I can honestly hand on heart say I'd never heard of
Branthwaite Quansah Wharton
Clearly I don't watch as much football as I used to
They’ve all had breakthrough seasons. The good thing about the three of them is they are all defensively minded players which is what this squad has been desperately lacking.
Branthwaite had a really good loan at PSV last season and now is mainstay in the Everton defence (35 starts). Monster height (6ft5), left footed, long term Maguire replacement I reckon.
Quansah is a Liverpool academy product and has basically been first choice next to van Dijk since January.
Wharton came through Blackburn’s academy. Was signed in January by Palace after being a standout at Championship level and he’s taken to the Premier League like a duck to water (awful news at club level but great for the national team).
The problem is going to be fitting Saka, Foden, Bellingham and Gordon into the same team. That’s not even considering Cole Palmer. Embarrassment of riches.
I agree that Bellingham is too good going forward to be “wasted” in a holding or box-to-box role.
He’d obviously be very good at it but he has a special ability to win games out of nothing and for that to be possible you want him as close to the opposition penalty area as possible at all times.
I'd struggle to cut any of the attacking players really. I know a couple have to miss out but I am really struggling to make cases to leave any of them at home.
Crazy in one sense that if he's in the final squad... this'll be Joe Gomez's first Major Tournament
Given how he marked Neymar out of a friendly a few years ago, its a shame what injuries have done to his International career - Glad that he's still managed to achieve decent Club Honours.
Interesting that for the last two tournaments two and three years ago the general clamour was for the inclusion of Grealish and this time last year it was for Maddison. Now there half a chance that neither will be in the final squad never mind the starting 11.
Shows how little I have followed of the premiership this season. Some players I've never heard of. Manioo, guehi, quansah, Wharton.
Nor has it been called the Premiership since 2007. But it's fair to say if you haven't followed it this year then there's a fair few names who won't mean much to you.
I know it’s pretty academic but what is the point of including Trafford who was ridiculously bad for Burnley and got dropped for the second half of the season and leaving out a (just) fit again Pope or Butland who has been excellent albeit in a poor quality league?
I'd struggle to cut any of the attacking players really. I know a couple have to miss out but I am really struggling to make cases to leave any of them at home.
Maddison & Grealish are the only obvious ones to go for me. Toney is in danger because he’s been off the boil but could see him getting in the 26 off the strength of his penalties alone.
I know it’s pretty academic but what is the point of including Trafford who was ridiculously bad for Burnley and got dropped for the second half of the season and leaving out a (just) fit again Pope or Butland who has been excellent albeit in a poor quality league?
I think Trafford, Pope or Butland would get dropped from the final squad anyway so they’re probably just including the youngest in the camp for the experience. That’s my guess…
You can't have been watching him much over the past few seasons then. Pickford has become a brilliant keeper. He kept 13 clean sheets this season for an Everton team that spent most of the season fighting relegation and regularly had the like of Ashley Young at full back, making him second for the Golden Glove behind David Raya (16) who played in a team that faced far fewer shots. Three more clean sheets than Ederson in third. The last couple of seasons prior to this one he's almost kept Everton up on his own with his saves for a team that struggle to score anything like enough goals. Definitely not part of a bad bunch.
Also, Walker at centre back in a 4 won't happen and it never should, he's the recovery pace in a three but not a strong enough centre back to play in a 2
I know it’s pretty academic but what is the point of including Trafford who was ridiculously bad for Burnley and got dropped for the second half of the season and leaving out a (just) fit again Pope or Butland who has been excellent albeit in a poor quality league?
I think Trafford, Pope or Butland would get dropped from the final squad anyway so they’re probably just including the youngest in the camp for the experience. That’s my guess…
Trafford ended the season as relegated Burnley's number 2 keeper
I don’t ‘get’ Anthony Gordon, haven’t ever massively rated him but then probably not seen enough of him
Up until this season i think most people would've agreed with you, myself included. He had 8 Premier league goals from 90+ appearances and hadn't done much.
But something in him seemed to switch last summer. He was very good when the U21s won the Euro's last summer, winning player of the tournament and then this season he's been superb, winning Newcastle's player of the year which isn't bad when they have Bruno and Isak. There aren't many better left sided options than him on current form.
I know it’s pretty academic but what is the point of including Trafford who was ridiculously bad for Burnley and got dropped for the second half of the season and leaving out a (just) fit again Pope or Butland who has been excellent albeit in a poor quality league?
I think Trafford, Pope or Butland would get dropped from the final squad anyway so they’re probably just including the youngest in the camp for the experience. That’s my guess…
Trafford ended the season as relegated Burnley's number 2 keeper
And he’s number 4 for England which means he has zero chance of playing. I acknowledge that he went off the boil in a team that was struggling but doesn’t change the fact that he’s a very talented goalkeeper.
Part of the team that won the U21 Euros and there’s a very good chance he will be the England number one in four or five years.
He will get more out of the experience than Pope or Butland. Both of them would probably prefer to be on holiday than a one week training camp before being cut from the final squad anyway.
I know it’s pretty academic but what is the point of including Trafford who was ridiculously bad for Burnley and got dropped for the second half of the season and leaving out a (just) fit again Pope or Butland who has been excellent albeit in a poor quality league?
I think Trafford, Pope or Butland would get dropped from the final squad anyway so they’re probably just including the youngest in the camp for the experience. That’s my guess…
Trafford ended the season as relegated Burnley's number 2 keeper
And he’s number 4 for England which means he has zero chance of playing. I acknowledge that he went off the boil in a team that was struggling but doesn’t change the fact that he’s a very talented goalkeeper.
Part of the team that won the U21 Euros and there’s a very good chance he will be the England number one in four or five years.
He will get more out of the experience than Pope or Butland. Both of them would probably prefer to be on holiday than a one week training camp before being cut from the final squad anyway.
I agree with you but you can bet your boots that if Pickford and the other two top choices slip in the shower and crock themselves over the next month, there is no way on this earth that Trafford would be first choice. Pope and Butland would be dragged off whatever beach they happen to be on and put on a plane to the finals forthwith! I get the experience bit but on the evidence of this season Trafford has as much chance of becoming England's future no 1 as I have and I’m a one legged Scottish bloke.
I'd struggle to cut any of the attacking players really. I know a couple have to miss out but I am really struggling to make cases to leave any of them at home.
Maddison & Grealish are the only obvious ones to go for me. Toney is in danger because he’s been off the boil but could see him getting in the 26 off the strength of his penalties alone.
Yeah I could see Toney as a super sub making it. Grealish hasn't been in great form and Maddisons injuries could make him a doubt. Would be very tempted to keep Jarrod Bowen involved.
Players unlucky to miss out more than most would be Branthwaite and Eze where you could make a case of either being included instead of one other. Branthwaite instead of probably Guehi and Eze instead of maybe Maddison or Bowen.
Even though i do rate Quansah and i'm sure he won't make the final squad, i don't see how a kid who started 13 league games for Liverpool is ahead of a guy who plays for AC Milan every week.
Same can be said for Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Had a fantastic season for Milan this year.
Don’t see any problem with it, probably would of liked a natural left back in there with Shaw, Mitchell maybe 🤢
Defence is a massive area we need to get right, and over doing it to for him to have a closer look I don’t mind.
Ultimately, there is always gonna be holes picked, but as long as we have a strong 18/19 players that’s all that matters as the rest will be back up.
Keep seeing people saying rice Bellingham Foden midfield but that gets broken through the lines the defence will be exposed, it happened continually against Brazil in a recent friendly.
I saw Branthwaite play in the flesh against Bournemouth recently. The lad has clearly got talent, the physicality and bags of potential. But he also made a couple of errors and got caught out of position a couple of times.
I don't expect him to make the cut but he's only going to benefit from being around the squad and I can easily see him being a mainstay in the not too distant future. Our defence is clearly our Achilles heal and his development this season is hugely encouraging.
Comments
Quansah is a Liverpool academy product and has basically been first choice next to van Dijk since January.
Wharton came through Blackburn’s academy. Was signed in January by Palace after being a standout at Championship level and he’s taken to the Premier League like a duck to water (awful news at club level but great for the national team).
Yeah I'd happily put all 3 of them ahead of Dunk.
Given how he marked Neymar out of a friendly a few years ago, its a shame what injuries have done to his International career - Glad that he's still managed to achieve decent Club Honours.
clamour was for the inclusion of Grealish and this time last year it was for Maddison. Now there half a chance that neither will be in the final squad never mind the starting 11.
But something in him seemed to switch last summer. He was very good when the U21s won the Euro's last summer, winning player of the tournament and then this season he's been superb, winning Newcastle's player of the year which isn't bad when they have Bruno and Isak. There aren't many better left sided options than him on current form.
Yeah I could see Toney as a super sub making it. Grealish hasn't been in great form and Maddisons injuries could make him a doubt. Would be very tempted to keep Jarrod Bowen involved.
Right now, for me, the final 26 man squad should be:
Pickford, Ramsdale, Henderson
Walker, Trippier, Stones, Maguire, Gomez, Konsa, Guehi, Shaw
Rice, Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Gallagher, Mainoo
Saka, Foden, Palmer, Gordon, Grealish, Maddison, Bowen
Kane, Toney, Watkins
Players unlucky to miss out more than most would be Branthwaite and Eze where you could make a case of either being included instead of one other. Branthwaite instead of probably Guehi and Eze instead of maybe Maddison or Bowen.
Defence is a massive area we need to get right, and over doing it to for him to have a closer look I don’t mind.
Keep seeing people saying rice Bellingham Foden midfield but that gets broken through the lines the defence will be exposed, it happened continually against Brazil in a recent friendly.
I don't expect him to make the cut but he's only going to benefit from being around the squad and I can easily see him being a mainstay in the not too distant future. Our defence is clearly our Achilles heal and his development this season is hugely encouraging.