Implications for England and Liverpool Following Daniel Sturridge Injury
England's Euro 2016 charge has gotten off to a bad start already, with the manager coming under pressure before a ball is even kicked in the qualification campaign—and now star striker Daniel Sturridge is set to miss the opening fixture against Switzerland through injury.
BBC Sport confirmed that the Liverpool forward had required a scan before being sent back to his club with a thigh strain, depriving England of the most in-form striker in the squad over the past year or so.
It's also news which will come as a big disappointment to his club as they prepare for a steady run of games in the Premier League and Champions League in September.
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Switzerland vs. England
England went 4-4-2 in the first half of their recent dismal friendly against Norway, pairing Sturridge with new captain Wayne Rooney in attack. Although there were a few instances of good link-up play between Sturridge and his Liverpool team-mate Raheem Sterling, it was largely a disjointed and unambitious performance which saw few clear-cut chances in attack.
Roy Hodgson's side looked far more threatening once the second-half substitutes resulted in a diamond midfield, with Sterling looking sharp and creative at the tip, with two forwards ahead of him.
That must surely be the system that Hodgson turns to for the opening game of the Euro 2016 qualifiers, even though he is now shorn of his No. 9 starter.
Changing the personnel in this case, not the system, is most likely to benefit England as they look to get key midfielder Sterling on the ball at every opportunity.
Why Welbeck Should Start
He doesn't have the domestic goalscoring record of Sturridge, but Danny Welbeck has shown good consistency, in the main, while wearing the England shirt and impressed in pre-season with Manchester United.
Questions have long been asked of his ability to hit the back of the net regularly, but the new Arsenal forward has eight goals in his 27 caps so far, not a poor record by any means considering the amount of times he appears either as a sub or gets subbed, and he also starts from wide positions at times.
His work-rate, his familiarity with playing with Rooney and his obvious wish to prove himself as a striker mark him out as the best chance England have of being a threat against the Swiss, in and around the penalty box.
Rooney might have gotten himself a goal against Norway, but he did not look threatening either by way of creating or finishing off chances—his penalty aside—and the squad's other striker, Rickie Lambert, has so far looked off the pace this season.
Hodgson needs to trust in Welbeck once more and believe that Sterling, as a No. 10, can provide the ammunition to get the two former Old Trafford team-mates firing.
Brendan Rodgers' Options
Whilst the immediate issue for Sturridge's replacement concerns England duty, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will be disappointed that his main man has suffered another injury away from the club and so early in the season too.
Mario Balotelli will obviously be expected to lead the line, but Liverpool have—like England on Wednesday—looked sharper and more dangerous in a diamond midfield, with two players up front.
Lambert could certainly get the chance to prove his fitness and ability against Aston Villa next Saturday, assuming Sturridge has not recovered by then, but the Villains have started the season strongly and Rodgers may opt to look elsewhere.
Thankfully for the Reds, their summer business gives them plenty of options in the final third.
Adam Lallana will be fit and could come in to the No. 10 role, pushing Sterling further forward alongside and wide of centre-forward Balotelli, while Lazar Markovic will be hoping to get the nod to play from the start too after an impressive couple of cameos off the bench.
A return to 4-3-3 with any of Philippe Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling and Markovic also has plenty of creativity, pace and technical ability in the wide areas.
Until the length of time Sturridge will be out for is known, Liverpool can't plan too far ahead, but they do face five matches in a fortnight—including their first Champions League tie and the Merseyside derby—so Rodgers will be keen to have all available options open to him, to rotate the squad and keep the team capable and hungry in attack.
England, meanwhile, have to hope that at least one of Rooney or Welbeck can do the business in front of goal against Switzerland—and Roy Hodgson comes up with a game plan to at least win the points, even if he can't get the team playing particularly well.
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