Picking England's 2018 World Cup Squad After Latest International Games
England's victory over Lithuania on Sunday means the Three Lions are well on track to reach next summer's World Cup in Russia.
Gareth Southgate's side are four points clear at the top of Group F, and if results go their way, they can seal safe passage to the finals by early September.
The England boss may say otherwise, but his team's dominance in a group which contains little threat means that eyes are already being cast to Russia 2018.
How will England attempt to overcome the woes of Brazil 2014 and the nightmare of last summer's European Championship in France? What system will Southgate play to make his team competitive? Who are the rising stars who will give England an edge?
The crux of it is that England's fortunes depend largely on the players Southgate picks. Using our crystal ball, Bleacher Report look ahead as we try to predict who will make it on to the plane with the Three Lions boss and his fellow coaches.
Goalkeepers
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Joe Hart
Undoubtedly England's No. 1—for now.
Hart will be on the plane to Russia should England qualify. He brings experience and is a strong character in the dressing room. He is straight-talking with his team-mates and the media; for a squad that will remain in a transitional period, that will be vital.
Hart isn't going to be at Manchester City next season. That's not conjecture, but fact, given how quick manager Pep Guardiola disposed of him this term. His biggest task is to find a good club that will enhance his prospects to remain as England's No. 1.
Considering everything else, he has to be in the England squad.
Fraser Forster
The Southampton man is certainly in England's top group of goalkeepers. He has shown himself to be an excellent shot-stopper—a cliched term, yet still vital for any goalkeeper—and is a presence in the penalty area.
Forster's issue is that he has an air of Rob Green about him—he has a costly mistake up his sleeve somewhere—and that doesn't breed confidence in his ability to be the standout No. 1.
There are better goalkeepers for England, yet Forster still ranks highly regardless of the mishaps he has shown in the past.
Jack Butland
Currently on the comeback trail after fracturing his ankle while on international duty a year ago, Butland is the biggest threat to Hart's No. 1 jersey right now.
Sure, he hasn't played a game in all of 2016/17 for Stoke City, but he has enough time to rediscover his best form and establish himself in Southgate's thinking.
Butland was in excellent form before his setback, and there's an argument to suggest he could have usurped Hart now had it not been for the injury.
He fits the bill for Southgate's new-look squad, too. At 24, Butland represents the future of English goalkeeping.
Defenders
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Luke Shaw, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker and Nathaniel Clyne
We've grouped all the full-backs here for good reason. Not only are the quartet England's best options on the flanks as defenders, but they offer so much going forward.
Shaw, Rose, Walker and Clyne are capable of playing in any system Southgate deploys. Whether they're in the traditional full-back positions or as wing-backs—as we saw against Germany—they have the qualities to excel.
They're all quick, but they also have an end product in the final third.
With a bit more belief and nous, any one of these four players can develop into an essential part of the Three Lions team moving forward, giving England a dynamism they have lacked previously.
Gary Cahill
He captained England in the friendly against Germany last week, and there aren't many players who are more senior than Cahill at the moment.
The Chelsea man has been the Blues' skipper in the absence of John Terry this season, leading Antonio Conte's men on their record-breaking 13-match winning streak.
He's a big figure, and while he'll be 32 in the summer of 2018, he can't be overlooked. Southgate is committed to bringing youngsters through, but allowing the likes of Cahill to be left at home will be a step too far.
And we shouldn't forget the Steve Holland influence. England's assistant manager knows all about Cahill from their time together at Chelsea. The coach will leave Stamford Bridge in the summer, but he'll be sure to keep the defender's qualities at the forefront of his thinking with Southgate.
Chris Smalling
How much will another season under Jose Mourinho have helped Smalling? The jury's still out as to whether he is an international-class defender, but then England are so short centrally that he will probably squeeze into the World Cup squad.
Right now, we don't know what will happen with Ben Gibson or Michael Keane. If either of that pair get a move from Middlesbrough and Burnley, respectively, that could spell the end for Smalling as a first choice for England.
Playing for Chelsea, Everton or another of the Premier League's big sides will expose Gibson and Keane to a better standard of football, which will be a threat.
Still, Smalling is a Manchester United player, and we have seen in the past how Mourinho can develop and improve those he works with over time.
John Stones
Forget the errors he has become known for, Stones is developing into one of England's best players. He still has a long way to go to justify the £47.5 million price tag Manchester City slapped on him when they signed the centre-back from Everton last summer, but he has all the attributes.
Stones is growing with his exposure to Champions League football. He is learning, and the experience of playing under Guardiola is paying off. In 15 months, he'll be a wiser, more senior player.
Besides all that, Stones is unlike any other centre-back England have. He can play out from the back—a quality that is becoming more vital in the modern game.
Midfielders
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Adam Lallana
Right now, the Liverpool man is arguably England's best attacking midfielder. Under Jurgen Klopp, he has developed his game dramatically at Anfield, and the national team are beginning to be rewarded for it.
Lallana is inventive, yet he has an incredible work ethic. That helps when pressing teams, but it also helps to maintain a tactical shape—something England have struggled with at major tournaments.
Raheem Sterling
There isn't another England midfielder as dynamic as Sterling. He has everything to his game, proving a real threat in the box or just outside. He offers a counter-attacking option to get in behind opposition defences, too.
It may have only been Lithuania, but Sterling's burst of pace to assist Jermain Defoe for England's opener on Sunday showed us what he's all about. He'll allow Southgate to play alternate systems, notably the 3-4-3 we saw against Germany.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
He's remodelling himself as a central midfielder and the early signs are that Oxlade-Chamberlain is capable of making that transition.
Defensively he looks suspect, yet he has awesome pace to drive at teams through the middle. If Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger continues his pet project of making Oxlade-Chamberlain a more central figure, that will only benefit England as Southgate is short on talent in those areas.
Eric Dier
Is he a defender or midfielder? We're not sure Dier himself has the answer to that. It's not important anyway, as he rarely disappoints in central midfield or defence.
The Tottenham Hotspur man is a real competitor and doesn't shirk a challenge. Every team needs that bite, and he brings it to an England team that is strangely lacking when it comes to physicality.
Dele Alli
We've just mentioned Lallana as potentially being England's best attacking midfielder. Well, step forward, Dele Alli, to rival him for that crown.
In terms of being a goalscorer, there isn't a better midfielder England can choose in the final third at the moment. Alli is showing that with Tottenham, and he's getting better as he matures.
We can see that with his runs into the box, often timing them to perfection. He plays as a second striker at times and with understanding alongside club-mate Harry Kane, he is a major asset for the English game.
Ross Barkley
We didn't see him play a single minute in the recent internationals. That shouldn't deter Ross Barkley; if anything, it should inspire him in the same way it did with Everton when he was dropped earlier this season.
Barkley hasn't shown much of himself in an England shirt yet, he's been playing within himself whenever he has featured. Give him the confidence we see in Everton blue and it will be a different prospect altogether.
Tom Davies
We haven't seen in him in full England colours yet, but Davies is going to be a huge star.
With another 12 months of first-team football under his belt, his youth will be no concern for Southgate. The 18-year-old already looks an established name at Goodison Park without even reaching 20 appearances.
He won't be a starter in Russia, but he'll provide options with his invention and drive from midfield.
Jordan Henderson
The Liverpool captain missed out on the recent matches with Germany and Lithuania through injury. He'll probably be concerned by the fact England didn't miss him much and Southgate played different systems that suited other players.
Still, Henderson shouldn't be written off. When fit, his high energy and endeavour in midfield are crucial to getting a foothold in matches.
England are trying to press teams more, and with Henderson in the engine room week in week out for Liverpool, he'll bring invaluable knowledge.
Strikers
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Marcus Rashford
There was a debate about his Euro 2016 inclusion. When it comes to the World Cup—with Rashford two years older and wiser—that won't be the case.
The Manchester United man is a supreme talent and has shown that with the way he has burst on to the scene. He may not be scoring at the same rate as he was this time last year, but the performances are still there.
The 19-year-old always looks a threat and seems to have the Midas touch. He makes things happen—whether he's scoring or making goals for others.
Harry Kane
He's England's most potent goal threat. If Kane transforms his club form to the international stage, then it's game on for England at the World Cup.
The problem Southgate faces is how to make that happen; Kane hasn't scaled the same heights for England as he has for Spurs.
His record of five goals in 17 internationals isn't the return we were expecting, especially as he's faced the likes of San Marino in that time.
Still, Kane is England's No. 1 frontman.
Danny Welbeck
It comes down to fitness with Welbeck, and we're putting our faith in the Arsenal medical staff to get the 26-year-old playing regularly again in 2017/18. If that happens, it changes the dynamic of England's front-line choices.
If we're comparing England's options, Welbeck is a Rashford-Kane hybrid. He's not as prolific as the latter, but he does possess the eye for a goal and the same penetration as the United man.
He has many qualities that complement the others we've selected here and that's what England managers like. They may not always select the best player, instead preferring the best option, which is what Welbeck is.
Jamie Vardy
For his pace alone, Vardy strikes fear into defenders. The problem he's had with England is that he's been underused. He's started the wrong matches and rarely been introduced at the ideal time to make an impact.
What the Leicester City man offers is a fear factor. Whether it be from the start of matches or midway through the second half, he provides the option to pin teams back and get England on the front foot.
If the Three Lions play to their strengths and don't rely on a passing game too often, Vardy will be a useful asset.
The 30-year-old's game is about quick transitions, and if Southgate can incorporate that, England will be a major threat.
Dominic Solanke
Our wild card—there's always one in a World Cup squad for England. Should he leave Chelsea this summer, we're predicting that Solanke will surprise a few people.
With the 19-year-old frozen out at Stamford Bridge this season, all the focus has been on Tammy Abraham's form on loan with Bristol City.
When the pair played together at Chelsea, though, it was Solanke who led the scoring charts. He is an exceptional talent just waiting to burst on the scene.
With the right club and manager behind him, his form from Chelsea's and England's development squads could propel him to a World Cup place.
Those Missing the Plane
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We've already mentioned Michael Keane and Ben Gibson who are victims of fashion when it comes to our prediction.
So much of football is about opinion, and for two players plying their trade outside of the elite clubs, they will struggle to impose themselves when Southgate has stars with Champions League experience to select from.
That's not to suggest a decision to leave either of them out is justified, but it has proved to be the reality too often with England squads.
The defensive pair aren't the biggest casualties on our list, however.
There's no Wayne Rooney—and for good reason. Not only is his Manchester United career looking over, but also his time on the international stage. He may well be England's record goalscorer, but there are other players coming through who deserve an opportunity.
Rooney doesn't offer the same intensity of old and would struggle to get in ahead of the strikers we have selected.
The same can be said for Jermain Defoe.
It was a great plot twist when Southgate gave the 34-year-old his recent call-up to the England squad, and Defoe reacted by scoring his 20th England goal in the World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.
It's going well now, but where will he be this time next year? Will he remain at Sunderland, who look certain for relegation? Should he leave, will he be a regular at his new club? Defoe is 35 in October and this World Cup feels like two years too late for him.
And what of Daniel Sturridge? He was England's main man in Brazil 2014, but sleepwalking through the past few seasons has done his reputation little good. He isn't playing enough at Liverpool, and it's difficult to see him rediscovering his best given what he has experienced more recently with his injury struggles.
As for youngsters, Chelsea have plenty coming through, such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathaniel Chalobah and Lewis Baker. They're talented, but game time will be an issue for them next season—any hope of a surprise inclusion is going to be a tough ask.
