Danny Ings gets England call-up but Hodgson decides against risking Sturridge

Liverpool forward Danny Ings has been called up to the England squad for next week’s internationals, but Roy Hodgson has sensibly opted not to include Daniel Sturridge.

Sturridge has recently made his comeback after missing most of the last year through different injuries – the first of which was picked up on international duty 12 months ago.

The 26-year-old started the Reds’ last two Premier League games, against Norwich and Aston Villa – scoring twice in the latter – but won’t be risked against FC Sion tonight.

Speaking yesterday, Brendan Rodgers said he had no concerns had Sturridge been called up for England duty.

“At this moment in time the concern is making sure he is fit and ready for Liverpool,” said Rodgers on the matter.

“But Daniel is back in the fold now and he is obviously one of the top English strikers so if he is back fit and performing I’d expect him to be chosen for the national team.”

Hodgson though has wisely opted not to push the fragile forward too soon.

But instead there’s a call-up for in-form Danny Ings, who impressed in those two aforementioned league games and the League Cup tie against Carlisle last week. The 23-year-old has been a regular for England’s under-21s but has earned his first call up to the senior squad.

Ings joins fellow Reds Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana and James Milner in the squad.

England play Estonia and Lithuania in European qualifiers.

Full England squad:

Jack Butland, Joe Hart, Tom Heaton

Ryan Bertrand, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, John Stones

Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Michael Carrick, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jonjo Shelvey, Raheem Sterling

Danny Ings, Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Jamie Vardy, Theo Walcott

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#TwentysPlenty – Fans across country to demonstrate against high ticket prices

Football fans from across the country will protest this weekend against high ticket prices. Home and away supporters will join forces to deliver the “Twenty’s Plenty” message – a call for all away tickets in England and Wales to be capped at £20.

The weekend of action is being co-ordinated by the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) whose “Twenty’s Plenty for Away Fans” campaign has saved 68,000 fans a total of £738,000 since its launch in 2013.

Fans from every Premier League club, and many in the Football League, will meet ahead of their team’s fixtures for joint protests, before displaying banners inside stadiums saying “Fans back Twenty’s Plenty”.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has previously acknowledged that away fans are a “special breed” and one of the game’s “unique strengths” – but the FSF says they are in danger of being priced out.

FSF chief executive Kevin Miles said:

“Away fans are a vital part of the football culture in England and Wales – this weekend supporters will stand together against high prices. We have a great tradition of following our teams away from home with quite possibly the highest number of travelling fans in the world. This should not be endangered by high ticket prices.

“The timing is crucial as, in the coming weeks, top-flight clubs have a choice to make as they carve up the latest multi-billion pound media deal. Money has been pouring into the top of the game for the last two decades benefitting players, agents and owners – it’s time fans felt the benefit of this too through cheaper tickets.

“It’s not just in the Premier League that we see high prices, many Football League fixtures can be very expensive too. Some could carry a cost of £50+ for away fans, an extraordinary amount of money. We want to see more clubs follow the example set by Coventry City, who have committed to charging no away fan more than £20.”

The increase in the latest domestic media deal alone equates to more than £40 for every single fan, at every single top-flight game. Fan groups argue that clubs therefore have enough money to reduce prices and that it’s actually in their own interests to do so – will those multi-billion pound media deals keep rolling in if stands are empty?

What is Twenty’s Plenty?

The Twenty’s Plenty campaign started back in January 2013. High away ticket prices were the catalyst, with many away fans following “Category A” teams expected to pay in excess of £50 or even £60 for tickets. The FSF wants clubs to cap all away tickets at £20.

Over the last two years, the campaign has grown and secured real improvements for away fans – creating an environment where Premier League clubs have introduced the £12m Away Supporters Initiative while more teams in the Football League are now entering into £20 reciprocal deals for away fans. Twenty’s Plenty has saved fans more than £700,000.

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Video: Brendan Rodgers’ pre-Sion press conference — We must not “break” Sturridge

Watch Brendan Rodgers‘ pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool vs. FC Sion on Thursday night in the Europa League.

Video: BBC Sport (YouTube)

The Reds go into the match having drawn 1-1 with Bordeaux in their opening Europa League game of the campaign, and Rodgers will be hoping for more goals from his side after they put three past Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Stand-in captain James Milner scored the Reds opener, before two great finishes from Daniel Sturridge helped Liverpool to a much-needed 3-2 victory.

However, speaking to the press at Anfield ahead of Thursday’s game against Sion, Rodgers confirmed Sturridge will not face the Swiss side, instead resting him ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Everton.

“We have seen from the game at the weekend he is still building his way towards full fitness,” said Rodgers.

“With every individual player you have to assess and analyse where they are physically.

“Daniel has worked very hard and has come back ahead of schedule but we just have to make sure we don’t break him at this stage.

“He won’t be involved in the game, which will keep him fresh and help work towards his fitness for the weekend.”

Liverpool vs FC Sion gets underway at 8.05pm (UK) on Thursday night and is live on BT Sport.

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OPINION: Why Rodgers is right to ring the changes against Sion

OPINION: 5 players we’d like to see start vs. Sion – and why

FLASHBACK: The last time Sion arrived at Anfield (1997)

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Liverpool defender Joe Gomez happy to learn trade in Europa League

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez may have lost his starting place recently, but he is looking to use the Europa League to continue his development.

The 18-year-old was a surprise choice at left-back – not a familiar position – for the first four Premier League matches after arriving in a £3.5million summer move from Charlton.

However, a switch to three centre-backs saw him drop out of the side, but he started in the Reds’ Europa League opener in Bordeaux a fortnight ago and is expected to do so against Sion at Anfield on Thursday.

“It’s been a great experience for me getting the game time,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot already and I’m looking to keep on working.

“I had aspirations to come in and be involved and try and have an impact but I knew with me being young that I might get the chances straight away and might also have to bide my time.

“But at the same time I wanted to come to the club to play under a manager like Brendan, who gives young players a chance, so I have to take the opportunities I get.

“It was a bonus to start the first few games of the season.

“It’s just good to be in an environment like this, learning from top quality players every day.

“The Europa League is a massive competition and we want to do as well as we can in it. It’s a massive game and another chance for a win.”

Manager Brendan Rodgers named a young team in south-west France and plans to use the competition to give some academy graduates a chance to impress.

“Our approach to this game is how it’s been in the competition – this is an opportunity for young players and an opportunity for players on the fringe of the team that aren’t getting so many games,” he said.

One of those academy graduates who has already made an impression on the first team is Jordan Rossiter.

“He’s a young player that is developing well. He has a strong personality,” he added.

“He and the other young guys did very well in the last game. “He’ll be in contention again for the game tomorrow.”

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Coefficient concerns: Why are English clubs failing in Europe?

Liverpool’s failure in Europe over the past five years is characteristic of a worrying decline in fortunes for English sides on the continent.

Another instalment of the Champions League this season has provoked considerable worry among English sides and their supporters alike.

With both Arsenal and Chelsea losing to supposedly lesser sides in the second round of fixtures this week, the question of whether Premier League sides truly are some of the strongest in Europe becomes more pertinent.

In the past five seasons, only three English sides have made it to the semi-finals of Europe’s elite competition, with only two reaching the final—Manchester United in 2011 and Chelsea in 2013.

Liverpool have not advanced beyond the group stage of the Champions League in six seasons – only qualifying for Europe’s elite competition once in that time – with 2010’s Europa League semi-final defeat to Atletico Madrid their best effort.

Manchester City and Arsenal have also experienced similar levels of failure in their recent attempts for European glory.

But why are Liverpool and their fellow English sides failing in Europe?

Imbalance of Power

“Porto, who played last night, played on Friday so they got permission to move their game which keeps them fresh,” Rodgers told reporters on Wednesday, referencing the failure of Chelsea away to Porto in the Champions League the previous evening, continuing:

“I think big teams abroad can win games at 70 percent and conserve their energy – there is no game in the Premier League where you can do that.

[…]

“It is something we have to cope with and we respect that challenge but it means you really have to monitor and get the best out of the players you have available.”

Rodgers may be ridiculed for his many ill-advised media soundbites, but he remains a young manager well tuned to the landscape of modern football, and his words on the imbalance of power in other leagues in Europe are relevant.

While the likes of Porto, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain can head into a large portion of their domestic games highly confident of victory against lower-level opposition, the challenges Liverpool face in the Premier League are much more demanding.

This summer, strapped with an influx of TV money, clubs outside of the Premier League’s regular top six were able to sign players such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Andre Ayew, Dimitri Payet, Yohan Cabaye, Shinji Okazaki, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jeremain Lens.

This level of reinforcement further fuels the competitive nature of the Premier League, with no top side guaranteed victory on any occasion.

West Ham’s victories at Arsenal, Liverpool and City are testament to this.

Furthermore, as Rodgers attested to, the Portuguese Football Federation moved Porto’s league fixture to combat the congestion of European competition, the FA’s emphasis on league over Europe is similarly detrimental to English sides’ success on the continent.

Whether the FA should help the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal would likely raise further questions of top-level favouritism—a situation chairman Greg Dyke would rather avoid.

Furthermore, while Rodgers may argue that the all-round quality of the Premier League is forcing his and other managers’ hands when it comes to approaching European encounters, there is certainly an element of arrogance when it comes to English sides—particularly when it comes to the Europa League.

Managerial Arrogance

In Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat to Olympiakos on Tuesday night, Arsene Wenger made the decision to drop first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech, opting for backup option David Ospina.

Ospina has rather unfairly been made a scapegoat for Arsenal’s poor defensive showing, when it was in fact Wenger’s managerial arrogance that contributed more to the Gunners’ demise.

Cech was Arsenal’s only summer signing, and after joining from Chelsea for £10 million he was justifiably feted as the man that could propel Wenger’s side to the next level.

To then leave the Czech international out in what was a hugely important clash was alarming, particularly as Cech was not injured—instead sitting on the substitutes’ bench as Felipe Pardo, Alfred Finnbogason and an Ospina own goal consigned Arsenal to defeat.

What this highlighted was a worrying level of disregard and contempt for the perceived lower-level sides on the European stage.

Olympiakos have not advanced beyond the last 16 of the Champions League in 16 years, and it could well have been that Wenger judged their attacking threat as not great enough to bother fielding Cech.

This may be a presumptuous claim, but the notion of rotation in Europe is one that will be familiar with Liverpool supporters—with the current season a clear indicator of this.

“We could have a separate team for the Europa League and it won’t be detrimental. It’s certainly something we’d consider,” Rodgers said in July.

“Our main aim is to ride back into the top four, and we’re very keen to win a trophy this year.”

Here, Rodgers presented a clear emphasis on Premier League success, with European glory much at the back of his mind.

Against Bordeaux in the Reds’ Europa League opener, Rodgers made eight changes to his starting lineup from the previous weekend’s loss to United, with Joe Gomez, Kolo Toure, Jordan Rossiter, Jordon Ibe and Divock Origi among the peripheral figures included.

Rodgers would have been criticised if he had fielded a full-strength side, with supporters fully understanding that Norwich City awaited just three days later.

But this is characteristic of the issue.

The pressure of balancing league matters—where scrutiny over a manager’s position is most substantial—and European contention is made more difficult by the higher level of competition in the Premier League and the congestion of the domestic schedule.

This is merely scratching the surface, with the knock-on effect of Premier League for Newcastle United, Wigan Athletic, Swansea City, Everton and Hull City when competing in the Europa League in recent years serving as an indicator of why some managers completely disregard the competition.

But do top-level English sides take Europe seriously enough? The only manager in recent memory that knew how to do so was Rafa Benitez.

This notion could go both ways, spelling further danger ahead for the likes of Rodgers and Wenger.

Transfer Market Naivety

Would Karim Benzema really join a club like Arsenal or United?

The French striker is linked with a move away from Madrid every transfer window, with the Emirates the primarily speculated destination—but, unsurprisingly, he remains at the Bernabeu.

Earlier this summer, Benzema labelled the media that fuel these rumours and the supporters that believe them as “clowns,” saying “this is my home.”

This lighthearted confirmation of loyalty goes a long way to underline the problems English sides are facing in the transfer market: the biggest European talent do not find the likes of Arsenal, United and Liverpool as attractive destinations, if they are able to play regular football with Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

Similarly, United’s fruitless chase of Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos furthers this notion—and with the Old Trafford side spending much of the summer pursuing the Spaniard, they ultimately failed to strengthen their defensive ranks.

England is no longer a major draw for the biggest talent in Europe, and as such the likes of Liverpool are forced to look elsewhere.

This leads to the Reds targeting lower-level European talent, players already residing in the Premier League or the pick of the younger stars on the continent—like Emre Can.

But, undermining this, more often than not English clubs aren’t shrewd enough in the market.

Would any of Liverpool, United, Chelsea, Arsenal or City have recognised the potential in Real Sociedad’s Antoine Griezmann in 2014?

Atletico did, and now the Frenchman is one of the deadliest forwards in Europe.

Instead, English sides scrap for unwanted or underdeveloped talents, leaving their squads unable to cope with the demands of both the Premier League and in European competition—and with this affecting their success in Europe, the cycle is doomed to continue.

There are a number of factors going against the likes of Liverpool in Europe, some out of their control and some of their own manufacture.

But until a change in approach is prompted, this failure is set to continue.

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Brendan Rodgers urges authorities to help English clubs in Champions League

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes the authorities have to do more to help English teams in Europe after another dismal night in the Champions League.

Losses for Arsenal, at home to Olympiacos, and Chelsea, at Porto, mean there have been five defeats in six Champions League group matches for Premier League teams this season.

With the top-flight’s fourth Champions League place coming under increasing threat as England’s co-efficient worsens, Rodgers thinks greater assistance should be given to help lessen the demands of domestic football.

“The competition in the Premier League is like no other if you speak to the players and managers who have worked in Europe and then come here,” he said.

“The intensity and physicality of the games is much greater for the English teams than it is for any other team in Europe.

“I think we can do more to support teams in Europe. It happens with the other federations in other countries, they really help.

“Porto, who played last night, played on Friday so they got permission to move their game which keeps them fresh.”

RODGERS: Why Sturridge won’t feature against Sion

Rodgers thinks the week-to-week competitiveness of the Premier League, plus a packed fixture calendar, works against sides when it comes to taking on continental opponents.

“The intensity, the way it is played, the demands on the players – in other countries some of the big teams in European leagues can change five, six or seven players and still win the game and put out a really strong team for the next game,” he added.

“It doesn’t happen in this country. The physicality of the Premier League is like no other.

“I think big teams abroad can win games at 70 per cent and conserve their energy – there is no game in the Premier League where you can do that.

“They (European clubs) have a domestic competition less to cope with as well; we have two domestic cup competitions in this country where the others have one.

“It all adds up to physically being difficult for Premier League teams.

“It is something we have to cope with and we respect that challenge but it means you really have to monitor and get the best out of the players you have available.”

OPINION: Why Rodgers is right to ring the changes against Sion

OPINION: 5 players we’d like to see start vs. Sion – and why

FLASHBACK: The last time Sion arrived at Anfield (1997)

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KOP Preview: The parallels with last time Sion were at Anfield – maybe not the 2-6-2 formation

Last time FC Sion played at Anfield, their manager fielded a 2-6-2 formation. Meanwhile, Liverpool were a team struggling to get the balance between attack and defence right. Sound familiar?

Scorelines of 6-3 are normally more associated with Roger Federer than Swiss football teams, but when FC Sion arrived at Anfield on Halloween 1996 they hit the net far more than the Fed Express does at Wimbledon. Although I suspect that would change if Adebayo Akinfenwa was firing in serves he’d put his weight behind.

Liverpool had never previously conceded three goals at Anfield in a European game and after comfortably winning the first leg of their European Cup Winners Cup second round tie 2-1 in Switzerland weren’t expected to do so against Sion. Especially as their star striker, Vladan Lukic, was out with a calf problem (it was an injury to his leg, not an issue with the offspring of his herd on the Alps).

“We should get through now,” said skipper John Barnes. “Even if we had got a 1-1 draw in Switzerland we would have felt confident. You should’ve seen the amount of duty-free Toblerone I got into my hand luggage.” I may have made the last bit up.

Reds boss Roy Evans wasn’t quite as bullish as Digger. “We can’t afford to leave ourselves open,” he told the Liverpool ECHO. “This team can exploit any gaps we leave and will capitalise on any complacency. The message is ‘finish them off’, but we must be careful because I think Sion’s system is more geared to playing away from home.”

If only Evans’ players had listened to him. Or read the Echo. Because with 23 minutes on the cuckoo clock a Liverpool defence with more holes than a Swiss cheese had conceded twice with Frederic Chassot and Christoph Bonvin slicing through Evans’ back three of Scales, Matteo and Babb like a Swiss Army knife through fondue. A sentence chocca with Swiss cliches written by an English journalist? You could’ve set your Tissot by it.

View image | gettyimages.com

One look at that Liverpool defence would lead most people to assume the personnel were to blame for the goals flying in, but the highly unusual tactical approach of Sion’s Italian coach Alberto Bigon – who in 1990 led Napoli to the Serie A title – had caught the whole team cold.

Bigon fielded a 2-6-2 formation (effectively 2-4-2-2) to counteract Evans’ 3-5-2 (effectively 3-4-2-1 on the night as Paddy Berger played instead of Stan Collymore) by packing the midfield with one defender man-marking Robbie Fowler and the other free to pick up whoever ran into his space.

As bonkers as such a system may seem, it proved to be effective for two thirds of the game as even though Steve McManaman (28th minute) and a free-kick from Stig Inge Bjornebye (54th minute) put the Reds level on the night, Chassot scored again in the 64th minute to create Anfield goalscoring history for Sion and put them ahead on away goals.

However, playing a two-man defence against a Liverpool side that had scored 49 goals in 18 matches at Anfield in 1996 ultimately proved to be flawed as the realisation that an embarrassing European exit was on the cards hit home with the players. They responded with three goals (Barnes, and a Fowler double) in six minutes (which somehow seems familiar) to see off Sion before Berger added a sixth two minute from time.

View image | gettyimages.com

“We are such a talented bunch on the attack, but can’t afford to do this week in and week out in any competition,” admitted Evans afterwards. “On other days you don’t get it back, certainly not when you’re playing at the top end of European football.”

The Liverpool manager was subsequently proved correct the following April when Liverpool were thumped 3-0 in the Cup Winners Cup semi-final first leg away to Paris St Germain four days after wrecking their Premier League title aspirations with a 2-1 home defeat to relegation threatened Coventry City.

Could we be in for such a sensational night of goals again when Sion visit in the Europa League? Of course not.

It’s not as if Liverpool have got a three-man defence who concede sloppy goals, a free-scoring English centre-forward with injury problems, a manager who never quite gets the balance right between attack and defence and a set of supporters who are desperate for some silverware having only seen their side win a League Cup, lose an FA Cup final and nearly win the league in the previous few years now is it?

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Subscribers can currently save £12, the equivalent of three issues free, while a £6 double-deal to get the programme and Official LFC Magazine is available from Anfield on matchdays and club stores.

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OPINION: Why Rodgers is right to ring the changes against Sion

OPINION: 5 players we’d like to see start vs. Sion – and why

FLASHBACK: The last time Sion arrived at Anfield (1997)

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