A new dawn is emerging for England, with Lee Carsley set to take charge of his first set of matches as their senior manager. The former under-21 head honcho has been placed in temporary charge of the Three Lions, and has now confirmed t
There was some shock among fans and pundits when the news was confirmed, as four youngsters who have worked with Carsley at youth level have been given a call-up to the senior fold for the first time. Noni Madueke was the standout name, having been in fine form for Chelsea at the start of the 2024/25 season, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Tino Livramento and former Manchester United wonderkid Angel Gomes also received a call-up.
But adding them to the team has seen several other talented players miss out, including some individuals with vast amounts of experience at international level. Taking into account recent form and also how well a player has performed for England over the years, the 10 best England players not included by Carsley in this squad have been ranked.
| 10 Best Players Not Included in Lee Carsley’s First England Squad | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Club | Position |
| 1. | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | Midfielder |
| 2. | James Maddison | Tottenham | Midfielder |
| 3. | Kyle Walker | Manchester City | Defender |
| 4. | Ben White | Arsenal | Defender |
| 5. | Ivan Toney | Brentford | Forward |
| 6. | Marcus Rashford | Manchester United | Forward |
| 7. | Raheem Sterling | Chelsea | Forward |
| 8. | Luke Shaw | Manchester United | Defender |
| 9. | Adam Wharton | Crystal Palace | Midfielder |
| 10. | Lewis Dunk | Brighton | Defender |
Lewis Dunk hasn’t always been a starter for Southgate’s England teams, with John Stones and Harry Maguire preferred over him. And when the latter was ruled out of Euro 2024, Marc Guehi made that spot his own, and he looks certain to play a key role for the Three Lions moving forward under Carsley and the next permanent manager.
But that shouldn’t downplay Dunk’s qualities. Ever-present at the back for Brighton and a leader for the Seagulls, he has gone on to earn six caps for his country after debuting against the USA in 2018. However, considering he’s now 32, and that the likes of Levi Colwill and Guehi are only going to improve, the defender’s days as an England international could now be over.
From one man whose days as an international footballer look to be numbered to another whose England career is only just beginning – Adam Wharton’s rise to stardom has been remarkable. A relatively unknown to the majority of Premier League fans after moving to Brighton, the young midfielder has wowed people who have watched him since with composure far beyond his years.
That resulted in the Crystal Palace ace being selected for Euro 2024, and although he played zero minutes at the tournament, there was an expectation that he would proceed to kick on and cement his status as an England regular. His exclusion from Carsley’s squad has raised a few eyebrows, but most supporters will back him to bounce back.
Luke Shaw was Southgate’s go-to left-back during his time as England head coach, always picking him over Ben Chilwell and others. And the Manchester United man re-paid the faith, consistently delivering for his country over the years.
However, injuries have plagued the defender in recent times. Despite recovering during Euro 2024 to then represent England at the tournament, Shaw has picked up yet another knock which has ensured that Carsley couldn’t select him for this squad even if he wanted to. He is still regarded as one of the best left-backs the Premier League has to offer, so expect to see him back in the fold when he fully recovers.
Raheem Sterling’s absence from the squad has come as a shock to nobody. While the attacker’s omission from recent Southgate squads meant that he had work to do to get back into the England setup, his exile from Chelsea’s squad all but guaranteed that Carsley wouldn’t be selecting him.
Considering what we all know he’s capable of, though, the 29-year-old certainly belongs on this list. Having donned the famous white jersey 82 times since his debut in 2012 and scored 20 goals since then, Sterling can be absolutely electric when in form. A change of scenery at club level before deadline day might be all he needs to get him firing again and back in an England top.
Much like Sterling, everybody knows what Marcus Rashford is capable of. An attacking threat in many Southgate teams of the past, the 60-cap international has the talent to be a guaranteed starter for his country. His problem, however, is consistency.
Having enjoyed a personal best season in 2022/23 when he bagged 30 goals and 10 assists in all competitions over 56 games, Rashford has been off the boil ever since. Struggling to replicate the form people know he’s capable of, speculation has even surrounded the United academy product’s future, so it comes as little surprise that he misses out on a place in Carsley’s squad. Nevertheless, his record over the years ensures his place here.
As one of the best strikers currently plying their trade in the Premier League, there is always a degree of expectation that Ivan Toney will be in the England squad whenever fit and available. But the forward’s future is currently clouded in uncertainty, as he is widely expected to leave the G-tech Community Stadium in search of a new challenge.
Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli were one team who had expressed an interest in the 28-year-old, while Chelsea had also reportedly made contact over a potential move for Toney. That is likely the reason why Carsley opted not to include the Bees’ frontman in his first squad, despite the obvious talent that he possesses.
Make no mistake about it, Ben White is one of England’s best options at the back. But issues between the Arsenal defender and the previous regime have made the relationship between the two especially tense. Although there has been a changing of the guard since then, Carsley confirmed that he remained unavailable for selection:
White’s decision is a massive blow, considering how vital he is to Arsenal’s setup nowadays. Only time will tell if the rift between the two parties can be mended.
