KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: Gareth Southgate will call on his Magnificent Seven to lead England to World Cup glory in Qatar... but he must be wary of their poor Nations League form heading into the opening game against Iran
- Gareth Southgate will call on those players he knows best at the World Cup
- The England manager has established a 'Magnificent Seven' he greatly trusts
- Southgate will have a clear way he wants his England stars to play in Qatar
- And England must respond from their disappointing Nations League form
The names in England starting line-ups are so coveted that when I was first called up to the national team, a journalist contacted me and offered me payment to leak the XI to him! I was dumbfounded. Naturally, I refused.
Gareth Southgate's XI for this World Cup will be debated and discussed, studied and scrutinised, celebrated if it goes well and criticised if it goes wrong.
Seven of the 11 players who started the 2018 World Cup opener against Tunisia are set to feature heavily in England's XIs at the 2022 edition. Southgate's Magnificent Seven have vast experience.Ā
![Gareth Southgate will call on the England players he trust most at the Qatar World Cup](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64753721-0-image-a-1_1668979664246.jpg)
Gareth Southgate will call on the England players he trust most at the Qatar World Cup
![Jordan Pickford will look maintain his place as England's number one in the Middle East](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64753745-0-image-a-2_1668979668491.jpg)
Jordan Pickford will look maintain his place as England's number one in the Middle East
![Kyle Walker is one of Southgate's favourites and was included in the World Cup squad despite still recovering from an operation](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64753749-0-image-a-3_1668979673654.jpg)
Kyle Walker is one of Southgate's favourites and was included in the World Cup squad despite still recovering from an operation
There's Jordan Pickford in goal; Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire in defence; Kieran Trippier on the flank and Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane among the forwards.Ā
Sprinkle in some of Europe's finest young talents in Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Mason Mount, all 23 or under, and England have the makings of a formidable team in Qatar.
Southgate will have a clear view of the players and system he wants to use, and I believe for the majority of this campaign he will favour a back three, which was his preference throughout the 2018 World Cup and in the final of Euro 2020.Ā
![Harry Maguire (right) and John Stones (left) are Southgate's most trusted defenders](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64753829-0-image-a-4_1668979711024.jpg)
Harry Maguire (right) and John Stones (left) are Southgate's most trusted defenders
![England skipper Harry Kane (left) and Kieran Trippier have become some of Southgate's most consistent performers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64754135-0-image-a-25_1668980166843.jpg)
England skipper Harry Kane (left) and Kieran Trippier have become some of Southgate's most consistent performers
England's most recent competition, the Nations League, did not go to plan as it ended in relegation. Southgate mainly used a back four in that campaign, but a 4-0 home defeat by Hungary in June saw him immediately revert to a back three for games against Italy and Germany.
Southgate may prefer to play Mount in midfield, Foden as a forward, and Luke Shaw at left wing-back rather than Saka. He may use 3-5-2, like four years ago, or 3-4-3, the flexibility of players like Foden and Saka giving him the option to choose between those two formations.Ā
But I can see the back-three system being England's base for the 2022 World Cup. Maguire's match fitness is the biggest concern and managing his minutes will be key. He played two full matches for England in September and returned to Manchester United with a hamstring injury.
![England's troublesome Nations League campaign earlier in the year ended in relegation](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64754069-0-image-a-23_1668979973306.jpg)
England's troublesome Nations League campaign earlier in the year ended in relegation
![Southgate and England get their World Cup campaign underway against Iran on Monday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/20/21/64754073-0-image-a-24_1668979985700.jpg)
Southgate and England get their World Cup campaign underway against Iran on Monday
The use of five substitutes will help England handle Maguire, Walker and anyone else's injury concerns, and as a former player, Southgate knows giving minutes to the non-starters can work wonders for squad morale.
England got so close to a World Cup final in 2018, ultimately losing in extra time to Croatia.Ā
Southgate will feel he has got the tools to go on and take the next step by reaching the final and ultimately becoming world champions.
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