For an illustration of the problems that Gareth Southgate has faced for this end-of-season Nations League programme, why he feared a slap in the face, which duly arrived against Hungary on Saturday night, it is necessary to start at the back.
The England manager named a squad for the four ties that contained 11 defenders, six of them specialist centre-halves, with the versatile Kyle Walker considered a seventh in a back three. More than enough, surely?
