Winner: Daniel Sturridge
Sturridge has played 45 minutes in this tournament compared to Raheem Sterling’s 131. In Sturridge’s 45, he’s attempted four shots, completed all three of his take-ons and delivered two key passes. In Sterling’s 131, he’s completed just half of his dribble attempts and missed a tap in on his only attempt at goal. But more on him later, back to Sturridge.
The Liverpool striker has laid a brilliant argument to Roy Hodgson to start in favor of Sterling or Harry Kane. With his last minute winner against Wales, and his general propensity to attempt to make things happen when he came on the field, Hodgson would be hard pressed to leave him out again.
It is funny, though, when Sturridge enters the game as a substitute rather than starting. When he starts, he’s just normally kind of selfish as all forwards are. When he comes on as a sub? He tries way too hard to make things happen and squeeze 90 minutes of an impression into whatever minutes he receives. You can book him down for at least two shots that land somewhere in the 16th row when he comes in as a sub.
Next: Loser #1