10 Notable Absentees From England’s World Cup Squad

It's tricky to understand exactly why James Tarkowski, who has been one of the most impressive Premier League defenders of the last year, hasn't earned his spot on the plane. Tarkowski is on the back-up list, but many fans and pundits had expected him to be on the plane by default.

Tarkowski's stats speak for themselves. He's helped Burnley to a Europa League place in the Premier League and contributed with countless clearances and interceptions in almost every game. Linked with several high profile clubs, Tarkowski's performances haven't gone unnoticed, but clearly weren't enough for Southgate to select him over the likes of Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, or Harry Maguire.

Southgate gave Tarkowski a chance in a friendly earlier in the year, with the Burnley man impressing overall but ultimately giving away a soft penalty, which must have worked against him in Southgate's mind. Since he's on the back-up list, he might still get to go to Russia and could surely contribute to the Three Lions' defensive line if so.