Chelsea should put their Englishmen in the shop window for Gareth Southgate

England had a glimpse of their national team future with Jadon Sancho and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right side against the United States. If only Chelsea had put Callum Hudson-Odoi in a position to be on the pitch with them.

Wayne Rooney’s send-off game was as much about the generation as the man. Fabian Delph was the oldest player on the pitch, age 28. Rooney himself was the only player over 28 in the entire squad. Meanwhile, the starting XI featured an 18-, 20- and 21-year old.

That it was a sentimental friendly against decidedly third-tier opposition (sorry, no offence, it’s true) does not factor too much into the equation. Playing at Wembley is always an honour and a major event for an Englishman. More so, Southgate’s post-game critiques of his team’s defending in a 3-0 win shows he had a decidedly unsentimental approach to the game. Just because he played his B-squad against the United States didn’t mean they could give a B-level performance. Every squad selection – and therefore every player’s performance in every game – matters to the England manager.

His trust in Jadon Sancho and Trent Alexander-Arnold should light a fire under Chelsea. The Blues already have two midfielders in the core of Southgate’s plans for the squad. Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek did not play in the friendly against the US. This means they are likely to start in England’s Nations League match against Croatia. Barkley is in pole position to start as Southgate has indicated he wants England to have a strong, direct attack against Croatia to ensure a win.

If Chelsea do more to advance their young players, Barkley and Loftus-Cheek will not be the only Blues among the Three Lions, and Sancho and Alexander-Arnold will not be the only players under 21. Mason Mount likely would have been in the squad – and possibly the starting XI – for the US friendly if he had not been injured recently with Derby County.

Sancho and Alexander-Arnold made a dynamic link-up along England’s right side against the US. Callum Hudson-Odoi, in his few appearances last season, showed he could bring many of the same attributes to the left wing.

Ola Aina’s out-of-sight, should-be-in-mind loan season in Torino could add to England’s depth at the right back / right wing-back spot. Aina could work himself into position to battle Alexander-Arnold and keep the heat on Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier. Walker has incumbency and Alexander-Arnold has the head start, particularly for Euro 2020. But Aina could be in that mix if he continues to play and develop.

What Sancho, Alexander-Arnold, Mount and Aina have that Callum Hudson-Odoi does not is playing time. Southgate won’t select players he can’t evaluate, and he can’t evalute players who don’t play.

Gareth Southgate is far more willing to look overseas, down the pyramid and among the youth to find his England squad than previous managers. The only clubs need to do is put their players in the shop window, and Southgate’s travels in search of his Lions will bring them to his attention. He spends plenty of time out looking. He just needs someone to look at.

Chelsea have the players in their system, but too often they don’t have them on a pitch. The overall quality of loans has gone down since Michael Emenalo left, and young players are getting less of a chance under Maurizio Sarri. Southgate may recognize the potential some of these young Blues have. But unless he sees them play, they will never play for him.