England call up Conor Gallagher and Levi Colwill; Reece James opts out

Chelsea mainstays Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher, who only trail Axel Disasi and Robert Sánchez in minutes played this season, have gotten their customary calls from the England national team for the upcoming international break, the last of the calendar year.

Chelsea mainstay Raheem Sterling, who only trails the aforementioned four players in minutes played this season, has gotten his customary cold shoulder from the England national team for the upcoming international break, the last of the calendar year.

Chelsea captain Reece James, who only recently returned from his latest non-insignificant muscle injury, has had to explain to Gareth Southgate why it would be a bad idea for him to go with England this time, which Southgate seems to be quite incapable of actually processing at face value.

“I was hoping to call up Reece James but he doesn’t feel he’s quite ready. I understand that, he’s had a long path back from a number of injuries. He’s probably a bit cautious in that respect, but I can understand why.’

“There is [a lot of talent ahead of James] and that’s the risk. He’s only got one more squad before the Euros. So he knows that. We’ve got belief in what he can do. We did discuss [reporting for duty to attend team meetings] and he was very keen to make clear, ‘Look I don’t want you to think I don’t want to be there’.

“We had a really good long conversation and exchange of messages after that as well. But I’m very understanding. His injury record, you can see the number of matches and the different phases (he has missed). So we are all conscious that we want to have a fit Reece that can play consecutive games. Physical reliability is going to be really important. I think we will always manage a player as well as we can but there is a reality around his training at the moment. He plays and there’s a couple of days’ recovery.”

“There’s a little bit more angst from his side. I totally get that. We would have loved to have him with us, don’t get me wrong. But I’m perfectly calm with the conversation.”

-Gareth Southgate; source: Mail

So you see Gareth Southgate is “very understanding” of Reece James wanting to focus on his recovery on the back of a long-term injury as Gareth Southgate believes that “physical reliability” is “really important”, but Gareth Southgate also shan’t believe that Reece James would want to do that NOW when there are England matches to play. Gosh! (Right, James Maddison?)

Anyway, good luck Conor and Levi. Please don’t get hurt. (And also ex-Chelsea boys Marc Guéhi, Fikayo Tomori, and Declan Rice.)

Plenty more odd choices in this squad, too, if you care (Phillips? Henderson? Johnstone? Maddison and Saka with knocks?).