Southgate Defends WC Squad: What Are The Odds On England Going All The Way?
The 2022 Qatar World Cup is almost upon us. Domestic leagues around the world have temporarily stopped, and the masses are beginning to arrive in the Middle Eastern peninsula as they await the beginning of what is widely regarded as football’s grandest event.
As is always the case, national media sources across the world have been abuzz with speculation about the final state of their respective squads. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in England, with Gareth Southgate facing unyielding attention as he got ready to name his World Cup squad. Football is all about opinions, so it will come as no surprise to learn that the named England squad received mixed reactions when it was finally released. Let’s take a look at why Gareth Southgate made the choices he did and discuss how likely England are to secure their first piece of major silverware in over 50 years.
Who Is In The Squad?
Speculation and anticipation had nearly reached a fever-pitch by the time Gareth Southgate finally announced England’s 2022 World Cup squad. While many of England’s heavy hitters made the squad as predicted, there were a few surprise additions and unexpected omissions.
One of the biggest surprises was the inclusion of Leicester City forward James Maddison. The 25-year-old is not without his critics, but his electric form that has seen him involved in 22 goals this year made him impossible for the manager to ignore. Marcus Rashford was welcomed back into the line up as well, after not featuring since his devastating penalty miss against Italy in the final of Euro 2020. Newcastle’s Callum Wilson was also added to the forward line up, beating both Roma’s Tammy Abraham and Brentford’s Ivan Toney. The omission of the latter was met with much backlash, but Southgate stood by his decision and maintained that Toney had not demonstrated enough in training to merit a spot in the squad.
The defensive choices have also proved somewhat contentious. The loss of Reece James and Ben Chilwell to injury has forced Southgate to reassess his options, ultimately going for Arsenal defender Ben White to plug the gap and putting extra pressure on Bukayo Saka, who will be expected to perform at left- wing-back, a position he has struggled in previously.
What Are England’s Chances? Check the Betting Odds
As with most major international tournaments, England are among the favourites to emerge victorious. The bookies and casinos are set to enjoy a massive influx of traffic as the tournament gets set to kick off, with many adapting their marketing and advertising strategies to reflect the sense of global excitement. Head over to new no deposit casinos and see for yourself, you’ll find plenty of World Cup-themed games and promotions.
As for England’s chances, the odds often don’t paint the full picture, there is some formidable competition lying in wait. While the England squad is certainly one of the strongest in the world, by monetary value if nothing else, some of the other teams boast incredible line ups with some of the sport’s greatest talents.
Nonetheless, England are certainly in with a shout. Experts have used advanced analytics and predictive models, which revealed that the Three Lions are currently the fifth most likely to lift the World Cup. Considering the competition, this is an encouraging result.
Who Are The Favourites?
Brazil, who somehow have not won the World Cup since 2002, are the current favourites to lift the trophy at this year’s tournament. This is hardly surprising given their squad, which counts Neymar, Vinicius Jr, and Martinelli among its ranks.
Argentina certainly can’t be counted out either. They will be led by the genius that is Messi, who will have Di Maria, Paredes, and Dybala alongside him.
France and Spain are in with a shout, too. France are the current World Champions, while Spain have a finely balanced squad made up of young, ambitious players and grizzled veterans like Busquets, a dangerous combination in any tournament. Portugal shouldn’t be forgotten about either, Cristiano Ronaldo is incredibly dangerous even in the twilight of his career.
A Potential Final
Anything can happen in the World Cup, and it is impossible to truly predict potential outcomes. However, models would suggest that if England were to make it to the final after topping their group, they could face Brazil, Germany, or Spain. If they reached the final after coming second in their group, potential opponents could be France, Belgium, or Portugal. Either way, the Lions are in for a tough fight.
Conclusion
Southgate has defended his squad choices and is confident they will give England the best possible chance. We’ll find out for sure soon enough.
