Liverpool FC striker Andy Carroll must start for England at Euro 2012, says Alan Shearer
- by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
- Jun 14 2012
England and Liverpool player Andy Carroll
EURO 2012 is "made for Andy Carroll" says former England hero Alan Shearer – and the BBC pundit believes the Liverpool FC striker should lead the line against Sweden tomorrow.
Carroll finished his first full season at Anfield in sparkling form and impressed in an international friendly against Norway prior to Euro 2012, but he was an unused substitute in England's opening match of the tournament against France on Monday.
But with a large percentage of goals at the tournament being scored from headers, Shearer wants to see Carroll go Swede-bashing.
"Right now, this tournament is made for Carroll," he said. "Every defence seems to be struggling with the aerial threat. I would not have him in there at the expense of Danny Welbeck either – but alongside him."
England boss Roy Hodgson singled out the final third of the field as the area that needs to improve the most after England managed just one shot on target against France, and Shearer believes that Carroll's firepower and presence can improve that statistic.
Shearer added: "Poland, England, Ireland, Germany, Ukraine and Croatia and Denmark twice all scored headed goals. All bar one, were from very good deliveries too. Big men getting on the end of good crosses.
"We play Sweden next and look what Andriy Shevchenko did to them. He is 35 now and when strikers get older it is that pace over 20 yards that goes. He didn't cause Sweden a problem by getting in behind their defence.
"But over a few yards, he beat Olof Mellberg and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to get on the end of quality crosses to head Ukraine to victory. We can defend those situations much better than Sweden did.
"What about us getting those balls in at the other end? Joleon Lescott's execution with his head for our goal was superb. But, right now, this tournament is made for Carroll."
Jordan Henderson, meanwhile, is ready and raring to step into team-mate Steven Gerrard's boots at Euro 2012. But the young England midfielder has warned people not to expect his promotion too soon.
England boss Roy Hodgson admitted on Monday he was not certain that Gerrard and Scott Parker could continue to play every four days in Poland and Ukraine.
And with Henderson a late replacement for Parker against France in Monday's opening match, he is standing by for what would be only his fifth cap against either Sweden tomorrow or Tuesday's final group match against Ukraine.
Henderson said: "I will be ready if I am needed. But Steve and Scotty did very well in there on Monday.
"I think they're both fit enough to last the full game but I was delighted to get on for the last 15 minutes.
"I had to treat it like any other game. It was another amazing experience for me."
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