Such maturity will preface plenty of farewells next month. Given Uefa rules dictate players had to be 21 or under only at the start of the qualifying process in January 2021, Carsley’s squad includes 11 players over the age of 21, including three who have already celebrated their 23rd birthday. “So to win it we’re going to have to perform above our current rating.” “The stats would tell you from past under-21 tournaments that we haven’t won it since 1984 and we’re rated sixth or eighth in the coefficient rankings,” he says. I feel like we’re in a good position to really attack every team.”ĭespite England’s ranking alongside Spain, France, Italy and Germany as one of the favourites to lift the trophy in Batumi on 8 July, Carsley detects no reason for complacency. “We tried to pick as many players who have been playing for their clubs, particularly towards the end of the season, and there’s plenty of caps in there. “I’m confident we can do well,” says Carsley, whose midfield options also include the relatively experienced Liverpool pair of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones, in addition to Tottenham’s Oliver Skipp. Photograph: Cameron Smith/The FA/Getty Images
Goalkeeper James Trafford (centre) is yet to play in the Premier League for Manchester City but will hope for an England Under-21s chance.
If Ramsey should prove a key figure in an initial group stage also involving Israel and Germany, Nottingham Forest’s similarly battle-hardened Morgan Gibbs-White will hope to drift between the lines separating midfield from attack, while the winger Anthony Gordon will be determined to prove precisely why Newcastle paid Everton an initial £40m for his services in January. It means Carsley is likely to lean heavily on an experienced contingent including the Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, a veteran of 35 appearances for Unai Emery’s upwardly mobile side last term. Smith Rowe, meanwhile, made a modest 12 top-tier appearances for Mikel Arteta’s team last season, all off the bench. The Manchester City centre-half Taylor Harwood-Bellis and the goalkeeper James Trafford are examples of talents possessing plenty of potential who still await their Premier League debuts.
Yet although Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe possesses three senior caps, several of Carsley’s 23-man squad remain light on Premier League experience.
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