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The World Cup 2018 is not far away. England are in Group G with Belgium, Tunisia and Panama. Manager Gareth Southgate has picked his 23-man squad for the upcoming tournament.
They will be the only team in Russia with a squad consisting solely of players from their own league. There are eight players who will be going to their first tournament. In previous friendly matches, Southgate persisted with 3 centre-backs.
We are going to analyse who should start for the Three Lions in their 3-5-2 formation.
Goalkeeper and defenders
Joe Hart started in nine of England’s ten qualifying matches. However, he will not be going to Russia because of his lack of football for West Ham this season. Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland and Nick Pope are going to the World Cup.
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Last summer, Everton made some significant signings. Expectations were big, but they only managed to finish at eighth place. This was a shocking season for them and Jordan Pickford was the only bright spot in their squad. He played every single match in the Premier League this season. Because of these facts, Jordan Pickford deserves to start at the World Cup.
John Stones should play the role of ball-playing defender in the middle because he brings a composed passing game. He is one of the most improved defenders this year.
Kyle Walker surely starts at right centre-back and Harry Maguire should start on the left. Maguire is a great passer, great tackler and fits well for the England setup.
Kieran Trippier is easily one of the best crossers in the English Premier League. This season, he provided 5 assists in 24 Premier League matches for Tottenham. He is a perfect pick for right wing back position at the World Cup.
Left wingback position is reserved for Ashley Young. This season, he was one of the best players in Jose Mourinho's squad. He scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists in 30 appearances in the Premier Leagues. His attacking ability can be crucial for this formation.
Midfielders
6 midfielders who are battling for 3 spots in the starting lineup. This formation requires a holding player and Eric Dier is a perfect choice for this position. The other two midfield spots are reserved for Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard.
Jesse Lingard enjoyed his best season so far in career. In 48 matches in all competitions this season, Lingard scored 13 goals and provided 7 assists. He is the most improved player this season in Jose Mourinho's squad.
With Oxlade-Chamberlain out, Lingard and Alli will form a very dynamic duo that will have to play in both ways.
Forwards
The attacking places are reserved for Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling. Harry Kane is going to captain England at the World Cup. A world-class player who will lead his team from the front and is not afraid to articulate his and his teams' ambitions. He is definitely their best player.
On the other side, Sterling is coming to Russia after the season of his life in which he scored 23 goals in all competitions. He will definitely be one of the first names on the squad sheet at the World Cup.
