England sweating over Welbeck, Johnson

Posted Saturday, May 26, 2012 by ESPN

Danny Welbeck and Glen Johnson face having their Euro 2012 dream dashed on Monday.

The pair have been ruled out of England's friendly with Norway on Saturday as they struggle to recover from ankle and toe injuries respectively.

Three Lions chief Roy Hodgson does anticipate having both men on the plane to the team base in Krakow on June 6.

However, there remains an element of doubt and as England's confirmed squad must be submitted to UEFA by midday on Tuesday, so Hodgson has told the duo they will need to report 24 hours earlier for a final check.

"He (Welbeck) and Glen will come in on Monday to be assessed," said Hodgson.
"I'm hoping I'm not taking an 80% fit striker. I'm counting on Welbeck being fully fit.

"You employ doctors, physios and experts and you value their opinions. When the opinion is: `Don't worry, he'll be fit and okay', you have to accept that.

"We have a couple more days and there is an element of risk involved. But we don't have other alternatives of the Welbeck type."

Johnson is suffering from an infected toe, which Hodgson appeared mildly irritated to be confronted with when his players reported for duty on Wednesday.

It is Welbeck who is the greatest worry for the simple reason England do not have an obvious option in reserve.

Despite his previous declarations of fitness, Darren Bent was discounted due to the length of time he has been out with an ankle injury.

Peter Crouch does not have Welbeck's strength to lead the line even though he boasts an impressive international scoring record.

Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge will replace Welbeck if required but he has rarely started as a central striker for his club, where Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres have done that job in their different ways.

With his Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney suspended for the opening two group games against France and Sweden at Euro 2012, Welbeck has a vital role to play, even if the form of Andy Carroll is threatening to usurp him for a starting spot.

"I thought Danny would be fit to join in when he came. Now appears might not be fit to train on Tuesday either," said Hodgson.

"But the doctor's very confident and I'll make allowances for that.

"As long as he gives me guarantees he wants to play, I'll take him because the only other centre-forward type we have in the squad who's remotely comparable is Andy Carroll.

"Sturridge hasn't played up front for Chelsea for a while and we have other players who can go into the second striker position from wide areas.

"I want someone capable of playing as a lone striker and Welbeck fits that description."

Hodgson hardly needs reminding that there is a long list of players past England managers have gambled on ahead of major tournaments, only for them not to do themselves justice.

Rooney and Gareth Barry are recent examples but the inability of Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking to make any impact at the 1982 World Cup is seared in the brain as well.

Yet, as he prepares to take charge for the first time on Saturday, Hodgson claims juggling such situations is part of the baggage that comes with being England manager.

"It will always happen," he said.

"We go to these tournaments at the end of very long seasons and often players have been playing with injections to get them through to the end.

"When we pick them up, the injections have to stop and the treatment begins afresh.

"Then decisions to be made have to be made in light of what the alternatives are."
Although Hodgson spoke to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson at the beginning of last week, the pair have not had a conversation since.

The England hierarchy hardly need telling what the likely reaction from Old Trafford would be if Welbeck was pushed too quickly and ended up suffering an even more serious problem that ruled him out for an extended period.

"Don't exaggerate his problem," said Hodgson.

"He should be up and running in that first training session in Poland."

Hodgson did lose one player on Thursday, third-choice keeper John Ruddy.

With Joe Hart rested, it means Robert Green will start his first England game on Saturday since that disastrous World Cup experience against the United States two years ago.

Carroll will start in attack, with England's defence set to include Everton's Phil Jagielka, who is not even in the main squad, having been named as the defensive stand-by player.