The Manchester United winger is edging closer to full fitness and could be a potential starter against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Italy-c2926.
Out of the current http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 squad, Ashley Young has to be the one who has disappointed the most this summer. A player with the ability to create something out of nothing, he came on the back of a superb campaign with the Red Devils and some eye catching outings
for the Three Lions.
However the midfielder failed to shine when his country needed him the most and he looked subdued in the opening clashes against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sweden-c3015.
As Roy Hodgson’s men took on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andriy-Shevchenko-c6014, which resulted in a bruised shin.
Although the medical staff are trying their best to get him on the field for the much anticipated quarter-final against the Italians, the player’s recovery was slow and unresponsive until today.
Good news was finally heard in the camp, with the doctors revealing that the former Aston Villa man is in contention for a place in the starting line-up. His availability will be a major boost to Hodgson, who suffered the absences of key players such as
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gareth-Barry-c14423 just before the tournament kicked off.
Now the tactician has a fully fit squad to choose from and also revealed that the players had been practicing penalties to gain an upper hand if a shoot-out arises.
“All 22 players [Jermaine Defoe has yet to rejoin the squad after attending the funeral of his father] either trained or did recovery work. We have used the time after training sessions to regularly practice, and we'll obviously take it even more seriously
now,” Hodgson said. “You hope that, one day, it will make a big difference.”
"But you can practice penalty shoot-outs until the cows come home - it's really your composure, your confidence, your ability to really block everything out and forget the occasion that means you score or don't,” the coach said.
England now take on Italy on the 24th of June at the NSK Olimpijs'kyj Stadium.
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