The Premier League season is over which means you can stop stressing on a Saturday morning at 11.25 that you've not done your fantasy football transfers. Gareth Southgate though has a few more to do before Russia.
Personally I thought Sunday and the end of the league season was a bit of a relief. Short of results that seemed unlikely and ultimately never arrived the season was already over at the top and bottom of the table, meaning nothing really mattered.
On top of that my fantasy football went so bad at the start of the season that I gave up twice, first in around October and again February a couple of weeks after using my second wild card, so the end of that shocker was also quite the relief.
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For Gareth Southgate though his very own version Fantasy Football is only just beginning as the England manager gets set to name his 23 man squad for the World Cup this week.
If the former defender needs any help in picking his team for the opening game against Tunisia then he could look at the Premier League Fantasy Football end of season points to sculpt his side, based on the 5-3-1-1 we think he'll play:
It makes for interesting reading because in some places it might well end up being spot on!
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In net Jordan Pickford looks ever likelier to beat Jack Butland, Joe Hart, Nick Pope and Tom Heaton to being the number one at the tournament and his 152 points puts him in pole position.
Southgate seems to favour the back three and Kyle Walker played centrally for the most recent friendlies against Netherlands and Italy and with 138 points he is the best defender in Fantasy Football.
Chris Smalling would need a late recall to the squad but his 123 points proves that he's the right man to replace the now injured Joe Gomez, with Manchester United teammate Phil Jones just missing out.
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Completing the back three is Leicester City's Harry Maguire who is almost certain to start in Russia and collected 117 points this season.
On the flanks Kieran Trippier's 113 points in no surprise but Aaron Cresswell is the big surprise, leaping ahead of the injury prone Danny Rose, midfield listed Ashley Young and relegation threatened turned survivor Ryan Bertrand on 118 points.
Burnley's Jack Cork is the surprise in midfield in the holding role on 100 points with Jordan Henderson well back on just 75. The attacking options in the middle are Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard on 175 and 128 points respectively and the loss of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to injury means this is a real possibility.
Raheem Sterling's selection on 229 points is a no brainer on paper and in real life, the Manchester City forward is a changed man since his poor performances two years ago at the Euros.
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Finally Harry Kane's inclusion with 217 points is again no surprise although Jamie Vardy can feel slightly hard done to being on 183 points, the second highest for a forward this season.
How far would this fantasy XI get in the World Cup?
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Russia 2018, England, 2018 World Cup, Gareth Southgate, World Cup, Fantasy Football