Top 5 Football League players of the year

As we come to the end of another fantastic season in the Football League, we look at the top five players that have shone this year in the Championship, League One and Two.

1# Rickie Lambert- Southampton

picture: zimbio.com

The Southampton striker has scored a mammoth 31 goals in all competitions this year and has been a massive star in the club's drive for promotion to the Premier League next year. Lambert has notched an impressive four hat tricks in the league this season including an excellent performance in the away win at Watford. His penalty taking continues to impress having not missed a spot kick while playing for the Saints. The former Bristol Rovers man gained automatic promotion with Southampton last season finishing top goalscorer at the club where they finished runners up to league champions Brighton. Lambert was awarded Championship player of the year this season as well as being included in the Championship team of the year alongside fellow team mates Adam Lallana and Kelvin Davis. Having proved himself in every division in the football league, Lambert will be keen to show his goalscoring talents in England's top division next year.

2# Chris Burke- Birmingham City
An unsung hero for the Blues, Burke has been a key member of the team that has seen them reach the Championship play off's. Contributing an impressive 14 goals from the wing, Burke has added experience to the side. Having moved from Cardiff in the summer, Burke has established himself in the Midland's side and will be important when his side play in the play off's later next month. As well as chipping in with goals, the Scottish international is the lead assister in the Championship with an excellent 16 assists to his name.

3# Tyrone Barnett- Peterborough United

picture: vitalfootball.co.uk

Former Crawley striker, Tyrone Barnett made an immediate impact on the Championship. The youngster managed four goals in 12 appearances for The Posh since joining on loan in January. Having impressed for League 2 side Crawley early in the season, Darren Ferguson quickly snapped the forward up. Barnett had already scored an impressive 15 goals for Crawley this year after joining them last summer from Macclesfield. Although now at Posh, Barnett was recently named in the League Two team of the year. With safety assured for Posh and another season guaranteed in the Championship, Barnett will be looking to continue hitting the net.

4# Matt Ritchie- Swindon TownThe Swindon Town winger has been a big performer for his side this year which has seen them win promotion from League Two. After a successful loan spell at the Wiltshire club last season, Ritchie made the move permanent and has since contributed 13 goals. It has been his assists though that have seen him stand out, contributing 13 to the team. He was named in this year's League Two team of the year alongside team mate Paul Caddis and also collected the League Two player of the year to cap of a superb season.

5# Jordan Rhodes- Huddersfield Town

picture: wikipedia.org

A striker who knows where the net is, Jordan Rhodes has been the star performer in this year's League One. The forward has notched an incredible 38 goals this season which has helped his side Huddersfield Town make a play off spot. Rhodes scored four goals in an amazing 4-4 draw away at Sheffield Wednesday this year as well as achieving an excellent six hat tricks. Rhodes was awarded League One player of the season as well as making the League One team of the year. If Huddersfield fail to gain promotion this year then Rhodes is certain to be snapped up.

FA Cup Semi Finals: Preview

Before I get onto previewing this weekends fixtures, just a note of apology for lack of posts recently, I have been very busy with uni work and working at Peterborough United as well. I am now back and have several posts in mind that shall be published in the coming months. Thanks!

As we come to the end of what has been another terrific season, we focus our attention to the semi finals of the FA Cup this weekend. We have two cracking derbies this year that sees the two games both played at the home of football, Wembley. League Cup winners Liverpool are aiming for a second trophy of the season and they take on local rivals Everton. In the other game we see a London derby between Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

#1 Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

picture: guardian.co.uk

A London derby that sees two of the Premier League big boys come head to head in a fight for a place in the FA Cup final in May. Chelsea have become revitalised under the management of Roberto Di Matteo whereas Spurs have had a tricky spell recently that sees them now fighting for a Champions League place. Harry Redknapp's men were seen as title contenders 4 months ago but a poor 2012 has seen their rivals Arsenal leap frog them in the table. A recent home defeat to Norwich City in the league has really dented Spurs chances of a top four place and a cup semi final against Chelsea is a welcome distraction for them. Winger Gareth Bale has recently seen a drop in form after a stunning start to the season for the Welshman. Striker Louis Saha is cup tied which will mean Jermain Defoe is likely to partner fellow forward Emmanuel Adebayor in attack. The Englishman has not played that much this season but has always impressed when he has been given the opportunity. Rivals Chelsea have begun to show what a good side they are after the sacking of former boss Andre Villas Boas. Caretaker boss Roberto Di Matteo has guided the Blues to a Champions League semi final as well as a good chance of taking the final Champions League place in the league. Striker Fernando Torres has started to look like his old self with excellent performances in recent games.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Spurs

#Liverpool v Everton

picture: telegraph.co.uk

With the anniversary of Hillsborough on Sunday, this weekend is massive for the red half of Liverpool. Kenny Dalglish's side have been under a lot of criticism this season with average performances from his side. Poor results have seen his side sit eighth in the league behind local rivals Everton. Striker Andy Carroll scored only his ninth goal for the reds this week in the away win at Blackburn. Carroll has also been criticised for not proving his £35 million price tag this year but with good performances recently, the striker is sure to show what he is capable of. Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard were rested in mid week meaning the pair, who have been so vital this year, will be fresh and ready for the challenge on Saturday lunchtime. Goalkeepers Pepe Reina and Doni are both suspended the game which will see third choice keeper Brad Jones called up between the sticks. The Australian made only his third appearance for the club on Wednesday saving a penalty in the process. David Moyes' Everton are the in form side at the moment having only lost none of their previous seven games. The Toffees will be without cup tied Steven Pienaar, but with striker Nikica Jelavic in good form the blue side of Merseyside will fancy their chances against an inconsistent Liverpool side. 

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Everton

FA Cup Quarter Finals: Ones to watch

 

As we get closer to the end of the football season here in England, it also sees the cup competitions getting ever nearer to the final. We saw Liverpool take the first cup of the season with a narrow penalty shoot out win over Championship outfit Cardiff in the Carling Cup final last month. This weekend we see the quarter finals of the FA Cup take place and the opportunity for four teams to play at Wembley in the semi finals. All but one of the teams left in the competition are from the Premier League with Leicester City representing the Football League.

#1 Everton v Sunderland

picture: football365.com

After suffering Merseyside derby disappointment on Tuesday, Everton will want to bounce back and progress in this seasons FA Cup. A home tie will give them some advantage but will face a tough ask as they come up against a fellow Premier League team high on confidence. Sunderland have been in great form of recent under new manager Martin O'Neill. A draw away at rivals Newcastle and then a home win against Liverpool has seen the Black Cats rise up the league table to eighth. O'Neill's side have been in impressive form in this year's FA Cup with wins against Arsenal as well as beating high flying Championship side Middlesbrough. Striker Nicklas Bendtner has two goals in two games and with fellow forward Frazier Campbell returning to impressive form, the pair will cause the Everton back line a fair few problems. David Moyes's Everton have also shown decent form in the league with home wins against Tottenham and Man City which has seen them sit comfortably in the top half of the table. Scoring in his first game for the club, striker Nikica Jelavic will want to continue showing why he was so highly rated when at Rangers. Key players including Royston Drenthe and Leon Osman were rested against Liverpool mid week and will be keen to play an important part in taking their club to the new Wembley for the first time. 

Prediction: Everton 2-1 Sunderland

#2 Chelsea v Leicester

picture: mirrorfootball.co.uk

The only quarter final that doesn't see two Premier League sides against each other. Leicester are the only team left outside the top division and will want to cause a big upset this weekend. Having seen Birmingham City hold Chelsea in the last round of the cup, Leicester will take massive heart and believe they are capable of the same. The Championship side have had a topsy turvy season with the Midlands side currently sitting in eleventh place in the league. Strikers David Nugent and Jermaine Beckford have a combined goal total of 25 goals this season and have struck up an impressive partnership. After an impressive 3-1 triumph over rivals Birmingham in their last game, Leicester will be high in confidence going into their game at Chelsea. Since the departure of manager Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea have since regained belief that their season isn't finished just yet. An extra time victory over Napoli in the Champions League and a 1-0 home win over Stoke in the league, has seen the London team remain in two cup competitions and still in contention for fourth place. Front man Didier Drogba has been in terrific form of late scoring three goals in the last two games. The return of captain John Terry has sured up the defence and given the team a much needed boost going into a critical stage of the season for the club. 

Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Leicester City

#3 Liverpool v Stoke City

picture: soccertransfers.com

These two Premier League sides will be meeting for the fourth time this season on Sunday afternoon. The two met each other last year in the Carling Cup which saw a Luis Suarez double take the Merseyside club through. But Stoke will go into this tie confident. In the league meeting at Anfield this season, Stoke came away with a well earned goalless draw as well as beating their opponents 1-0 in the league meeting at the Britannia last September. Liverpool had been on a three game losing streak going into the Merseyside game on Tuesday. But a wonderful hat trick from talisman Steven Gerrard saw the reds end their poor run. Kenny Dalglish's side have had a mixed season, drawing nine games at home, dropping points against teams they should be beating. Poor results of late has seen them drop to seventh in the league. However the side have had good runs in cup competitions this season. Carling Cup success against Cardiff last month saw the club win silverware for the first time in six years. This years FA Cup run has seen the side beat rivals Manchester United as well as convincing wins against lower opposition. Stoke City have continued with their love affair of the FA Cup this year with some impressive displays. Runners up in last years competition has spurred the side on to achieve similar success. The game against Liverpool will see the Staffordshire side face Premier League opposition for the first time in this years competition. Exit from the Europa League this year leaves the FA Cup the only distraction from Stoke's average Premier League display this year. But after taking four points from six in the league this year there is no reason why The Potters can't pull of a potential shock. 

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Stoke City

#4 Tottenham Hotspur v Bolton Wanderers 

picture: goal.com

It has been 21 years since Spurs last won the FA Cup and a quarter final tie at home to fellow Premier League side Bolton, offers them a chance to inch further to a final at Wembley. Playing at home, Spurs are favourites to win the game but after reaching the semi final of the competition last season, Bolton will be no walkovers. Poor performances of late from Spurs, has seen North London rivals Arsenal come within two points of them. After being potential title contenders, Harry Redknapp's side look set for a battle for a Champions League place. Striker Jermaine Defoe looks set to miss out on a starting place on Saturday with fellow forwards Louis Saha and Emmanuel Adebayor set to continue their impressive partnership. Rafael Van Der Vaart has missed a lot of this season through injury but also looks likely to come back into the side that hasn't found scoring goals an issue this year. Spurs needed a replay in the last round to overcome League 1 side Stevenage and will not want another one interrupting their charge for a top four place. Owen Coyle's Bolton were thumped 5-0 in last years semi final against Stoke at Wembley. With another opportunity to play at Wembley in front of them, Bolton will go into Saturday's game knowing they have every chance to progress. Wanderers have struggled to find the net this season with Ivan Klasnic being their top goalscorer with only eight league goals to his name. The loan signing of Arsenal youngster Ryo Miyaichi has given Bolton some much needed pace. Although only 19 years old, Miyaichi showed what quality he has with a superbly taken goal in the last round at Millwall. A 3-0 defeat to Spurs this season at the Lane will not give fans great hope but with Spurs struggling for some form there's every chance Bolton can progress.

Prediction: Spurs 3-1 Bolton

 

 

 

Carling Cup Final Preview: Cardiff v Liverpool



The first final of the footballing season is upon us and the first piece of silverware is available to win. The Carling Cup final isn't the biggest competition to win but for the two clubs in this year's final, winning the tournament would be great for different reasons. Premier League side Liverpool have not won any silverware since the FA Cup final of 2005/06 season where they beat West Ham on penalties. A win on Sunday would give the club a much needed boost and something to show for their excellent cup campaign this year. Championship side Cardiff City are battling for an automatic position for promotion to the Premier League and the Carling Cup final offers them a nice distraction from the promotion race. There are a few reasons why Sunday's final will be one to watch. Craig Bellamy will be playing against his boyhood team Cardiff for the first time in his career. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will be up against his cousin Anthony who plays in central defense for the Bluebirds. Finally Kenny Dalglish will be up agaisnt fellow Scot in the dugout meaning that Wales, England and Scotland will be represented at Wembley come four o'clock.

Liverpool:

picture: liverpoolecho.co.uk

For the first time in six years Liverpool have reached a cup final. The Carling Cup will never be the biggest tournament to win but for the Merseyside club, a win would show and start to prove that they are back on track to become one of England's best teams. Having beaten clubs such as Stoke, Chelsea and Manchester City, Liverpool have not had an easy run to the final. The semi-final win against Manchester City over two legs showed that Liverpool are beginning to play like the top side they have proved in the past. The defence is alot stronger and with star striker Luis Suarez back and scoring goals, the team go into the final as strong favorites. The last time Liverpool won the Carling Cup, they came up against rivals Manchester United in the 2002/03 season where they came out winners 2-1. The last time they played a Championship team in the final was in the 2000/01 season where they beat Birmingham City on penalties.

Cardiff City
Malky Mackay's Cardiff City are once again battling for an automatic place in the Championship in their bid to reach the Premier League. After the success of fellow Welsh team Swansea City last year, the fans of the Bluebirds will want their team to achieve similar success. Cardiff's run in the cup this year has seen them overcome the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Huddersfield Town. The two legged semi-final against fellow Championship side Crystal Palace was welcomed by football fans as it guaranteed a Championship club into the final. Cardiff were the team that took the opportunity beating their opponents in a penalty shoot out which saw Palace miss three of their penalties. This will be the third time Cardiff will have played at the new Wembley with past occasions seeing them defeated in an FA Cup final and in the play off final of the Championship two years ago.

One to watch: Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

picture: mirror.co.uk

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been in the media spotlight continuinely for the last few months for the wrong reasons. Scoring two goals in his last two appearences, Suarez will want to carry on showing the footballing world why he is so highly rated. The Uruguayan has scored three goals in this years competition netting one against Exeter and two against Stoke. The first of two goals against the Staffordshire club will be one of the most memorable goals in this years competition. Suarez took the ball on the left side of the 18 yard box, nutmegged a defender and then unleashed a swerving shot over the keeper and into the far corner of the goal. This goal showed what Suarez is about and on his day he is one of the most dangerous players in the box. If selected, he will be on a big stage playing at Wembley and the opportunity to win the game for Liverpool.

One to watch: Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City)

picture: bbc.co.uk

After a slow start to his career, Peter Whittingham is now the heart of Cardiff City and will need to perform to his best if the Welsh team are to come out victors on Sunday. The former Aston Villa player has 10 goals and 12 assists in all competitons this season for Cardiff. His delivery from set pieces and his quality passing have seen Whittingham become one of the best players on the Championship.Whittingham is well know for his free kick ability, most notably his 35 yard effort he scored against Reading this season. Most recently Whittingham has been nominated in the category for Championship player of the year award. An award that is well deserved and if he wins the midfield battle on Sunday then the Welsh side will be well within a chance of victory.

Prediction:
For both teams and sets of fans this is a massive game. The opportunity to win silverware will be boosts for both clubs. The winners also get entry into next years Europa League and if Liverpool miss out on a Champions League place this year then the opportunity to play in the Europa League will be welcomed. There will be significant battles on the pitch most notably the midfield battle. With Steven Gerrard and Charlie Adam most likely to start for Liverpool, Cardiff will have to keep the ball in the early stages of the game otherwise they will come out second best. Kenny Miller normally plays as a loan striker for Cardiff and will struggle without support against a Liverpool defence that has been one of the best in the Premier League this season. Cardiff will go into the game as underdogs and if Liverpool play the way we know they can then the Premier League side will come out winners. If Cardiff get under the skin of Liverpool and not allow any space then the Bluebirds have it in them to beat their opponents.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Cardiff City

FA Cup Fifth Round: Ones to watch

League action takes a break this weekend as we see the fifth round of the FA Cup take centre stage. With some big results in the last round, there are only 16 sides left in the competition to become winners of this historical competition.

#1 Chelsea v Birmingham City

City Striker Marlon King has scored
11 goals for the blues this season

Chelsea have a big week ahead of them especially if they are to have anywhere near a successful season. A home tie against Birmingham who are currently in unstoppable form in the FA Cup is followed by the first leg tie away at Italian side Napoli. Chelsea are currently having an odd patch of results and are nowhere near showing the real quality the side possess. After throwing away a three goal lead at home to Manchester United two weeks ago, Chelsea lost to Everton in an with an awful performance. Pressure is mounting on Chelsea boss Villas-Boas and anything but two cup wins this week will further pressure the Portuguese man. Strikers Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou will still not be available for the lunchtime clash on Saturday so responsibility will continue on striker Fernando Torres to end his four month goal drought. Championship club Birmingham City are in excellent form at the moment and sit on the play off's and are currently 13 games unbeaten in all competitions. The Midlands side will have nothing to lose and after beating rivals Wolves in the last round, Chris Hughton's side will go into this clash with every hope of progressing.

Prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Birmingham City

#2 Crawley Town v Stoke City

Matt Tubbs celebrates his winner for
Crawley against Hull in the last round

League 2 side Crawley are the lowest side left in the competition and they will not want their journey to end as they come up against Premier League side Stoke City. Crawley have beaten Championship sides Bristol City and Hull City in their campaign so far and have been rewarded with a big home tie against a Premier League side. Stoke have not been in the best form of recent and will be taking on the West Sussex side after their Europa League clash at home to Valencia. Tony Pulis will look to rest big stars after their efforts against the Spanish side and give the rest of the squad a chance to play. The Staffordshire club have not won a Premier League game since the 2-1 away game at Blackburn at the beginning of the year and will want to carry on their involvement in the cup. For Crawley it is the biggest home tie they face in the club's history and with the television cameras present, the League 2 side will want to show viewers their capabilities. Star man and striker Matt Tubbs was the key man for their side but after Tubbs had bigger ambitions and moved to Bournemouth, Crawley will rely on striker Tyrone Barnett who has netted an impressive 15 goals in all competitions this season. 

Prediction: Crawley Town 1-2 Stoke City

3# Stevenage v Tottenham Hotspur

Louis Saha scores his first Spurs goal
against Newcastle at the weekend

Alongside the Crawley game against Stoke, this fixture stands out as well. League one side Stevenage have reached the fifth round for the first time in the clubs history and take on high flying Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs are currently third in the league chasing both Manchester clubs in a bid to win the Premier League title. Stevenage sit in the play off's of League one after gaining promotion from League two last season. New manager Gary Smith took the reigns after former manager Graham Westley went to fellow League one side Preston last month. Since taking over the club, Smith saw his side beat Notts County ion the fourth round of the cup and then beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 away from home. The Hertfordshire club beat Newcastle United at home in the third round last season so for the fans there is no reason why the League one side can't achieve a similar result this weekend. Harry Redknapp's Spurs come to Stevenage after thumping Newcastle United 5-0 at home last Saturday evening. Redknapp will more than likely rest his bigger stars with the North London derby in mind a week later. The likes of Bale, Adebayor and Luka Modric will sit on the bench allowing the younger stars of Spurs a run out and  a chance to shine. Striker Louis Saha is more than likely going to play a part. Two goals in the victory at the weekend for the Frenchman will give him a much needed confidence boost after only scoring two goals for former club Everton this season. With the television cameras present at the game on Sunday, Stevenage will want to show the football world just how good they are. 

Prediction: Stevenage 0-3  Tottenham

#4 Liverpool v Brighton

Kuyt scores Liverpool's second in
the 2-1 win over Brighton last year

For the second time this season, Liverpool and Brighton play each other, this time in the FA Cup. The two played against each other in the third round of the Carling Cup at Brighton last September with the Merseyside club winning 2-1 thanks to goals from strikers Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt. With a Carling Cup final to look forward to in a week, Liverpool will want to book themselves at Wembley again for a second time this season in the FA Cup. A 2-1 victory at Anfield three weeks ago against rivals Manchester United in the fourth round, Liverpool will want to continue their form in the competition this season with victory over the Championship club. Kenny Dalglish has put out strong teams in both of their FA cup games this year and the game on Sunday will be no different. Bad boy Luis Suarez may set to start on his third game back from his 8 game ban. Craig Bellamy is the clubs top goalscorer this season and alongside fellow forward Dirk Kuyt, the pair have scored critical goals in cup games this season. Dutch striker Kuyt has come under some criticism this season due to lack of goals but two goals in his last four games for the club have shown he still has his predator instinct. Championship side Brighton started the season with a bang and went unbeaten in their first six league games. Since then form has dipped for the club and for striker Craig Mackail Smith as well. The Scotsman had not scored in his previous twelve games before netting in the 2-1 away win at Leeds last week. They sit ninth in the table at the moment only two points from a play off place and a cup game at Anfield will be a nice break from the league and be sure to be a grand day out for the travelling fans. Having disposed of Newcastle United in the last round of the cup, the Seagulls will go into the game knowing that if they perform to similar standards anything is possible.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Brighton

Other fifth round ties:

Everton v Blackpool (Prediction: 2-1)

Norwich City v Leicester City (Prediction: 3-2)

Millwall v Bolton Wanderers (Prediction: 1-1)

Sunderland v Arsenal (Prediction: 1-1)

Fernando Torres: Finding his way back to form?

It's been over a year now since Spanish striker Fernando Torres made his big £50million move from Liverpool to Chelsea and it's fair to say he has not performed anywhere near what he showed the football world when he was at the Merseyside club. However over the past few games Torres has been playing, there have been signs that the forward may be returning to the world class player he is.

With only three goals in his Chelsea career so far, it's very obvious that things have not gone his way. Since his massive move to the London club, the spotlight was quickly upon him. At Liverpool, Torres was quick to show the football world what a quality player he is. In his first season for Liverpool, Torres scored 29 goals in all competitions setting a new record for the club. In his second season, Torres continued with his goalscoring managing to reach 50 goals for the club. It was clear to see how quick Torres had adapted to the Premier League, making him a handful for defenders.

picture: thisislondon.co.uk

Since his move to Chelsea, Torres has struggled finding the net. The Spanish number nine has currently gone four months without scoring a goal. With the European Championship's over the horizon, Torres has to start hitting the net, otherwise his hopes of going to the tournament will be slim.

But over recent games, there have been some signs that Torres may start finding some form and start scoring more regularly for Chelsea. With Drogba still playing for the Ivory Coast in The African Cup of Nations Torres is currently the main striker for Chelsea at the moment. He may not have scored in the games Chelsea have been without Drogba but Torres has found himself in positions in games where he has struggled to in games gone by. In the home win over Sunderland last month Torres attempted an unthinkable scissor kick which crashed against the bar and then resulting in Lampard scoring the rebound. Against Norwich, it took a great save from Canaries keeper John Ruddy to deny an effort from Torres, who then went on to miss an easier chance later on in the game.

It was the game last weekend against Man Utd where Torres looked like he maybe getting nearer to finding the net. The chance that stands out was Torres running through on goal where he had three or four opportunities to strike the ball but instead tried too hard to take the defender on and eventually lost the ball. Yes some may say that this is typical Torres fluffing his lines once again, but as a striker if you are getting chances then you must be doing something right, or getting into the right position. Sometimes all a striker needs in these situations is a slice of luck.

picture:bleacherreport.com

Take for instance Peter Crouch. Signed for 7 million pounds at Liverpool after impressive seasons at Southampton. Crouch went four months at Liverpool without scoring a goal. His first goal came at home to Wigan. After turning on the halfway line Crouch took the ball to the edge of the box where his long range effort took an enormous deflection off defender Leighton Baines and ended up looping over goalkeeper Mike Politt. There came Crouch's first goal for Liverpool, and after this game, Crouch became more regular on the score sheet for them. Now Crouch and Torres are completely different players and the price paid for each player is significantly different, but Torres is in the same predicament now for Chelsea.

Goals will come for Torres, it's only a matter of time before he get back and scoring regularly for Chelsea. He has proven with Liverpool  that he is more than capable of performing in the Premier League. Whether it's the formation Chelsea play that doesn't suit Torres's strengths or it's a matter of confidence, Torres goal drought is one that will hopefully end for him and get the critics off his back.

Jordan's on the Rhode to the Olympics

Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes has been in incredible form this season scoring 27 league goals in only 24 league games. The Scottish international is only 21 years old and has proven this season what a goal threat he is. With the Olympics closing in, names will be thrown around for the British football team and Rhodes will surely be included in those names.

The former Ipswich man has shown this season he is a predator in the box. Scoring four goals away at Sheffield Wednesday and an incredible five goals against Wycombe, Rhodes certainly knows where the goal is. With back to back hat tricks against Exeter and Preston this season, the Scotsman became the first Huddersfield player to achieve this since the 1920s.

Rhodes has not only been scoring goals for Huddersfield this season, but has been firing them in for the Scotland U21 side as well. Six goals in six appearances for the Scottish U21's has made Rhodes the all time joint top goalscorer for the team.

picture: yorkshirepost.co.uk

Rhodes has yet to receive any letter or notification asking whether he is willing to play for the British side at the Olympics, but if he was to be given the chance to play, he would definitely be a good player to have in the side. Manager of the GB football team, Stuart Pearce was in attendance when Huddersfield put 6 past Wycombe when Rhodes scored five goals, giving the view that Pearce may have Rhodes in his Olympic plans.

The majority of the British squad in the Olympics is more than likely going to contain English players alongside the likes of Gareth Bale and perhaps Wales captain Aaron Ramsey. It will be difficult for players from Scotland and Ireland to get their chance as England have a lot of players from their U21 side that will get into the Olympic team with ease. The likes of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck would be definite selections if the two miss out on a trip to the Euros this year.

If Rhodes continues with his goalscoring into the second half of the season, there is no reason why the striker can't make it into the Olympic side. He has shown in his short career, that he is lethal in the box and can score any type of goal. He has proven that he can cope at international level even if it is for the U21s and it wont be long until you see him starting and scoring for the senior team.