In what will likely be the Three Lions’ final match before boss Gareth Southgate submits his final 23-man squad, England drew 1-1 with Italy at Wembley Stadium. With World Cup squads due at the beginning of June, and pre-tournament friendlies on June 2 and 7, midnight is approaching for players to make their final push, leaving England still with some sorting out to do.
Roy Hodgson failed to get England out of their group with Costa Rica, Italy, and Uruguay in 2014, and then they were knocked out of EURO2016 by Iceland. These past results are causing low expectations for the Three Lions as they head to Russia.
With a much younger squad expected to board the plane in June, this England squad will have quite the turnover from the 23 that went to Brazil four years ago. Some see this change as a positive, as it will force Gareth Southgate’s hand to welcome in the new guard, which should make up a majority of the squad for years to come.
With less than two and half months until kickoff at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the England boss still has questions that need answering.
Aside from Harry Kane, if fit, leading the line for England, it’s fairly uncertain as to who Southgate will field come June 18 against Tunisia. Some squad questions that need answering over the coming months:
Who will be first choice between the sticks?
-Joe Hart has been England’s number one since 2010, but his time is up. He’s been out of form this season and hasn’t been West Ham’s number one for some time.
-Nick Pope is the wild card here putting up impressive numbers and helping Burnley to seventh in the table. He’s capitalized on his chances since Tom Heaton’searly-seasonn injury. Pope has yet to win his first England cap. With 10 clean sheets and only 22 goals conceded in 27 Premier League matches this season, he really does deserve a shout.
-Jordan Pickford hasn’t had the best campaign this season. He’s conceded 50 goals in 31 matches this for Everton. Pickford kept out all six shots on goal in last week’s friendly against the Netherlands.
-Jack Butland’s conceded 51 goals in 28 appearances for Stoke City this campaign with only five clean sheets to his name. Granted, Stoke City has the leakiest defense in the Premier League, it’d be hard to judge him by the numbers. He tops the PL with 112 saves, and he didn’t have much to do in the Italy friendly except fail to keep out a penalty.
What formation will Southgate play?
-It appears Southgate will likely play three at the back with some flexibility. This could be a 5-3-2 when defending, turned into a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 going forward. The setup will allow the pacey players to be able to open up and find space. This allows the central midfielders to go box-to-box. Also, it leaves the wing backs with defensive and attacking duties. With the likes of Sterling, Lingard, Rashford, Vardy, and Kane, England could be dependent on its pace and counter-attacking ability.
Who will be the central defense pairing (or trio)?
-After playing three at the back in the two March friendlies, it’s clear that is Southgate’s preferred way of playing. Kyle Walker was inserted as one of the three center backs. Walker played alongside Manchester City teammate John Stones who anchored the England back line in the two friendlies. Stones seems to be likened by Southgate, even though he struggled against the Italians.
Joe Gomez, Harry Maguire, and James Tarkowski each got looks as the third central defender. Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Michael Keane, and Chris Smalling are other options that weren’t in the squad for the March friendlies.
Who are the first names on the team sheet (if fit)?
-Harry Kane. No questions asked. He’s by far the best English player available. There’s still a possibility for Kane to be named England captain.
-Eric Dier. He has recently played in central midfield for Tottenham, as opposed to his primary spot in central defense. It’s the perfect spot for him. He gives solid cover to the central defenders and allows a central midfield partner to get forward. It would be a waste to play him in central defense.
-Raheem Sterling. He’s found great form with Manchester City this season, tallying 15 goals and seven assists. Sterling will be a solid fit on the wing for England. He proved against Italy that he enjoys the freedom of playing underneath a center forward.
My 23 man roster for the World Cup:
-GK (3): Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
-DEF (8): Phil Jones, Harry Maguire, Danny Rose, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Ashley Young
-MID (8): Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Jake Livermore, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling, Andros Townsend
-FWD (4): Tammy Abraham, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jamie Vardy
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