Gareth Southgate has selected the England squad to compete at Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Southgate has assembled a team of young and old individuals, and fans wagering on online casino real money will enjoy a better time watching games.
Harry Kane will again captain Southgate’s squad and attempt to win his first competition. Thirteen players will participate in their first World Cup, including Conor Gallagher, James Maddison, and Callum Wilson.
Gallagher has a medal from the 2017 Under-17 World Cup, in which Phil Foden was also voted tournament MVP.
After announcing his selections, Southgate exclaimed: “We’re thrilled with this group. It contains a great deal of talent.
“However, the group must remain cohesive. During the subsequent phase, we must adapt faster than everyone else.”
The Squad Is Well Prepared
England had the second-youngest squad at the 2018 World Cup, with a mean age of 26, and the Three Lions have selected a side with a mean age of 26.4.
Southgate’s tournament preparations have gone differently than expected. Ben Chilwell and Reece James of Chelsea were both injured and unable to play.
On the other side, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips made it to the list after undergoing surgery at the end of September and the beginning of October.
Ben White was omitted from England’s Nations League squad, causing widespread outrage. However, the Arsenal player’s response was ideal and earned him a ticket to Qatar.
The versatile defender has performed admirably at right back for league-leading Arsenal, who would not be in first place without him.
It would be intriguing to determine whether he would have been called up to the national squad if Reece James hadn’t had such a severe knee injury.
In addition to injury concerns, Southgate has had to make difficult decisions about other team members. James Maddison of Leicester City has had one England cap to his name.
He debuted as a senior in 2019, but his impressive performance earned him a berth on the team.
“He is an excellent player. We believed he was a good player from the beginning. He has demonstrated sufficient merit. We believe he can provide our other attackers with something they lack.”
Southgate continued: “He is playing as well as any attacking player in this country, and he is a little different from the others.”
Maddison’s selection is a result of his outstanding season with Leicester.
He has scored six goals and assisted four others in 12 Premier League games since helping Leicester City recover from a poor start to the season.
While recovering from shoulder surgery, Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips remained convinced that he would make England’s World Cup roster.
The former Leeds United player benefited from his optimistic outlook.
Southgate is aware of how effective Phillips and Declan Rice can be together after England’s march to the Euros final, but Jude Bellingham will disagree.
Phillips has only played 53 competitive minutes for Manchester City, including 40 minutes in Wednesday’s EFL Cup victory over Chelsea. He will have much to prove in Qatar.
Ivan Toney and Fikayo Tomori would be dissatisfied with Southgate’s selection as the duo missed out on the spot for the squad heading to Qatar.
The competition to be Harry Kane’s backup in England came down to the wire. Still, Callum Wilson’s prospects of starting up front for a Newcastle United club attempting to qualify for the Champions League were greater.
The 30-year-old has only appeared four times for England, but his six goals in ten Premier League outings for Newcastle have won over Southgate.
This has helped him prepare for his first major tournament with England, a long-awaited event.
Southgate Trusting The Process
Southgate’s team for the 2018 World Cup was the least experienced England squad in 56 years. Each player averaged just 21 international appearances.
Four years later, this average has substantially increased to 32, giving England’s team the fourth most experienced squad of the 17 World Cups held since 1950.
“We wanted to ensure that the team has a balanced roster,” Southgate explained.
“Now that there are five substitutes, the importance of the team is greater than ever. You desire to have distinct alternatives for each match and competitor segment.
“We’ve had to cover for a few players who aren’t quite game-ready, so having 26 players allows us to take some risks.
“We believe that sufficient progress has been made. We believe we have considered everything.”
