Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins should both go to the Euros – Marcus Rashford misses out

Ivan Toney seized the opportunity presented in the game against Belgium, effectively securing and scoring England's initial penalty in the first half. This achievement was captured by AFP photographer, Glyn Kirk.

During England's last two friendlies, Ivan Toney's brief moment of holding the ball inside Belgium's penalty area could have been greatly significant to the 180 total minutes that Gareth Southgate observed. This observation could potentially influence his final decision on the squad for the upcoming European Championship.

Toney's successful penalty against Belgium may have convinced some people that he deserves to be selected for the Euros. However, during the final minutes of the game, substitute Ollie Watkins persisted in keeping the ball in play, leading to Jude Bellingham's goal. This strengthened the argument for Southgate to bring three strikers to Germany.

Southgate, similar to the rest of the nation, was already well aware of Toney's exceptional penalty-taking skills. However, the circumstances were unique this time around. This was during the 17-minute mark of Toney's inaugural England start where he had an opportunity to prove his worth for a spot in Southgate's squad for the upcoming trip to Germany.

There are some soccer players who believe in superstitions and choose not to take penalty kicks that they have earned. However, this is not the case for Toney. When the referee, Sebastian Gishamer, indicated that a penalty kick was awarded, Toney immediately picked up the ball and waited patiently for both the VAR check and for the referee to talk to a few players about encroachment.

It could have been expected for Toney to feel nervous or unsure, but he remained composed when it mattered. He confidently placed the ball and tricked Belgium's goalkeeper Matz Sels to score his inaugural England goal.

When Southgate selects his squad for the Euros, he will undoubtedly consider the requirement for players who can take penalties, should it come down to shoot-outs. Toney has demonstrated that he is capable of remaining composed under pressure, which could make him a valuable asset.

Toney shared that it's important to remain calm when taking penalty shots, especially when the goalkeeper is trying to distract you. Despite this, he patiently waited and gave his best shot. He hopes that his performance has left a positive impression and is committed to continuously working hard. Toney also emphasized that he supports his teammate, Ollie Watkins, and sees their friendly competition as a healthy motivator. Ultimately, Toney wishes Watkins success and is hopeful that his recent performance has increased his chances of being considered for the Euros.

For certain people, the punishment has concluded the discussion. They believe Toney should be included and Watkins, who didn't make any goals against Brazil, should not. However, there is a different solution and Southgate shouldn't disregard it. Toney and Watkins can both be chosen for the Euros, with the possibility of an England wide player being removed from the team.

Southgate may have been impressed by Ollie Watkins' performance as a substitute in the closing stages of the game, according to a report from AFP's Glyn Kirk.

Currently, Marcus Rashford may be in a precarious position as he only participated in 15 minutes of gameplay against Brazil and did not get the opportunity to play during the tie with Belgium, despite Harry Kane's unavailability.

There was a hint that Rashford may have had a small injury, but when asked if his absence from the game was due to fitness concerns, Southgate replied that it was not. He wanted to give another chance to Anthony Gordon and believed that James Maddison's presence in that part of the field would create more opportunities for the team.

Southgate has acquired ample knowledge about both Rashford and Toney in an England shirt. He has observed that Watkins prefers waiting for balls to chase, while Toney shares similarities with Kane as he operates by dropping deep to link play.

After successfully scoring his penalty shot, Toney quickly moved back to join forces with the incredibly talented young player, Kobbie Mainoo, to launch an offensive attack for England. Toney employed his body skillfully to guide the ball through, releasing Jarrod Bowen, whose intended pass to Bellingham was almost deflected into the wrong goal by a defender from Belgium. Towards the end of the play initiated by Toney, Bowen fired a shot over the net.

The performance was not flawless. Toney missed a volley opportunity within the first minute by hitting his own hand and also should have scored early in the second half after being discovered by Bowen in the area.

However, if Toney demonstrates that he is a more suitable replacement for Kane, Watkins could still be a beneficial option for Southgate's team during the Euros.

During the match against Brazil, the Aston Villa athlete gave out two exceptional low crosses, one of which nearly became a goal thanks to Bellingham. If the England team needs to catch up during a game, he could be a better fit to play alongside the team captain according to Southgate.

In the game against Belgium, England was behind and Watkins went in instead of Toney with the purpose of helping the team. Even if he didn't score, Watkins made it possible for Maddison to pass the ball to Bellingham by keeping it in play with his head. That led to a last-minute goal that saved the team from losing.

Why should Southgate confine himself to just selecting one of Toney or Watkins to accompany Kane? It would be wiser to include all three players, even though the success of England in big tournaments still ultimately depends on their main star.

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