During Nigel Adkins’ reign as Southampton manager, Jay Rodriguez’s input was minimal to say the least. The striker signed from Burnley in the summer of 2012, but netted just twice and picked up only 1 assist while the former Saints boss was at the helm in his debut campaign for the club. Upon his sacking, Mauricio Pochettino came in and has brought out the best in the youngster in a side that have won numerous plaudits this term.
The 24-year-old was duly rewarded for his performances in the Premier League this season when he earned his first England cap alongside teammate Adam Lallana, following in the footsteps of Rickie Lambert. While Rodriguez didn’t necessarily impress on his debut for his country, the recent form of the attacker suggests he’s more than deserving of a place in Roy Hodgson’s 23-man squad for the World Cup.
Five goals in his last 4 appearances have taken his tally for the season to 15, with only Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge (20) netting more of every Englishman in England’s top tier thus far. Two of his 4 WhoScored man of the match awards this term have come in March and his displays over the month saw Rodriguez rank as the 13th highest rated player (7.99) in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
The £7m Saints spent to secure his services seemed a lot at the time, but the player is clearly living up to his billing in Pochettino's system. A telling factor with regards to his attacking threat is the number of shots he’s averaging, with Rodriguez firing away more efforts per league match (3.1) than any teammate. Despite operating in a relatively deeper role than Lambert or, during his time on the south coast, Pablo Osvaldo, the England international is keen to test the opposition goalkeeper as and when he can.
This is a real indicator of Rodriguez’s confidence at present, while it’s somewhat apt that he has taken more shots in a single league match (11 vs Newcastle) than any player in England’s top-flight this season. Ahead of Saints' final 6 games of the campaign it bodes well for the club as they aim to end the year strongly, while Rodriguez strives to secure a place in the England squad ahead of Brazil 2014 in the process.
When compared to his compatriots in the league this term only Sturridge (3.5) and Wayne Rooney (3.4) are averaging more shots per game, though that comes as little shock when considering both play more centrally for their respective clubs. With Rodriguez often deployed on the left of the attacking trident behind the striker for Southampton, his ability to shift the ball inside and go for goal, as he did in Saints' 3-0 win over Fulham, is one of his best traits and has seen him develop the WhoScored style of play ‘likes to cut inside’ in turn.
Hodgson could utilise as much in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. While Danny Welbeck is a dead cert to be included in the squad, Rodriguez can offer a similar, albeit more potent threat than the Manchester United forward in Brazil. With Rodriguez boasting a WhoScored rating of 7.14 on the left, there are those that believe he would be better suited in this position than Welbeck, whose rating in the same role sits at just 6.76.
Yet, what perhaps stands Welbeck in higher stead than Rodriguez is the defensive side of his game, with the former gaining a statistically calculated strength of ‘defensive contribution’. The experience of Welbeck may also put him ahead of his league counterpart in the pecking order, though if recent performances are anything to go by, Rodriguez would be more deserving of a starting berth than the United man.
Furthermore, Rodriguez’s capability to press the opposition would be a bonus to the England side. Of every Englishman in the Premier League this term, only Lallana (31) and Raheem Sterling (23) have won possession more times in the attacking third than Rodriguez (18) and he’s encapsulated the high-energy gameplan that Pochettino has introduced at St. Mary’s.
This increases the chances of Saints forging goalscoring opportunities and should he be able to transfer this form onto the international stage, it will undoubtedly benefit England this summer. Temperatures are set to soar in Brazil for the World Cup and Rodriguez’s high stamina levels could turn out to be a crucial asset to Hodgson.
Nevertheless, it’s of vital importance that Rodriguez focuses on his domestic duties before thinking ahead to the summer. The forward must maintain his recent form if he’s to be considered for the World Cup, especially with the level of competition for places in his position. However, few could argue that, at present, Rodriguez warrants a place on the plane to South America.
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