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Will these Manchester United and Chelsea stars be vital for England’s Euro 2016 hopes?
England go into Euro 2016 with high hopes for the upcoming competition. They are certainly not bookies favourites for the tournament, but could still prove an outside chance. If Leicester winning the Premier League proves something, it’s that anything is possible this summer. However, the successes of England in France will depend on these three key players.
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Gary Cahill – Chelsea
Gary Cahill goes into this tournament as Vice-Captain at the heart of the England defence. England’s defensive performance in Brazil (of which Cahill was a part) was inadequate at best. Going into the competition, the Three Lion’s back-line is also still far from secure: Cahill, Stones and Smalling have had far from their best seasons at their domestic clubs. Despite high hopes for Eric Dier, in his recent substitute appearance against Australia at Centre-half, he conceded an own goal.
Cahill is one of England’s key players for it is his job to hold together this rather lacklustre defence. A solid performance from this Chelsea player could inspire the improved defensive performances of fellow centre-backs, Smalling and Stones. England go into this competition with an impressive attacking force: There are a plethora of options up front to help England score the goals they require. If Cahill can hold the back-line of England together, and offensively they also perform, the Three Lions could be in line for a great performance in France.
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Wayne Rooney – Manchester United
Doubts existed pre-squad selection whether Rooney would even make the starting eleven. Poor performances for Manchester United, and being overshadowed by up-and-coming players such as Martial and Rashford, lead to this doubt. However, even with a dip in form, Rooney is an exceptional talent. With 110 caps and the record goalscorer at 52, his skill is undeniable.
What also makes Rooney such a key player for England this competition is his experience. Rooney has played in all of the key tournaments since Euro 2004. Despite failing to perform in the major games, Rooney’s experience will be important. With young players such as Rashford coming into the squad, the captain’s ability and a cool head will counter-balance this youth nicely. A blend between the two could lead to success in France. If Hodgson does move Rooney back into a deeper position it could also elicit a positive response from the United player.
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Jamie Vardy – Leicester
The Leicester striker has made all of the headlines this season. His Premier League record goalscoring run, and firing Leicester to the title, has increased expectations for his international performances. In 6 games for England, he has performed, scoring 3 goals.
With a potential move to Arsenal being put on hold so he can focus on the Euros, Vardy provides blistering pace of which can be partnered with Harry Kane’s power and sheer natural ability to find the back of the net. The former Fleetwood Town man is something that European defenders won’t have opposed before as his rugged and lower league style makes him stand out from the crowd. Vardy finished a goal shy of Harry Kane’s golden boot winning campaign and broke Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record scoring in 11 consecutive games.
Vardy also offers width in a 4-3-3 formation, if Hodgson opts for that line-up. With his pace and ability to get in behind, deploying Kane as a lone striker to occupy the centre-halves with Vardy coming in from the left, after losing his fullback, will provide England with an option over the top. With the Leicester City man potentially one on one, few would doubt Vardy’s ability to slot the ball into the back of the net.
If Vardy can match his domestic performance in France, England could prosper as a result. Leading the England line, potentially alongside Kane, could lead to goals and in turn victories. Vardy’s inexperience at the international level will be questioned at Euro 2016, but he could quickly prove all of the doubter’s wrong.
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