Lee Carsley has named the final England squad of 2024 for the November international break, which will also be his last as interim manager before Thomas Tuchel takes charge in January.
It has been a big calendar year for the Three Lions, slightly unexpectedly reaching the European Championship final during the summer, but suffering the pain of defeat on the biggest stage (again), and going through a managerial change for the first time since 2016.
A trip to Greece and the visit of the Republic of Ireland next week will conclude the initial stage of England’s 2024/25 UEFA Nations League campaign. Two wins would give Carsley’s squad a strong chance of leapfrogging Greece into first place and sealing automatic promotion to League A.
Anything less will likely mean a place in the League A promotion/relegation play-off instead, while only a dramatic collapse would see them fall below Ireland into the League B play-off.
The selection of England’s squad is always a contentious issue. Carsley has named a 26-strong group, including a surprise call-up for Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis. Meanwhile, John Stones and Kobbie Mainoo have not made the cut this time due to injury.
But there are still some other national stars who have not received a call-up.
Marcus Rashford has been out of the England picture since March, but the Manchester United forward is a proven player at club and international record. His 17 England goals is a strong return and only all-time record scorer Harry Kane has more in the current squad.
He’s netted four goals in 16 appearances at club level so far this season, closing in on his eight strikes from the 2023/24 campaign. Whilst the Red Devils as a team have failed to impress so far – new manager Ruben Amorim could be the key to unlocking a once-prolific Rashford.
Rashford is the ultimate confidence player, but with the right support he can be a game-changer.
James Maddison was openly gutted when he didn’t make the cut for Euro 2024 and has done plenty this season to show himself worthy of international recognition.
It’s been three goals and an assist in the Tottenham Hotspur player’s last six Premier League appearances. He was also trusted with the captain’s armband in the club’s Europa League clash with Ferencvaros.
This England group lacks much experience and seniority – Maddison would offer both.
Another leader not selected is West Ham United skipper Jarrod Bowen. At the end of October, he scored the pressurised penalty to beat Manchester United and has accumulated five Premier League goal involvements in ten games this season.
Bowen played his way into the Euro 2024 squad with strong showings in warm-up friendlies against Belgium and Bosnia & Herzegovina, but then didn’t get much of a look-in at the tournament.
If form is an indicator for selection, Liam Delap might have been worth a call-up this month. The England Under-21 international is so far justifying Ipswich Town’s willingness to pay up to £20m for him this past summer by scoring five times in his first ten Premier League games for the club.
Delap wasn’t this prolific at a lower level during Championship loans at Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City, which shows how quickly he is developing and maturing.
Morgan Rogers was playing Championship football for Middlesbrough this time last year and hasn’t looked back since establishing himself as a regular Aston Villa starter in March.
The 22-year-old has impressed in both the Premier League and the Champions League, scoring or assisting five times across his last six domestic games alone.
Danny Welbeck will celebrate his 34th birthday before the end of this month and hasn’t pulled on an England shirt for six years, or represented his country regularly in a decade. Yet his form this season for Brighton & Hove Albion is argument enough for an international comeback.
The veteran forward, who was reportedly of interest to former club Manchester United during the summer, is among the Premier League’s top seven goalscorers so far in 2024/25.
