For once the hype surrounding The Three Lions is completely justified and anything short of bringing the trophy home will rightly be judged a failure.
England are, as you would expect, the favourites and the best odds you’re now likely to get are 3-1, but you should still be backing them with as much cash as you can afford.
Southgate has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal with a world-class pool of players to choose from.
However, when it comes to major tournaments, the England manager isn’t known for taking risks and experimenting and even armchair supporters will feel confident they can guess his final team ahead of the first match and be spot-on.
Okay, Shaw’s fitness concerns leave the door slightly ajar for Trippier to step up, but other than that surely it’s straightforward? And, just maybe, Alexander-Arnold won’t be the one to join the other five shoe-ins, but apart from that it really is a done deal.
Just in case you’re still not sure, this is the 11 – Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Saka, Kane, Foden.
I do understand a few other players have forced their way into the fringes. Gordon, Palmer, Watkins, Mainoo, will all be warming the bench ready, and desperate, to play their part if required.
But, given how little real competition there is for starting places, why was there any need to draw up a 33-man provisional roster?
“It’s like leading a whole class of kids into a sweet shop and waiting for them all to choose what they want before telling half a dozen to leave empty-handed…”
It’s not such an issue for the rock-solid favourites, but what’s the advantage of naming such a bumper group of players when, just days later, seven unfortunate souls have to be axed.
It’s like leading a whole class of kids into a sweet shop and waiting for them all to choose what they want before telling half a dozen to leave empty-handed.
But, leaving aside this nonsense, the rest of their preparation has been good and Southgate won’t risk any of his favourites in the remaining warm-up friendlies (which will both be boring) ahead of leaving for Germany.
Remember, they only just missed out on taking the last European Championship – if it hadn’t been for a couple of pesky penalties at Wembley they’d already be heroes. And, they shone in the last World Cup, only going out by the slimmest of margins to a very lucky French side.
And since both these desperately close calls the whole squad has got stronger with Kane, Foden, and particularly Bellingham, reaching even greater heights.
The main reason though that I’m so confident England can go all the way this time is not because of the strength of squad or the world-class players who will undoubtedly shine in the team. It’s because of the players he’s finally had the gumption to drop – leaving Sterling, Rashford and Henderson out of the reckoning is the real key to England now going all the way.
