The England Squad for their UEFA Nation League games in the upcoming international break has now been announced. One controversial decision was the one to include Danny Welbeck despite him not starting regularly for his club side Arsenal.
Gareth Southgate has stated many times that players would be picked based on form and their performances for their clubs. However, with the inclusion of Welbeck in the squad, it seems like Southgate’s philosophy of picking players based on form has gone out of the window. The contrast is especially sharp when you consider that there are five English strikers who have been very impressive so far this season. Below is how they have done and how they compare to Welbeck, who has only scored one goal in the Premier League this season.
Troy Deeney
The 30-year-old striker has been a standout performer in a thoroughly impressive Watford side this season. Deeney has scored two goals this season for Watford and has been impressing many people with his performances.
Deeney would offer a different option for England as a target man who would get the ball and hold it up and bring other players into play.
Andre Gray
Deeney’s strike partner, Andre Gray has also been impressive for Watford. Gray already has three goals to his name this season. He would certainly provide a different option, with a striker that has an abundance of pace to get in behind defences and he would undoubtedly be lethal against many international defences.
Glenn Murray
The Brighton striker has been in incredible form this season. He scored his fifth goal of the season in the 1-0 win over West Ham on the Friday night football. Murray has also put himself just one goal off of a 100 goals for Brighton in two stints at the club.
At the age of 35, Murray would still have plenty to offer England. He is someone who could hold up the ball and has a potent strikers’ instinct to be in the right place at the right time to finish off chances.
Danny Ings
The on loan Southampton striker has proved to be a great loan so far. He has already notched three goals this season for the Saints and looks to be back to his best.
Ings has had rotten luck with injuries over the last few years and it is great to see him getting back to his best. He would offer England a similar option as Gray with a striker with pace to get in behind and also possesses the potent strikers’ instinct like Murray.
Daniel Sturridge
Finally, we have Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge. Like Ings, Sturridge has had bad luck with injuries, but this season he looks to be keeping clear of injury and getting back to his best. Sturridge has 26 caps for England, scoring eight goals. This season Sturridge has two goals in the Premier League and four goals in seven games in all competitions.
He would certainly offer England a great option of an experienced England international who could come in and score goals.
