After securing an easy route into next year's Euro 2016 finals, England boss Roy Hodgson will now be given further room to experiment with the players available to him throughout the squad.

While this is hardly the finest array of options the Three Lions have had to choose from, there is still plenty of variation across the park as attention turns towards next summer.

It is arguably up top where England fall short when compared to other European heavyweights, though, having relied heavily on Wayne Rooney's goals in the past.

Former England great Alan Shearer himself aired his concerns at the lack of current strike options, made all the worse by Harry Kane's slow start to the campaign.

As Shearer highlighted, the likes of Robbie Fowler, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham, Matt Le Tissier, Les Ferdinand, Chris Sutton, and indeed himself, are no longer vying for selection.

Hodgson now has just a select few to choose from, and with that in mind Sports Mole takes a closer look at each of those who can provide leading marksman Rooney with some much-needed competition in France.

Harry Kane

Caps: 3
Goals: 2

Very little was known about the Tottenham Hotspur forward this time last year, but fast forward 12 months and Kane is the man on everyone's lips. That is down to the 31 goals scored for his club in 2014-15, in a campaign that ended with him being named as the PFA's Young Player of the Year.

As ever, though, talk quickly turned to whether Kane could then replicate that hugely-impressive form this time around. So far, the answer has to be a solid 'no'. Four games without a goal has already seen the doubters get on the youngster's back, but a well-taken finish in England's 6-0 win over San Marino last time out - hardly world-beaters, granted - has taken his tally up to two in three for his country.

The first of those strikes provided one of the moments of last season, of course, as Kane tucked away just 79 seconds into his debut in a comfortable win over Lithuania at Wembley. Kane can drift around the field, yet if he is to partner Rooney at next summer's Euros then he will likely be tasked with leading the line as an out-and-out striker. Before then, there is the small matter of finding his feet at club level to ensure that he keeps himself firmly in Hodgson's thoughts.

Danny Welbeck

Caps: 33
Goals: 14

He may be England's joint-leading scorer in qualification for the Euros, having scored six goals to date, but Welbeck's worrying injury problems could cost him a place in the finals squad. In fact, only four players across Europe - each of whom have played more games - have found the net on a more regular basis than the Arsenal man's six.

That counts for very little in the grand scheme of things, however, with Hodgson stating earlier this week that "Welbeck bothers me now". The former Manchester United forward has been plagued by problems over the past 12 months, the latest of which is likely to see him ruled out of action until at least the new year.

Welbeck must first put his growing issues to one side, before quickly hitting the ground upon his return to action for Arsenal. His doubles against Switzerland and Slovenia - two of England's tougher group-stage fixtures - certainly helped showcase the talent on offer, which will surely be too much to overlook should he have some minutes under his belt in the months leading up to France 2016.

Jamie Vardy

Caps: 2
Goals: 0

Another of those who, seemingly out of nowhere, has suddenly made himself an important figure under the watch of Hodgson. Vardy failed to make the desired impact against San Marino last time out, but as long as he continues his solid form at club level, there should be a place among the 30-man squad.

Vardy is not what you would consider as a typical partner for Rooney, particularly when utilised in a wide position, but he certainly provides the Three Lions with some raw power. Speaking ahead of the 2014 World Cup, Rooney talked up the "good blend" of partners available, claiming that it was the "best group" of options he could remember during his time in the international fold.

Rickie Lambert and Jermain Defoe are now seemingly out of the picture and, with a dearth of other top-quality forwards, Vardy - with two goals and one assist to his name already this campaign in the Premier League - can bring some creativity and drive in an attacking position that some more illustrious names cannot offer.

Theo Walcott

Caps: 41
Goals: 7

Walcott's hat-trick against Croatia was some seven years ago now and, in truth, the Arsenal flyer has not truly pushed on since. That may seem harsh in a way, especially considering he has just been awarded a new contract at the Emirates Stadium, though many expected him to become a true world-class star for both club and country.

Two goals from the bench against San Marino will have helped his cause somewhat, yet questions will still be asked regarding Walcott's suitability as a true centre-forward. Given the nod by Arsene Wenger to start in that position against Newcastle United in the Gunners' most recent outing, the Southampton product failed to leave his mark.

Walcott has repeatedly stated that he sees himself as a striker, but his best performances continue - on the large - to come when he is cutting in from a wide position. Either way, should he maintain his fitness throughout the remainder of the campaign, the 26-year-old will provide his manager with a versatile option in attack.

Daniel Sturridge

Caps: 16
Goals: 5

The Daniel Sturridge of 2013-14 would very much be a nailed-down starter for England at the European Championships, but fitness issues will play a big part in Hodgson's final decision. After being restricted to just 18 appearances in all competitions last season, the former Chelsea and Manchester City man looked to be on the right track when scoring twice in March.

That proved to be a false dawn of sorts, however, and another setback has seen Sturridge miss the opening weeks of this term. A return to action against Man United next weekend appears to be off the cards, also, so the wait will go on for another week at least.

The good news for Sturridge is that he has another eight months to build some momentum and return to the type of form that saw him and Luis Suarez light up the Premier League. Alternatively, a failure to shake off this latest hip injury and his place in the squad could be taken by one of his clubmates.

Danny Ings & Saido Berahino

The uncapped senior duo could very well be battling it out for one place and, while Berahino may currently feel unsettled, you have to feel that he is the one with the advantage. First-team football is a certainty if he overcomes his current off-field issues and gets his head down, while Ings must make do with the odd cameo appearance from the bench.

It was always going to be a case of the summer signing from Burnley battling for his place in the Liverpool fold, yet with just one substitute appearance this term to date, it is unlikely that Ings will be at the forefront of Hodgson's thoughts at this moment in time. That is also likely to be the case for Queens Park Rangers ace Charlie Austin, who has to see out the next few months at least playing in the second tier of English football.

Andy Carroll, meanwhile, another player who will harbour thoughts of a call-up, is losing his own personal battle against fitness in time for next June's showpiece tournament. Berahino, who will turn 23 next year, could now be at a stage in his career where he is ready to push on and cement his name in the manager's thoughts. The only way he will do that is to heed the advice of Tony Pulis and simply focus on scoring goals.