Alli last scored for England nearly two years ago, Maddison has played just once for his country, and Grealish remains uncapped. In actuality, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored one of them, Mason Mount another, and Harry winks converted two. Who scored the other four? Ross Barkley.
A regular loser in pub debates up and down the country, few have voiced their support of Barkley as a full England international in recent years. True, he’s not as engaging or as exuberant as someone like Alli, but is that really what football is judged on?
Frankly, those in adamant disagreement with Gareth Southgate opting to continue picking him are appealing to just one argument, whether they know it or not. Ross Barkley is 26, and, to England fans since the 1990s, that has been deemed too old to keep out younger talents.
England fans have a curious fascination with always trying out the youngest rising star. 'Throw him in even if he’s 17. We want to know what he’s about.'
Hate Ross Barkley all you want, but if you want someone to progress the ball quickly and effectively through midfield he’s one of the very best England have at doing so. Southgate knows this.
— #8 (@MedianoEra) October 14, 2019
Barkley isn’t a rising star, lighting up the England Under-21s. He’s a seasoned Premier League player, whose record of six England goals can be beaten by only Oxlade-Chamberlain of midfielders in recent years.
You have to look back as far as Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard to find the next prolific England midfield goalscorers.
Isn’t that exactly what Roy Hodgson and Gareth Southgate were (or are) calling for more of – goals from midfield? Barkley offers just that. One of his most impressive attributes is his off-the-ball movement towards the box. All four of his strikes in the Three Lions’ qualifying campaign came courtesy of those poacher instincts.
Maddison, Grealish, and Phil Foden, for that matter, all offer very similar things – supreme technical ability, a fantastic shot, and enviable agility. But their European-style technique isn’t right for Southgate's team.
Southgate wants England to play on the counter – on the rapid, clinical, impossible to defend, counter. There’s a case to be made that Southgate’s England are actually the best national team on the planet at counterattacking. Why shove square pegs into round holes?
Hodgson would have snapped these players up at a heartbeat. They’re goalscoring attackers too, remember.
The problem is that they’re much too slight. Mount, Maddison, Grealish and Foden can all be bullied off the ball too easily. Their talents shouldn’t be called into question – they’re second to none – but that doesn’t mean they should travel to Euro 2020.
Grealish is the closest to fitting the system Southgate wants his England to play, but even he isn’t a classic fit. To shove a wide player (for his club) into more central attacking midfield (for his country) is certainly not advisable ahead of what will likely be the most competitive continental international tournament of all time.
Southgate has shown faith to more upright, strong midfielders, willing and able to track back and get stuck in when out of possession. That billing fits the likes of Alli, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and, yes, Ross Barkley.
Southgate has friendly internationals with Italy and Denmark in March before submitting his final 23-man squad in May. The vicious side of social media will be right on top of the manager if he picks Barkley, but Southgate has no loyalties to his players, nor his fans, as England boss.
His only loyalty is to victory, in doing whatever it takes to bring England their first ever European Championship trophy.
It’s time for the Chelsea man to show his worth in a tournament. Barkley is a round fit for a round hole. He doesn’t need to be glamorous. He tracks back, dribbles well, and scores important goals. All the best midfielders in England’s tournament history have done.
Source : 90min