13 October 2023 , 20:25
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Even when Harry Maguire isn't on the field - we still find ways of talking about him. That's because England have a problem in central defence and inadvertently, Maguire is still at the heart of it.
John Stones is a staple for Gareth Southgate and his revolutionary qualities make him a shoo-in for both club with serial-winning Manchester City and country. But who partners Stones at next summer's European Championships is currently anybody's guess. Maguire has rarely let England down. In fact, he has enjoyed three rather excellent major tournaments.
However, you cannot justify his involvement at international level given he rarely plays for Manchester United and even when he does, it's usually an uncomfortable watch. This was another night of auditions for Southgate here against Australia and the brutal reality is that none of Lewis Dunk, Fikayo Tomori or Levi Colwill really left a lasting impression.
Dunk was decent but hardly flawless having excelled under the tutelage of Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton and he brings admirable passing qualities to the table. He can zip the ball through the lines but at times, his positioning remains questionable. That was the case last Sunday in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool - in which he scored - when he was at fault for Mohamed Salah's leveller after eagerly attempting to intercept the ball ahead of Luis Diaz.
In possession, it is hard to scrutinise Dunk. He utilises and manipulates the ball at speed and crucially with both feet but whether he can be trusted at the European Championships remains to be seen. It still feels like a partial gamble. Perhaps we should reserve judgement until the end of the season but he is currently the best of a bad bunch.
It must be noted that he made a last-ditch goal-saving clearance to keep Australia at bay before the half-time whistle to bail former club team-mate Colwill out of trouble. Equally, he was also later out-jumped by Socceroos' midfielder Connor Metcalfe with 10 minutes to play as the Aussie's header rattled the post.
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Meanwhile, Tomori has had to be patient for opportunities at international level - despite shining in Italy where he won Serie A with AC Milan last season. Now it seems as though he has at least worked his way into reckoning but again, this was not a statement showing as the England backline was repeatedly pulled out of joint in the first half.
That was partially because Trent Alexander-Arnold had the license to step into midfield which at times, left England susceptible to counter-attacks and incredibly vulnerable in defence. Colwill, earning his first England cap from left-back, also struggled as the Three Lions continued to leak a cluster of notable first-half chances. Thankfully, none of those were punished.
The irony is the left-footed Colwill is a genuine credible solution for England's central defensive woes but now it looks as though he'll be shoehorned into the picture at left-back - particularly while Luke Shaw is sidelined through injury. Colwill dazzled alongside Dunk on loan at Brighton last season and was one of the standout performers in terms of centre-backs in the entire Premier League before being converted to a makeshift full-back by Mauricio Pochettino.
Whether there's a long-term future for Colwill in that position is surely up for debate - but first things first, England need to configure where they turn next. Southgate at least seems open-minded about the prospect of utilising different central defenders between now and the finals - providing England finish the job and qualify as expected.
Gareth Southgate is a big fan of Harry Maguire (Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)Ezri Konsa must feel as though he has built a concrete case for a call-up after thriving under Unai Emery at Aston Villa but it still seems unlikely he will be a regular within the England setup come the end of the current season. Marc Guehi would bring a refreshing balance to Southgate's backline but a recent injury sustained against Scotland has halted his development at international level as competition remains fierce. He would represent a gamble but he certainly has the credentials to be a success story for England, in time.
Then there is also Ben White, who deserves a mention despite the slightly strange circumstances surrounding his involvement with England. White was of course sent home from the World Cup in Qatar mid-tournament and furthermore, he is now predominantly playing at right-back at club level for Arsenal. You can draw conclusions from both factors that a surprise England return at centre-back currently remains highly unlikely.