As the countdown to Russia 2018 begins, England head coach Gareth Southgate does not so much have a selection headache as a full-blown migraine. The fact is that too many England players either aren't playing or aren't playing well.
There are four matches before England's World Cup campaign kicks off against Tunisia — the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Friday, Italy at Wembley next Tuesday; then Nigeria at Wembley on June 2 and Costa Rica at Leeds on June 7. In reality, it leaves Southgate three more matches — six hours — to decide on his 23 for Russia as the squad must be named by June 4.
Southgate usually oozes optimism — if your car was written off, he'd say it was a chance to buy a new one. Yet even Southgate will be worried that with the clock ticking the reality is he probably knows only one certain starter of his defensive unit.