Rio Ferdinand has picked his England World Cup XI ahead of tournament Everyone out there with even a sliver of interest in football is at it. Going through the squad list in your head, weighing up each player's good points and downsides, asking yourself whether he is good enough to play as a pivot in the World Cup. Well, you're not alone. As we've agreed, everyone is doing it, including former England international Rio Ferdinand. Rocket caught up with Rio at Football Escapes in Portugal who told him exactly who he believes should be in England's starting eleven for their opening World Cup match against Tunisia on Monday. Unlike most of us, Rio actually does have experience of playing in a World Cup - he was called up for four squads and played in two in 2002 and 2006 - giving him a position of authority on the subject. As such he has some interesting opinions on exactly what makes up a well-rounded squad. Some may even surprise you a little bit. “That team wins the f****** World Cup bruv!”@rioferdy5 names his ideal England XI for the World Cup 🏆 Thanks to @footballescapes & @Gymshark pic.twitter.com/REPgZICBda — FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) June 13, 2018 Advertisement<doc-sep>This article is part of the Guardian’s 2018 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who have qualified for Russia. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 14 June. Gareth Southgate committed to a three-man defence back in the autumn, tweaking the 4-2-3-1 system which had been successfully employed through a comfortable qualification campaign. The manager is now convinced a variation of 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 is the best way to eke performances and possession from a youthful group. At first glance it appeared a risky tactic given England are not blessed with top quality centre-halves. Yet the decision in March to employ Kyle Walker as the right sided central defender in the back-line, with Kieran Trippier coming in at wing-back, looks inspired. The Manchester City defender tucks in off the flank with his club, and injects pace and forward intent to the national team’s rearguard that will surely have the ball-playing John Stones at its heart, and the hugely promising Harry Maguire, Gary Cahill or Eric Dier on the left. It also allows England to exploit their principal assets: their wing-back options, whether Walker and Trippier on one side, or Danny Rose on the opposite flank. Dier could, of course, feature in defensive midfield and there may be times at the tournament when Southgate feels the need to employ two holding players to shield those at the back. Yet, when England need to be more progressive (against Panama and Tunisia in the group, for example), the 3-5-2 should see two forward thinking No 8s – plucked from Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard or Ruben Loftus-Cheek, for example – and either Dier or, more likely, Jordan Henderson as the central pivot. Given the lack of a natural playmaker, a No 10 who can create from the centre, packing midfield with energy and, in Loftus-Cheek’s case, a blend of skill and power seems a sensible alternative. “I think the system gives us good stability and it gives us easier solutions for our midfield players as well,” said Southgate. “Then there is a possibility to switch with what we play in front of it: maybe get two strikers in for certain games, or two midfielders off a forward, or three in midfield and two forwards.” He certainly has options. If Harry Kane leads the line, he can be supported either by the elusive Raheem Sterling, the promising Marcus Rashford, the party’s leading scorer Danny Welbeck, an out-and-out strike partner in Jamie Vardy, or a pair of attacking midfielders or wingers. Either way, Sterling already feels key to the system. The City player has just enjoyed his most productive club season yet, and brought that form to the England set-up in March. “That was good to see because, if we play 3-4-3, we know Raheem can play the No 10 role as he did against France last year,” said Southgate. “But could he play as one of two forwards when he usually plays on the wing for Manchester City? “We know he likes playing through the middle and his performance reminded me of that little spell at Liverpool where he was behind Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge, running and dribbling through the middle of the park,” Southgate continued. Sterling has yet to illuminate a major finals and so much depends upon whether he is confident and content when the campaign begins in Volgograd. Probable starting XI England probable starting XI Which player is going to surprise everyone at the World Cup? Ruben Loftus-Cheek goes to the tournament in the best form of his fledgling career. The Chelsea loanee is powerfully built, skilful in possession and deceptively quick across the turf. He thrived on international debut against Brazil in November and has long been championed by Southgate. Which player is likely to disappoint? Harry Kane will be convinced he can claim the tournament’s Golden Boot and, having struggled to make an impact at Euro 2016, will be anxious to make his mark. Yet the ankle injury he sustained in mid-March did blunt his form in Spurs’ jittery run-in. He has appeared rusty in the period since. Will he hit the ground running in Russia? What is the realistic aim for England at the World Cup and why? Passage into the quarter-finals is conceivable and the squad boasts the talent to achieve that goal. It would be welcome after the trauma of Brazil 2014, when England stumbled in their group and effectively exited the tournament six days into their campaign. Anything beyond the last eight is improbable, particularly given the calibre of opponent they would meet at that stage. Dominic Fifield writes for the Guardian. Follow him on Twitter here.<doc-sep>Time to put yourself in Gareth Southgate's shoes and pick an England World Cup starting XI, plus formation, as the players begin final preparations for Monday's opener against Tunisia. England begin their campaign against the north Africans before facing World Cup debutants Panama and much-fancied Belgium in Group G. Southgate has settled on a variation on a 3-5-2 system in the final few matches before the tournament, a formation that offers England tactical flexibility. The first decision to make is who starts in-goal: Jordan Pickford is in possession of the shirt and his distribution is admired by Southgate, but Nick Pope and Jack Butland also have solid claims to the No 1 jersey. Will you play a back three or a back four? Are you enamoured with John Stones' elegance in possession or distrustful of his ability to defend against the very best?<doc-sep>
Gareth Southgate is set to spring a major World Cup surprise by starting Ashley Young and Harry Maguire in England's opening game, writes John Cross in Repino. Southgate is preparing to kick off the Three Lions' challenge against Tunisia on Monday by fielding NINE World Cup debutants. Even Manchester United's Young, at 32 the oldest member member of England’s squad, has never played in the tournament. Leicester defender Maguire looks set to start ahead of Chelsea’s more experienced Gary Cahill on the left of a back three. (Image: Getty) (Image: Reuters) It all means Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling are the only members of Southgate’s potential starting team to have taken part in a World Cup before. Southgate used the line-up, in a 3-4-2-1 formation, in training on Thursday, and the versatile Young has appeared to get the nod over Tottenham's Danny Rose at left wing-back. Liverpool captain Henderson, who has also been in a straight fight with Eric Dier of Spurs for a place in midfield, also seems set to start. (Image: Reuters) (Image: Action Images via Reuters) Everton keeper Jordan Pickford is still to be told that he will be England’s No1 at these finals but there is no doubt in the players’ minds that he has got the job. Southgate gave the players a rousing talk before the session to impress upon them that their World Cup starts in earnest now. They had a session open to the public 24 hours earlier, Thursday was the first time he appeared to reveal his hand to the players. Southgate is committed to using a back three and that is set to be Manchester City duo Kyle Walker and John Stones plus Maguire, while Tottenham's Kieran Trippier and Young are in pole position to be the wing-backs. Rose might have been favourite but his lack of game-time has opened the door for Young. Spurs' Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard of Manchester United and Man City's Sterling will complete the midfield with captain Harry Kane, also of Tottenham, in attack. PROBABLE TEAMPickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Alli, Lingard, Henderson, Young; Sterling; Kane.