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It may not be the best Christmas for the North Londoners (Arsenal and Spurs) and the Merseysiders (Liverpool and Everton), but Chelsea and the Manchester clubs (City and United) are certainly enjoying theirs!Besides the clubs, coming to individuals, forwards like Danny Ings, Charlie Austin, Harry Kane and Andy Carroll are finding the net quite easily these days, making them serious contenders for an England call up. Yes, the ultimate goal of a footballer (most of them at least). After all, Rooney and Welbeck can’t play for an eternity and Sturridge’s injury just seems to be recurring.Jay Rodriguez, anybody remembers him? Is he still alive? Well apparently he is (unless his twitter account has been hacked). He was set to return round about this Christmas period, but his injury has relapsed making it another four weeks at least on the sidelines for the young man. These long term injuries can really have an effect on your career (ask Abou Diaby).Some might say Rickie Lambert, but he doesn’t even start for Liverpool these days. Not even in the Capital One Cup.That leaves us with the in-form strikers I mentioned earlier and which I will be talking about today.
#1 Danny Ings
Ings was scoreless for the starting part of the season, his first goal coming against Everton in their 1-3 defeat at Turf Moor on the fateful day of 26th October. Nah it wasn’t fateful, he didn’t score in his following two games either.
But in his following games, which have been the recent six Premier League games, Ings has three goals and two assists to his name, creating a total of eight chances. Not bad when you’re in a team like Burnley eh? He would’ve added to that tally hadn’t it been for some astounding saves from Hugo Lloris this Saturday. Might I add, one of the very few decent players currently playing for Spurs.
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Ings may not yet be starting XI quality for England, but the 22 year old still has age on his side and will be a valuable addition to England’s bench as of now.
#2 Andy Carroll
Arguably a better version of Danny Ings, Andy Carroll is showing signs of his form at Newcastle (for which Liverpool paid 35 million quid). He was injured for a long period of this season and only made his first appearance last month at Upton Park where he played for a minute against Aston Villa in a goalless draw. So of course, the next game or two would be where he was still regaining his fitness, confidence etc. and he didn’t score in those two “comeback games” (started in both and played the full 90).
But the games after that, which have been the recent four Premier League games, he’s scored three goals and assisted two with five chances created. Not bad, not bad at all Mr. Carroll. He gets into England’s squad easily as he just isn’t a long ball player anymore as he has shown in the past few games. Starting XI, not quite as there are others who make the cut. Champions League football for the Hammers anybody? Of course that’s another discussion in itself, but let’s keep that for another day.
#3 Harry Kane
Just how crucial has Harry Kane been for Tottenham this season. Nobody has a clue about the whereabouts of Adebayor, who blames his form on the uncertain atmosphere inside White Hart Lane and then on black magic. Roberto Soldado scores the odd goal once a month to give Spurs fan some hope that our 30 million man doesn’t score from the penalty spot anymore and is just a few decades away to get to ten career Premier League goals.
Getting back to Harry Kane, his season actually begun at Villa Park scoring from a free kick just before 2nd half stoppage time to give Spurs a 1-2 win. Since that match winning goal, in his next seven Premier League starts, which have been the most recent seven games, he’s got three goals and two assists with five chances created. That is a decent return for someone who is into his first proper Premier League season. Although some may argue, he should be doing better having the likes of Eriksen, Lamela and Chadli behind him.
Nonetheless, he will be a valuable addition to England’s squad, also having a pace advantage and a better work rate over Ings and Carroll.
#4 Charlie Austin
20 minutes into this weekends’ game, QPR 0-2 down at Loftus Road against West Brom, on comes Austin, with ten shots on goal, six of which were on target and of which three went in. QPR won 3-2.
It’s been an amazing story. From Austin’s grandfather telling Harry Redknapp when he (Austin) was a kid, that how good he was, to playing non-league football for Poole Town to becoming one of the top Premier League players this season. Only Agüero and Costa have more goals than him in the league this season.
Austin can win headers, take penalties, run at defenders, poach goals and even create it himself. He has been one of the most complete center forwards in Europe this season.
Austin’s astonishing performances have of course come to light because of QPR’s team performances. For the first month, the entire squad looked disinterested. I watched their 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford and their 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge. At Old Trafford, they sat back against a nervous Manchester United, while at Stamford Bridge, they attacked a confident Chelsea. This just goes to show when the team performs well, the striker automatically does well as obviously more opportunities are created.
As of now, Austin cannot stop scoring. Redknapp has said that Austin is going nowhere and talks are on to double Austin’s wages to 60,000 pounds a week.
He gets into the current England side hands down, and not just into the squad, but straight into the starting XI.
