England at Euro 2012: Most Vital Players to England's Quarterfinal Hopes

If England wants to keep advancing, certain players will need to step up.

In order to reach the quarterfinals, England can't afford to slip up. They need to take care of business against Ukraine and let the rest take care of itself.

If England can get on the right side of the bracket (and get some luck), they might be able to avoid Germany and Spain until the final. While that wouldn't be ideal for the casual fan (who wants to see a Germany/Spain final), England would be more than happy to deal with Croatia and whoever comes out of Group B.

Regardless, England need to get there, and these players will be the ones to make it happen.

Ashley Young

Ashley Young has done a nice job of sliding into the No. 10 role with Wayne Rooney out. With Rooney coming back, though, Young will go back to his natural wing position. He will be more comfortable, which will hopefully help his timing and positioning.

With him dominating on the outside, England suddenly become a much more dangerous team.

Young has all the tools of a great winger; he just needs to utilize them for England. If he can find his form on the outside right away, England will be incredibly tough to beat.

Danny Welbeck

If England wants to make noise in the tournament, Danny Welbeck must score goals.

He's done a solid job holding up play and keeping the attack building so far, but he needs to do more. At 21 years old, he is being asked to do a lot, but he's more than capable.

With Wayne Rooney most likely sliding in behind him, Welbeck will have more talent to support him. If he plays well, Welbeck could carry England well past the quarterfinals.

Joe Hart

A goalkeeper can't take over a game, but he certainly can change it.

Joe Hart is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and he needs to play like it. England has a solid defense, but Hart is the difference-maker. If England hopes to advance, he will need to make one or two incredible saves.

Hart is more than capable. He just needs to rise to the occasion. If Hart plays well, England should have no trouble advancing.

Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard may not be the player he once was, but he can still hold his own against the young guns.

He doesn't have a great burst of pace or enough quickness to unleash his powerful strikes. However, he still has great vision and ability to distribute from the midfield.

On set pieces, anything can happen.

If England gets fouled near the penalty area, expect Gerrard to put fear into the goalkeeper. He's lethal from just about any distance. He just needs the opportunity.

Wayne Rooney

There's no reason to doubt Wayne Rooney.

Plenty of people are doubting his impact, and some don't even think he will make much of a difference. No, he hasn't played particularly well for England, but it's not like anyone has for awhile.

Rooney is one of the best strikers in the world. Assuming he plays a reserved striker role (behind Danny Welbeck), he will have a great tournament. It's easy to get lost in numbers and history, but Rooney is ready to take over.

An in-form Rooney could take over the whole tournament. If he comes back and plays well, England could potentially make a run to the final.