England look strong ahead of Euro 2020 – but can Brighton’s finest bolster the squad?
Football may have been turned on its head in 2020, but the game is back. The Premier League is in full swing and, even though results could be better, Brighton’s finest are in the mix and battling.
Yes, a top-five finish might be out of the question this season. However, if the Albion can continue as they are, another year of being a Premier League club would be classed as a win.
Of course, as much as football fans across the country have got one eye on domestic competitions, they’ve also got their other eye on Euro 2020.
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The competition will take place in 2021, but it’s still being branded as Euro 2020. As ever, we’ll all be backing England. For those that literally want to back Gareth Southgate’s men, the latest UEFA Euro 2020 betting odds have England as favourites.
At 9/2, those wearing the famous Three Lions will start the competition on a par with France (9/2) and ahead of Belgium (5/1). That’s something to be positive about heading into the tournament. But, as we all know, the betting odds don’t tell the whole story.
Can Brighton’s Finest Make the Cut?
In the 2018 World Cup, England defied the odds and came as close to winning as they’ve ever done (except for 1966, of course). Will the weight of expectation this time around cause the nation more heartbreak? Or will England thrive under the pressure in June and July next year?
The answer, of course, is written in the stars. However, what we can focus on right now is the team and who has the potential to do the business. Eric Dier, Tyrone Mings, Harry Winks, Marcus Rashford, and Harry Kane are clearly going to lead the way. The question though is whether any of Brighton’s finest can make the cut?
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Adam Lallana could slot into the middle of the park. For the Seagulls, Lallana has notched up an average of 32.20 passes per match. Add to this 47 through balls and 26 “big chances” created, and we can see that Lallana often puts in a solid performance.
The area he does fall a little short in is the crossing department. A 20% accuracy rating isn’t poor but it might not be good enough for England. With Kane looking to get on the end of crosses, Lallana may not vibe with Southgate’s Euro 2020 tactics.
March Might March into a Midfield Spot
What about Solly March? He may not have played for England at the senior level but he has performed well as an under-21. In fact, he was picked by Southgate as a forward in May 2014 and performed well in some UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.
For Brighton, March has appeared more than 90 times as a midfielder and notched up three goals. His crossing accuracy is slightly better than Lallana’s at 22% but he doesn’t complete at many passes per match. He does, however, have a strong defensive record.
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His tackle success rate is 57% and he’s almost always on the right side of 50/50 challenges. If Southgate is looking for a midfielder that can nick a few goals, supply Kane with the crosses he needs and put the boot in when required, March would be a great choice.
The problem, however, is that England’s current line-up has looked solid in recent months. Their route to Euro 2020 was fairly smooth and recent performances against the likes of Belgium (a 2-1 win) have been impressive.
So, while it would be great to see Brighton represented at Euro 2020, certain individuals will have to up their games if they want to make the squad next summer.
