When Roy Hodgson announced his England squad last week, there was a familiar feel to it. Dele Alli retaining his place and Eric Dier’s call up were perhaps the major talking points ahead of the meetings with Spain and France, but all in all; shocks were few and far between. In fact - to Crystal Palace die hards anyway - the biggest surprise was away from those selected to represent the national team this month.
A 2-1 win at Liverpool on Sunday further strengthened Palace’s title as the Reds’ bogey team. In the wake of the defeat, the Merseyside outfit have now failed to win any of their last four league meetings with their Premier League counterparts. Defeat to Palace on Sunday was their third in succession against the Eaglies in England’s top tier as Liverpool struggled to deal with their South London opponents.
It was a result, though, that could well have been different. As the minutes ticked towards the 90, an unlikely source cropped up with the winning goal. Scott Dann has quickly established himself as a first team regular at the heart of the Palace backline. A key player in the spine of the side, it’s no shock to see that only Yohan Cabaye (7.41) has gained a better WhoScored rating in the Premier League this season than Dann (7.24) of Palace players.
In turn, that rating is bettered only by Chris Smalling (7.36) of English centre-backs in the top tier this term. Dann has played a vital role in a Palace side that has shipped just 12 league goals so far this season, one of the better returns in the top-flight of English football. Such an impressive start to the campaign saw some suggest that the 28-year-old warranted international recognition in the upcoming meetings with Spain and France.
While the friendlies with two dominant forces of European football represent the ideal chance for Hodgson to discover his best system with his best players, many felt it an opportunity for players like Dann to get a taste of international football. The centre-back is yet to gain a senior cap for the Three Lions, though turned out twice for the U21 side back in 2008. Yet despite showing impressive form for Palace this season, Dann was - somewhat unfairly - overlooked by Hodgson last week.
When compared to the defenders called up to face Spain and France, Dann has every right to feel aggrieved that he hasn’t been given a chance to prove his worth for the national team. Of course, Smalling and vice-captain Gary Cahill were always going to be in the squad, even if the latter has flirted with the Chelsea bench on occasion this season. John Stones’ selection was understandable too, but, given a lack of regular action for Manchester United, Phil Jones’ call up was perhaps - on the face of it anyway - unjustified.
Granted, Hodgson favours Jones’ versatility, with the United defender capable of playing in any position across the back four, but with just two league starts to his name, Dann deserved his chance to showcase his talent on the international stage more so than Jones, particularly with Phil Jagielka sidelined until next month, at the earliest. The never-say-die attitude of the Palace defender certainly stands him in good stead, of that there is no doubt.
No player has blocked more shots in the Premier League this season than Dann (17), who is happy to put himself on the line for the good of the team. When the going gets tough, Dann is one not afraid to roll up his sleeves. Particularly when England’s backs are up against the wall, a centre-back who is capable of being in the right place at the right time to deny the opposition is crucial and Dann has shown he boasts the mental and physical attributes to perform the necessary defensive duties to ensure his side does not concede.
However, while this may be an impressive weapon in Dann’s arsenal, the international game requires brains over brawn at times. The centre-back’s physical attributes can’t be called into question, but football on the international stage focuses on a more measured and patient approach, which perhaps hindered Dann’s chances of a call up. The Palace star has mustered a pass success rate of just 77.6% and has gained a statistically calculated WhoScored weakness of ‘passing’. An average of 6.1 clearances per game shows he is capable of alleviating danger, but a poor pass success rate suggests a lack of composure when needed, which perhaps weighs against him.
Of course, this is not the wrong way to defend - given his form for Palace this season, it’s an approach that clearly works, but rather it’s a style that holds him back for England, with Hodgson favouring defenders that are capable of instigating attacks from the back. It’s for this reason why Smalling and Cahill is his first choice centre-back pairing, while Stones and Jones are ahead of Dann in the pecking order for the Three Lions.
That isn’t to say he doesn’t deserve his England chance and if he can maintain his good performances for Palace, Hodgson may be unable to overlook Dann for much longer.
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