England's goalkeeper dilemma

It should not be too tough for the English boss, Gareth Southgate to name the outfield for the June 18 opener in the 2018 WC against Tunisia, but the custodian's role is a major worry.

ENGLAND has four friendly internationals before their first game at the 2018 World Cup.

The national boss will already have a strong idea of his starting XI for the opener in Volgograd but the goalkeeping situation is a major worry. Not because there aren't many options, but because none of them have that serious International exposure except for Joe Hart, who is perhaps in the worst form of his life.

Both Pickford and Butland will be having their eye on an England start for the WC

The English team looks exciting with a squad boasting of young talent and also experience. Led by the talismanic Harry Kane upfront, outfield player selection won't be a major headache for the boss, but when it comes to the role of the shot stopper - which has often been England's Achilles heel, we are not sure who will be handed the No.1 shirt.

The English contingent is full of talented goalkeepers but with the past experiences in Paul Robinson and Robert Green, Southgate will think twice before he finally makes a call.

Southgate is approaching the World Cup unsure of who his three goalkeepers should be. Joe Hart and Fraser Forster are finding it hard to even get into their club sides, while Stoke’s Jack Butland made a dreadful error at Leicester on Saturday but still made several wonderful saves.

Let us try to find who could be the probable goalkeeper for the Three Lions in Russia.

6. TOM HEATON (Burnley, 31) :

An aging hero with the odds not in his favor

Heaton, 31, rated highly by his peers, has made just three England appearances but now looks out of the picture after suffering a shoulder injury in September. Although he is backfrom injury now and into training, Heaton faces an uphill battle to oust Nick Pope, 25, who has impressed at Turf Moor. In spite of being rated highly by pundits due to his command of the game and the position, he almost has no chance of even being called up in the 23-men squad. However, Heaton will be ready to fight for his World Cup dream despite the odds being stacked heavily against him.

Heaton believes that England are in a golden age for goalkeeping but the Clarets stopper is relishing the challenge of battling for a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad. He insists that consistent performances for Burnley are the key to securing a place on the plane to Russia next summer, but he will face fierce competition with the other guys in the list also eyeing spots in England’s 23-man squad. As Heaton say : “I, for one, am looking forward to the challenge and I think it will help the younger lads coming through. Hopefully the goalkeeping department will go from strength to strength. It’s brilliant to be part of that and I’m embracing the challenge of being part of it.”

PROS : Experienced, highly rated, leader.

CONS : Just returned from shoulder injury, it is almost impossible for him to make it to Russia.

5. FRASER FORSTER (Southampton, 29) :

Southampton’s Fraser Forster has played six times for his country. He is capable of delivering some match-winning performances but has not quite been the same player since a serious knee injury ruled him out for 10 months in 2015. Fraser Forster is costing Southampton points and his errors aren't going unnoticed. The once-impressive stopper saw his error-o-meter tick over another digit on Sunday, gifting Brighton a 1-1 draw with Southampton.

After his St Mary's adventure began with a flourish - and many tipped him to displace Joe Hart for England - Forster is now locked in a battle with Wayne Hennessey to be the Premier League's most underwhelming number one. Sure, every team can play the ‘points game’ – tallying up the near-misses and mistakes that halted their title challenge in the autumn. But with Southampton it goes further than simple ifs, buts and maybes. The common factor in the disturbing amount of goals they have conceded is Fraser Forster.

PROS : Aerial ability and experience.

CONS : Drop in form, silly mistakes and repeatedly benched.

4. JOE HART (West Ham United, 30) :

Joe Hart's World Cup hopes could be over with West Ham dropping him

Despite the regular criticism which followed some poor performances – particularly at Euro 2016 (goals conceded against Wales and Iceland) – Joe Hart has remained as Southgate’s first choice keeper. Having spent a major portion of the last several Premier League games on West Ham’s bench with Adrian being preferred, it would now be impossible for Hart to keep his place in the Three Lion’s starting XI.

Hart, 30, has played 75 times for England and played a key part in a comfortable qualifying campaign - despite not being given much credit - with two excellent performances against Slovenia. The player’s experience will ensure he features in the final 23 for Russia but Hart has to start playing for David Moyes in the League if he is to return for England. It won't be long before his experience doesn't count over the other players' talent. Hart is nowhere close to his prime best, which means his seniority wont sustain him for long. This was not helped by Roy Hodgson’s general reluctance to pick players other than Hart in goal for his friendlies over four years in charge.

PROS : Immense experience

CONS : Drop in form, irregular game time, silly mistakes.

3. NICK POPE (Burnley, 25) :

Nick Pope has come a long way since his days as a college student playing part-time in the Isthmian League. Even then, he was destined for big things. If he carries on at his current rate of progress, the Burnley goalkeeper might just go to the World Cup. When he left Bury Town to join Charlton in 2011, the non-league club’s manager Richard Wilkins told him that he would be playing Premier League football within five years. The prediction was only just off the mark – it took Pope six years.

Pope did not forget that forecast, texting Wilkins after making his first Premier League start for Burnley at Liverpool in September. The 25-year-old, promoted to the starting XI after Tom Heaton dislocated a shoulder, has since then grabbed his chance with the agility of a good keeper. The England manager was at Turf Moor to witness Pope made an outstanding second-half save to deny Southampton. According to the Burnley forward, Ashley Barnes, “Yes, 100 per cent. Nick Pope has been our player of the season. He deserves to be on that next level, but of course that’s not our decision to make.”

PROS : Agile, Exceptional Reflex, Confident, Outstanding form.

CONS : Lack of international experience.

2. JACK BUTLAND (Stoke City, 24) :

The o — Jack Butland is being considered for the England no.1 spot

Jack Butland, 24, has always been the man looking likely to step into Hart’s shoes. His senior debut was the first half of a friendly against Italy in Switzerland after Euro 2012 but the final qualifier against Lithuania in October was only Butland's sixth appearance. People playing FIFA in the career mode can lay testament to Butland's enormous potential. He is a super-confident keeper and can make some big saves, like what he has been doing in the Premier League so often against all of his opponents, but he can also suffer some tough days and is looking to work on his consistency.

Jack Butland may have made a few errors, but he still is considered to get the England No 1 shirt. Paul Lambert believes Jack Butland is the "best goalkeeper in Britain". Butland, by many, is considered to be the perfect figure to replace Joe Hart as the 24 years old is a commanding, agile and intelligent shot stopper who leaves no stone unturned to prevent the ball from going into the net.

PROS : Powerful, Agility, Distribution

CONS : Inconsistency

1 JORDAN PICKFORD (Everton, 23) :

The door is finally open for Jordan Pickford to go into a World Cup, as the potential number one, despite having made just one senior appearance – a full 90 minutes in a 0-0 against Germany in November. He has great potential, there is no doubt. Southgate, is keen to ensure he is fit and physically stronger. Having played through England’s youth ranks, the former under-21s coach, Southgate, knows him extremely well.

Pickford is famed for his distribution and his left foot is truly out of this world. But along with the incredible power, he needs to improve his command on the ball while – standing at a relatively modest 6 ft 1 ins – dealing with crosses. Whereas his reflexes can't be questioned, he certainly need to work more on his positioning. His £25 million summer move from Sunderland to Everton was a big one and he has handled it pretty well so far. All good keepers take the chance when it is given –and at 23, this opportunity could be Pickford’s.

PROS : Superior reflex

CONS : Inexperience in Europe

Southgate must be clear and decisive. On the eve of England’s 2010 World Cup opener against the United States in South Africa, Fabio Capello refused to tell either Robert Green or David James who was starting and it cost them dear.

England possess a lot of good goalkeepers, but the best thing Southgate can do now is tell one of them that they will be his England No 1.

Nobody wants a repeat of what happened in Rustenburg.