With 31 goals/assists this season, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is currently England's most effective striker, and in my view, he should be one of the first names on the team sheet for the opening World Cup game against Italy. It seems unthinkable that Sturridge won't make the starting line-up, but ex-Red Stan Collymore believes Hodgson will play it safe with his team selection (i.e. he'll bottle it), and select Man Utd's Danny Welbeck ahead of him.
In his column for The Mirror today, Collymore predicted that Hodgson will 'revert to type' and select Welbeck, and Milner ahead of Sturridge and Adam Lallana. He added:
"Some people will argue we should play two up top but that won’t happen. Sturridge would feel particularly upset if he was left out, having had such a great campaign and bagged 22 Premier League goals"
Collymore then revealed his predicted line-up for Italy: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Milner, Henderson, Wilshere, Welbeck, Rooney.
Ugh. Milner? Welbeck? Even their names sound dull and unimaginative.
It's a complete joke that the limited, inconsistent Welbeck can get into the England team ahead of Sturridge, an infinitely more skilful player, and a potential game-changer/match-winner. The proof is in the pudding. Last season:
* Welbeck: 12 goals/assists in 37 apps.
* Sturridge: 31 goals/assists in 33 apps.
End of story.
It'll be an utter disgrace if Welbeck - inexplicably rated in the £20m-range - gets in the team ahead of Sturridge, but given Hodgson's history, I suspect Collymore is right with his prediction.
As for Rooney: he is a perpetual England failure, and the World Cup will expose him once again. The sooner the likes of Rooney, Johnson, Milner, Welbeck, and the staggeringly overrated Jack Wilshere are dumped on the bench, the quicker England will actually progress.
Author: Jaimie K
In his column for The Mirror today, Collymore predicted that Hodgson will 'revert to type' and select Welbeck, and Milner ahead of Sturridge and Adam Lallana. He added:
"Some people will argue we should play two up top but that won’t happen. Sturridge would feel particularly upset if he was left out, having had such a great campaign and bagged 22 Premier League goals"
Collymore then revealed his predicted line-up for Italy: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Milner, Henderson, Wilshere, Welbeck, Rooney.
Ugh. Milner? Welbeck? Even their names sound dull and unimaginative.
It's a complete joke that the limited, inconsistent Welbeck can get into the England team ahead of Sturridge, an infinitely more skilful player, and a potential game-changer/match-winner. The proof is in the pudding. Last season:
* Welbeck: 12 goals/assists in 37 apps.
* Sturridge: 31 goals/assists in 33 apps.
End of story.
It'll be an utter disgrace if Welbeck - inexplicably rated in the £20m-range - gets in the team ahead of Sturridge, but given Hodgson's history, I suspect Collymore is right with his prediction.
As for Rooney: he is a perpetual England failure, and the World Cup will expose him once again. The sooner the likes of Rooney, Johnson, Milner, Welbeck, and the staggeringly overrated Jack Wilshere are dumped on the bench, the quicker England will actually progress.
Author: Jaimie K
Sturridge has been handed the no 9 shirt so hopefully Welbeck will be saved for the last 20 mins to keep him fresh in all that heat
ReplyDeleteAgree re Milner and Wilshire, especially Willshire being overrated
I have have too agree with this one. Milner hardly played last season and Wellbeck had a woefully bad season for Man Utd. Currently the press are focusing on the efforts (blah blah) that Rooney has put in training over the past week. It's always the same story. They hype Rooney up as if hes as good as Messi or Ronaldo but he inevitably flops. Woy loves Milner so I expect to see the tried and tested turn out for England, but if Strurridge doesn't make the team then England don't deserve to progress in this tournament. Yeah I said it. YNWA
ReplyDeleteLallana, Sturridge & Sterling must start - if Roon dog fails to bag some goals in the warm up games he shud be benched also!
ReplyDeleteI would rather non of them played. I want them fresh for next season, rather than bit part players in a tournament they won't win.
ReplyDeleteExperience at the WC can help player for champion's league, being in important game and staying calm when under intense pressure.
ReplyDeleteSturridge might not play well for England, but he'll always nick a goal if he's left on the field. England have not got many players like that.
ReplyDeleteJust as Geraard has always shinned in WC? Give Rooney a chance and stop being a parochial blubberpool
ReplyDeleteyou have to have a mixed of player with experience and player with talent (thing that Italy is imo renowned to do well) Lallana is clearly to oinexperienced at this level for me (but i'm biased considering i'd put sterling in the starting XI though).
ReplyDeleteAnyway the tournament may well end up short if Hodgson doesn't pick the right team against Italy, they'll have to win the other matchesand England is not the most performing country under pressure
I don't see it happening. Hodgson has been playing with his team selection but he's not an idiot. When it comes down to it he knows that his best option is to play Rooney and Sturridge together and he'll be working on that combination in training. I think the team you mentioned is otherwise about right. I would suggest Sterling starts ahead of Wilshere but Milner is a good player, very versatile and will do well with Henderson and Gerrard.
ReplyDeleteThe international tournament Gerrard was England best player. Rooney...not do much.
ReplyDeleteSturridge hasn't had a good game for England yet and has been far inferior to Welbeck on the international stage. The guy is such a hog that it brings down the team- admittedly he's had a great season for his club but that is mainly due to his teamates and manager's tactics. He just doesn't suit England's out dated style but isn't good enough to change it.
ReplyDeleteSturridge is a pace baby, and a system baby. Our strike force in general is poor, and even in that poor crop, Sturridge would be bottom of the list for me.
ReplyDeleteI'd play a 4-3-3 with Sterling, Lallana and Rooney, personally.
Milner has been a top performer in the Premier League for over a decade. I'd love it if we managed to lure him to Anfield this summer. Wellbeck is a horrible horrible striker and with Van Gaal coming to the club, his days at Man U are numbered I can guarantee that. It'll be bottom table strugglers for him from now on.
ReplyDeletei dont know sterling or henderson did not get XI numbers my line up rae :
ReplyDelete---------hart--------------
Johnson----jageilka----cahill---baines
-----Gerrard---Henderson-----
---------Lallana----------
Sterling-----Rooney------Sturridge
If england play this formation they can beat anyone but i suspect roy will use his preferred players(i.e welbeck wilshere milner jones smalling)
englad must play fresh talents such as lallana sterling barkley chamberlain henderson sturridge etc
While i agree that Sturridge deserves his place above welbeck. I personally rate welbeck very highly. He is quick, clever and powerful. He pays in an inferior team is all. Also, he was being played more or less on the flank, and the way man utd play, with their dull crossing game, he was never going to be as prolific from out there. Definitely a talented player though and he deserves his place in the squad
ReplyDeleteWith the players England have at their disposal they should do okay however they have Roy Hodgson as a manager and that is where it all falls down.
ReplyDeleteRH can not play any other system then a defensive 4 4 2.
The man is so limited it baffles me why he is a manager, let alone England Manager.
Welbeck is shocking...completely average as is Wilshire. Welbeck lacks composure and misses a lot of easy chances because his decision making is so poor. No where near good enough...no where near
ReplyDeleteI do think Welbeck has improved a fair bit this season. But no way should he be starting ahead of Sturridge.
ReplyDeleteRight mate, so liverpool has won f**k allin the last few seasons and so the whole squad deserves to be England national team.
ReplyDeletehey, its hodgson picking the team. He will put 10 men behind the ball :( Feel sorry for England. You got the squad to challenge this year. For once. And everyone missed it until recently.
ReplyDeleteAnd your so called captain Stevie G has been best player at all international tournaments huh! maybe the very reason behind England performances, yah mate. I am for Sterling, Milner and Barkley starting. And please tell your captain not to slip this time, we will murder him if he dared.
ReplyDeleteLOL someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Calm down mate, it's not that serious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a silly comment! Do you really think that being picked for the international squad is based on trophies and not performances?
ReplyDeleteLook at these players performances (Sterling, Gerrard, Henderson and Sturridge) and tell me they did not outperform most other English players?
If Roy plays it safe then England are doomed. Why Lampard was chosen is a myth to me, however I understand he brings experience.
ReplyDeleteEngland must be experimental and think outside the box. Don't play players like Milner when they are just one dimensional.
Be brave and attacking. Play Sturridge up front, Rooney on the left and Sterling on the right or Lallana.
Midfield, Gerrard, Hendo and Barkley (Wilshere even thought he is so overrated)
Well, Hodgson is a numbskull, so it's likely to happen.
ReplyDeleteJust like the WC in South Africa, in an England side that underperformed, Gerrard was the shining light.
ReplyDelete22 goals in a season, yep, really poor.
ReplyDeleteI agree he has not had a good game for England yet. But he is young and has developed a lot this season. If he is given a chance it will be interesting to see if he is ready to translate his club form to England duty
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling Hodgson will play Gerrard and Lampard and leave out Henderson as well as leaving out Lallana, Sturridge and even Sterling.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll probably be proven right. If Gerrard and Lampard line up together in the first game, Hodgson should be sacked.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't care less tbh, I'd much rather England and Uruguay get dumped out as early as possible so our players come back unscathed and not too tired ready for a helluva season.
ReplyDeleteOne team, one love.
Why get hyped up over the incredibly dull football England offer. Hodgson failed at liverpool, he'll fail for England.
Give me 4 PL matches over World Cup anyday.
Oddly I would prefer Welbeck on the wing rather than shunting Surridge out there. Hodgeson has been slightly brave in his squad selection so I imagine that is it for bravery and he will return to type. Play it safe and boring. A pity because I imagine Lalana, Barkley, Sturridge and Sterling to play well together.
ReplyDeleteIf the owners actually back B Rodgers like they said with 70M, B Rodgers can bring in another 35-40M shipping these players out:
ReplyDeleteRooney should play in number 10 role in the whole behind Sturridge. Rooney is best at 10 and with Sturridges's pace ahead of him it will open up defenses. I would play:
ReplyDeleteHart
Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines
Gerrard Henderson
Sterling Rooney Lallana
Sturridge
I think this article's a bit of a red herring. Either way if Welbeck is poor he'll be dropped, I personally believe he's effective for England & does a lot of Donkey work. Remember he's back heel finish against Sweden?
ReplyDeleteThe real issue is whether England will tolerate another underwhelming Rooney performance & the impact that will have on England. Imagine from Sturridge's view he sees Rooney being picked irrespective of form!
permaban?
ReplyDeleteOn the spot?
ReplyDeleteThat's highly doubtful - from what I can remember of recent England games, Sturridge has been starting, even if he hasn't been the focal point of the attack.
ReplyDeleteIt will probably be Sturridge, Rooney, Welbeck & Lallana in some shape or form. Hopefully they can overcome Hodgson's negativity and play some decent football this tournament
No, it should be the Southampton team, right?
ReplyDeleteSturridge has scored goals whenever he's consistently been given the opportunity to start first team games. Whether that be at towards the top of the table with Liverpool, playing as a wide-man at Chelsea or towards the lower end of the table with Bolton.
ReplyDeleteSturridge brings down the England team, from what exactly??
ReplyDeleteMilner is a good central midfielder, as evidenced at Villa. As a wide-man, he's more of a limited and negative selection. Pretty much like our own Henderson tbh.
ReplyDeleteCan we please add Fabregas to the vote?
ReplyDeleteHe's the real gem if we can find a way to bring him to Anfield.
BELIEVE...
Pedro is way better than lallana but they cost they same because lallana is english
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of champions league experience does lallana have?
ReplyDeleteHow many trophies has lallana won?
ReplyDeletelol
I think it is fair to say Hodgson is a retard if he doesn't pick Sturridge.
ReplyDeleteThe entire England team is overrated apart from Gerrard and Sturridge. To be honest even these two have hardly set international football alight. They are still better performers at international level then the Man Utd failures who the media is obsessed with.
ReplyDeleteAre you forgetting the early part of last season, when Suarez wasn't available; Sturridge scored the goals that helped LFC to stay at the top end of the table. Sturridge has speed and a goalscoring instinct, as well as great skill on the ball.
ReplyDeleteSturridge and many of the other more exciting/talented young English players (Lallana, Sterling, Shaw, Barkley etc.), haven't even featured at an international tournament yet in order to make any statement of their quality.
ReplyDeleteTbh I blame the managers for holding the England teams back though - I refuse to accept that the players are so much less talented than their foreign counterparts in spite of all the evidence to the contrary week in-week out, when I see the teams continue to be deployed in such a pathetic fashion at every tournament.
Rodgers would have had the England team as unrecognisable as his Liverpool team from a Roy Hodgson Liverpool. Even with the exact same players at his disposal.
Henderson, Sterling, Cahill are not overrated.
ReplyDeletePedro over Lallana any day.
ReplyDeleteAs a Scotsman,I find it incredible that Gerrard has had to play left mid ,right mid and def mid make room for the most overrated player in world football ROONEY ! The game against Poland summed it up Rooney gets subbed and sturridge move central and scores when will they learn?
ReplyDeleteThe moment Hodgson appointed as england manager, you'll know what follow.....failure! Why would some of these flop players laid down their bodies for England since they had millions of dollars in their pocket!
ReplyDeleteYes I agree bar some miraculous form in the WC. My point being if he has a good tournament it will at least raise his value. IMO should wait until after the WC for a decision. I always value your opinions Mr Hat the only emotion you employ is humour. You have sound reasoning's behind your opinions.
ReplyDeletehahaa :D
ReplyDeleteR Hodgson should take the breaks off and let the youngsters play, he should pick and young exciting team and let them enjoy tournament. No one expects us to do well, so he should let them play with freedom and surprise alot of teams and us.
ReplyDeleteAgainst Italy, R Hodgson should play a young mobile pacey side.
Hodgson should start with Joe Hart in Goal and his usual back 4 of:
Johnson RB Jagielka CB Cahill CB Baines LB
And then in midfield and attack he should play these players to get at Italy, to play game at high tempo and quick speed. As if any team in world cup plays slow snail place football, they fall into the trap of playing the Italian way and there will be only one winner that way.
Gerrard and Henderson should be the shield just in front of the back four and in front of them. Barkley should play as AM( His mobility, pace, power and turn of speed will hurt the Italians)
Sterling should up top from the right Rooney should play up top from left with Sturridge through the centre all through the tournament.
Milner should be Sterling's replacement if needed and Wellbeck should be Rooney's replacement if needed.
Danny Welbeck would do better to sit the bench and watch Sturridge the whole WC. He might learn how to be a striker.
ReplyDeleteAnd having Messi, Aguero and Di Maria has helped Argentina how? Having Suarez, Cavani and Forlan has helped Uruguay how? A national team is so much more than the strikers.
ReplyDelete