Euro 2012: 5 Observations from England's Win over Ukraine

England have qualified for the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 with the added advantage of winning their group. This will mean that they face Italy rather than Spain, but time will tell if this is actually an easier game.

It was vital that England won the game against Ukraine that allowed them to win the group and remained unbeaten. But there is plenty to consider after the 1-0 win and things to think about ahead of the Italy game.

The Good and Bad of Wayne Rooney

The big talking point ahead of the game was the return of Rooney. It was no surprise to see the Manchester United forward starting the game, but he was certainly not at his best. It was concerning to see him miss an easy chance in the first half.

However, he made up for this by scoring the only goal of the game later on. Some people may say that he couldn't miss the chance to score. It was an easy chance, but Rooney did well to get in the position to score the goal. That is what you get with quality strikers.

England's Passive Football

I think we understand by now that England's main tactic at Euro 2012 is to soak up pressure and look to hit teams on the break. The view is that England simply aren't good enough to dictate play against some of the best countries.

But I still maintain there is a balance here that needs to be reached. England must feel that they can build some attacks of their own. The best attacking players will find a way past England's stubborn defense.

Furthermore, the tactics need to change when they fall behind. There is also the argument that we need to make the most of our attacking talent.

Ashley Young, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are, for me, the best assets we have along with Rooney. We need to make the most of these players by using an attacking game for at least some of the time. 

Ashley Young and James Milner

These two players have been lucky to have received as much game time as they have so far.

Both have performed averagely at best. Milner is in the team to provide defensive cover; that doesn't seem right to me. Young is there to attack, but we haven't seen much of that so far.

I do feel that the tactics may not be helping Young in particular. But if both were dropped for the Italy game, they could not have many complaints. We know what Young can do from the Premier League, so can the real Ashley Young please stand up?!

If England Win Euro 2012, Lady Luck Will Play a Big Part

Another big part from the match was the lucky clearance from John Terry. Replays have since showed that the ball had, in fact, crossed the line. However, credit should go to Terry for getting the ball out.

Nevertheless, if England are to persist with this defensive game, then luck will have a big part to play for England to go further, or maybe even win Euro 2012.

What Is the Correct Strike Force for the Knockout Stage?

England will build their attacking options around Wayne Rooney for the remainder of Euro 2012. But the question remains: What sort of support will Rooney need?

The option remains to use the two strikers; that brings Danny Welbeck into it. But England can also use the wingers to support Rooney without another striker.

The smart money is on sticking with Welbeck, because of the ability for Rooney to drop back into the midfield when needed.

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