Dissecting the performance of 4 central defenders who were called up by Gareth Southgate to the England national team


The England national team will play in the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League this week. The Three Lions have a tough trip. Because, the opponents they face are the Italian national team and the German national team.

Previously, Gareth Southgate had released the names of 28 players in preparation for this match. From the list that he called, a number of pro and contra reactions arose from several media and the British public.

Apart from not being called by Jadon Sancho, there was an exciting debate about the composition of the back line. Some players are judged not to be in the best condition, for example Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.

So, who are the central defenders who have been called up to the England national team? Let's dissect the performance of the residents of the England national team's back line, especially in the central defender position.

Eric Dier

Eric Dier is enjoying a consistent season at Tottenham Hotspur. This time the consistency shown is in line with Spurs' performance which is increasingly climbing in the Premier League.

Since The Lilywhites brought in Antonio Conte, Dier has been irreplaceable at the heart of defence. Together with the duo Christan Romero and Ben Davies, Dier formed a trio that was difficult for opposing forwards to pass.

"I feel, consistently, this is my best season at Tottenham. I never thought I'd ever shown the consistency in the performances I've shown this season," said Eric Dier quoted from the FA's official website.

Harry Maguire

The appearance of Maguire's name in the list of 28 England squad immediately invites a question mark. Harry Maguire is now experiencing a less good situation with Manchester United.

Since the arrival of Lisandro Martinez and the increasing performance of Raphael Varane, Maguire has had to settle for sitting on the bench. Noted, the former Leicester City has only started three times with MU in all competitions.

Despite the less impressive record with the Red Devils, Harry Maguire's experience on the international stage is in fact still very much needed by Southgate. Not infrequently, Maguire looks so good when wearing the national team jersey.

John Stones

John Stones, who has struggled for the last few seasons to penetrate the Manchester City core squad, has suddenly become Pep Guardiola's favorite recently. Aymeric Laporte's injury is a blessing in itself.

Even though City bought Manuel Akanji, the Stones did not lose their place. In addition to having the capacity to be a central defender, he is able to play as a right wing-back well. And as a result, Kyle Walker, who has experience in the wing-back position, made him sit on the bench.

Stones also made seven appearances and one goal and two assists in all competitions. Not surprisingly, thanks to his impressive performance so far Southgate has been amazed by his abilities.

Fikayo Tomori

The last player is Fikayo Tomori. The player who has strengthened the Canadian national team at the junior level already has three caps with the England national team. Tomori is doing well with AC Milan this season.

The ex-Chelsea has become Stefano Pioli's mainstay to fill the Rossoneri centre-back position, having made nine appearances in all competitions. His duet with Simon Kjaer as well as with Pierre Kalulu is impenetrable.

Reporting from Squawka, so far Tomori has recorded 12 sweeps. The second highest after Kjaer. Then, six interceptions, and the accuracy of the hull pass reached 58%. With his experience of a career outside England, Tomori can provide a new color in the Three Lions defense.


Source: The FA and Squawka

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