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Who will Big Sam pick?
- Updated: August 26, 2016
Sam Allardyce names his first England squad on Sunday, but will he ring the changes?
The Three Lions face Slovakia in their opening World Cup qualifier next week, and Allardyce has already revealed that he’s been studying the form of players who failed to make the Euro 2016 squad, hinting at a change of personnel in his new-look England team.
James Milner’s international retirement guarantees that there will be at least one change from Roy Hodgson’s final squad, but whose stock has risen and whose has fallen as Big Sam considers further changes?
ON THE RISEJermain Defoe
Allardyce likes a natural finisher and he certainly trusts the striker who helped him rescue Sunderland last season. Defoe scores goals, he can play up top on his own or in a two, and he would bring experience to a squad that is highly likely to have a young feel to it.
Defoe has 19 England goals but hasn’t played for the national team since 2013. However, that is unlikely to put Allardyce off, especially if a couple of the current crop of strikers are unavailable.
“Jermain Defoe is not out of the question,” Allardyce said earlier this week. “I know he would love to come – because he’s already told me!”
Andros Townsend
England lacked width in the Euros to such an extent that a charge down the wing by substitute Marcus Rashford was celebrated as the highlight of the Euro 2016 defeat by Iceland – even though it came to nothing.
That lack of width, allied with Allardyce’s preference for stretching play with wide midfielders, might open the door to Townsend.
The winger offers something that England’s most recent squads have missed. He challenges opposition full-backs, puts cross in, and provides the kind of natural width that few other England players can offer.
Mark Noble
The West Ham captain and Allardyce have worked together before and it would be little surprise to see Noble handed a first England call-up at the age of 29 on Sunday.
Noble is good on the ball and offers composure and leadership in central midfield, and there aren’t many players available to Big Sam who can offer …
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