In comparison to other nations who will participate in next summer’s World Cup, Roy Hodgson doesn’t have the deepest of talent pools from which to choose. Even more concerning is the diminishing availability of world-class players, with Wayne Rooney arguably being the only name who comes close to that tag.

Should it be a rule that you have to play your best players in their best positions? Not always. Hodgson is tasked with the managing of the England team and finding the right balance to produce success, however England wish to measure it.

Rooney’s versatility offers Hodgson options. The Manchester United player can play as the most advanced forward, as he often does for the national team, or as the No.10, as he’s currently doing at club level. He’s thus far having a positive season for United and a lot of that is due to his preferred position behind the lone striker.

Hodgson, unfortunately, isn’t able to call upon Robin van Persie or a striker of his calibre. As it stands, England’s most in-form striker is Daniel Sturridge, though there would rightly be reservations about how much of an impact he can have for England at a major tournament.

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Getting Rooney playing well is of great importance. Since the 2004 European Championship, the United forward has done little of note for the national team for one reason or another. But Rooney isn’t the key to success in Brazil next summer. Rather, there should be an acceptance that this team are not good enough to challenge the very best the world has to offer. This is an age where one team can’t be guided through an international tournament by one player. Look at the depth of Spain as an example.

Playing Rooney in his favoured No.10 role is the best decision, and it doesn’t matter that Hodgson doesn’t have a world-class striker at his disposal – this is international football, you have to make the most of what you have. The partnership of Sturridge and Rooney does appear for now to be the best option to work with. There is goals available through both and Sturridge’s pace could worry a lot of defences. It’s not a world-class partnership, it’s probably not even ideal, but it’s what England has.

Rooney is still England’s best player, but Hodgson needs to find a way to balance out the team and bring in the players who are both good enough and able to complement one another. Michael Carrick will be a key addition, so too will be the understanding of the back four and establishing who the first-choice centre-backs are. Rooney is a concern due to his history at international tournaments, but he is not a greater priority than everyone else in the England team.

We’ve seen in the past that Rooney can become isolated and frustrated when deployed as the team’s centre-forward. It doesn’t help that England can look so lifeless in midfield at times, though Carrick and Steven Gerrard did look to form a good base against Poland. Players like Jack Wilshere become a bonus to the squad overall, and as already mentioned, Hodgson will need to find a balance.

A balance means having more than one player in a squad who can be relied upon. It would be extremely naïve for Hodgson to simply look to Rooney as the best player and work to his strengths. We simply don’t know which Rooney will turn up, or if he’ll turn up at all.

Hodgson doesn’t have a selection of players who are good enough to win the World Cup. It’s simply a matter of getting the most out of what you have and creating a system that can counter or at least handle the varying styles that will be on display next summer.

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