Why West Brom's Jay Rodriguez Deserves An England Recall

West Bromwich Albion's Jay Rodriguez has received as many bookings as he has scored goals so far this season and yet he is on the verge of an England recall if reports in The Telegraph are to be believed. A return of two goals from ten outings in all competitions has hardly set the world alight but it could yet earn him a place in Gareth Southgate's squad for next month's friendlies against Brazil and Germany, and there is an argument for him to be given a chance to prove his worth before the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia next summer.

Southgate is understood to be keen on Rodriguez as he is capable of playing in any of the forward positions in his favoured 3-4-3 formation and he could be a more than viable alternative to Jermain Defoe or Daniel Sturridge, who were both part of the squad that secured World Cup qualification against Slovenia. The previously ageless Defoe has found old father time is catching up with him since returning to Bournemouth, while Sturridge has managed only two goals in his past 21 appearances for Liverpool and is not trusted by Jurgen Klopp.

In contrast, Rodriguez is a trusted lieutenant of Tony Pulis at West Bromwich Albion as he has played all but ten minutes of their Premier League games since joining from Southampton for a hefty £12m in the summer. The size of the transfer fee raised a few eyebrows but the 28-year-old is a capable performer who is bidding to return to the England fold for the first time since winning his sole cap in a 2-0 friendly defeat to Chile in 2013.

The Career Of Rodriguez

The striker first rose to prominence with Burnley as he banged in 29 Championship goals in two seasons before moving in 2012 to Southampton, where he would go on to flourish under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino, who remains a keen admirer of his former player. Rodriguez banged in 15 goals during the 2013/14 Premier League season before a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury cruelly cut his campaign short in April 2014 and he subsequently missed the chance to go the European Championships with England.

It would be sixteen months before Rodriguez could play competitive football again but he made a decent impression in 2016/17 for Saints, notching five goals at an average of one every 178.6 minutes, and his brace against Bournemouth left him with so much adrenaline that he couldn't sleep that night.

It has been a long way back for Rodriguez and there can't be many who don't wish him well after what he has been through with injury, although there will remain a niggling sense of doubt about whether he will ever be the same player again.

A Better Alternative

The reality is that England don't have an embarrassment of riches to select from right now and Rodriguez could prove to be a welcome addition to the squad if he can get back to the electric form of 2013/14. It is a big 'if' of course but the formative months of his Baggies career offer green shoots, if not totally overwhelming evidence, of recovery as ten games under his belt for the season would suggest he is nearing full fitness and there is no doubt that international recognition matters as it represents the pinnacle of his career, which may not be the case for some England players who are perhaps selected on the basis of 'big club bias'.

He clearly isn't a prolific striker in the mould of Harry Kane but he is a player whose movement and nous can add plenty to a limited national side. He is hamstrung by playing for a functional West Brom team that has managed seven league goals, a paltry 41% possession in Premier League games - the lowest in the division - and a meagre 9.1 shots per game on average - only Swansea have managed less. 

Pulis knows that Rodriguez will do a job for the team and he won't let anyone down though, and such qualities are likely to endear him to Gareth Southgate, who has a paucity of options when it comes to attacking talent.

West Bromwich Albion are next in Premier League action on Saturday 21st October as they visit Southampton (Kick-Off 5.30pm BST).