The throttle must be revved and talent expressed by Gareth Southgate, because it is also the way to win
There is an odd, rather overlooked detail about the recent progress of the England football team. Gareth Southgate has picked 10 full-back combinations for England’s past 11 internationals. Yes, really. Ten!
This has been a giddy two-year journey through James-Maitland Niles, James-Saka, Trippier-Chilwell, Walker-Trippier, James-Chilwell, Walker-Shaw, Walker-Chilwell, Alexander-Arnold-Trippier, Godfrey-Shaw, back to Walker-Trippier and then, last Friday, James-Shaw. It is a tale of faff, vacillation (and unavailability) that has culminated in the baffling gambit of selecting four different full-backs for the opening two group games of Euro 2020. One question presents itself: why?
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