When it comes to full backs, it would be fair to say England are a little bit lopsided.

A fan of right backs? Have as many as you want, pal!

We’ll even stick some of them at centre-back for some reason we’ve got so many. Reece James has had to play some of the best football of his career just to get into the conversation, and there’s so much quality competition that Aaron Wan-Bissaka has almost entirely given up on an England berth.

Left backs more your thing? Well… the news isn’t quite as good, though things are gradually improving.

There’s a bit of quality and a bit of promise, but compared to the other flank where you’ve got about five or six Champions League standard players banging on the door, the talent pool is much less straightforward. Instead, the options are players who are yet to entirely breakthrough, and veterans who likely played their last England game some time ago.

Luckily for the left-sided aficionados who follow English football, here’s an exhaustive list of the runners, riders and outside shots for a left back spot in the England squad.

One of the most obviously right-footed players I have ever seen, he is simply not a left back (cc: Gareth Southgate).

Despite having a reputation as part of the revolving door of agricultural Burnley defenders, Taylor has some experience of international football – having been capped for England Under-19s after his graduation from Leeds‘ famed academy.

The solid left-back is unlikely to get a call up, mind you.

This time last year, Williams looked an intriguing outside shot to make the Euros squad after a tidy performance on his Premier League debut against Brighton led to a tidy spell in the Manchester United side.

He is now firmly behind Luke Shaw and Alex Telles in the pecking order at Old Trafford, however, and has a long way to go before he gets back into contention for an England nod.

For many years, Sessegnon looked like one of the safest bets in English football, especially after scoring 15 goals in the Championship at the age of 17.

Despite Spurs boss Jose Mourinho comparing him to Ashley Cole almost immediately after taking the reins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, injuries and a lack of confidence have held back Sessegnon’s development.

He is looking to make up for lost time on loan at Hoffenheim, but was part of England’s latest Under-21 Euros disaster.

? Danny Rose in action for the 23’s pic.twitter.com/YJiOAM6VVX

— Lilywhite Rose (@Lilywhite_Rose) November 6, 2020

You’ve most likely watched that scene from Tottenham’s All or Nothing documentary, and you may well have watched Sergio Reguilon getting up and down the left flank for the Lilywhites.

Both of these items lead to the conclusion that Danny Rose is probably not playing for Spurs again, let alone England.

It’s always been quite amusing how Delph playing at left back has been portrayed as some kind of hilarious gimmick rather than a fairly impressive adaptation to one of football’s most positionally demanding roles.

That being said, he isn’t getting enough game time at Everton at the moment, although the need to protect Lucas Digne’s fitness could change that.

Young refused to retire outright from international duty, and when he’s at his best for Inter it’s easy to see why – he remains an extremely capable player with a top left-foot and an even better set piece delivery.

He once dominated Marco Asensio during Inter’s Champions League game against Real Madrid, but his game time is already dwindling in the fashion capital of the world.

Crazy fact: Ryan Bertrand has been playing professional football since 2006.

One of English football’s most consistent performers has never been highly favoured by Southgate, having been dropped from the 2018 World Cup squad, but there’s no denying that he will continue to be on the verge of selection as long as he stays in Southampton’s side.

The lack of real quality depth can be highlighted by this entry.

Not because James Justin is a bad player, far from it. In fact, he’s looking like a superb prospect, and would likely have been banging on Gareth Southgate’s England door had he not picked up a serious knee injury.

But that’s the thing. Justin did pick up a long-term injury, will miss the rest of Leicester’s Premier League season, the Euros tournament and still is England’s sixth best pick! Yikes.

One of the most intriguing youngsters that England have produced in years, Bukayo Saka actually isn’t a left back.

Well, he started off as a left back, moved to wingback, played in central midfield and then flipped over to the right wing. Got it? Good.

Saka was superb against Ireland when he did play at fullback, winning Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty in fantastic fashion and generally making a nuisance of himself. It’s not his ideal spot, but it’s a job he can more than capably do.

There was a bit of scoffing and laughter when Aston Villa signed Matt Targett, as many presumed that his inability to dislodge Ryan Bertrand at Southampton meant he wasn’t that good.

Quite the contrary, Targett was decent on loan at Fulham, and that prompted Dean Smith to take him to Villa Park. He’s been very steady since he arrived, though he’s far better going forward than he is the other way.

If there’s one thing everyone in the world can agree on, it’s Aaron Cresswell being a bloody brilliant player to have in your Fantasy Premier League side.

His resurgence has sort of come out of nowhere, not least because Cresswell, after a promising start to his Premier League career, has been downright dire for the majority of the last few years.

But the man who, crucially for Southgate, can also play on the left side in a back three, has played himself right back into contention for a Euros spot by helping West Ham knock on the door of European qualification.

Ben Chilwell is potentially one of the best left backs in the world.

Excellent at carrying the ball, he possesses great technique when delivering a cross or shooting, and, like Saka eventually will, has seriously brushed up on his defensive technique.

The worry is that he’s been in and out of Chelsea’s side since Thomas Tuchel arrived, making way for *checks notes* Marcos Alonso. Still, benefit of the doubt and all, Chilwell is class.

Luke Shaw has shot right up to the top of England’s list of options, and with good reason.

After years of struggling for form following a terrible injury, the former Southampton man has finally delivered on his potential. Manchester United fans have been split on Shaw for some time, but since the arrival of Alex Telles, he’s upped his game significantly.

Not only is he back in Southgate’s good graces, he’s one of the form Premier League players of the season – highly impressive stuff.