As England prepare to face their toughest game of Euro 2016 qualifying, away to Switzerland, it will also be the time when Roy Hodgson will need to show the watching country that he knows his Plan B.
Recent England games have seen a toothless attack, yet the structure of Daniel Sturridge up front, supported by 3 attacking players behind him, has been the favoured choice for Hodgson. Sterling placed on the right of the three, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Welbeck on the left, and Rooney as a number 10.
However, England are without recognised striker Daniel Sturridge for the trip to Basel, meaning a shake-up will be necessary, and there are not too many choices for the national manager to choose between.
There has been talk of playing skipper Wayne Rooney up front in the number 9 role, however it has been years since the Man Utd striker has been a consistent danger in front of goal, and his seeming lack of speed would make for a slower attack than with Sturridge. It would enable Sterling to play in the number 10 role, however at a time when all eyes are on Rooney, it wouldn’t limey be doing him any favours to bring attention to his diminishing danger in front of goal.
Danny Welbeck has been touted as a player who should get a run up front for club or country. His £16m move to Arsenal has had a mixed reaction amongst Gunners fans, with the more favourable saying he will be a great success if he is played as a striker. Welbeck has never scored more than nine goals in a season, playing for one of the top clubs in the country, and there is far from any guarantee that he would provide an adequate replacement for Sturridge, even if his pace would help him link up play better than Rooney.
Finally, it is seemingly unlikely that Hodgson will go for Liverpool’s second choice to Sturridge, Rickie Lambert, but this is at least a striker-for-striker plan B. Lambert got into double figures in his only two Premier League seasons, in a fast moving and free-flowing Southampton side, with a style of play Hodgson seems very unfamiliar with. But with Rooney passing the ball through just as Lallana did last term, and Sterling with the ability to beat a man on the wing and place the ball on the head of Lambert, Plan B could well be Rickie Lambert.
He can hold up the ball better than his competitors for the spot, and for those that like Welbeck’s pace, would allow him to play on the left and feed off Lambert, replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has been unimpressive so far this season. The show of confidence in Lambert could make him a key man in the qualification round, and importantly provide a genuine second style of attack during Euro 2016, something that was sorely missed in Brazil 2014.
