All being well, the Euro’s may well be taking place in just a few months from now. The delayed tournament still has many things left to be decided, and for English football fans, one big set of decisions is coming very soon… the squad for the tournament.

Every single tournament, fans tears shreds out of one-another debating who should make the plane. Should it be the guy who’s been in form the last 3 games, the experienced head, the teenage wildcard or every English player to be part of a top-4 side. Whatever your personal preference, unfortunately only one man can make the final calls. Hopefully whichever side makes it, will do us proud and take advantage of what genuinely feels like England’s strongest chance of winning something in a long, long time.

So, like many others around the country, I have a notes document on my phone where I’ve sketched out possible starting 11’s for the opener on the 13th of June, and as I’ve seen pretty much every person on the internet post theirs, I figures I would make a post about my starting 11. Now, as you will read shortly, there are some caveats to my picks, such as the opposition, the stage of the tournament and generally fitness and form. Personally, I think we have a strong enough group that we can switch players in and out against tougher opponents and more defensive tactics, compared to when England are considered favourites and can go all out attack. This is my generally strongest starting line-up, and I would love to hear what you think @NextGoalWinBlog on Twitter and what changes you might make.

Enjoy.

Formation: 3-4-3

Starting off, I believe this formation of 3-4-3 works best for the overall talents of the current England squad. Additionally, with past fixtures as our evidence, we see how Southgate often opts for the 3 central defenders at the back and uses wing-backs pushed high as essentially part of the midfield. In attack, the use of a front three just is essential to any England selection, as Kane will obviously be leading the line as the central striker, and there are too many quality options on either wing to not be used in those roles. By using the Liverpool-esque front 3 roles, England can allow Kane to continue his Spurs playing-style of dropping back and getting involved when needed (In the Firmino position), while the left and right side attackers can be pushed wide if they need to stretch the opposition, or tuck in just as easily to allow the wing-back’s to overlap. By using this, the front 3 will genuinely be intimidating and with such big names to pick from in those roles, it’s hard to deny that this setup on paper maximises the talents at England’s disposal.

Admittedly, I think that although they will be using the 3-4-3 on paper, the actual positions of each player will either form a back 5 out of possession, and then either a 3/4 in defence when one or both wing backs presses higher in attacking phases. Because of it’s adaptability, it’s maximisation of starting 11’s players and the familiarity with Southgate using this system, it makes sense all-round.

Alternative: 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 Should England opt for a slightly different formation, I think either the 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 will be best suited. The 4-2-3-1 will be a great choice as it will give the defensive cover by using 2 defensive midfielders while full-backs attack, and it beings in the possibility of an attacking midfielder in the Grealish or Mount role. Meanwhile, many of the squads that the England side play for will be using a 4 defender formation, which reduces the unfamiliarity of a new formation when they start for their country. The 3rd choice I have suggested is a 4-5-1, a often overlooked formation, and admittedly quite pressurising for Kane to play solo in attack, however it could work if England are perhaps wanting to sit back more on a lead or perhaps facing an opposition attack onslaught. The midfield 5 could allow for a defensive midfield 3 of Rice, Dier and Henderson. I honestly hope England are much more confident than using such a defensive formation, but nevertheless, if we are beating the likes of France or Portugal, I would be happy (if not terrified) for Southgate to sit back and move into this formation late in the game.

Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson

This season is Henderson’s time to take the gloves and the no.1 shirt for both club and country. He has proven his worth at Sheffield United over the previous 2 seasons, and with the opportunities he has had for United this season he has stepped up the the mark. After watching him in the past few weeks covering for De Gea’s absence, it has been shown massively that he has the bottle to play in big games, and seems to genuinely thrive under pressure.

Now, I am not to say whether or not his place at Manchester United is going to change, however I have no doubt that he is England’s top man for the gloves, and could possibly remain there for the next 10 years realistically. At a young age, he has still had enough experience playing big games, while his inexperience for England can honestly be a benefit rather than a curse. I do genuinely think Pickford needs to drop back a bit and take some time to protect his club place and do a reliable job from the bench for England for a while, and with the competition being hot for the no.1 spot, I think Henderson’s time is now. If he starts and fails, we still have plenty of options to come in mid-tournament, however I haven’t seen any reason to think he wouldn’t slot straight in and be a confident voice in the side and a solid stopper. His link with Maguire may also prove beneficial, as it’s quite a good idea to keep little club links in the side to prevent it feeling like a mash-up of players who struggle to gel.

Henderson’s stats are also incredibly strong, as in his 19 appearances this campaign, he has kept 12 clean sheets (including his 45 minutes against Ireland in a friendly back in November) and has only conceded 12 goals across those 19. His recent performances against Milan showed his ability on a big stage, and although making a slight error for the Italian’s goal in the first-leg, he was absolutely resolute a few days ago in the return leg away in Milan. In this one, he made several key saves to keep a clean sheet and did his job in a tough contest between the two legendary sides.

Alternative: Nick Pope Should Henderson not quite have the experience necessary to take the full no.1 spot in the England side, I think there should still be a shake up from Pickford’s time between the sticks, and the next best option for me would have to be through Nick Pope. The Burnley man has had an incredible few seasons recently, none more so than last campaign as he missed out on the final day to win the Premier League golden glove. In the current campaign, he has still remained an almost ever-present in goal for his side and has remained a consistent talent. Although admittedly he isn’t quite hitting the highs of last season, he still has 9 clean sheets for the season to date. I believe that if Southgate wanted a fresh but slightly more experienced head, Pope is the perfect fit, although I would still personally think that if there is to be a permanent change, it should be Henderson now as he is showing an experienced head to deal with the big games for one of football’s biggest clubs.

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, John Stones

Southgate has on occasion opted to use the 3 at the back formation, against the likes of. Although in the past few games, he has stuck to a back 4, I think that when the Euros roll-around, these 3 centre-backs will provide the most security, in-form performances and generally link up well. Using Walker as part of the back 3 gives it the extra element of pace, and as seen at City he enjoys being used in this role. Linking up with John Stones makes such sense as he has been possibly the best defender in the league thus far in 2021. Therefore, the combination of Stone and Walker provides this England side with 2 incredible defenders playing in great form. The final addition of Harry Maguire also seems to compliment the other 2 well, and will provide that little link with Henderson in goal. Although some have questioned Maguire this season, he is comfortable playing in big games, and has seemingly endless energy, after playing the most minutes of any footballer in 2019/2020. Therefore, I believe that where others could be at risk of fatigue going into the summer, Maguire will be eager to get involved. One of the top benefits of playing with these 3, is that all 3 are keen on getting forward and starting the attacking phases of play. Therefore, if they can combine well, and communicate properly, then it allows one player to join as almost a midfielder, and hopefully the other 2 will narrow themselves as cover and possibly even one of the win-backs could drop in for cover. Southgate will be able to have the perfect mixture of strong defensive cover whilst also fluently being able to transition into an attacking threat from the defence. As we have seen with Guardiola and many sides in recent years, having the centre backs who feel happy with the ball at their feet means that you’re not reliant on long goal kicks and giving up possession as much. Furthermore, with the choices that could be made in central midfield, if England are chasing the game, these three can genuinely push up high to bring the game to the opposition, and Walker’s pace can always be used to chase back on any long-balls.

Overall, while I don’t naturally like the 3 at the back style, if the top choices are Walker, Stone and Maguire, which I believe they are, this style works perfectly for all of them. Maguire struggles to be part of a 2 at United and often looks for further support, and the City players use this formation often and it works so well for them. While Southgate might be eager to stick to a more traditional style, and use full-backs, I think this is the best choice to balance the whole squad, and offers the fluent transition and adaptability that a knockout tournament requires.

Alternative: Coady, Konsa, James, Mings If England are going to use 3 central defenders, they will need at least 2 replacements in the role on hand. Should one of the starting 3 receive an injury or drop in form, I think they should probably revert to a 4, however the alternative choices could all realistically come in and do a job. I don’t think that any of these choices could perhaps do the same job as Walker, however in a swap for Stones or Maguire, the likes of Coady, Mings and even more wildcard choices of James and Konsa could all do a solid job.

Part 2 arriving Monday, let us know what you think so far @NextGoalWinBlog on Twitter.