So England manager Roy Hodgson has a problem - who to ship out to let Rooney in ? But is it a foregone conclusion that Rooney will start anyway ? Perhaps our Wayne should keep the bench warm, and be used as an impact player (like Walcott on Friday) in the event that he is needed ?
Now just a week ago, to suggest that Rooney shouldn't start the final Group England game against Ukraine (he was suspended for the first two matches) would have been laughable. In fact, England's complete tournament strategy was seemingly to hope we were still in a position to qualify for the quarter-finals, and that Rooney, our returning hero, would reclaim his position and fire us into the last eight almost single-handedly.
But things are a little different, now, after a solid England display against France and a resilient victory against Sweden (our first in a major competition), and with both Danny Welbeck and Andy Carroll on song and finding the net.
It seems obvious that Milner will now make way for Walcott (if he's fully fit), but what of Rooney ? Should Hodgson stick with those who have done so well so far, or is Wayne such a talent that not starting him in the match against Ukraine is unthinkable ?
image: © jubei kibagami
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