England young guns come good for Hodgson
Reuters - Friday 15 June 2012, 22:57
Coach Roy Hodgson celebrated the
emergence of a new generation of players after his young
forwards led England to a 3-2 victory over Sweden in Euro 2012
Group D on Friday.
Andy Carroll, 23, opened the scoring with a powerful header
and second-half substitute Theo Walcott, also 23, scored the
equaliser before making the pass for 21-year-old Danny Welbeck
to score with what Hodgson described as a pirouette in front of
goal.
"All teams need to know there is something coming along that
is going to replace that [older] generation in time and put
players who have been there a long time under pressure," Hodgson
told reporters, noting that Sweden's team is ageing.
"There comes a time when you need some players knocking on
the door making life difficult for the players that are still
doing a good job for you."
Hodgson did not forget the contributions made in the Olympic
Stadium in Kiev by older players such as defenders John Terry
and Joleon Lescott, and captain Steven Gerrard.
But he saved his most fulsome praise for the young guns who
pulled England back into the match after they had gone 2-1 down
in the second half.
"I was really pleased with the performances of the two front
players and of course Theo's contribution was enormous today,"
he said. "To come on as sub and score such a good goal and set
up the winner, he's got to be very pleased with his
contribution."
Walcott's shot from just outside the penalty area brought
England back into the match and it was his cross after a pacy
run that gave Welbeck the chance to steer the ball home from
close range with his back to the goal.
"I thought he did very well to find Danny at the near post
and Danny timed his run very well to the near post," he said.
"It was a very clever finish with a type of pirouette which
made it very difficult for the goalkeeper who I guess was
expecting him to turn it somewhere towards the near post. But
then he did this pirouette and beat him at the far post, so it
was a goal well worthy, in my opinion, of winning the game."
Carroll had justified his selection ahead of Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18, by opening the scoring in the 23rd
minute.
But it remains unclear which of the young players will start
the decisive Group D match against Ukraine on Tuesday - with
England needing only a draw - because Wayne Rooney will be back
after suspension.
"Wayne Rooney is a very special player and it would be very
difficult for me to leave him out of the team," Hodgson said,
adding that he hoped that having a player of Rooney's class in
the team would make a big difference.
"If you are a member of the team and someone like Wayne
Rooney is sitting out suspension you probably expect him to get
back in the team."