13 March 2024 , 11:18
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Joe Gomez must have thought his England career had gone, but there will never be a better time for Gareth Southgate to recall the Liverpool defender.
Gomez, 26, is playing his best football in years, showing great versatility and absolutely epitomises what being a good squad member is about. He has filled in at centre half, left back, right back and even midfield during Liverpool’s injury problems this season.
Gomez has done it brilliantly, playing well for the team and has adapted to every position, earning rich praise from Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool boss Klopp has urged Southgate to pick him ahead of the Euros this summer - and it is easy to see why.
I think Klopp is being a little cheeky now with his comments about Gomez. Let's not forget that Liverpool weren't picking him and he was injured so it's not as if England were freezing him out.
Klopp has selective memory around England and his players rather like with Trent Alexander-Arnold who was the "best right back in the world" when England were playing him in midfield. But Klopp has never explained why it's now ok for Liverpool to do the same with Trent.
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The fans are also so appreciative of what Gomez has done. On Sunday, Gomez started at left back, switched to right back after Andy Robertson came on and was surging through midfield by the end.
There is never a complaint about it just a willingness to do a job for the team. Let’s not forget that Gomez already has 11 senior caps and was around the England camp from 2017 to October 2020.
Injuries have done for him since then but he is a player who Southgate likes for what he does on the pitch but also as a person. He is a character who can do a good job and fill in at various roles - and that is so important for England who have so many injury concerns about defenders.
Joe Gomez deserves an England recall (Getty Images)Luke Shaw is out. Ben Chilwell has been injured. Harry Maguire has missed games. There are so many worries in that department before Thursday’s squad announcement - but also for the Euros this summer.
That is why Gomez is such a good fit for England. Southgate has a relationship with him from the various age groups as he has worked his way up through the England ranks. It will be important to have good tourists for the Euros, those who will fill in with no complaints.
Also, it is impossible to see new call-ups from out of the blue ahead of the Euros this summer. But that is not an issue for Gomez because he has been a regular before - and should be again.
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