If the England team was picked on form alone there'd be no need for a manager.
Why bother with Gareth Southgate or anyone else when you could just pick it based on Opta stats? But there’s more to it than that. So much more. A dynamic to consider. The way players train, the way they work together, the things you see behind the scenes that supporters, journalists and pundits don’t.
I promise you, it isn’t just about the eleven who are most in-form. It’s about trust, partnerships and experience. For example, I expect Harry Maguire to be in ahead of Arsenal’s Ben White because Harry’s been one of our best players in two major tournaments under Southgate.
