Wolves in for Origi
Henderson predicts a bright future for England as Three Lions enjoy unprecedented strength in depth
HE is now – with Wayne Rooney gone – among the most experienced players in the England squad.
Jordan Henderson, however, is well aware the Three Lions currently have the most strength in depth since Rooney’s golden generation.
From Raheem Sterling (far right, top) and World Cup Golden Boot winner Harry Kane (right, second top) to rising stars Jadon Sancho (right, second bottom) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (right, bottom), Gareth Southgate has an abundance of ability.
“We’ve an amazing squad,” said Henderson. “Great talent everywhere. Anyone can play in any game. You have to be ready, 100 per cent, training at a high level.
“As you saw on Thursday, there were a lot of debuts but fantastic performances, so there’s a lot of competition and that’s how it should be. Hopefully that can push us on.”
That sensational Nations League win in Spain last month lent serious weight to the belief that Southgate’s vintage are no longer all about the hype. It underlined how England’s romp to the World Cup semi-finals was no fluke on the back of easy wins against the also-rans.
Victory over Croatia tomorrow, the team that ended England’s dream in Russia, would turn even the most hardened sceptics into believers and be tangible evidence of progress since the summer.
“We’ve reacted really well after the World Cup,” Henderson added. “It would have been easy to just think, ‘We’ve had a decent World Cup’ and go through the motions,
WEMBLEY PERMUTATIONS The WINNERS at Wembley tomorrow will be one of four teams to qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals. The final two rounds will take place in June, hosted by whichever team out of Portugal or Italy qualifies from Group A3. The LOSERS will be relegated to the second tier of European football and will be part of Group B when the Nations League next takes place in 2020-21.
If it’s a DRAW, Spain qualify for the finals. A goalless draw would see CROATIA relegated. Any other draw would mean ENGLAND are relegated. but the first camp back we were straight back at it.
“We knew we had a lot to improve on, a lot to work on to go further in tournaments, to get to finals, to win competitions.
“We knew we’d had a decent World Cup but felt we could have done better. I think that spurred us to keep going and since then I think we’ve been outstanding, especially against Spain.
“The lads were brilliant and they are the type of games we need to be winning against big teams. Sunday is a huge opportunity to do that.”
With Croatia on a roll, Southgate warned his players against the kind of defensive complacency which a better team than the USA would have taken advantage of on Thursday.
Henderson said the normally mild-mannered England boss has yet to lose his rag at his players, who do not intend for that to change this weekend.
“We haven’t really given him an opportunity yet apart from maybe Thursday night at times,” he added. “Hopefully he never has to, and not on Sunday.” WOLVES are lining-up a January bid for £20million Liverpool star Divock Origi.
The Premier League new boys, who have scored just 12 goals in 12 games, are desperate to sign a proven striker.
They first asked about Belgium international Origi during the summer and are now ready to make a move.
The 23-year-old has played only once for Liverpool this season and his chances of a regular berth at Anfield are slim.
Origi, who has scored 21 goals in 78 appearances since a £10m move from Lille in 2014, has had loan spells back at Lille and at Wolfsburg.