Gareth Southgate Drops Arsenal Star From England Squad

England national team coach Gareth Southgate has explained why he dropped Arsenal defender Ben White from his squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Southgate revealed that White’s omission was due to his position on the pitch, which was already covered by several other players.

England is set to play Italy on March 23rd, followed by a match against Ukraine three days later. Despite White’s impressive performances for Arsenal, he did not play a single game in the World Cup, despite being part of England’s 26-man squad.

Southgate acknowledged that White’s natural position is centre-back, but he had been playing as a right-back for Arsenal. However, England is currently blessed with several options in that position, including Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, who also missed out on the squad.

Southgate stated that the three right-backs in the squad, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, and the returning Chelsea star Reece James, were selected ahead of White and Alexander-Arnold. He emphasized that the right-back position is the hardest position to select due to the number of high-quality players available.

Southgate also praised the players who were selected for the position, stating that Walker and Trippier had played during the World Cup, while Reece James is another top player. The decision to drop White is not a reflection of his performances, as he has continued to impress for Arsenal, helping them maintain a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.