Euro 2012 Focus: England's Midfield Alternatives

Whether he would have been involved from the off for England at the Euros is up for debate, but there is no doubt that the loss of Frank Lampard through injury will have hit the camp hard. The fact that Gareth Barry, who was forced to pull out of the squad early this week, may have had a better chance of starting than the Chelsea man seems to have been overlooked.

Lampard's replacement in the squad is Jordan Henderson, who has been much maligned for a low key debut season at Liverpool after his big money move last summer. Having turned down the chance to be part of the squad due to fears of merely playing a bit part at the tournament, Michael Carrick may well have wished he had taken up Hodgson's offer after all.

So where do England go from here in terms of their midfield ranks? A likely 4-2-3-1 formation could still remain unchanged but interestingly, despite the latest casualties in the middle of the park, Hodgson may be keeping a closer eye on the fitness of one of his starting back four.

Glen Johnson missed the friendly with Norway due to a toe infection, with Phil Jones filling in at right-back. However, injuries to Barry, Lampard and a lingering doubt over Scott Parker may well see the versatile United youngster deployed in midfield, with the equally combative and workmanlike James Milner perhaps his toughest competition.

Jones made 6 starts in central midfield for United over the league and Champions League, impressing to score his first two senior goals for the club in consecutive appearances against Aston Villa and Basel from that position. In comparison, James Milner started 8 games from central midfield, and he too contributed in an attacking sense with 2 of just 5 assists over the campaign coming from the middle of the park.

However, if Hodgson does deploy a 4-2-3-1, the duo's role in the double pivot will see their defensive and passing stats come into focus, so who is the best choice? The statistics when playing central midfield last season suggest that the City man would be the more dependable option. Milner's minutes per tackle rate (38 to 45), minutes per accurate pass rate (1.87 to 2.33) and pass accuracy (84% to 82%) are all superior to Jones'.

However, all three of the aforementioned statistics rank lower than Parker's figures, while Jones is far better when it comes to a minutes per interception rate (31 to 58). Hodgson may not be too concerned with his lower figures elsewhere as Parker more than makes up for any weaknesses the youngster may have. The new manager may, therefore, opt for the younger model, whose WhoScored rating in midfield over the league and Champions League actually betters both Milner and Parker.

You will no doubt by this point be noticing the absence of a certain Steven Gerrard in the previous comparison, with the captain set to be needed further upfield, particularly in the absence of the suspended Wayne Rooney. Of the players who could play in behind or in support of a lone striker, Gerrard ranks second to Ashley Young for minutes per key pass (42) and top for chance conversion rate (16%) having attempted fewer shots than the other candidates, in a flat 4-4-2 for Liverpool.

As mentioned, with Rooney banned for the first two games, Gerrard is one of only a couple of players who could produce a moment of magic from central areas in the games against France and Sweden, and his importance in those matches cannot be underestimated.

Our final focus in this article analysing England's best midfield options takes into account the evident likelihood that Hodgson will start the tournament with Andy Carroll up front - a notion that would have been laughed off at the beginning of the year and still is by not-so-small sections of the England support. England lined up against Norway with Walcott and Young either side of the somewhat gargantuan front man, though neither really looked to whip in balls from wide, with the trusty hoof upfield from the defence the most utilised alternative.

If Carroll is to start than surely the best option would be to deploy your best crossers of a ball in advanced wide areas, and delivery from the wing is an area in which Walcott in particular has been criticised throughout his career. The Arsenal man's cross accuracy is, unsurprisingly, the worst of Hodgson's available wide men at (13%). Interestingly, his teammate Oxlade-Chamberlain actually ranks best here, with 23% marginally better than Downing's average, with Young on 21%.

The calls for the youngster to feature more predominantly than expected are growing and can be backed up by the fact that his direct running sees him complete a dribble almost four times more often than any of his competitors here (once every 21 minutes), while his minutes per cross and key pass figures are also both up on Walcott's averages. The stats suggest it is a no brainer, but Walcott's experience will almost certainly see him preferred.

An alternative would be to play Walcott in support of Carroll in a central role of a more traditional 4-4-2 formation, as he is unlikely to be fielded wide in a flat midfield four. However, if England were to play two up front, the superior conversion rates of Defoe (17%) and Welbeck (13%), and work rate perhaps most importantly in the case of the latter, may well deem Walcott surplus to requirements.

Either that, or, as many would plead to Hodgson, leave Carroll out altogether!