Arsenal's Ben White embraces unfamiliar role but adds to questions over forgotten man

The primary purpose of this drab friendly, free of genuine consequence, was to provide England’s players with an opportunity to experiment a different style of opponent and experiment both with shapes and personnel. So of course, owing to injuries and rotation, Ben White ended up playing in an unfamiliar position that happens to be the one where, ordinarily, Gareth Southgate has a surfeit of options.

There appears no chance of the Arsenal defender appearing in that role when things get going in Qatar come November but it was notable that England started with a back four against Cote d’Ivoire instead of continuing with the three that looked unconvincing in the first half against Switzerland on Saturday.

It was additionally notable because the player most suited to operating in that system was not even part of this squad despite being in excellent club form. Eric Dier has been a key component of Tottenham Hotspur’s improvement over the past month as the central figure of a three-man defence and this time last year he was still a part of the national team plans when his club form was in the toilet.

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But then he narrowly missed out on the European Championship squad, with Southgate speaking glowingly about his past contributions and stressing that the door would remain open in the future. He is yet to be invited back in and with no other uncompetitive fixtures pencilled in between now and the World Cup squad being announced the possibility of a return seems slim.

This was among the least taxing evenings of the Southgate era with the appointed back four having little defending to do. Still, to hear Harry Maguire being booed before and during the game was