ONE thing is for certain, Gareth Southgate’s England will never be compared to Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle.
There will be no cavalier attacking, no legs-akimbo defending and no ‘we’re going to score one more than you’ mentality in Russia next summer.
Neither will they provide the off-field showbiz circus of the Becks and Sven days in Baden-Baden either.
In fact, Southgate’s Three Lions will attempt to bore the pants off a global audience at the World Cup finals.
They have scored two goals and conceded none in their past four matches and their manager intends to stick to his current formula.
Three centre-backs, plus another auxiliary defender in Eric Dier just in front, plus a couple of wing-backs. That is six at the back if you are being unkind.
Yet should England replicate their recent form when they get to Russia — draw 0-0 with the best teams, win 1-0 against the average ones — few will be complaining.
Southgate has been quietly ruthless with so many of the bigger ‘names’ in the squad he inherited.
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Wayne Rooney was forced into retirement, while Jack Wilshere, Daniel Sturridge, Theo Walcott, Chris Smalling, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain now all find themselves on the outside looking in.
Unlike Roy Hodgson, he will not be trying to shoehorn stars into his side where they do not fit and he will not be risking players with poor fitness records.
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And unlike his former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, Southgate is not in thrall to celebrity.
Without making a song and dance about it, he has been no respecter of reputation.
Given that this current crop of players is not exactly bursting with star quality anyway, this was a high-risk strategy — but the gamble seems to be paying off.
Because, despite an absence of outstanding results, England have made steady progress.
The nation’s bright footballing future is not going to arrive soon enough for Russia — few if any of England’s Under-17 or Under-20 World Cup winners will be ready for a place in his 23-man squad.
But given that he hopes and intends to stick around and see it all come to fruition at future tournaments, Southgate has worked on a formation and a playing style best suited to guiding a limited squad through to the last 16 and hopefully beyond.
Given a glaring lack of central midfield creativity and an indifferent group of out-and-out wingers, Southgate is dead set on employing wing-backs.
His right-backs, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier, are proving themselves as quality Champions League performers.
On the left, Ryan Bertrand is one of only two current England players to have won the damn thing, while Danny Rose borders on world-class when fully fit.
The progress of John Stones has been one of the major plus points for Southgate this season.
Harry Maguire and Joe Gomez can now fight it out with Michael Keane and Phil Jones, with three of those four likely to reach the World Cup along with Stones and Gary Cahill.
It is further forward where Southgate is struggling.
Anchor man Dier is likely to be partnered in midfield by either Jordan Henderson or Harry Winks, although Ruben Loftus-Cheek or perhaps Dele Alli could move from a No 10 role to a No 8.
More than most, the inexperienced Winks and Loftus-Cheek still need long runs of regular Premier League football to make sure they are on the plane.
If Dele stays further forward, Southgate will only be able to pick one of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana and Marcus Rashford — all arguably worthy of a starting place if fully fit and firing.
Along with Stones, Dier and Dele, Harry Kane is nailed on.
Not that the best-laid plans of an England boss can ever be set in stone.
Ahead of Euro 2016, Hodgson’s plans changed drastically during the long break from international football between November and March, largely due to breakthrough seasons for a young core of Tottenham players.
England then roared back from 2-0 down to beat world champs Germany in Berlin in the most thrilling Three Lions display in years.
Just when Hodgson thought he had cracked it, the whole thing fell apart.
Southgate, in contrast, is tailoring an England team in his own image.
Sensible, organised, intelligent, efficient — but ultimately not very exciting.
And that is pretty much as good as we should expect right now.
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