Daniel Sturridge: How Do England Replicate His Liverpool Form?

For the first time in an awfully long time, the Premier League top scorer is actually available to play for England.

No Luis Suarez, Robin van Persie, Carlos Tevez or Dimitar Berbatov here; with six goals in seven games, Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge is the man in goalscoring form—not a moment too soon as far as England are concerned.

This week, Roy Hodgson and his merry men face a must-win double header to secure their place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, with wins against Montenegro and Poland of paramount importance.

Anything less and the playoffs likely beckon, at best.

For that to happen, England need Sturridge to lead the line as he has done at club level, finding match-winning goals. So what has Hodgson and his team got to do to ensure that happens?

Sturridge and Rooney

Obviously, Wayne Rooney is going to be in Hodgson's first XI, so he has to be brave enough to field both Rooney and Sturridge from a central role. That doesn't necessarily mean a straight-line 4-4-2 will be in place, given Rooney has operated from a slightly deeper role this season.

A 4-2-3-1 seems the most likely lineup for England, letting the Manchester United forward get forward to support Sturridge, link up with him in the final third and break behind him.

Sturridge is fond of dropping deep into space, part of the reason he works well as a two up front. Rooney's natural inclination to burst beyond the striker and exploit the spaces left should provide England with chances to open up the opposition defence.

Counter attack no barrier

England have been derided in some quarters at not playing a possession-brand of football, but playing on the counter-attack at times will not hinder Sturridge's ability to have an impact.

Liverpool have not been at their fluid, dominating best at times this season, yet Sturridge's movement and pace has meant he has remained not only involved in attacks, but also a vital player in holding up the ball to relieve pressure on the defence.

An improved game intelligence, more confidence in the final third and an ability to outwit defenders have all contributed to Sturridge being a goal-provider as well as a goal-scorer.

Get enough players forward alongside him on the counterattack, and there's a good chance England will hit the target, even if Sturridge isn't the one who pulls the trigger. 

Quick tempo essential in final third

Above all else, England have to not merely avoid defeat this time, but win.

Sturridge and Rooney are two of the cleverest forwards in the Premier League in terms of their movement, so when prolonged spells of possession or pressure in the final third are apparent, the passing needs to be crisp, accurate and inventive.

The attacking duo will find the spaces between midfield and defence, and between centre-back and full-back—then it's up to the supporting cast, Jack Wilshere, Steven Gerrard and co, to find the telling through-balls.

Counterattacks by nature are fast-paced most of the time, and to make the most of Sturridge's ability to hit early shots in particular, England need to look to find him quickly before he is crowded out by alert defenders.

Sturridge has only scored one international goal at senior level to date, but the form he is in and his level of confidence right now means he stands a pretty good chance of adding to that over these next two games.

If he does, he could well be the man to send England to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

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