This Spurs ace has given England’s boss a dilemma

Almost out of nowhere, Danny Rose shot to prominence last season. Having previously been inconsistent and rash (at the best of times) Rose has begun to look like the mature left-back that Tottenham fans had been hoping for. Pace is a great asset for any player, but when you’re an error-prone full-back it is a necessity to cover your own tracks. Fortunately, he has needed to compensate for his own errors far less regularly.

Rose’s career peak may yet be years away, but his 2014/15 season was far and away his best campaign to date. The Spurs man now has the opportunity to take control of England’s left-back position whilst the other candidates struggle for fitness, form, or minutes.

The improvement in Rose’s form over the last 12 months or so has coincided with the addition of Ben Davies to challenge for his position. Many people, including myself, would have expected the Welshman to take control of the berth at The Lane, but Rose found a new level many thought he wasn’t capable of.

Unfortunately for Rose’s international prospects, the left-back position is one of the few that England are spoilt for choice in currently.

Luke Shaw is believed by many to be the long-term successor to Ashley Cole, but the former Saints man has battled with fitness problems throughout his debut season in Manchester. While Shaw should have been the first choice at the World Cup last summer, his current form has left the door ajar for Rose.

The man who kept Shaw from starting games in Brazil, Leighton Baines, has been found out at the highest level. Age is beginning to catch up with the ex-Wigan full-back and it looks as though Baines’ chance to force a move to a top four club are long gone – perhaps the moment would have been the early part of this decade. Rose should be looking optimistically at the form of Baines, and the men in suits at the FA should be wondering why a man so close to the end was given the starting role in Brazil. One of Roy Hodgson’s biggest failings at the World Cup was not seeing it as an opportunity to players like Shaw and Rose, and he may just be learning his lesson.

Onto the next man in the way of Rose’s path to the England squad, Kieran Gibbs. Although the Gunner was displaced by Nacho Monreal in the twilight of last season, Gibbs may still be seen as an obstacle in Rose’s career progression. Regardless of his improvement in form, Rose is much like a halfway house option as far as left-backs are concerned. At 25, Rose is six years a senior of Shaw and must seize the opportunity if he is to reach the pinnacle of being an international regular.

The option for Hodgson is simple. If he is to pick on form, as he professes to do, Rose is a simple choice. If he is to continue his conservative approach with selection then Baines will continue to block the path for others. Or, one final option, give Luke Shaw the confidence in selection and allow the Manchester United man the experience at international level to fulfil his potential to become the best left back around.

Hodgson is spoilt for choice at left-back, and even Aaron Cresswell is more worthy of selection than either Kieran Gibbs or Leighton Baines.