Dan Burn was not initially called up by Thomas Tuchel for the latest England squad.
Instead, the 34-year-old was left out, with Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Jarell Quansah and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite selected as England’s centre-back options.
It signalled a move away from the old, and it also suggested Branthwaite might finally be seen as the primary left-footed centre-back option for the Three Lions.
When Guehi withdrew due to injury on Monday, it was no surprise, though, to see Burn called up. Fair enough. An easy option to slot straight into the squad with a minimum of fuss.
And when Konsa then dropped out of selection for Thursday’s game against Croatia, then it seemed logical that Branthwaite would get a go.
Yet when the game rolled around, Branthwaite was not in the starting XI. Instead, Burn, who had not even made the cut initially, was the player who slotted into the back line alongside Quansah.
And while there is some argument to say Burn’s experience is helpful in such a scenario, Branthwaite’s omission is simply bizarre.
At 24, Branthwaite is more than ready. Quite why Tuchel sees Quansah as being ahead of him in the pecking order raises huge question marks over his judgement.
There shouldn’t even be a discussion. Branthwaite is better than Quansah, and he is better than Burn. He is in form and fully fit. He is England’s future. Burn isn’t, and Quansah, frankly, has shown little to suggest he should be.
It was a calamity from Quansah that resulted in Croatia restoring parity, trying to head it back to Jordan Pickford under little pressure, and getting it all wrong.
Not that Tuchel didn’t allude to what was coming in his pre-match media duties, when he said: “We need to be fair and need to put it in perspective once they do it because it will be a new pair. Jarrad Branthwaite is doing very well but it’s a very different style of play for him from Everton towards us.
“You can see that Dan Burn is straight away a big voice in training and is more used to the style with Newcastle from the last two seasons with Eddie [Howe] where they followed in a high press and to man-man.”
Assuming Tuchel is referring to England’s ponderous build-up play, then the idea that Burn or Quansah are better on the ball than Branthwaite is bizarre.
Branthwaite is quicker than both of them across the ground, too, which enables England to push upfield. Time and time again in the second half against Croatia, Burn’s lack of pace was exposed. He was fortunate not to be at fault for a second Croatia goal when he was spun easily on the edge of the box.
This continued ignorance of Branthwaite’s strengths by Tuchel is dispiriting. Branthwaite is, in my book, the best England centre-back around. He is definitely the one with the most potential.
The hope, from an Everton perspective, has to be that Branthwaite doesn’t feel the need to leave the club, just because then Tuchel may then be more willing to give him an opportunity.
Branthwaite should be playing for England, he should be starting, and if he did, I have no doubt he’d be thriving. Tuchel’s ignorance is just baffling.
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