England have not lacked for big-game occasions in recent years, but few feel bigger than Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina.Two European Championship finals in the past five years have offered the chance of silverware but the World Cup is the World Cup, and Argentina are Argentina. In terms of World Cup games played on foreign soil, this feels more seismic than the 2018 semi-final against Croatia — a fine team but not historic rivals of England — while only the 1990 semi-final against West Germany offers a point of comparison in this competition.England have not exactly swept aside all-comers this summer but have shown tournament nous and impressive durability to get this far. Now comes their biggest test to date, with Lionel Messi and company attempting to retain the world title they won in 2022.The Athletic’s panel of experts reveal who they would start in Atlanta tomorrow (Wednesday), and why.Oliver KayThis will be an intense, chaotic game which threatens to go the distance. Do you prepare with a 120-minute match in mind? Do you try to ensure you have proven penalty takers on the pitch at the end of extra time? Or do you just pick your strongest team and worry about the rest later?There aren’t many players you would back to play for two hours again four days after doing so in the quarter-final. Even 90 minutes might be a stretch for Reece James so soon after returning from injury, so it might be a case of weighing up where and when he brings most benefit — a picture complicated by the 49 minutes (plus stoppage time) he played in midfield against Norway on Saturday. Bukayo Saka is another such concern.On balance, I would start with James at right-back. Kobbie Mainoo can be Plan B in midfield. Saka or Noni Madueke on the right wing? I would start with Saka as the “steadier” option for the first hour or so, with Madueke more of a wildcard to replace him later if required.There’s a real danger that, with so many players running low on energy, England coach Thomas Tuchel could be left with very few of his recognised penalty takers on the pitch at the end. (The much-discussed Ivan Toney option is harder to execute in practice if other substitutions are enforced.) But you can’t let penalty shootout-related concerns influence team selection too much. The priority has to be to win this in 90 minutes — or 120.Jack Pitt-BrookeJohn Stones has to start. He proved the value of his experience against Mexico and then Norway, and he will have faced Lionel Messi in club football more times (three, winning twice) than any of England’s other central defensive options.The question of who partners him at centre-back is not easy because neither Marc Guehi nor Ezri Konsa deserves to be dropped. You could shift Konsa across to right-back again, although it might be tempting to bring Reece James back in there. He looked sharper than expected on his return from injury against Norway.It’s a difficult decision but, on balance, I would stick with Guehi at centre-back, Konsa at right-back and James on the bench, not least because England may need the latter in midfield in a double six if Declan Rice has to come off again. The other selections are obvious except for the right wing, where I would bring Bukayo Saka in for Noni Madueke. Saka looks sharp enough to start and I still like Madueke’s running as a bench option later on in the game.Sarah ShephardI have a couple of questions around the starting XI for this one, and both revolve around fitness. In an ideal world (where hamstrings never die), I’d want Reece James starting at right-back in place of Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka back on that wing in place of Noni Madueke. James played 49 minutes (plus stoppage time) in the quarter-final (coming on in midfield before moving to right-back for extra time) and performed well. I’d be inclined to take the risk and start him.