Expect changes

The last fixture that England played was their Euro 2012 ¼ final with Italy, which we all know we lost on penalties in the end!

Roy Hodgson's rebuilding of The Three Lions sees the first post Euros game also come against Italy, with them the opponents on 15th August in a friendly...

Changes, with some of the older guard that went to the Ukraine and Poland moving on, are expected and are needed so some players from those finals will be no more for this game and those that follow.

Given the timing of this game you would also expect some more senior players, still with England futures, to 'opt out' so many a younger player will be looked at for the first time with the likes of Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand benefiting from his Olympic experience to be called up to the senior squad for the first time.

It is time for England to rebuild but I am not convinced that this squad will be a completely accurate reflection of the direction that Hodgson is taking though, but it will give some indication...

Lets face it this fixture, on the eve of the kick-off of the premier league season, is scheduled at a ridiculous time so quite how much we can read into the selection that Hodgson makes is debatable but what isn't is that if those selected do the job against The Azzurri then they put themselves into a strong position to retain a place in his next squad, as long as they can keep a place in the 1st team squad of their club!

That last thought though is something that I think Bertrand, for example, may well struggle to do though as retaining a regular place in the Chelsea 1st team will be mightily tough...

Vital England on:

Vital England on:

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