Sport-locker.net preview the huge Euro 2012 quarter final between England and Italy…

WALCOTT’S THREAT AND MILNER’S DISCIPLINE KEY TO ENGLAND SUCCESS

According to Castrol EDGE Performance analysis, Theo Walcott has been the most potent of England’s wide players at UEFA EURO 2012™, with the Arsenal man the only one of the four wingers to direct a shot on target, with that sole accurate shot ending in a vital goal against Sweden.

The fleet-footed Gunner has been more involved than Ashley Young, James Milner or club team-mate Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, racking up significantly more ball touches (on average), posting a 100% passing accuracy rate in the attacking third and setting up a goalscoring chance for a team-mate every 25 minutes on average (including one goal assist), despite playing just 50 minutes so far.

However, while Manchester City’s James Milner hasn’t been much of a goal threat for the Three Lions so far, his work rate has been impressive. Indeed, the player, highly-rated by manager Roy Hodgson, has challenged for a tackle every 37 minutes on average, far more regularly than any other English wingman, with the former Aston Villa star winning 100% of those challenges.

Manchester United star Ashley Young has been deployed both as left winger and a second striker, but he is yet to replicate his club form this season in Poland and Ukraine. Arsenal starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has also worked hard in his first games for the England senior side. However, against Italy in the last eight, playing both the attack-minded Walcott and the more defensively-minded Milner could provide the better balance on the flanks for England as they attempt to reach the last four.

GERRARD AND PARKER WELL EQUIPPED FOR MIDFIELD SKIRMISH

Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard are well placed to compete with an experienced Italian midfield on Sunday evening.  The pair’s defensive attributes can be seen by the fact that they are both in the Top 10 for tackles attempted in Euro 2012 – Steven Gerrard with 13 and Scott Parker with 11. It will be crucial for them to continue in this manner if they are to stifle the creativity of Andrea Pirlo, who opened the scoring for Italy against Croatia with a stunning free kick.  

Parker has also made four blocks in the tournament – one less than Italy’s defensive midfielder Daniel De Rossi, who has five.

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