England boss Gareth Southgate has called up three uncapped players in the shape of Callum Hudson-Odoi, James Ward-Prowse and Declan Rice for Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro.
All three are highly-rated but are at different stages of their development. Ward-Prowse has been in and out of the Southampton team for the last half a decade. Rice is in his breakthrough season at West Ham, while Hudson-Odoi is still very raw.
England squad is exciting
The addition of the explosive youngster Hudson-Odoi gives the England squad a really exciting look. The Three Lions have obviously already got the attacking talents of Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.
However, Hudson-Odoi brings unpredictability and the ability to beat a man to the squad, something that the likes of Rashford and Sancho also possess. England are certainly not short on attacking talent. The biggest problem for boss Southgate may be a way of attempting to fit all the talented attacking players into a starting line-up.
Options mean Southgate can play a more expansive style
At the summers World Cup, England lacked creativity at times. They struggled to create chances from open play, as the Three Lions first priority was to remain solid. However, the addition of the likes of Sancho and Hudson-Odoi allows the team to play a more expansive style of football.
The England team at the World Cup seemed to lack flair and imagination as well as creativity, despite making it to the semi-finals of the competition in Russia. The youngsters can provide the team with some of the missing ingredients.
The development of Marcus Rashford this season also gives Southgate another option. With Kane playing as the first-choice central striker, the Manchester United forward may find himself pushed out to the wing, where to be fair to him he does a good job.
England can make an impact at Euro 2020
The Three Lions promising displays last summer have raised expectations amongst the fans. However, on paper, England now has a team that should be making an impact at the big tournaments.
Everybody connected with the England national team will be looking at winning Euro 2020 as a realistic possibility. The first step to winning the European Championships qualifying, with begins on Friday night, as the Three Lions host the Czech Republic at Wembley, a game Southgate’s team are favourites to win.
A good end to their Nations League campaign just compounded the sense of positivity surrounding the England national team. That sense of positivity needs to continue for Gareth Southgate’s team to build up any momentum in the future.
A few years ago, many feared for the England national team as very few talented English players were emerging from the big academies. However, now the future seems bright with many Premier League teams blooding youngsters.
As a former u-21 England boss, Gareth Southgate has given talented youngsters the chance to impress for the national side. He will continue to do so, as it seems to be part of his managerial philosophy. The tactic can only be good for the future of the England national team and their chances of winning that elusive international trophy.
Can Southgate’s approach of blooding youngsters make England more successful in the future?
