England Euro 2024 squads - Our writers on who gets the chop

Marc Iles

WHY must there be a player at every major tournament being considered by England who has just emerged the from out-patients’ department?

Manchester United’s Luke Shaw is this year’s candidate, without a game since February and with only 15 to his name all season, but seemingly still ahead of perfectly fit alternatives?

At 100 per cent, Shaw is in my squad all day long. I don’t know why Ben Chilwell didn’t make it into the extended group in front of players like Curtis Jones or Jarrell Quansah – who were always likely to get the chop – but to take a half-fit Shaw ahead of Ezri Konsa, who has looked decent in a few different positions for England, is plain daft.

I’m also waving the flag for James Trafford to go as England’s third-choice keeper, based purely on it doing him good for future years when he fulfils his own prophecy and becomes his country’s number one.

Nothing against Dean Henderson, very solid, but he isn’t going to play. Trafford would gain more from the experience.

Fellow Cumbrian Jarrad Branthwaite definitely goes, for me, along with Harry Maguire, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Joe Gomez. I haven’t seen much from Lewis Dunk to suggest he is international quality, but stranger things have happened.

I like what I have seen of Adam Wharton and while I can’t see him or Kobbie Mainoo getting much game time when you have Declan Rice, Connor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold for company, like Trafford, I could see the tournament being an important first step for them both.

I think Phil Foden can win this tournament for England and I have a funny feeling that Jack Grealish might shove a few words back down people’s throats by playing a bigger part this summer too.

One player always comes out of nowhere to start a tournament in form, and that could be Ebere Eze, who has been on fire for Crystal Palace and looks to have carried it into the international season. His unpredictability makes him a perfect impact sub.

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka are obviously going, and you’d be a fool not to in-form Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer, so one of Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen and Ivan Toney gets the chop for me. Sorry Ivan, you might be the freshest option – for obvious reasons – but form has to count for something, and you haven’t done a thing for Brentford recently.

Chopped: Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones, Luke Shaw, Dean Henderson, Lewis Dunk, Ivan Toney, James Maddison.

Our Blackburn Rovers writer Elliott Jackson has chosen to chop James Trafford from the England squad (Image: PA)

Elliott Jackson

JAMES Trafford is an easy player to cut with the pecking order in the goalkeeping department pretty well established.

For me, at least two, if not three, of the other names must come from the pool of defenders. Jarrell Quansah was always unlikely to make the cut and his absence from the Bosnia friendly probably indicates he won't make it.

Lewis Dunk would be the other obvious casualty, having seen his form dip at club level. There are huge question marks over Harry Maguire's fitness but if he's available, I would take him alongside John Stones, Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite.

If Maguire isn't fit, then Ezri Konsa would go. Otherwise, the Aston Villa defender would be very unfortunate, but miss out in my squad. Joe Gomez covers the same options and is more natural as a left-back deputy.

Luke Shaw is a risk worth taking at left-back and so he goes, even if he's only available in the knock-out rounds. Kieran Trippier is able to play on that side as well as deputise for Kyle Walker.

Declan Rice, Connor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold are shoo-ins. Adam Wharton has to make the plane, for me.

The former Blackburn Rovers star offers a unique skillset compared to his team-mates. His cameo against Bosnia showed exactly what he's about, with 36 out of 36 passes completed, each weighted perfectly.

Kobbie Mainoo should also make the squad, which means I've got one player left to cull.

I would take Jack Grealish because we know he has the ability to change a game. He needs to rediscover the freedom to his play that made him a £100million player but he showed glimpses on Monday.

Ebere Eze also gets my nod so it's a showdown between Ivan Toney and Jarrod Bowen. Toney's arguments are a more like-for-like replacement to Harry Kane and his penalty-taking skills but he didn't have a great season.

Bowen, I like, but England have three left-footed players who'd start ahead of him on the right. He can, play up front though and so I'll put him in for that reason too. I'd have probably gone for James Maddison over both, in truth.

Chopped: James Trafford, Ezri Konsa, Lewis Dunk, Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones, Ivan Toney, James Maddison.

Eberechi Eze should be dropped from the England squad, says football writer Dan Barnes (Image: PA)

Dan Barnes

I was already planning to leave Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones out of the final squad. The Liverpool duo will have benefitted from being around the camp, but more experienced options are needed for the upcoming tournament.

The decision to leave out James Maddison has surprised me slightly, although there are plenty of strong options for the No 10 role. Phil Foden has to start through the middle rather than on the left if we, as a nation, have learned anything from the Paul Scholes saga.

I would also drop Lewis Dunk and Ezri Konsa since Gareth Southgate has decided to call up about a million centre-backs.

Dunk has looked out of his depth when wearing the England shirt and while Konsa is a decent option, Jarrad Branthwaite simply has to be on the plane to Germany, in my opinion. Joe Gomez also provides cover at the heart of defence, even if he has tended to play as a full-back for Liverpool in recent memory.

James Trafford is the obvious candidate to drop out of the goalkeeping department, having experienced Premier League football for the first time this season with Burnley. Getting plenty of game time in the top flight will do him a world of good, even if it proved to be a tough campaign for the Clarets.

The last spot is rather tricky. Southgate certainly can’t drop Kobbie Mainoo or Adam Wharton given their performances for Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively.

Jack Grealish hasn’t done much for Manchester City this season but gave us a reminder of his quality with a brilliant assist for Trent Alexander-Arnold against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday night.

I have been impressed by Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen is a useful option to have coming off the bench, which means Eberechi Eze just misses out.

Chopped: Jarrell Quansah, Curtis Jones, James Maddison, Lewis Dunk, Ezri Konsa, James Trafford, Eberechi Eze.