5 players who will make their England debuts soon

Modified Nov 09, 2017 17:04 GMT

Switzerland U21 v England U21 - European Under 21 Qualifier — Gareth Southgate has shown a willingness to blood young players for England

#2 Nathaniel Chalobah

England U21 V Norway U21 - European Under 21 Qualifier — Nathaniel Chalobah has bags of experience with England's youth squads

Watford midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah was actually called into September’s England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Malta, but didn’t end up playing a part after picking up a knock. He’s since been on the shelf with a knee injury, but is expected to return before the New Year, and when he does, I have no doubt that Southgate will call him back into his squad. And it’s with very good reason, too.

Firstly, he knows Chalobah well from his days with the England U21 squad – Chalobah picked up a remarkable 40 caps with the U21s and has 96 overall with England’s youth squads, with whom he usually played a key role in their midfield. Secondly, talent has never been a question with him – it has always been an issue of him getting first team football, and since his move from Chelsea to Watford, he has been an ever-present until his injury.

With Southgate’s other options for England’s deep-lying midfield spot being extremely limited players like Jordan Henderson and Jake Livermore, the chance for Chalobah to make the spot his own once he’s fit seems very high. He’s got the athleticism, quickness and range of passing that those two players lack. If Chalobah hasn’t been capped by England by the end of the season, it would be gobsmacking.

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Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram