting every game in England’s journey, and completing them.
Rice has grown into one of the best players in Europe after moving from West Ham to the Gunners, and has the perfect temperament for big tournaments. The real question is who should be sitting alongside him in midfield…
CM: Conor Gallagher
This writer thought Kobbie Mainoo was Rice’s ideal partner, but the Iceland match has forced a re-think. Gallagher might not be the most glamorous of England’s midfield options, possessing less flair and talent than Mainoo, Adam Wharton and Alexander-Arnold. However, the team’s performance in his absence against Iceland underlined his importance.
His energy and work-rate was badly missed as was his physical presence. Southgate has conservative tendencies and the Iceland result will have further reminded him of the need for his side to be solid first and foremost. And the best way to bring back that solidity is to restore Gallagher to the fold.
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CM: Jude Bellingham
He might not be captain (yet), but this is the Jude Bellingham era and he is the leader of this England team in everything but name. He has proved he is genuinely world-class in his exceptional debut season for Real Madrid, and England’s hopes of going all the way will hinge upon him.
The only doubt is where to play him to get the best out him. Bellingham has operated across midfield at different stages of his career and is now most comfortable as a No.10, although the lack of a centre-forward at Madrid means he has effectively been operating as a false nine.
The presence of Harry Kane means Bellingham will be playing a bit further back this summer, and the best tactic would be to give him the freedom to roam and dictate the game from deeper, whilst getting forward when the moment arises.
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RW: Cole Palmer
Bukayo Saka would normally be first choice on the right of attack, but he finished the campaign with an injury and looked jaded after repeatedly playing through the pain barrier to try and help Arsenal win the title. Cole Palmer, by contrast, is in excellent shape and has been in ridiculously good form. In his final 13 matches of the season for Chelsea, he scored 13 goals and set up five.
He has recent experience of winning a European Championship with England’s U21 side and has scored his first goal for the national team. Now is the time to unleash him in a major tournament and let him prove whether he should keep Saka out of the team when the Arsenal star returns to full fitness.
LW: Phil Foden
Like Bellingham and Palmer, Phil Foden is at the top of his game. He was the standout player for Manchester City this season and deservedly cleaned up the individual awards. Now is the moment for him to replicate his club form on the international stage, something he has previously struggled to do.
There has been a clamour for Southgate to play Foden deeper, although Bellingham’s importance makes that harder to do in practice, meaning his best position is still on the left of the front three. Southgate has stressed that the most important thing is where Foden ends up during the game, and it’s paramount that he does not stick to the left wing for 90 minutes.
Instead, he should interchange roles with Bellingham and Palmer, so he is able either to influence the game from deep or get on to his left foot from outside the box and rip the ball into the top corner, as he did repeatedly during the club season.
CF: Harry Kane
There are no doubts about Kane’s place in the team or his position. England’s all-time top scorer will surely be the team’s leading scorer, if not the tournament’s, and the presence of Bellingham should allow him to get into the box even more.
Kane is also in the prime of his career, having recently become the first Englishman in 24 years to win the European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 goals in his debut season with Bayern Munich. England fans will hope he can continue his stunning form on German soil for at least another month.
