He’s in the squad – now Ben White should start for England at Euro 2020
Having spent the best part of two and a half years questioning the sanity of the England manager, it feels strange to say this – but well done Gareth Southgate. You have made the right decision in taking Ben White to Euro 2020 (in 2021).
White had his spot in the Three Lions squad confirmed following an accomplished full international debut in the 1-0 win over Romania. He takes the place of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was forced to withdraw with a thigh injury picked up right at the end of England’s previous friendly against Austria four days earlier.
As pleased as we are that White is heading to the tournament, Southgate now needs to be brave, go further and start the Albion’s newly crowned Player of the Season in the opening group game against Croatia at Wembley.
Some might see using a rookie in a competition which England could potentially win as being an unnecessary risk. If anything, it is the opposite as everything we know about White marks him out as the ideal player to be thrown into such a pressure cooker.
White has shown that nothing about international football phases him so far. When he went into the camp as an uncapped 23-year-old with only one season of Premier League football under his belt, there seemed little chance of White forcing his way into the final 26 man squad.
It is fair to assume that Southgate’s main purpose for summoning White was simply to take a closer look at him at the same time as giving White a taste of what the highest level was like.
Well… it took just 19 minutes against Austria for White to begin changing Southgate’s mind. In that time, White played in both midfield and defence, went close to scoring with a 25 yard volley and cleared an Austrian effort off the line to preserve England’s clean sheet in the final seconds.
That was enough to convince Southgate to offer White a surprise start against Romania. Whilst Tyrone Mings did his best to be Romania’s most dangerous player, White was busy covering for the Aston Villa defender whilst oozing the confidence of a seasoned international earning his 52nd cap, not his second.
You can forget about White’s lack of experience or the fact he plays for a Team Like Brighton – England need him. A combination of injuries and question marks over the form and ability of the other options leaves White as the most in-form, fit defender in Southgate’s squad.
Harry Maguire may not be worth £85 million, but he is still the nation’s best centre back. Problematically for England, he remains injured and might not feature at all in the group stage.
John Stones has had a decent season to put himself back in the international picture after being dumped when his Manchester City form deserted him.
Stones’ recent improvement though can be largely put down to having Premier League Player of the Season Rúben Dias alongside him. The impression you get with Stones is that he can be excellent when paired with a high-class partner. Put him with a Mings however and you might as well stick the Chuckle Brothers out there.
Ah yes, Mings. In England’s two warm up matches, Mings has been an absolute bomb scare. The prospect of him lining up against Scotland and the Czech Republic – let alone the likes of Germany, Spain or France in the later stages – is scarier than Fred West turning up to do your patio.
Conor Coady is England’s other centre back option and whilst he is a solid enough defender, White is just as good as the Wolves captain in the defensive stakes.
Where White eclipses Coady is in what he brings to the party as an attacking out. His ability to charge forward and play a part in the final third is unmatched by any other centre back in Southgate’s squad.
White brings a unique skill set. He can also play comfortably in either a back three or back four. The case for Ben White starting England’s Euro 2020 (in 2021) campaign as one of Southgate’s two first choice centre backs alongside Stones is overwhelming.
Should the England manager elect for a back three, then it should be Stones, White and Kyle Walker. Walker did a fine job in that position at the 2018 World Cup and using him as one of three centre backs is a way to get one of the 17 world class right backs included in the squad into the starting XI.
If Southgate wants a history lesson to justify White’s inclusion, then how about the stat that England have won all eight matches in which a Brighton player has featured without conceding a goal?
Tommy Cook, Peter Ward, Steve Foster, Lewis Dunk and now White have never been on the losing side in a Three Lions shirt. Had Southgate included Jason Steele, Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, Dan Burn, Solly March, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck along with White, then football really would be coming home.
In a way, Southgate has lucked out with Alexander-Arnold’s injury. The Liverpool man being crocked has allowed England to call up an additional centre back having realised that Mings is a car crash waiting to happen and Stones needs a competent partner until Maguire if fit.
Southgate has been handed a get-out-of-jail free card to redress his initial questionable selection in the centre back department. If England want to win Euro 2020 (in 2021) then Ben White has to play.
