Gareth Southgate is hoping the continuity in his squad can help England Under-21s take firm control of their Euro qualifying group.
The Head Coach selected a 22-man squad to face Finland and San Marino on Thursday, with the majority of the group who performed so well in last month’s games involved again.
And Southgate is pleased that he’s been able to keep a consistency in his selections and witness a growing spirit in the squad.
He told TheFA.com: “We wanted to keep the continuity in the squad and we’ve got a group with a lot of quality, but they’ve also started to form quite a strong bond as well.
“It was a case of wanting to keep that going and people now know they have to be playing well, on a consistent basis, if they want to force their way into that squad.
“That’s very important for us and the players realise that too.
“It’s disappointing that Tom Carroll and Nathan Redmond are out, as they’ve been a big part of the squad so far.
“So it’s a shame for them to miss out this time, but they’re still a big part of what we’re doing."
The Three Lions’ first game is against Finland in Milton Keynes next Thursday, before they face San Marino in Shrewsbury on Tuesday 19 November.
“The squad have started to form quite a strong bond.”
Gareth Southgate England U21s Head Coach
England currently occupy top spot in Group One and Southgate knows that six points from these next two games will see his side enter 2014 in a strong position.
“The first game against Finland is quite pivotal in how this group might pan out,” he added.
“If we can win the game against Finland, it will put us in a very strong position so that’s an important one in particular.
“Both of the clubs that are hosting us are really looking forward to the games and that’s one of the beauties of being with the Under-21s.
“We get the chance to travel around the country taking England teams to places where they haven’t always been in the past or certainly don’t play regularly.
“It gives people a chance to see some of the stars of the future."
Tickets for both games are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for a concession and a family ticket can be bought for £20. Tickets for the game against Finland can be purchased online at http://www.mkdons.com/tickets/ or by calling the MK Dons Box office on 01908 622900. Tickets for the San Marino game can be purchased by calling Shrewsbury Town’s ticket hotline on 01743273943.
The Squad
Goalkeepers: Jonathan Bond (Watford), Jack Butland (Barnsley, on loan from Stoke City), George Long(Sheffield United).
Defenders: Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal), Michael Keane (Manchester United), Liam Moore (Leicester City), Jack Robinson (Blackpool, on loan from Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Southampton), John Stones (Everton).
Midfielders: Nathaniel Chalobah (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Chelsea), Will Hughes (Derby County), Ravel Morrison (West Ham United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Wide: Tom Ince (Blackpool), Jesse Lingard (Birmingham City, on loan from Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United).
Forwards: Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Ings (Burnley), Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic, on loan from Manchester United).
