The final of this series of blogs profiling the many players who might make the England World Cup squad is on the attackers. In my opinion this is the position that England boss Mark Sampson has the toughest choices to make with only 4 to 5 likely to go to Canada. It will be interesting to see the selection Sampson makes as to whether he goes for a mixture of youth and experience or if he chooses a mixture players who will hold the ball up and others who get the goals. So who’s in with a shout? Eniola Aluko Probably the most inform striker of the lot currently and deserves to make the final cut. Aluko has vast playing experience and has made an impression at every club she has been at like Charlton, Birmingham, Chelsea or stints in America. Currently she is the figurehead of the Chelsea attack although not that potent after only scoring 2 league goals so far this season, she does having plenty of pace and can muscle the opposition off the ball. The thing that impresses me the most about Aluko is her determination to chase down balls as well as her all round play which will get her selected for the summer. Verdict: 100% Sampson will select her. Toni Duggan Duggan was pretty safe in the knowledge that she would be going to Canada, however a knee injury which forced her to miss a number of Manchester City and England games has allowed the likes of Jodie Taylor and Fran Kirby to lay down a marker ahead of her. Since joining Manchester City for the 2014 campaign her goal scoring record has been a tad disappointing in a team which is still finding its feet in WSL. So far this season Duggan has only netted once which can be forgiven due to injury, however last year she only scored a total of 4 goals in 13 games. Saying that her record for England is very impressive with 14 goals from 25, which she should ultimately be judged on. Verdict: Be tight, but may just make the cut.
Lianne Sanderson After a number of years playing abroad with stints in America, Spain and Cyprus, Sanderson returned to Arsenal after leaving them in 2008 but is yet to score thus far this season. However Sanderson is the type of player who can unlock defences with passes behind them to her teammates and is most effective when a player with pace plays alongside her. She can also finish as seen in England’s game last year with Wales which put her on 5 goals since returning to the team after quitting years earlier after a fall out with former coach Hope Powell. Overall her England record is 15 goals after 46 appearances which is good given the role she plays in the team. Verdict: Sampson has confidence in her which Sanderson repays and she’ll be ready to light up Canada. Another one who’s 100% there. Fran Kirby The only player in contention who does not play in the top flight of women’s football. Kirby is one of the new breed to be given a chance to shine under Sampson to which she has duly delivered. The Reading forward’s goal record is mightily impressive having played 40 games for her girlhood club and scoring 66 goals. Her pace and trickery gives her an advantage over her England counterparts, but the argument is she isn’t playing at the top level and should if she is to be considered. Well I beg to differ as she has proved she can do it on the international stage having netted twice in eight caps, most recently in a 2-1 win over China. So in my view she should go. Verdict: Since breaking into the side Kirby has been a regular and I don’t see that changing. On the plane. Ellen White An England regular for many years during her Arsenal days where she won championship after championship until she suffered an ACL during pre-season with her new employees Notts County. After missing the entire 2014 campaign as well as a chunk of the World Cup qualifiers, White returned in January this year after a year out and has hit the ground running with the Lady Pies scoring 3 in 6 appearances so far this season and looks set to score many more. As shown this season for her club and throughout her career White can hold the ball up to which would give Sampson an option he doesn’t have and may see her make the team. Verdict: Thought it looked unlikely with injury, but after forcing her way back into the team it’s looking more and more likely she’ll be on the plane. Jess Clarke One of the highest scorers in the WSL in 2014, Clarke thoroughly impressed for Notts County having been heavily relied upon due to Ellen White’s injury finishing the season as the second highest scorer in England with 6 goals in 13 appearances. Although this year she has only managed to muster 1 goal in 6, but that is down to her being used in wider positions for Notts this season which may help her get selected demonstrating to Sampson that she can play in a variety of positions. At 26 her England record reads 11 goals in 49 caps, but a lot of those caps are sub appearances. Verdict: Offers something different, although Sampson doesn’t seem to favour her which gets me thinking she’ll be left at home. Tash Dowie During the beginning of the World Cup qualifying and in the 2013 and partly 2014 she has been very impressive and her goal record was decent (5 in 14). However form has alluded her and she has drifted out of favour in the international setup only making sporadic appearances for her Country in recent. Though her form for Liverpool which may ultimately end up costing her a place in Canada isn’t down to her lack of work rate or clinical edge, it’s down to in my opinion lack of creativity in the team (having lost Gemma Davison to Chelsea) which would assist her with goals. So her clubs lack of transfer activity may cost her! Verdict: Lack of goals for her club may cause her to miss out.
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