Who are England's Strikers?

The Euros are fast approaching and it's crunch time for Roy Hodgson. Who does he pick for his starting line up? It is not easy, there are a lot of good players this year and a lot of senior players still milling about. 

England are not particularly expected to win the tournament, so surely this gives Hodgson an incentive to give experience to the younger generation, but perhaps he wants to give one last hoorah to the older generation. 

Hopefully, Roy Hodgson isn't thinking about either of those choices, hopefully he is picking the best squad and I use the word 'hopefully'.. hopefully. 

Let me give you an example, will Hodgson choose Harry Kane over Wayne Rooney? It's up for debate and well, it could happen. However, this should be a moot point. Record breaker Rooney may be England's top scorer but there is one simple fact that means he loses out to Harry Kane. For two straight years, Harry Kane has been the better striker. Does this mean Rooney could be utilised in another role? Perhaps. The reality is Hodgson will be tempted to pick Rooney because of his tournament experience and the fact that he is the Captain. Of course he could play them together, although where does that leave Sturridge? Or Vardy? Let's not even think about Welbeck or Walcott. 

Vardy has been better than Rooney now for a year and a half, so why should Rooney still get in? The answer? He shouldn't. I would take Rooney to the Euro's but he would not be in my plans for the first team, he simply hasn't played well enough, consistently enough for Machester United for the last two years. Why am I saying all this? Because Rooney will start for England (if he is fit) and I have a hunch Danny Welbeck will too. 

What is the point in that? I may be moaning about something that hasn't happened yet, and may not happen, but it seems a problem of English football that we put too much faith in experience, when in actual fact Rooney's experience of International football consists of him losing a lot of games.

I understand that a lack of experience means we can not predict exactly how certain players may cope, and there is a definite 'step up' in quality needed when playing in a tournament of this magnitude. A good manager will identify the players who can make that step up or at least give a chance to those who deserve the opportunity to find out if they have what it takes.

I would personally play Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy. They are at the top of the Premier League goal scoring charts and crucial to the, current, top two teams in the country. They have earned their right to be picked. Regardless of anything else, they have earned their right, just as Rooney had done many years ago. 

A quote from me about Mourinho works here, 'it's not about what you've done, but what you are doing'. Every player has an equal chance of getting into that England team. Vardy and Kane have done enough, are they the two best players? Maybe not, Vardy certainly lacks actual top quality (i'm talking creativity, touch, finesse) but he is still scoring goals and effecting games. Sturridge maybe be the best out and out goalscorer but he hasn't played enough to prove it.

I think Roy Hodsgon believes if he picks Rooney and they lose, then nothing can be blamed on him, whereas I believe the opposite is true. Pick the players that are playing the best and if they fail, then it is the players that have failed. Not the manager. To expect a player who has not shown form to suddenly show form is naive and irresponsible, if it works out then great but that will come down to nothing more than sheer dumb luck.