Video game makers use official data to select the best current England side.
Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart should be omitted from Roy Hodgson’s England XI to face Slovenia – according to the Premier League’s official player ranking index provided by EA Sports.
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EA Sports have released the data to pick the best 23-man squad for the England national side, and some of the results for the starting XI are a little surprising.
The biggest, perhaps, is that the only two representatives from the Manchester clubs, Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart, have made the squad, but not the starting line up.
The starting XI is as follows:
GK: Fraser Forster – Southampton
PPI Index: 119
There was little doubt that Forster would make a positive impact in the Premier League, and he has been a key figure in Southampton’s bright start to the campaign.
RB: Nathaniel Clyne – Southampton
PPI Index: 160
Clyne, too, has been instrumental in helping the Saints recover from a devastating summer, and has made a nuisance of himself bombing up and down the right flank.
CB: Gary Cahill – Chelsea
PPI Index: 149
Already an England regular, the Blues stopper has continued to form a strong partnership alongside John Terry.
CB: Phil Jagielka – Everton
PPI Index: 146
The Toffees man, like Cahill, is also a regular within the national side but his appearance in this side comes off the back of scoring a howitzer in the Merseyside derby and learning that he was the fastest player in the Premier League.
LB: Leighton Baines – Everton
PPI Index: 186
Baines may not be playing up to his own high standards so far this term, but his crossing abilities have kept his place safe.
LW: Raheem Sterling – Liverpool
PPI Index: 211
Despite being ‘tired’ and slightly under performing, Sterling still manages to make the cut.
CM: Mark Noble – West Ham
PPI Index: 144
The Hammers star has often been mooted for an England call up, but it has so far yet to happen. Could he be in line for an appearance based on current numbers?
CM: Jordan Henderson – Liverpool
PPI Index: 150
Seen as Steven Gerrard’s successor, he has taken over the importance left behind by the ageing Reds skipper and has stood up to the task admirably.
RW: Stewart Downing – West Ham
PPI Index: 207
The former international regular has been in great form this season, creating assists and scoring his fair share, too.
ST: Charlie Austin – Queens Park Rangers
PPI Index: 156
In October alone Austin popped up with three rather important goals, bagging a brace to topple Villa and scoring against Chelsea in their 2-1 defeat.
ST: Saido Berahino – West Bromwich Albion
PPI Index: 235
Arguably the most inform English striker in the Premier League right now. His PPI rating is the highest on the team.
The rest of the 23-man squad is below with their PPI index number next to their names.
Joe Hart 97
Ben Foster 89
Ryan Bertrand 171
Aaron Cresswell 155
Ryan Shawcross 132
Craig Dawson 118
Gareth Barry 124
Tom Huddlestone 121
Nathan Dyer 131
Wayne Routledge 122
Fraizer Campbell 137
Wayne Rooney 127
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