Why Adam Lallana is deserving of his England call-up
Adam Lallana
With news emerging from the England camp of several fresh additions to the Three Lions squad to face Chile and Germany in friendlies, one surprise inclusion was Southampton’s Adam Lallana.
The 25-year-old is one of three Saints stars to be called up by England boss Roy Hodgson, as Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert also make the list.
This may not be his first call-up, but Lallana deserves praise for being recognised by his national team after a series of excellent performances under Mauricio Pochettino.
Lallana’s rise to prominence has been meteoric, having ascended from League One football to the Premier League in just three years, scoring 44 goals along the way – sparking comparisons to Saints legend Matt le Tissier.
The midfielder has been one of the leading stars of Southampton’s incredible early season form, which sees them sit in sixth place in the Premier League after ten games.
The Englishman is a key part of a talented Saints midfield that includes Victor Wanyama, Morgan Schneiderlin and on occasion, James Ward-Prowse.
But it is Lallana who leads by example, having scored twice in ten appearances and laying on 19 chances for his team-mates – in particular Rodriguez and Lambert.
Adam Lallana Stats from Squawka.com
The Saints captain is an excellent all-round midfielder, having recorded a 75 per cent pass accuracy despite the many forward-thinking balls he makes and a 60% shot accuracy.
His defensive capabilities aren’t too shabby either, with a 84% tackle success rate and an average of two defensive actions per game.
dam Lallana Stats from Squawka.com
But beyond the statistics, many pundits and experts have admired Lallana’s dominant displays – particularly against Liverpool where he demolished a Reds midfield containing England captain Steven Gerrard.
The Southampton midfielder richly deserves his call-up to the England squad, and perhaps this time he will earn his very first senior cap.
Should he do so, it would be a recognition of the superb youth set-up at St Mary’s, where they have produced a plethora of young talent. The likes of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and now Adam Lallana will soon be joined by hotly-tipped Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse.