England's huge decisions ahead of the World Cup

While an abject defeat at the Puskas Arena threw up more questions than answers for Gareth Southgate, one thing did become crystal clear; England have work to do. 

A 22-game unbeaten run (so long as you ignore the penalty shoot-out defeat in the Euro 2020 final) came to a shuddering halt in Hungary as the Three Lions limped to a 1-0 defeat in their Nations League opener. 

In truth, it is not the first alarming result in the sequence of fixtures. A lack of precision and incision up top has been highlighted in draws at Wembley against Scotland and Hungary. A 1-1 draw in Poland also took its place in the near-miss category. 

The run had been punctuated by resounding victories against non-opponents, with the likes of San Marino, Andorra and Albania all battered within the last 12 months. 

But while some see the Nations League as an aggravation, its tendency throw up opponents of a similar calibre is a far more useful barometer for progress than banging in a bucketload against nations that couldn't even fill Wembley with their own populations.

And on England's recent showings, there are areas needing addressing if a tilt at the World Cup in November can be considered genuine. 

First and foremost on the agenda, would be settling on a formation that allows for both defensive stability and an attacking threat. 

Since the 2018 World Cup, Southgate has used 3-4-3 as his go-to, especially against fiercer opponents. It has allowed for more stability at the back, with John Stones, Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker his preferred triumvirate at the back. 

It has been a formation that has produced some memorable moments - it was in place for the run to the semis in Russia, and for the stunning 2-0 win over Germany at last summer's Euros. 

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