Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale have been called up to the England squad for upcoming internationals agains Andorra and Hungary.
Gareth Southgate’s side travel to the principality on Saturday October 9th, having beaten the minnows 4-0 earlier this month. Then they host Hungary at Wembley, who they also beat 4-0 at the start of September.
For Ramsdale, it’s a reward for ousting Bernd Leno from the first team, and helping the Gunners win three Premier League games in a row. Saka is just too good to leave out, and he’ll take his goal and assist against Sp*rs, and hopefully some more end-product against Brighton at the weekend, into this game.
However, despite media speculation – so much so that Mikel Arteta was asked about it at his press conference this afternoon – there was no place for Ben White in the squad, so he’ll have to face his former club on Saturday knowing he has more work to do to fulfil his international ambitions.
Southgate explained that the 23 year is still a player very much on his radar, saying, “Ben performed well against Sp*rs at the weekend. He’s still settling into a new club. He’s definitely a player we are monitoring closely. He’s heading in a good direction. He’s got a lot of attributes we like.
“He’d have been very close to this squad as well.”
Southgate on Ben White: "Ben performed well against #thfc at the weekend. Still settling into a new club. He's definitely a player we are monitoring closely. He's heading in a good direction. He's got a lot of attributes we like. He'd have been very close to this squad as well."
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) September 30, 2021
ESR also deserved consideration. Com’on Southgate!
Gratz to them! Well deserved.
Ramsdale better than Pickford from what I’ve seen of him.
Pickford can be very good, but it seems to me he is always on the edge of a major mistake–a rash attempt to reach and punch a ball too far from his goal line, a ill-judged race to reach a ball before a defender. If I were an Everton supporter, I would always be nervous. The player he reminds me of most is Mustafi.
Im surprised how fast a halo has appeared above ramsdale’s head. Weren’t we the same arsenal fans citing his double relegation and price tag as reasons why he was no good and a waste. How fast the tide has changed!
When we signed him and there was all that negativity, I swear Arteta said something like ‘when the fans get to know him they’ll love him’?
I mean, he was right tbf.
That’s human nature for you, Hakuna Matata.😄
Smith-Rowe surely can’t be too far off from making that squad either…
The Smith, soon to follow
More time for Gabriel and White to continue working together, then. Wonder why Brazil’s national team still haven’t called up Gabriel.
Well, Marquinhos and Thiago Silva come to mind. (Yes, there’s room for others.)
Ssh!
Not sure what Coady keeps doing to get picked tbh, but I’m sure by the next break White will have ousted him.
Soon enough the England squad will have Ramsdale, Okonkow, White, Saka, Smith Rowe, Maitland-Niles, Nketiah, Balogun and Nelson and we can really get behind them
Yeah, but they’ll still pick Kane.
That’s a real head scratcher for me. Coady ahead of White, I just don’t see it. But then again, he’s taken Lingard ahead of Smith-Rowe, Bellingham and Greenwood.
Unfortunate for White to not be picked, but at least Southgate gave us a reason as to why he was left out, even if it was bullshit.
ESR flying under the radar. I don’t hate that, but he should definitely be considered soon.
More motivation for The Smith
Selfishly, as many players as possible that stay at Colney next week the better.
There’s gonna be a LOT of defensive work at the training ground next week as none of White, Gabriel, Holding, Chambers, Cedric, Mari, and AMN are called up for International duty.
I think only Lacazette, Nketiah, and Martinelli may be the only attacking players in training next week.
Just about enough players for a 5-a-side.
Presuming ESR and Balogun will be called up for England U21’s.
Spare a though for Tomi’s jet-lag – games in Saudi Arabia and Japan coming up.
What a bunch of boys we have. Soooo proud of them. Add ESR and White to complete the picture. The English team is RED