Finally, after all the calls from Englishmen up and down the country, Adam Lallana has been called up to the Roy Hodgson’s squad for the upcoming friendlies against Chile and Germany, and he has been joined by his St Mary’s team-mate Jay Rodriguez. The pair may not be the most glamorous players in the Premier League, but they certainly deserve their spot in the squad, and here’s why.
For me, national squads should always be picked on form rather than reputation. Rodriguez has scored three goals this season, and has appeared in every one of Southampton’s 10 league games despite the presence of Rickie Lambert and Dani Osvaldo. His trio of goals also sees him stand third in the league in terms of English scorers, so naturally he should get a spot.
As for Lallana, he has been one of the most impressive players in the topflight this season. The way Mauricio Pochettino has the Saints playing is beautiful to watch and Lallana has been at the centre of that.
The 25-year-old has also appeared in all 10 games this term, creating 17 chances for his colleagues and scoring twice. He has averaged two defensive actions per game and won 52% of his take ons. He has had 10 shots this season, six of which have been on target.
The pair fully deserve their call-up, in my opinion.