Euro 2012: It's time for Young to show he can wing it for England

Ashley Young was poor against France when he played just off striker Danny Welbeck, so the England winger will be much more at ease if Roy Hodgson deploys Andy Carroll alongside Welbeck against Sweden tonight (Friday).

Young has pace and trickery, is good with both feet and is a great crosser of the ball, so, like any winger, he would relish the opportunity to provide opportunities for two forwards who have proved themselves so capable in the air.

In the absence of Wayne Rooney against France, Young found

himself playing in the role usually occupied by his Manchester United team-mate, but he was barely involved.

He might still find himself in the same position against Sweden if Hodgson opts to stick with one man up front rather than two and, if he does, he could do worse than watch a DVD of Rooney in that role because few players offer a better example of how to make the position work.

But this is a key game for Ashley because he will know that, regardless of how well he plays against Sweden, Rooney will be restored to the team in the position just behind the striker.

That's why it will suit Young to play on the wing tonight, a position he is comfortable in and one where he can be in control of his own destiny during Euro 2012.

The task he faces is to perform well enough for Hodgson to choose him ahead of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Stewart Downing when it comes to naming his wide men against Ukraine.

If Young does well tonight, he keeps his place. If not, he might struggle to reclaim his starting place during the tournament.

Young has talent and ability but, in fairness to him, the Rooney role is a difficult one and it is so much harder if you are not accustomed to operating there at international level. Some take to it automatically, while others struggle.

There is no reason why he cannot use all of his qualities to good effect against Sweden, who are arguably vying with Greece for the billing as the poorest team at the tournament, though.

But if he plays behind the main striker, he has to get into the game and assert himself more.

He needs to show that he wants the ball and impose himself on the occasion because there were too many spells against France when you just didn't see him.

I'm not saying that he needs to work harder and track back more often, merely that he needs to take a leaf out of Rooney's book by showing the determination to be at the heart of the action.

Ashley is a big-time player. He plays for United and is accustomed to all that comes with that, so he needs to show he is not overawed by his role and go out there with the mentality that he is going to prove to everyone that he is worth his place in the team.

Obviously, if Hodgson decides to go with two up front and restore Young to the wing, his crossing ability will be a key factor.

But if Carroll-Welbeck is only an option should England be chasing the game in the latter stages, Ashley needs to do better than he did against France.

It should be easier for him to impress against Sweden, however, as they are not as good as France technically.

In those pockets of space

between midfield and attack, England can enjoy success against Sweden and that is where Young

can prosper.

One accusation levelled at Young, however, is that he holds on to the ball too long, taking three or four touches, when one or two would suffice.

But that is part and parcel of being a natural wide player and I just wish I had a pound for every winger I had seen who took too many touches!

Rooney is different, though. He is so good in the role just behind the front man that he makes it look easy, but it is anything but.

Yet more often than not he will take one touch, play the ball and go. Nine times out of 10, he picks the right option and takes the required amount of touches.

And that is the secret to playing in the role and the one which Young has to take on board - if you do things quickly, with pace and movement, it kills even the best defences.

Andrei Shevchenko is no longer the quickest forward in the world, but he exposed the deficiencies in Sweden's defence by scoring twice for Ukraine in Kiev on Monday.

He exploited the space with his movement and Young and Welbeck are capable of creating similar success for England against the Swedes.

But there is no doubt that Young's ability on the wing would also be a key element if England start with two big forwards tonight.