Form vs. loyalty: England's World Cup selection issues

DOHA, Qatar -- Perhaps the biggest trial of manager Gareth Southgate's loyalty to definite England players comes now. England participate the World Cup circular of 16, wherever they look Senegal connected Sunday, with a enactment conundrum mostly absent successful erstwhile tournaments nether the 52-year-old: prime players connected signifier oregon past planetary performance?

Prior to 2016, determination truly was nary "past planetary performance" worthy considering. That summer, England were humiliated astatine the round-of-16 signifier by Iceland and the gradual modulation to a caller procreation begun by Roy Hodgson was accelerated by Southgate pursuing Sam Allardyce's little 67-day tenure.

Yet Southgate subsequently delivered a archetypal World Cup semifinal successful 28 years astatine Russia 2018 and past a archetypal large tourney last successful 55 years astatine Euro 2020. That came done a pragmatic methodology that helium is reluctant to wholly abandon, adjacent arsenic the creation of his squad has gradually accentuated towards a top-heavy, creative-led endowment pool.

Central to the enactment helium has done successful redefining the players' narration with the England shirt, specifically embracing the opportunities it presents alternatively than feeling its value of past failures, has been a squad tone impervious to nine travails. And a cardinal facet of that separation is the cognition that erstwhile contributions to the origin are not forgotten. It is wherefore Southgate faces immoderate immense decisions up of the Senegal game, partially informed by the mode his loyalty has truthful acold been rewarded successful Qatar by different players successful the squad.

Here, ESPN takes a look astatine the England players who astir intelligibly correspond the signifier vs. estimation debate.

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Harry Maguire

Make nary mistake: Maguire was fortunate to beryllium successful this England squad based connected his Manchester United form. The 29-year-old centre-back has made conscionable 9 appearances for United this season, with 1 commencement successful the Premier League since August, and AC Milan's Serie A victor Fikayo Tomori tin consciousness peculiarly aggrieved to person been near out. Yet, Maguire's archetypal 3 performances successful Qatar person turned the timepiece backmost to 2018, erstwhile helium was a cardinal fig astatine the backmost and an indispensable constituent of the "Love Train," the nickname fixed to the enactment of players assembled for England's country routines.

Maguire earned cult-hero presumption during that tourney and proved himself again arsenic portion of England's defence successful 5 of the 7 games astatine Euro 2020 (only missing the archetypal 2 owed to injury), wherever helium made UEFA's Team of the Tournament. There person been times erstwhile Maguire and John Stones person laboured successful possession arsenic they effort to play retired from the backmost -- astir notably against the US -- and the suspicion remains that immoderate large mistake successful an England exit volition reframe his inclusion for immoderate arsenic "Southgate stubbornness." But his authoritative performances successful the radical signifier person settled immoderate statement implicit whether Maguire deserves to commencement up of the different defenders successful this squad.

Luke Shaw

Shaw is England's lone earthy left-back astatine these finals. Ben Chilwell's hamstring injury, sustained astatine the commencement of past month, robbed Southgate of the astir evident challenger to the 27-year-old, who had fallen retired of favour astatine Man United arsenic Erik 10 Hag initially preferred caller accomplishment Tyrell Malacia, earlier Shaw regained his spot to commencement the last 7 Premier League games anterior to the World Cup.

But determination is much going connected here. Shaw spoke successful March 2021 astir a consciousness of regret implicit withdrawing from respective England camps successful erstwhile years, reasoning astir however overmuch helium had been "letting Gareth down." As helium reapplied himself, Southgate handed Shaw different accidental and helium hasn't looked back, scoring England's extremity successful past summer's Euro 2020 last and cementing his spot successful Qatar with 3 coagulated displays. The brace person a renewed enslaved arsenic a result.

Kieran Trippier could play astatine left-back and Bukayo Saka has operated arsenic a near wing-back (unconvincingly) for England, but Shaw was taken disconnected with 25 minutes remaining against Wales erstwhile the crippled was already won, a wide motion that, barring injury, helium volition surely commencement against Senegal.

Raheem Sterling

Here's wherever things commencement to get tricky. Sterling was including successful UEFA's Team of the Tournament astatine Euro 2020 (Harry Kane wasn't) and was a captious subordinate linking midfield and onslaught for England astatine Russia 2018. Yet his nine signifier has been beneath par since his £47.5 cardinal summertime determination from Manchester City to Chelsea, wherever admittedly helium has had to endure a alteration of manager and an adjacent much predominant alteration of presumption arsenic Graham Potter has utilized him arsenic an precocious wing-back connected occasion.

For England, contention is ferocious successful the attacking positions either broadside of striker Kane, with Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford making compelling cases for their inclusion with goal-scoring outings against Wales, portion Saka and Jack Grealish besides person their supporters.

But Southgate has ne'er started a knockout crippled without Sterling successful his lineup. And erstwhile Sterling scored from Kane's walk against Iran, it was the 16th clip the brace person combined for an England extremity from 60 appearances (now 61.) Kane lone has a amended grounds with Son Heung-Min, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, with whom helium played much than 3 times arsenic galore games astatine Tottenham.

Southgate recognises Sterling's past efforts and, erstwhile helium was struggling astatine City past season, the manager is reported to person regularly offered his enactment if needed, maintaining a adjacent relationship. Only Kane (54) has started much games nether Southgate than Sterling (49.) Even though Foden, Rashford and Saka each marque beardown cases for inclusion, it would beryllium a large astonishment if Southgate did not find a spot for the winger fixed their past together.

Jordan Henderson/Kalvin Phillips

The groans were astir audible erstwhile Henderson was Southgate's archetypal alteration arsenic England laboured to a 0-0 gully against the US. But the Liverpool midfielder injected immoderate vigor and impetus into England's midfield, proving helium tin play a much salient relation than conscionable being 1 of the cardinal figures down the scenes to support standards and professionalism wrong the camp.

Henderson is important to the squad dynamic successful that respect -- defender Conor Coady is different illustration of this, providing specified a affirmative beingness successful the radical that Southgate's adjunct Steve Holland named him England's unofficial subordinate of the tourney past summertime without really kicking a shot -- and, successful truth, helium has astir apt been person to the lineup chiefly arsenic a effect of Kalvin Phillips' wounded much than thing else.

Man City were ever upbeat astir Phillips' chances of overcoming his enarthrosis wounded successful clip to marque the World Cup, but helium has needed further clip astatine England's Al Wakrah basal to physique up his sharpness. In his absence, Henderson started against Wales.

Jude Bellingham has been hugely awesome successful England's midfield and volition surely support his place, but it would beryllium bold of Southgate to prime the 19-year-old and Mason Mount successful a 4-3-3 signifier with Declan Rice arsenic England's sole holding midfielder against Senegal. He favoured 2 disciplined cardinal midfielders past summertime successful Rice and Phillips, who were maligned for their blimpish passing contempt Southgate highlighting the stableness and screen they gave a fragile defence.

Switching to 3-4-3 is different option, though that would apt mean 2 of Phillips, Henderson and Mount would miss out. Henderson volition astir most apt driblet to the bench, with a cameo relation to spot the crippled retired should things spell to plan.