Wayne Rooney: Does England Need Him?

For everyone that is a big England fan, it came as a disappointment (but certainty not a surprise), that Wayne Rooney was suspended for the first two games of Euro 2012. Following yesterdays performance, does England really need him?

 It was a big game between two big teams: England vs France. Having never won an opening game, I'm sure many English fans were skeptical about their chances. Already missing Frank Lampard to injury, it was an even bigger blow to not have Wayne Rooney leading the attack. Facing a two game ban for his red card in the qualifiers, Wayne would have to sit in the stands and watch his fellow teammates battle it out.

 After fans recovered from the idea that Wayne would be sitting the first two games, another question came to mind: Who would replace him? The answer came from Arsenal winger Oxlade Chamberlain. Having only worn an England jersey twice before, the decision was backed by rounds of controversy. And making his major tournament debut against France, the pressure was on Chamberlain.

 For anyone who watched the England vs France game, I think we can agree that Chamberlain held his ground, creating a few vital chances for England. Chamberlain was subbed out later on in the game, to a surrounding applause from the English fans.


Even though Chamberlain replaced Wayne, he didn't necessarily play in his position. His position was taken over by his fellow Manchester United teammate Ashley Young. The English played the forwards in a one-one formation, with Danny Welbeck leading the front. Honestly, you could tell that Ashley Young felt out of position. Usually playing out on the wing, Young had to fill the missing place where Rooney played. He had an o.k. game, but would have been better in his wing position. He wasn't able to be creative and whip in deadly crosses like he is known to do.

When Wayne returns for England, will he capture a starting position? I personally think he will, because he is vital for England's attacking half.  Against France, England had few opportunities on goal, with a total of 1 shot on target. France had an impressive 7 shots on target, well outplaying the Three Lions. One could say that they were lucky to pull a point out of the game. With Wayne up front though, they will be more organized and will be able to create more chances. And with the United trio up front (Wayne, Welbeck and Young), England will have more rhythm and consistency to their attacks. 

What are your thoughts on this? Let me know down below.