BBC pundit Gary Lineker has said that Stoke city striker Peter Crouch should be taken to the Euro 2012 because he gives England a new dimension to their play.
Peter Crouch has an impressive record playing for England, but has not been featured in the England squad for the last couple of seasons. He moved to Stoke city in the summer and it has been a refreshing move for the former Liverpool striker because he has been able to get games on a regular basis unlike at Tottenham. This, Gary Lineker believes, will be the key to getting England past the quarter-finals at the Euro 2012.
Hodgson will be announcing his team on May 16 and it is extremely likely that Peter Crouch will be omitted from the squad. Due to the suspension of Wayne Rooney for the first two matches of the tournament, the selection of the striker is extremely crucial for Roy Hodgson. Peter Crouch has scored 14 goals in the league for Stoke city, which is one of the best amongst the England strikers. He also has an impressive international record having scored a goal every other game in the match as he has played for England. In total, he has 22 goals from just 42 matches.
“He is a proven goalscorer at international level. I would be surprised if Crouch is not in the squad. I would definitely consider him. With Crouch there is a tendency to want to hit long balls, which doesn’t really work at that level. But it is only because he is so big. Technically, he is a decent footballer,” said Gary Lineker. Aston Villa striker Darren Bent is a major doubt for the tournament, but it is thought that he will be picked, while Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has an outside chance.