England manager Thomas Tuchel has made the surprising decision to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold from his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. The matches are scheduled for September 6 at Wembley and September 9, respectively. This move is unexpected, considering Alexander-Arnold’s celebrated status in football.
A Rocky Start in Madrid
Alexander-Arnold recently made headlines with his high-profile transfer from Liverpool to Real Madrid. However, his start at the Bernabéu has been less than smooth. He faced criticism following his LaLiga debut, which has resulted in him being benched for Madrid’s second game of the season. Perhaps he’s taking a well-deserved break in Madrid rather than preparing for international duty.
Key Squad Changes
In Alexander-Arnold’s absence, Newcastle’s promising full-back Tino Livramento has been included in the squad, alongside Dan Burn, Reece James, and others. Notable absentees in this round of selections include:
- Jack Grealish: Despite strong performances at Everton, where Tuchel’s assistant, Anthony Barry, observed him in action against Brighton, Grealish did not make the cut.
- Ivan Toney
- Phil Foden
- Harry Maguire
New Faces Join the Squad
The squad welcomes new talent with the inclusion of:
- Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest): After switching allegiance from Scotland in 2023, Anderson enjoyed an impressive debut season with Nottingham Forest, following his £35 million move from Newcastle last summer.
- Djed Spence (Tottenham): This young defender steps into the spotlight as England prepares for its matches.
Veteran Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson retains his place, as does Marcus Rashford, who is currently on loan at Barcelona. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer will miss out due to a groin injury, while Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham have also been sidelined with injuries.
The England Squad in Full
Goalkeepers:
- Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
- Jordan Pickford (Everton)
- James Trafford (Man City)
Defenders:
- Dan Burn (Newcastle)
- Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
- Reece James (Chelsea)
- Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
- Miles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
- Tino Livramento (Newcastle)
- Djed Spence (Tottenham)
- John Stones (Man City)
Midfielders:
- Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
- Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
- Jordan Henderson (Brentford)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
- Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards:
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
- Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)
- Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
- Noni Madueke (Arsenal)
- Marcus Rashford (Barcelona)
- Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Mixed Reactions to the Squad
Ex-Watford striker Troy Deeney has described the squad as “a little underwhelming,” labeling it “just an okay squad.” He acknowledged that the upcoming fixtures might not necessitate an overwhelming array of star names.
Looking Ahead
England currently leads Group K with three wins from their three qualifiers. However, they did experience a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal at Wembley and narrowly eked out a 1-0 victory against Andorra in June. As Tuchel searches for the perfect formula for the Three Lions, the upcoming match against Andorra marks their first competitive game in three months.
Let’s just hope they remembered their passports this time!