Team Focus: Are England U21s Euro 2015 Favourites Even Without Kane & Co?

England suddenly find themselves in an unfamiliar position ahead of the Under-21 Euro 2015 championships having just beaten the front-runners as they warm up ahead of this summer’s trip to the Czech Republic.

They remain second favourites to Germany to lift the trophy in June but with Spain and France - both hugely impressive on paper - failing to make the grade there is a feeling that Gareth Southgate’s side might not disappoint in a few months time, and that’s a strange one to fans of The Three Lions at any level.

The defeat of the Germans was their first at Under-21 level since 2006, when a brace from Theo Walcott earned England a 2-0 win. Of the 14 players to feature that day the Arsenal man is one of nine who went on to get a senior call-up, so those that played at the Riverside on Monday night will be aiming to emulate their predecessors’ achievements.

The debate now rages as to just who should be included in the squad as England prepare to face Italy, Portugal and Sweden in Group B. The likes of Phil Jones, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling all broke into the senior international set-up some time ago and have been joined by Harry Kane of late. While the latter is only set to make his second senior cap this week and seems certain to be on the plane to Prague the others mentioned have all racked up double figures already, leading some to believe that recalling them to play for the under-21s may not necessarily be beneficial.

Those opposed to that belief are citing the opportunity to gain major tournament experience as a reason to bring those that have been fast-tracked into the senior side back into the fold for Euro 2015. It’s an argument that currently appears to be winning out, despite the fact that most of those were included in Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad and the fact that it would mean leaving a number of those that got the side to the championships in impressive fashion behind.

The scorers from England’s 3-2 win over Germany, with Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse completing The Three Lions’ comeback after Jesse Lingard had netted in the first half, could all see their places come under threat. Elsewhere the likes of Ben Gibson, Jake Forster-Caskey, Will Hughes and Alex Pritchard - who are all plying their trade in the Championship at present - could yet be ousted.

A look at WhoScored’s top rated Englishmen from the Premier League that are eligible to feature this summer certainly brings up an impressive team on paper, with Jack Butland included using his rating from a loan spell at Derby in the Championship due to the fact that no Premier League shot stoppers are young enough to be selected.

 
All 11 have represented England at Under-21 level but 9 have already made the step up to the senior international side, with Danny Ings believed to be very much on the fringes in Roy Hodgson’s thinking. Phil Jones (7.46), Harry Kane (7.43) and Raheem Sterling (7.36) have secured the highest ratings in the XI, while Ross Barkley (6.84) just keeps out the likes of James Ward-Prowse (6.80), Jonjo Shelvey (6.75) and Jack Wilshere, whose modest rating of 6.69 perhaps highlights just how harsh it would be for the Arsenal man - whose birthday falls on the January 1st cut-off date - to walk into the side at the expense of a player who is arguably more deserving.

That of course includes those making waves in the Championship, with the likes of Wolves’ Benik Afobe (8 goals in 13 starts), Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson (16 goals) and Boro’s Patrick Bamford (14 goals) finding the net regularly, while Redmond (84 successful dribbles and 7 assists) and Pritchard (9 goals and 6 assists) impress at promotion chasing Norwich and Brentford respectively.

To suggest that the likes of Luke Shaw and Ross Barkley should stroll back into the team based on reputation alone after relatively underwhelming campaigns is to go against the theory that all international sides should be picked on merit. Meanwhile, bringing Jones, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sterling - who have a combined total of 74 senior caps between them - back into the mix could easily have a detrimental effect on the mood in Gareth Southgate’s happy camp.

There’s a case to say that experiencing the glory of international success at any level will stand those players in good stead for the senior side but therein lies the problem. They have to actually win the tournament to get those benefits and if Southgate does opt to call upon the more experienced options at his disposal and they weren’t to do so it would likely be seen as an outright failure, regardless of the undoubted quality of some of the opposition on display.

The former Boro boss isn’t fighting any real egos at present, and those that he is he’s coping with. There’s a real sense that the young manager has a good handle over his current squad and recent wins against the likes of Portugal and Germany, who are tipped to be England’s main contenders for glory in June, suggest that if it ain’t broke...

Which of England's senior internationals, if any, do you think should be on the plane to Prague? Let us know in the comments below