Just seems really odd to go from starting the last game and then being left out completely and have two keepers on the bench unless he’s injured but my app doesn’t state he’s one of the injured or banned players.
Biggest question the FA should have is why Kobbie Mainoo, who is not getting enough football at club level, is not getting U21 call ups. Maybe you can argue Wharton's minutes need managing. But they need to normalise getting all their best players in the system as much as possibe. Especially if the head coach may not have England's long term development front of mind.
Rico Lewis is back in the 21s squad after 5 caps with the seniors, should be no different for Mainoo, even though he's got 10 caps. A few of us on here thought he should have gone to the 21s Euros in the summer as well, hopefully he's in the next camp.
Lewis Hall is to withdraw from this squad. His injury is sadly not just short term, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6691401/2025/10/05/lewis-hall-injury-update-newcastle/
Nico O’Reilly has been promoted to the seniors. No replacement has yet been announced for him in this squad.
He might have turned down a call-up. Lewis's presence in the squad certainly suggests that Mainoo might've been asked.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s not picking Mainoo because he wants to give opportunities to the new midfielders and those options he thinks are more likely to be the building blocks for which he embeds his ideas and approach around. They are more likely to be around longer term (for a finals etc.) Rico Lewis is more of a utility option that can be helpful but Mainoo would be more of a focal point option.
‘Norwich City’s Kellen Fisher has been added to the England MU21s squad. The full-back joins up following the withdrawal of Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall through injury and Nico O’Reilly’s addition to the senior squad. Fisher has previously been capped at MU20 level and was first called up to Lee Carsley’s squad last month. The Young Lions are in 2027 UEFA U21 EURO qualifying action this camp with a trip to Moldova on Friday 10 October (5pm BST kick-off) before welcoming Andorra to Derby County’s Pride Park on Monday 13 October (7.45pm BST kick-off).’
Chelsea will listen to offers for 19-year-old English forward Tyrique George in January (Football Insider, external) James Beadle suggesting here he might now be Birmingham’s N.1 https://www.englandfootball.com/art...s-james-beadle-jamie-gittens-preview-20250810
Carsley doesn’t really say anything groundbreaking on Mainoo but at least there’s an article about a possible U21 recall. Wharton also mentioned. 1976241601665007971 is not a valid tweet id
He doesn’t sound like he is seriously thinking about it. He puts him in the same category as Wharton but he is considerably closer to getting back into the Seniors than Mainoo.
Crystal Palace’s Romaine Esse and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Tom Watson have been added to the England MU21 squad ahead of this evening’s 2027 U21 EURO qualifier in Moldova. However, Newcastle United’s Lewis Miley will play no part having withdrawn through injury. Both Esse and Watson made their MU21 debuts in Kazakhstan last month. Tonight’s qualifier in Chișinău (5pm UK time kick-off) is being streamed live on YouTube here. Lee Carsley’s squad then welcome Andorra to Derby County’s Pride Park on Monday 13 October (7.45pm kick-off).
Beadle Gray Acheampong Allenye BNC Lewis Jobe Dibling Nwaneri Gittens Mubama Looks like this to me. Decent balance.
Could also see it being that but with Gray and Lewis switched. Maybe Rico Lewis on the left and BNC on the right.