With Gareth Southgate making excuses following England’s 1-1 draw on Thursday, here are three players he could have used. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Not looking good

England was the favorite to win Euro 2024 before the action kicked off last week, but after two games in the group stage, people are now writing off Gareth Southgate’s side following subpar performances.

making excuses during the post-game press conference on Thursday

The England boss appears to be cracking under the pressure, making excuses during the post-game press conference on Thursday following the team’s 1-1 draw with Denmark.

The 53-year-old bemoaned that holding midfielders like Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Philipps aren’t on the squad due to poor recent form and that left-back Luke Shaw is still working his way back to fitness.

This article looks at some of the players Southgate has left out in the cold despite their form for their clubs and ability to turn a game on its head.

Jack Grealish

The Manchester City midfielder didn’t have his best club season and wasn’t part of Southgate’s final squad for Euro 2024. The 28-year-old was a key member of the previous two major championship campaigns, acting as the ideal player to bring on when something different was needed.

enjoying himself on summer vacation instead of having a spot on the bench in Germany

He’s now enjoying himself on summer vacation instead of having a spot on the bench in Germany. While England has plenty of quality in attack on paper, they seem to be all out of ideas.

Letting a player like Grealish throw off the shackles and create a bit of panic in defenses is exactly what England could use.

James Maddison

Southgate appears to not be a massive fan of the seven-time-capped Maddison. He criticized the 27-year-old when he was spotted in a casino after withdrawing from an England squad in October 2019 due to illness.

After winning his first cap, Maddison was in the wilderness for three years before good form eventually earned him a recall to the squad in 2023.

scoring three goals and assisting five times in 11 games

Maddison was flying during the first half of the English Premier League (EPL) season, scoring three goals and assisting five times in 11 games. An ankle injury meant two months on the sideline before getting back on the field for his side’s final 17 games of the season.

Although his form wasn’t as good after the injury, he is the type of player who isn’t afraid to take chances and doesn’t appear to be impacted by the pressure England players typically feel at major tournaments.

Cole Palmer

While the other two players on this list did not make the final Euro 2024 squad, Palmer was on the bench for England’s first two group-stage games and didn’t see a minute of action despite finishing the most recent season second in the EPL goalscoring charts.

With 22 goals during the most recent campaign, the 22-year-old is in flying form and it appeared that a key role off the bench was a certainty for him coming into the tournament.

Southgate tends to go with players he knows and this might be why he hasn’t given Palmer a chance yet. Eagle-eyed viewers spotted an awkward interaction between the pair after the game on Thursday:

With pressure mounting on the manager to do something different, Palmer almost certainly will see some game time during England’s final group game on Tuesday against Slovenia.