Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere will not be traveling with England squad to the World Cup in Russia, according to BBC Sport.

While Wilshere isn’t the only major exclusion from the list, he is the player fans and pundits alike have been surprised not to see playing a part in England’s route to the finals. Joe Hart, who is another major omission from England squad, is seen as a shadow of his former self. The English goalkeeper only made 19 appearances for a struggling West Ham team. The fact that he lost his place to Adrian tells a lot about his form.

Hart aside, Wilshere is the one player England really needs at the World Cup. Gareth Southgate has picked a team full of young and promising players with many of them having a preference for attacking football. Harry Kane, Dele Ali, and even Kyle Walker all have a preference to attack.

While this may come as positive for the English national team, they would definitely lack the anchor who would determine the intensity of games. Even in the past, long before sportsbooks that accept Bitcoin came to be, it was generally accepted that the midfield is where games are won. Midfield is the link between defence and attack, and Southgate has chosen to exclude the best English midfielder from his World Cup squad.

Having played about 40 matches for the Gunners this season, Jack Wilshere was widely expected to start for England at the World Cup. However, the national team coach has decided that a player who has largely featured as a defender in the last two years is a better midfield inclusion than Wilshere.

In the eyes of Gareth Southgate, Fabian Delph is capable of doing much more than the Arsenal midfield maestro. It is fair to say that Delph has nothing to contribute to an English side featuring the likes of Eric Dier, Kyle Walker, Phil Jones, Ashley Young, and John Stones. He isn’t in the bracket of any of those defenders (including Young). More so, his midfield style isn’t so unique that England would be in desperate need of such.

Unfortunately, the man who has been tipped as the natural heir to Frank Lampard, Steven Gerard, and Paul Scholes altogether has been denied of showcasing his talent on the biggest stage. He has been denied of saving his country from another group stage elimination.

The question right now isn’t if England will be knocked out of the World Cup; the question is “When will they leave Russia?”

Southgate has made a big mistake, and the country will pay for it.