England struggling to bring in new players

England’s journey to the World Cup semi-finals may have been exciting for the fans, but taking a step back, the team’s displays were not that great. In fact, the Three Lions have won just one of their last five international games in 90 minutes.

Gareth Southgate’s team face a new look Spain on Saturday in the Nations League, a game the Three Lions are odds of 17/10 to win. The game should be an exciting one.

The fact that England got to the semi-finals is cause for optimism. However, the team will need refreshing at some point. The problem is where the fresh players are going to come from.

Young players not playing regular football

Southgate has been talking about the ‘Youth cycle’ and how important it is to bring younger players into the squad. However, the most recent squad the England boss has named has few new names.

The only uncapped players in the squad are goalkeepers Alex McCarthy and Marcus Bettinelli of Southampton and Fulham respectively. Neither is young or likely to wrestle the number one jersey from Everton’s Jordan Pickford anytime soon.

The likes of Ademola Lookman, Lewis Cook, Jadon Sancho and Ryan Sessegnon are all highly rated players who have enjoyed success with the underage teams. However, none of the quartet are playing regular football, which makes it hard for Southgate to pick them.

Other players overlooked

There are a number of other players who have impressed in the opening few weeks of the campaign. One of the players to impress in the top-flight is Callum Wilson of Bournemouth.

The 26-year-old has looked a constant menace for the Cherries so far this season, scoring two goals and producing two assists. Wilson may well have earned recognition before but for injury problems that have hampered his development.

With the retirement of Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, England have a dearth of strikers as a backup to Harry Kane. There is no reason why Wilson should not win a cap in the future.

At Watford, captain Troy Deeney has helped the Hornets to a perfect start to the campaign. The 30-year-old has led the Hornets line superbly. However, England boss Southgate has stated that Watford plays a different style to his team and that he is looking for younger players. The 30-year-old looks set to miss out for the foreseeable future.

However, the England boss has talked about Deeney’s Hornets teammates Will Hughes and Nathaniel Chalobah coming in when they are ready. Hughes has started the season in decent form, while Chalobah’s season has been restricted to just four minutes.

England will find new stars

Prior to the World Cup Jordan Pickford, Kieran Trippier and Harry Maguire had hardly featured in England squads. However, now the trio are considered three of the first names on the teamsheet after impressing in Russia.

In the next 12 months, no doubt the England squad will evolve and players will come, while others will drop out. It seems that Southgate has specific criteria for the players he brings into the squad.

The way the former Middlesbrough boss has integrated the current team bodes well for the future. The team and squad seem to be full of strong characters and the atmosphere seems good.

Southgate will only bring players into the squad who he feels will fit in, on and off the pitch. New stars will emerge and be the new Trippier’s and Maguire’s. Who they are at the minute is unknown.

Which uncapped players will break into the England squad in the next 12 months?