Welbeck's Wembley winner enough to convince Hodgson he is the man to lead the line against France

Posted Sunday, June 03, 2012 by Goal.com

It is a debate that has raged ever since Wayne Rooney’s right foot acquainted itself with the calf of Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic’s calf in England’s final Euro 2012 qualifying match.

On Saturday, Danny Welbeck provided a convincing, if not emphatic, argument to suggest he is the man to deputise for the suspended talisman against France in a little over a week’s time.

That England are forced to rely on a talent as raw as Welbeck, who 18 months ago was still mulling over whether to commit to Ghana or not, speaks volumes for the lack of options Roy Hodgson has at his disposal.

A week ago, in Oslo, Andy Carroll gave a passable impression of an international footballer but his considerable presence, regardless of best intentions, will always lend itself to a more agricultural style of play.

The Liverpool man has somewhat unfairly been pigeonholed as a lumbering target man, his end of season renaissance with Liverpool proved there was more to his game than a crash, bang, wallop approach on which he built his reputation at Newcastle.

The urge to get the ball forward quickly, however, is a temptation too strong for many of England’s more limited players to resist.

Go long. Go home. That has been the recipe for failure in recent times and England cannot afford to be lulled into thinking that Carroll’s hulking frame will be enough to destabilise defenders as composed as those who they will face in Ukraine.

A more subtle approach will be required if England are to garner anything against Laurent Blanc’s men in their Group D opener in Donetsk. With one nonchalant stab of his left foot, Welbeck suggested he is the man Hodgson must look to shape his attack around in the absence of Rooney.

The new Wembley will have seen few more accomplished finishes than the one the 21-year-old manufactured 10 minutes from the interval in a game that provided a pretty fair reflection of what we can expect to see at the Donbass Arena a week on Monday – a technically superior side bossing possession against well-drilled opponents who will look to strike on the break.

With the pattern of England’s tournament seemingly already set in stone Welbeck is perfectly equipped to play the lone ranger in England’s attack. Lythe, energetic, sure of touch and fleet of foot, he offers pretty much everything that Carroll does not.

Moreover, his relationship and understanding with the increasingly influential Ashley Young, a bond forged at club level with Manchester United, even more than his finishing prowess, makes him the standout candidate.

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