Gareth Southgate defends right-back overload & Trent Alexander-Arnold selection

England manager Gareth Southgate has said he picked four right-backs for his final Euro 2020 squad because they are among the best 26 players he has at his disposal.

Despite a potential right-back overload that saw players like Jesse Lingard and James Ward-Prowse get cut from the provisional squad to leave some fans disappointed, Southgate played down the idea that he might have picked too many in one position.

There were initially doubts about whether Trent Alexander-Arnold would make the final squad after struggling to impress for England in the past. But was on the final list alongside established Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier, as well as emerging star Reece James.

“We have four players that play sometimes at right-back for their clubs. Basically, they are in the best 26 footballers and that is why they are in the squad. If I could have picked five or six right-backs I would have done,” Southgate told the media, quoted by BBC Sport.

“We are here to play nine games. We already have some injury doubts in the group. We need adaptability, good players, good professionals, tactically savvy players and we are fortunate we have old and young players who fit all those categories.”

The 2018 World Cup saw Southgate adopt a system where Walker played as a third centre-back and was flanked by Trippier at wing-back. Alexander-Arnold was also in that squad. James, meanwhile, has shown his versatility both as a conventional right-back and more attacking player.

There were suggestions that Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion could lead to him being used in midfield to utilise his range of passing, although Southgate has now said that is ‘unlikely’.

“I think it’s possible in that he’s a good footballer who played there as a young player. We might have a bit of a look at him so that it’s an option we’ve assessed in one of the friendlies, perhaps, for a period. But we’ll have to see how those friendlies go,” Southgate said in further comments published by the Independent.

“We want to see him at full-back first and give him the best chance of doing well. But we know within a tournament you might face any sort of injury crisis or need to make changes and to have adaptable players is really important.”

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