F365 picks England’s World Cup-winning XI: Spence, Rashford win left-wing debate | OneFootball

The F365 England Selection Committee has convened to pick the XI to win the World Cup for Sir Thomas Tuchel…

We’re less than eight months away from the start of the World Cup finals in USA, Canada and Mexico, and with England having long since qualified – along with these nations – Tuchel is using the final qualifiers to suss his selections.

Frankly, most of the team picks itself. As Tuchel said this week, he knows eight of his team if the tournament were to start tomorrow.

Indeed, eight names are unanimous picks among the selectors here at F365: Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Reece James, Marc Guehi and Jordan Pickford.

John Stones gets the nod from all but one of us, but on the left flank, a debate rages.

For the full-back and winger positions, there are three shouts each.

At full-back, Djed Spence gets the nod just ahead of Nico O’Reilly, with Myles Lewis-Skelly getting a mention, despite apparently being one of of the recent call-ups facing World Cup heartache.

On the wing, Marcus Rashford edges out Anthony Gordon, while one F365er finds room for Phil Foden on the left.

One unanimous omission causing some angst on the desk: Cole Palmer. Can the Chelsea star make a case for Bellingham’s place once he returns from injury?

Check out our individual selections below and head Below The Line to tell us why we all know nothing while naming your own England XI to end 60 (sixty) years of hurt.

Sarah Winterburn

Am I happy with Spence at left-back? Not entirely. Can I think of a better option? Not really.

The confected No. 10 debate is just that for me: Bellingham is worth the ego for the football.

And I simply prefer Rashford to Gordon in what feels like a pretty straight fight on the left.

Dave Tickner

I’d still like to try and find a way for Adam Wharton to be in England’s first-choice midfield, because there really is something incredibly special about him. But it’s hard and unnecessary to argue with the work Anderson has done since stepping in alongside Rice. It’s just a partnership that works.

Assuming everyone else is fit (James) and hasn’t given the Daily Mail a fit of the vapours (Bellingham), it’s only really the left-hand side where any meaningful debate exists, for me. And even then, just barely.

Gordon’s running offers something different and necessary to England’s attack in my view, but I can’t say I’m hugely stressed about which of him and Rashford is starter and which is game-changing bench option.

I do prefer Spence’s greater defensive reliability compared to alternative left-back options, though, for major tournament purposes.

Ian Watson

Being unable to find room for Palmer is depressing, but he’ll be needed off the bench to bail us out against Tunisia in the last 32 for sure.

If I can’t have Palmer, I’ll take Foden’s imagination over Rashford’s pace on the left, ahead of his club team-mate O’Reilly at full-back, but only because the City youngster beat Spence on a coin toss. Rashford or Gordon can stretch the game later on.

Will Ford

No place for Palmer which makes me very, very sad, but he can come on and win games off the bench.

Rashford in on the left wing as Gordon will soon be exposed for the massive fraud he is and O’Reilly at left-back as Lewis-Skelly won’t get the game time he needs at Arsenal.

Jason Soutar

This could be a 4-3-3 with Anderson holding. 4-4-2 with Kane and Bellingham up front. Or 4-2-3-1 with Bellingham 10 and Rice next to Anderson.

Only real headache is Stones at centre-back but nobody is good enough to dislodge him. Left-back is debatable but I believe Lewis-Skelly is the best England player in that position. James is the best right-back in the world when fully fit and flying, so him over Trent Alexander-Arnold is a no-brainer for me, Clive.

Wharton has the potential to usurp Anderson but needs to play more under Tuchel first. Morgan Rogers is the perfect back-up for Bellingham if he’s not playing well. And unless he’s the best player in that particular game, I’d be bringing Rashford off for Foden on close to the hour in most games, potentially moving Saka to left-wing to play him on the right.

Lewis Oldham

James, when fit and firing, is still our best right-back and should start if he’s miraculously available.

Guehi and Konsa are a very dependable pairing, while John Stones hasn’t been playing enough to start.

Rice, Anderson, Saka, Bellingham and Kane pick themselves. On the left, Spence and Gordon combined brilliantly during the last break.

Gordon’s forward runs and tireless work rate complement Kane better than Rashford, who can be a great impact sub off the bench.