Sam Allardyce has announced his first ever England squad. The Three Lions step out for a World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on September 4th, the first competitive game in charge for the new manager after taking over follow Roy Hodgson’s disastrous tactical stint at Euro 2016. There were never likely to be wholesale changes to the squad, but Allardyce has handed out a first call up to West Ham winger Michail Antonio.
He is the only new cap in the 23 man squad, while some noticeable absentees are Ross Barkley and Jack Wilshere, the latter’s inclusion in the England Euro 2016 squad raising eyebrows after having missed so much for the domestic season through injury. So it is Antonio who is the big story of Allardyce’s first nations squad, the Irons player having come through the ranks plying his trade through non-league football and now all the way up to International level.
So that’s a long journey up for him in the ranks to the pinnacle of the game. Allardyce has called up Manchester City’s Joe Hart, the keeper having been moved down the pecking order by Pep Guardiola after a miserable Euro 2016 showing as well. Manchester United’s youngster Marcus Rashford does not get in the full squad but goes to the U21 squad. After much debate amongst punters and critics, Wayne Rooney is in the squad.
Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley).
Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Michail Antonio (West Ham United), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).
Strikers: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City).
England are even money favourites for their trip to Slovakia on September 4th. This shouldn’t be too much of a troublesome trip for England who have won three of their four previous games against the Slovakians.The last time that they did come together though was of course at Euro 2016 when England turned out a dire performance in their third and final group stage match to play out a 0-0 draw with them. A disastrous result it turned out to be, leaving Wales to win the group and that was all brought about by Hodgdon making so many changes to the starting eleven which had just beaten the Welsh in the previous game.
What the most interesting thing about this really will be what influence Allardyce has over the side. Will there be a more direct route being shown by the new boss as opposed to England trying to match the elite in the world by knocking it around on the deck? You can probably expect a lot more fight and fire in the Slovakia.
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