Londoner Ezri Konsa has been backed to seamlessly step into England’s defence for Saturday’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.
The Newham-born centre-half is in line to replace the suspended Marc Guehi here, with manager Gareth Southgate set to switch to a back-three for his 100th game in charge of England.
Konsa, 26, came through the ranks at Charlton and spent a season with Brentford before joining Aston Villa, where he has excelled in the top flight under Unai Emery.
“Ezri has coped with every challenge at club and international level,” Charlton’s academy director Steve Avory told Standard Sport.
“Of course, the adrenaline will flow should he start the game, but he is a calm and confident individual and a winner.
“I saw that not too long ago, having to cope against Vinicius Jr and Jeremy Doku [in England’s March friendlies].
“He is a player in form after such a good season at Villa, and good form breeds confidence.
“Being such a good technical player lends itself to playing in the back-three to start attacks, and he is comfortable and combative on the ground and in the air. He’s quick and difficult to beat. He is ready if Gareth selects him.”
Jason Pearce, a youth coach at Charlton, captained Konsa for the Addicks, and believes his former team-mate will be unfazed by the occasion tomorrow.
“He is cool, calm and collected,” Pearce said. “He’s got absolute faith in his own ability.
“He is demanding of a high standard from others — when I played with him at a young age he had that. He has self-belief and brings a calmness to the team.
“In a back-three you’ve got to be able to distribute in a variety of ways. He is comfortable and composed in possession. You have to support attacks, which he does well.
“The big thing is you have to defend one-v-one in big spaces — he is very good one-v-one now. He has speed and agility, and height at set-pieces, so there are lots of reasons why he can play in a back three. Everyone at Charlton wishes him good luck.”
Switching to a 3-4-2-1 formation would likely see England match-up with Murat Yakin’s Swiss side, who have used wing-backs on their run to the last-eight.
Bukayo Saka is in line to start at left wing-back, with Kyle Walker and Konsa — who has played in a back-three with Villa — either side of John Stones.
Stones has formed a solid partnership with Guehi, but said: “Whoever’s in will be ready to play, we’ll know how each other plays. We’re all here for a reason, and everyone’s just raring to go that haven’t got the minutes that they’ve wanted. Whoever plays, I’ve got massive faith in them.”
Guehi has arguably been England’s most consistent player in Germany, but misses out after picking up two bookings in the first four games.
“I was speaking to him during training and he was saying he’s so gutted he’s missing this game,” Conor Gallagher said of Guehi.
“He said it’s really stressing him out. I was like, ‘Really? You’ve done so well so far and you’ll be back in when we go through’. He said, ‘Yeah, but I’m not in control of anything, I’m just watching’.
“It just stresses him out. He’s been fantastic and it doesn’t surprise me at all. I’ve always said how good he is and he’ll get even better. I’m really happy he’s been given this opportunity.”
