Greater London and Yorkshire dominate England’s Euro 2016 Group B campaign
Published:Sam Barnard, Assistant Sports Editor | June 21, 2016
England’s Euro 2016 Group B campaign is now over; with good news that they qualified for the last 16, but bad news that they did so as pool runners-up and behind Home Nation rivals Wales.
However, Coral are not going to dwell on Roy Hodgson’s decision to rest six stars at such a crucial moment, and instead go through each player that has taken part so far in the opening three fixtures.
Following on from our ultimate Football Counties Study, we have decided to check out which English region have featured more prominently for the Three Lions, in terms of appearances, goals and much more…
England have used 19 of their 23 squad members so far
Just five of England’s squad of 23 have featured in all three games to date; keeper Joe Hart, centre backs Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling, and midfield duo Eric Dier and Adam Lallana.
Of the chosen group for the finals, four are yet to take part, with back-up stoppers Fraser Forster and Tom Heaton as well as John Stones and Ross Barkley surplus to requirements for now at least.
Players from ceremonial counties Greater London and Yorkshire have certainly dominated England’s team, with five and four from each respectively featuring so far. Although, Raheem Sterling was only brought up in the former having been born in Jamaica’s capital city Kingston.
Hertfordshire are next on the list with two players, midfield duo Jack Wilshere and Adam Lallana, while eight other counties have been represented so far by one man apiece.
In terms of being split into regions – North, South and Midlands – the South of England just edges the North 9-7, for players that have featured so far, while the Midlands can boast three.
The four remaining squad names are from the North, though, so those numbers could soon change.
Read below to find out the statistics for players that have featured so far…
County
Greater London (South) x5
Yorkshire (North) x4
Hertfordshire (South) x2
Buckinghamshire (South)
Derbyshire (Midlands)
Gloucestershire (South)
Greater Manchester (North)
Merseyside (North)
Shropshire (Midlands)
Tyne and Wear (North)
West Midlands (Midlands)
Region
North x7
Midlands x3
South x9
Four have played all 270 minutes in the group stage
Hodgson has preferred players from the Midlands and South as his ever-presents for England (9/1 to win Euro 2016), as two apiece are from those two regions.
Despite Hart looking shaky at times, he has kept the gloves throughout so far, while Cahill and Smalling have stayed in front of him with the impressive Dier protecting the back four. The quartet are all expected to start in their last 16 battle with one of Portugal, Austria, Iceland or Hungary.
Ever-presents
Joe Hart, Shropshire (Midlands)
Gary Cahill, Derbyshire (Midlands)
Chris Smalling, Greater London (South)
Eric Dier, Gloucestershire (South)
Which county dominates starting line-up?
Adam Lallana can be added to the list of players that have started all three games, but has been subbed off twice against Wales and Slovakia.
A total of 17 others have started, with five again being from Greater London and three from Yorkshire.
Greater Manchester drops out as talented teenager Marcus Rashford has only been used from the bench, as has Yorkshireman James Milner, once each.
Of the subs, Yorkshire is the only county to have had multiple men come on, Vardy and Milner, and the North overall trumps the South 4-3, with Sturridge being the sole Midlands man.
Starters
Three starts: Joe Hart (Shropshire), Gary Cahill (Derbyshire), Chris Smalling (Greater London), Eric Dier (Gloucestershire), Adam Lallana (Hertfordshire)
Two starts: Dele Alli (Buckinghamshire), Harry Kane (Greater London), Wayne Rooney (Merseyside), Danny Rose (Yorkshire), Raheem Sterling (Greater London [Jamaica]), Kyle Walker (Yorkshire)
One start: Jack Wilshere (Hertfordshire), Daniel Sturridge (West Midlands), Jamie Vardy (Yorkshire), Nathaniel Clyne (Greater London), Jordan Henderson (Tyne and Wear), Ryan Bertrand (Greater London)
County
Greater London (South) x5
Yorkshire (North) x3
Hertfordshire (South) x2
Buckinghamshire (South)
Derbyshire (Midlands)
Gloucestershire (South)
Merseyside (North)
Shropshire (Midlands)
Tyne and Wear (North)
West Midlands (Midlands)
Region
North x6
Midlands x3
South x9
Subs
Dele Alli (Buckinghamshire)
Jack Wilshere (Hertfordshire)
James Milner (Yorkshire)
Harry Kane (Greater London)
Wayne Rooney (Merseyside)
Daniel Sturridge (West Midlands)
Jamie Vardy (Yorkshire)
Marcus Rashford (Greater Manchester)
County
Yorkshire (North) x2
Greater London (South)
Hertfordshire (South)
Buckinghamshire (South)
Merseyside (North)
Tyne and Wear (North)
West Midlands (Midlands)
Region
North x4
Midlands x1
South x3
Unused
Fraser Forster (Northumberland)
Tom Heaton (Cheshire)
John Stones (Yorkshire)
Ross Barkley (Merseyside)
Which county has provided the goals and assists?
Dier has justified playing every minute to date, after his fine free-kick strike against Russia, but just two others have found the net for England.
Both of those were substitute strikers against Wales, Vardy and Sturridge, which means that scorers have come from each of the three regions.
Dele Alli has been the only Englishman credited with an assist, after laying it on to Sturridge to down Wales in injury-time, as Vardy’s goal came from an Ashley Williams header and Dier converted a free-kick.
Tottenham starlet Alli hails form Buckinghamshire, which is just in the South, meaning that region has been the main provider for goals and assists.
Goals and assists
Eric Dier (Gloucestershire): 1 goal
Jamie Vardy (Yorkshire): 1 goal
Daniel Sturridge (West Midlands): 1 goal
Dele Alli (Buckinghamshire): 1 assist
Which regions need to feature more prominently?
Going by Hodgson’s preferred starting line-up, that was used against Russia and Wales, the South has boasted the most players with six, with three coming from Greater London – Smalling, Sterling and Kane.
However, the latter duo in particular, as well as another southerner Lallana, have been under pressure after unspectacular performances to date. While, the likes of Vardy and Sturridge have certainly shown their worth and desire.
Leicester’s Vardy in particular had an outstanding season, and seemingly still has a lot of energy left him, unlike Kane. His fellow Yorkshireman Milner was also impressive for Liverpool in the second half of the 2015/16 Premier League season, and is a Hodgson favourite, though is unlikely to start just yet.
Wilshere is perhaps the one player from the South that has a chance to break into the XI in the last 16, and Yorkshireman Stones could get the nod if Cahill, who suffered a knock against Slovakia, is not fully fit.
Hart will most likely retain the gloves, despite making two notable errors, one after letting in a free-kick from Gareth Bale and another getting in a mix-up with Smalling. The latter incident went unpunished, though.
Forgotten man this tournament Ross Barkley of Merseyside is still available for selection, but is highly unlikely to feature at this stage unless there are injuries.
The above suggests that Hodgson should be more geographically balanced, with four from the North and South, and three from the Midlands.
Preferred starting XI
Joe Hart (Shropshire)
Kyle Walker (Yorkshire)
Gary Cahill (Derbyshire)
Chris Smalling (Greater London)
Danny Rose (Yorkshire)
Dele Alli (Buckinghamshire)
Eric Dier (Gloucestershire)
Wayne Rooney (Merseyside)
Adam Lallana (Hertfordshire)
Raheem Sterling (Greater London)
Harry Kane (Greater London)
County
Greater London (South) x3
Yorkshire (North) x2
Buckinghamshire (South)
Derbyshire (Midlands)
Gloucestershire (South)
Hertfordshire (South)
Merseyside (North)
Shropshire (Midlands)
Region
North x3
Midlands x2
South x6
Potential starting XI
Joe Hart (Shropshire)
Kyle Walker (Yorkshire)
Gary Cahill (Derbyshire)
Chris Smalling (Greater London)
Danny Rose (Yorkshire)
Dele Alli (Buckinghamshire)
Eric Dier (Gloucestershire)
Wayne Rooney (Merseyside)
Jack Wilshere (Hertfordshire)
Daniel Sturridge (West Midlands)
Jamie Vardy (Yorkshire)
County
Yorkshire (North) x3
Buckinghamshire (South)
Derbyshire (Midlands)
Gloucestershire (South)
Greater London (South)
Hertfordshire (South)
Merseyside (North)
Shropshire (Midlands)
West Midlands (Midlands)
Region
North x4
Midlands x3
South x4
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