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Roy Hodgson says England strikers have given him 'a headache' ahead of Euro 2016 knockout

Harry Kane of England is brought in for Daniel Sturridge

Roy Hodgson admits his misfiring strikers have given him "a headache" heading into the Euro 2016 knockout phase.

England managed just three goals despite creating 65 chances in three Group B games - more than any other side in the tournament's opening stage.

Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy did prove the merit in selecting five forwards when both came off the bench to score in a 2-1 win over Wales.

But neither could follow up with a second goal in Monday's 0-0 draw with Slovakia, while Harry Kane is yet to score, Marcus Rashford has played just 17 minutes and Wayne Rooney is now a first-choice midfield pick.

Attacking midfielders Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling have also drawn blanks and, although Hodgson believes his side are on the verge of dishing out a beating, the England boss does not know who will start Monday's last-16 tie.

He said: "We will have the headache of trying to decide which strike force we're going to use.

Redknapp backing Kane
Redknapp backing Kane

Harry Kane still has an important role to play, says Jamie

"That could be a headache we have to deal with because all of them have shown a lot of qualities in the games but none of them, as yet, have really shown they are able to score the goals we need.

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"I thought Lallana, Sterling and Kane did very well against Russia but in the second game, when we weren't scoring goals, I gave Vardy and Sturridge a chance and they scored goals and won the game for us.

"[They] kept their place in the team... who knows what happens next time. The pecking order will come next time we play. Whoever starts, whoever comes on as substitute and scores the goal.

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Hodgson admits he is disappointed that England could not score against Slovakia

"I think all of these guys are scorers. The fact is at the moment because we haven't scored many, sometimes there's very difficult questions to defend."

Hodgson defended his six changes for Slovakia in the immediate aftermath of the game and still has no regrets about his selection.

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Alan Smith thinks Roy Hodgson is struggling to figure out his best team

"I never have regrets if the team has played well," he said.

"Maybe I'd have some regrets if we hadn't played well or hadn't controlled it. I might have had regrets if Nathaniel Clyne and Jordan Henderson hadn't been candidates for man of the match.

England manager Roy Hodgson (left) and Wayne Rooney (right) arrive for England media conference
Image: Roy Hodgson has yet to decide on his best attacking line-up at Euro 2016

"I certainly would have had a few regrets if I'd given Kyle Walker or Danny Rose, who've worked unbelievably hard and have an important role to play for us, another game on the bounce and they'd got injured: that would have been something to regret.

"I look at the way the team played and I don't honestly believe any players I could have put out there would have done a lot different to the ones that actually played from the start or came on in the game.

"Where we are at fault, clearly, is we aren't taking the goal chances we are creating."

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