When Cole Palmer withdrew from international duty this week, Thomas Tuchel called it “another missed opportunity,” citing that the midfielder “misses way too many camps with injuries.” as quoted by SkySports.
Unless he has an issue with the player’s character, if the German is being consistent, then surely the same rationale applies to Ben White, also not in the current Three Lions squad due to injury?
Four different English players ended up at right-back in the last World Cup, so it’s fair to say a fit-again White would have a great chance of playing in North America this summer.
After all, this is a defender who was starting in last season’s run-in for the Champions and who, for years, has had a great partnership with Saka in front of him.
Yet increasingly, both his club and national managers are not having enough time to take advantage of that partnership.
Ben White’s injuries continue to cost him opportunities
The 28-year-old missed the Champions League Final due to a serious knee issue.
A current groin problem is only a short-term issue and, from Arsenal’s point of view, the current break for the UEFA Nations fixtures gives the Gunner three weeks to rest.
Yet in terms of ambitions for his country, missing their next four games could be a huge blow.
On the pitch, White has nothing left to prove.
For a while, his only question mark has been: can his body handle a match every few days?
Four games in the next 11 days for England would have put him in pole position, but now someone else gets to run with the baton.
Is White running out of time with England?
Many English fans won’t sympathise and will even see the irony that White can’t stay fit.
He’s never publicly revealed why he made himself unavailable for selection during the Southgate era after coming home early from Qatar 2022.
Rumours have ranged from a falling out with Steve Holland to a struggle socially to mix with his peers.
Whatever the problem, it hasn’t stopped the current regime from wanting him involved.
The mind is willing, but the body is not.
This might be the month Tuchel accepts that.
Dan Smith
Do you think Ben White’s latest injury represents a major missed opportunity with England, or can he still force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans? Let us know in the comments.
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White is injured, so this particular article is irrelevant really, no offence Dan.
But I for one am glad he’s not in the squad, sadly since playing with a knee injury that eventually needed to be operated on, he has now become more injury prone.
Makes playing him all that time knowing he was carrying an injury a genius bit of management doesn’t it.
England have a big problem in terms of the dearth of quality full backs and centre backs.Livramento and Hall of Newcastle are probably our best options at full back when fit, and until he moved to Man City, Mark Guehi was a shoe in at left centre back.Quite frankly, it’s difficult to identify any outstanding English centre backs playing their trade in the Premier League but one guy who impresses me with his consistency, is James Hill of Bournemouth.He has never been recognised at International level, probably because , like Guehi, he lacks height, but that apart, he is a very capable defender.