There will be valid arguments that Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton should have been selected over Lewis Dunk, the central defender from Brighton, but Southgate has been ruthless and made the right decisions in other areas.
The main talking point may be Jack Grealish of Manchester City’s exclusion, but has he performed well enough this year to be chosen above Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace, Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United, or Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United, who has been outstanding all season?
No. Has James Maddison of Tottenham performed well enough to qualify ahead of a comparable group?
The response would have been in the affirmative in November.
Not right now.
In response to his detractors, Southgate has stuck to the formula and taken the audacious, significant decisions that, when considered in the light of the moment, seem right.
And what a fitting representation of the excellent work being done at Crystal Palace.
Adam Wharton, the “bolter” in England’s team, has emerged out of nowhere, but his outstanding cameo against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday gave Southgate all the information he needed.
Wharton’s management was convinced that he should travel to Germany by his composed and confident play with the ball and his awareness of his surroundings.
