Why do Premier League stars keep looking disjointed in English shirts?

England's Theo Walcott (7) and Jack Wilshere (10) failed to show the chemistry they have at Arsenal.

AP

Perhaps not coincidentally, this was the fifth game in a row in which Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka played together in central defense. Consistency of selection is a huge issue: after all, how can intermovement and the mutual understanding that promotes fluency develop if the same players never get the chance of train and play together? Those seven withdrawals Hodgson spoke about are not a short term stroke of bad luck: they're symptomatic of a far wider issue. Only players know whether they withdraw more readily from international games than club matches, but it's fair to say that international football is rarely the priority.