How should Roy Hodgson use Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Wayne Rooney at Euro 2016? Englands win over Portugal threw up more questions than answers. Sacramento Kings Store ... Roy Hodgson said before Englands Wembley friendly with Portugal that the game would confirm his thinking for Euro 2016. However, with his attack blunted by the 10-man visitors for much of the contest, the manager still has issues to resolve.Chris Smalling eventually made the breakthrough late in the second half to ensure Englands final preparation game for Euro 2016 ended on a winning note and Portugals defensive approach after Bruno Alves 35th-minute sending off made the hosts task tougher. But there was little attacking verve on view to send Englands travelling supporters to France on a wave of excitement. Portugals defender Bruno Alves was sent off for this foul on Kane The chief problem emerging from the contest for Hodgson is how to use the two top scorers in the Premier League this season, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy, and his captain, Wayne Rooney.For the first time, Hodgson started with all three on Thursday night. With Kane and Vardy up front and Rooney at the tip of a midfield diamond, England kicked off with a system designed to maximise the strengths of their forward trio. Sky Sports Euro 2016 predictor Make your predictions with our interactive wall chart here. Kane and Vardy were deployed in traditional centre forward positions, where theyd be well placed to create and finish scoring opportunities, while also stretching the play so Rooney would have time and space to use his playmaking skills.On paper, it seemed like a smart move. In reality, the system negated the qualities of all three. With Rooney claiming centre ground and with no wingers on the pitch, Kane and Vardy were forced into the channels - to find space when England had the ball, to track full-backs when they didnt. As a result, Englands strikers were dragged away from dangerous zones and left Rooney without obvious targets when he was on the ball.At half-time Vardy had touched the ball just five times, Kane had managed one tame shot into the goalkeepers arms and Rooneys passing accuracy was down below 60 per cent. All three were substituted in the second-half after failing to make significant improvement. Rooney had one attempt on target against Portugal It was a little bit disappointing, former England caretaker boss Peter Taylor told Sky Sports News HQ after the game when asked about the Rooney-Kane-Vardy plan.Portugal having a man sent off didnt help the situation because it didnt allow Vardy the space hed like to run in to. Maybe that didnt work.A lot of our defending was started from the front and I think that affected our performance - Kane works hard getting back, Vardy works hard, we then get the ball and have no targets. But it still makes us solid and they didnt test us much. Vardy found himself doing his fair share of defensive work So what are Hodgsons options against Russia on June 11, when England get their Euro 2016 campaign underway?Try it again. Frustratingly for Hodgson, Alves sending off throws a question mark over whether the system used on Thursday night would be a success in France. With Portugal retreating into their own half after the red card, the space Vardy loves to exploit was filled. Kane and Rooney were equally crowded out. Rooneys FA Cup final commitments and Vardys wedding had prevented the England boss from playing this line-up against Turkey or Australia, and it was arguably not given a fair crack against Portugal. That said, the opening 35 minutes, when it was 11v11, hardly saw a flurry of chances created by the trio... Rooney and Vardy share their thoughts against Portugal Play them as a front three. If Hodgson is determined to have all three on the field - and Kane, Vardy and Rooney have made strong cases for inclusion with their past performances - a return to 4-3-3 could be a solution. With Kane through the middle and Rooney and Vardy operating on the flanks, Euro 2016 defences would have plenty to think about. All three have experience at international level in those roles - however, Rooney and Vardy would be required to track opposition full-backs which is not a strength of either man.Play Kane and Vardy up front and drop Rooney. It would be a major call for Hodgson to drop his captain for the opening game of Euro 2016, but, after Kane and Vardy combined successfully against both Turkey and Germany when Rooney was absent, Hodgson may opt to prioritise his main goal threats. A 4-4-2, with, perhaps, Dele Alli, in a more advanced role - where he has thrived for Tottenham this season - could leave Rooney as an impact option from the bench. Would Hodgson really consider dropping captain Rooney? Play Kane up front with Rooney as part of a three behind, and drop Vardy. At the start of November, England defeated a France team still suffering from the shock of the Paris terrorist attacks 2-0. Given the circumstances, there shouldnt be too much read into that victory over the Euro 2016 favourites but it is interesting to note Englands 4-2-3-1 formation was the system of choice at the time. With Kane up front and Rooney part of a creative trio behind, the tactic allowed Hodgson to get four forwards onto the field, without overly exposing his defence. He has already spoken of his squad being tilted towards attack and the ploy would allow the likes of Raheem Sterling and Dele Alli to join in further up the pitch.Play Kane and Rooney up front. It would be a selection against current public thinking to return Rooney to a striker role against Russia, given his performances in midfield for England and Manchester United in the latter part of the season. However, Rooney did play Englands entire Euro 2016 qualifying campaign as a centre forward and was the teams leading goalscorer with seven. For many of those performances Rooney had a strike partner alongside him, and who better than the Premier Leagues top scorer? Rooney and Vardy share their thoughts against Portugal Its approaching decision time for Hodgson and, unless any training ground incidents affect his options before June 11, he will have to make an important call regarding the roles of Kane, Vardy and Rooney against Russia.The inclusion and use of the trio will have a bearing on the rest of his XI and the entire set-up of his side. Its a decision he needs to get right… Get Euro 2016 Alerts Breaking news from Euro 2016, direct to your mobile Also See: England 1-0 Portugal As it happened Duane Causwell Jersey . - Chris Davis hit a two-run double, scoring Nelson Cruz in his Orioles debut in Baltimores 9-7 win over to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Brian Taylor Jersey . Nathan Beaulieu, Tomas Jurco, Danick Gauthier and Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist each as the Sea Dogs extended the longest streak in the Canadian Hockey League this season. https://www.cheapkingsbasketball.com/1462b-bogdan-bogdanovic-jersey-kings.html . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution.It was billed as Cristiano Ronaldo vs Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Two superstars in the game head-to-head on a billboard and then on the field. One winner goes to the World Cup in Brazil; the loser stays home. It is a duel and a plot that would make Don King, Dana White or Vince McMahon weak at the knees. The trio would likely remove the 20 extras placed on the pitch for a real one-on-one duel but this was not solely about entertainment. Not in leg one of the two-legged affair, anyway. The Estadio de Luz in Lisbon was the stage, with two main characters in it, but it was always going to be more than just the two captains. At least for most of the game. We were sold on Ronaldo vs Ibra but the moment the matchup started it turned into an 11-man tag team match. Their faces would never appear on billboards but captains Ronaldo and Ibra tapped in others to attempt to gain a vital advantage for their team. Right back Joao Pereira had his moment in the middle of the ring, given constant space down the right flank, thanks to a Swedish narrow back four by design, to target Martin Olsson, while midfielders Joao Moutinho and Raul Meireles dictated the tempo in midfield enjoying an extra man against Sweden wanting to play a man closer to their talisman, Ibrahimovic. The man with that responsibility was Johan Elmander, known more these days for his work rate rather than his goals (never a good thing for a striker), but next to the PSG man he provided a comfort blanket. Swedish coach Erik Hamren will have had nightmares of his team playing a 9-0-1 system with Ibrahimovic as disconnected to his team-mates as he is in overall talent. Ibra would tap Elmander into the theatre to sit defensively on Miguel Veloso and provide an aerial, physical threat that would create more space for himself. At times it worked but at halftime, with the game scoreless, the stats showed just what everyone, other than the aggressive promoters, knew too well. Ronaldos 23 touches ranked ninth on his team with only his goalkeeper and ineffective striker, Helder Postiga, less involved. Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, was involved even less, touching it just 17 times, and more than just three of his teammates. With so much on the line, it was predictably cagey. Ronaldo hit a free kick into a wall, at the other end Ibrahimovic stood over one for Sweden before tapping Kim Kallstrom into the ring and the left footed midfielder blasted the ball inches wide of the top left post. The Swedes offered the flanks to Portugal and they gladly took them. It allowed Pereira and left back Fabio Coentrao to play larger parts than they have for their clubs this season but it also forced Ronaldo and Nani inside, to play closer to the front man, and that made it easier to defend against, particularly with the ineffective Manchester United winger often giving the ball away. The first 45 minutes was average and the next 35 was even worse. Sweden got deeper and deeper, hoping for a sucker punch from a set piece, but this Portugal side is too mature for that. What the Ronaldo vs Ibra hype monsters failed to recognize was this Portugal team is comfortable when Ronaldo isnt involved. The midfield three have an understanding on how to control a game and their two centre backs rarely make a mistake and are far too experienced and talented to be oveerawed by the presence of Ibrahimovic. Tyreke Evans Jersey. Ronaldo is used to letting his team do the work until he pounces. Four years ago in a World Cup playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Real Madrid man missed both legs through injury. His place in the World Cup lay in the hands of his teammates and they delivered. Two years ago, again in a playoff against Bosnia, Portugal were resolute in a 0-0 first leg away from home before coming home and allowing the brilliant Ronaldo to start a 6-2 onslaught with a trademark free kick goal. At the European Championships last summer, Ronaldo was poor against Denmark in the group stage but his team won at the death 3-2. They waited for the genius to step up and he did exactly that, with brilliant performances against the Dutch and Czechs, carrying his team to a semifinal against Spain where they matched the World Champions in all departments except penalties. That day in Donetsk, Ronaldo chose to be the fifth taker in the shootout and, uncharacteristically, his teammates let him down. Ronaldo couldnt save them that time, denied a penalty in a 4-2 shootout loss. Portugal has never done things the easy way and thats why they found themselves, once again, on show against Zlatan and his 10 extras in Lisbon on Friday night. It appeared the game was heading towards a drab 0-0 until Portugal found space again down the left flank. Veloso, this time, was the man on the wing, taking a fast throw in, creating a quick one-two with substitute Hugo Almeida, before sending in a delicious ball that needed a brave run and head on the end of it. As the ball swung dangerously into the six yard box, the main character had his big moment in the plot. Ronaldo brushed aside Olsson, getting his head to the ball and sending it into the net for the games only goal. At a similar time to his headed winner against the Czechs at last summers European Championships, Ronaldo had done it once again, delivering the key blow of the game and, possibly, the knockout blow in the matchup. It was a fitting moment. Portugal is too often criticized for not being good enough for Ronaldo but they are certainly good enough to provide him with yet another big platform to deliver on and that is why it is important they advance over Sweden in this playoff. A common thought heading into this game was that it will be sad that both Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic will not be in Brazil, but the reality is it will be a complete let down if a man as talented as Ronaldo is not in Brazil. He is on a different level to Ibrahimovic, who is a fine player himself, showing regularly, just like in this match, that he is one of the finest players to play the game. In Portugal he has a team that wont win the World Cup but they are certainly good enough to give him opportunities to show the world his talent (unlike Sweden with Ibrahimovic). In South Africa they had a coach who wouldnt allow that to happen but under Paulo Bento things are different. They do, of course, only have one foot on the plane to Brazil and their final destination will be determined in Sweden on Tuesday. It will likely be billed as Ronaldo holding advantage over Ibrahimovic, but it should be promoted as being the show that should book Ronaldos ticket to Brazil. That is one certainly worth signing up for. ' ' '