As the season enters it’s final 5 games, there is a Premier League title up for grabs, Champions League places, a Europa League spot and, for those unlucky enough to be involved in a relegation battle, a place in the Premier League for another 12 months.
For a lucky few – just 23 – there will also be a place in the England squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. While Liverpool’s English players will be 100% focused on the coming five games, and the chance to lift the club’s first league title for over 20 years, they will also know that with assisting their club in winning the Premier League comes the chance to head to Brazil to showcase their talents against the world’s best international sides.
While Steven Gerrard, as England captain, and Daniel Sturridge are guaranteed their places and – in Gerrard’s case – be a certain starter, Live4liverpool takes a look at the three English Reds that should be pulling on the England shirt when the World Cup campaign kicks off on the 14th June:
3. Jon Flanagan – The young Scouser recently missed out on a much-deserved call up to the England squad but was also, inexplicably, left out of the U21s squad too, much to the bafflement of his manager Brendan Rodgers.
Prior to this season, the 21 year old full-back had made just 12 league appearances since entering the first-team squad in 2010 and would have been unlikely to get so much game time had it not been for an injury to Jose Enrique – and the poor form of Aly Cissokho – but whether as left or right back he has made a first-team place his own with his mature, intelligent performances, giving fans a new ‘Jamie Carragher’ to pin their hopes on.
The local lad, affectionately referred to as ‘the Scouse Cafu’ has made a real name for himself this season, often overshadowing his more experienced English counterpart, Glen Johnson, with his attacking intent and defensive solidity. Despite having only turned 21 in January, he has performed beyond his years and with the scarcity of quality options outside of Johnson and Baines for both full-back berths, it would be a travesty if Flanagan wasn’t on the plane in 2 months time.
2. Raheem Sterling – Much like his defensive team-mate, Sterling began the season as a back-up option, barely getting a start before Christmas, but since then he has played his way into – and kept his place – in the first-team through effort, tenacity and no shortage of audacious technical ability.
Where other, similar English talents such as Townsend, Lennon and Young offer pace and skill, few of them offer the same level of penetration and goal-threat (whether assisting or scoring) as young Sterling.
Often compared to United youngster Januzaj (who has been spoken of as being eligible for England), Sterling is actually a far superior talent at this age and while the Manchester winger may well catch up, at this stage Raheem is head and shoulders above both him and his competition for an England place.
Given the England manager’s preference for more workmanlike players, such as Tom Cleverley and James Milner, Sterling may find himself having to contemplate his place on the bench but if the majority of England fans were to have their way, Sterling – with 6 goals and 3 assists – would be at the tip of England’s diamond formation, behind his teammate, Daniel Sturridge.
1. Jordan Henderson – I would never have imagined I’d be championing the £16 million signing from Sunderland for a starting place at the World Cup 18 months ago, but such has been Henderson’s rapid rise to this kind of prominence for Liverpool this season that anything less than starting alongside his captain will leave the manager open to questions of what the pre-requisites are when he picks his starting 11.
Many’s the time we’ve been told that the likes of Parker, Cleverley, et al do the dirty work, the leg-work and that they go under-appreciated by everybody but their team-mates. This is most definitely the case with Henderson, who fills any gaps required of him, often playing as the sole attacking midfielder, a defensive midfielder and even further out wide at times.
One thing which would never be said of Henderson is that he lacks stamina or energy, indeed he is pushing to replace the former fan-favourite, Dirk Kuyt, in the affections of Liverpool fans as their new ‘Energizer Bunny’, and in the heat and humidity of Brazil this is something that England will sorely need when the chips are down.
For all the praising of Henderson as a hard-worker, energetic player though, little credit is often given to him for his technical ability and this is something else that places Henderson above many of his compatriots, with the likes of Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley, James Milner and Michael Carrick likely to be his competition.
With the form that Liverpool have been in this season, the attacking qualities shown, it would be wise of the England manager to play as many Reds as he possibly can and with his understanding with Sturridge and Gerrard, Henderson could be a key component in any kind of triumphant campaign England may have.
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