English strikers time goal sprees to perfection
Marc Fox
February 18, 2016
Not since the build-up to the 1998 World Cup in France has an England manager been blessed with the ability to select a wealth of in-form strikers ahead of a major competitive tournament.
Eighteen years ago, teenager Michael Owen was making headlines for blasting his way into Glenn Hoddle's World Cup plans after a meteoric rise with Liverpool.
However, Roy Hodgson, the current England manager, is arguably even more blessed with in-form striking talent as he plots England's Euro 2016 campaign, again in France.
Soccerphile runs the rule over the contenders hoping to erase memories of England's disappointing World Cup in Brazil two years ago.
Wayne Rooney
England captain Wayne Rooney remains the striker in which Hodgson still pins much of his faith. And Rooney, despite his detractors, has continued to deliver for the England manager. The 30-year-old Manchester United forward scored seven times during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2016, breaking Bobby Charlton's record goalscoring tally for England in the process. What's more, he has also started to rediscover his scoring touch at club level, with seven goals in his last nine games.
Harry Kane
22-year-old Harry Kane has proven that he can lead the line for a side contending for the Premier League title, adding 16 league goals already this season to the 21 he plundered in his breakthrough year at Tottenham. What's more, the Spurs striker has also scored three goals in eight international appearances despite making his senior national team debut less than 12 months ago. His form since the last World Cup therefore seems certain to guarantee him being Hodgson's leading no. 9.
Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy has been the protagonist for Leicester City's unexpected rise to the summit of the Premier League this season, smashing home 19 goals from an incredible 28 matches as well as passing Ruud van Nistelrooy's record by scoring in 11 consecutive league games. However, Vardy hasn't yet scored for England and has tended to play from a wider position to accommodate either Rooney or Kane down the middle. In that regard, while he seems destined for a spot in Hodgson's 23-player squad, he may ultimately have to battle the likes of Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck for a wider berth.
Daniel Sturridge
It's somewhat hard to remember that Daniel Sturridge's potential impact on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was being compared with Pele bursting onto the scene in 1958. Sturridge had just played a starring role along Luis Suarez in almost projecting Liverpool to their first Premier League title and he took his league form to Brazil with England's goal in their opener against Italy. However, constant injury problems have hampered the Reds striker over the past 18 months to the point that a place in the squad is by no means guaranteed. He did, however, take just 16 minutes to get back on the scoresheet for his club at the weekend.
Other striking options
Theo Walcott has played as a central striker for Arsenal this season and, famously, scored a hat-trick against Croatia in a rare start upfront for England in a World Cup 2010 qualifying match in Zagreb; however, the majority of his performances internationally have been in a wider starting role and he has a history of previous tournament heartache. Danny Welbeckscored on his return from a 10-month injury layoff, finding the net for Arsenal's winner against Leicester City. In addition, Jermain Defoe's career in the Premier League has found a second wind after a spell in the MLS, while despite an indifferent first season at Manchester City, Raheem Stirling will also travel to France and did play as a no. 9 for Liverpool last season.
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