Journalist Dan Sheldon has recently talked about Danny Ings after the Southampton striker was not named in England’s provisional squad for the European Championships.
The 33-man England squad for the upcoming tournament was announced recently, but Ings was omitted, although Southampton teammate James Ward-Prowse did make it into the side.
Sheldon appeared on the Total Saints podcast recently and spoke about Gareth Southgate’s decision to exclude Ings from the squad. The journalist believes that the decision would be a bitter pill to swallow for Ings that the manager’s call doesn’t make any sense.
Is it a positive for Southampton that Ings hasn't been called up?
Yes
No
The England boss has included Mason Greenwood in the squad, while fellow attackers Ollie Watkins and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin are also a part of the side.
Sheldon talked about the decision to exclude Ings, saying: “I didn’t think Danny was going to get into the 26-man squad and then I heard last night, rumblings from conversations I had, that Gareth was going to name a 33-man squad, but we were unable to confirm that number and the FA weren’t going to say at that moment in time.
“And then I thought, well, actually, you know what? For a 33-man squad, I think Danny’s got a chance.
“I mean, I don’t think Danny’s had the best season, but he still scored 12 Premier League goals and was still the club’s top scorer. And he scored two fewer than Ollie Watkins and played eight fewer games.
“I really do think it’s a bitter pill to swallow for Danny. Now, it sounds silly, because I don’t think he would have gotten to the 26. But I think deep down, he probably knew that as well. But to not be in the provisional squad when Gareth’s taken two centre-backs that won’t play, they’re going to get cut and he’s got about a million right-backs.
“And there’s no room for Danny Ings, who arguably is England’s second or third-best finisher. And the saddest thing of all is last season, Danny Ings is going to the Euros. If it was last summer, he is going to the Euros and he is the second-choice striker behind Harry Kane, and you’re telling me he is now behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ollie Watkins in the pecking order? I’m not having that.”
TIF Thoughts on Ings…
Considering that Ings has scored plenty of goals for Southampton over the last three seasons and even in the 2020/21 campaign, he contributed to 16 goals.
He was in the England squad until 2020, which suggests that he might have been in the Euro 2020 squad if the tournament took place last year.
So it would be disappointing for him, but considering that he has suffered multiple fitness issues in recent seasons, he’d get some time off playing football over the summer and that may only benefit Southampton in keeping him fit ahead of next term.
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