ROY HODGSON’S dwindling resources for Euro 2012 face being stretched to breaking point if medical scans rule out defenders Gary Cahill and John Terry.
After the loss of two first-choice players, Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry, to injuries last week, the manager’s pre-tournament medical nightmare continued during last night's 1-0 win over Belgium at Wembley.
Cahill suffered a suspected broken jaw because of an irresponsible foul early in the match by the Belgian winger Dries Mertens. Terry’s problem appears less serious. He was substituted in the second half after feeling his hamstring tighten and will have the muscle scanned by England’s medical staff to make sure the damage is not more serious than a slight strain.
“Gary was certainly our initial main concern last night,” FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking said today. "He had a scan last night. At the moment the feedback is that we are hoping it is not cracked. It was his jaw following the collision and they were concerned that it was cracked and it might have put him out of it [Euro 2012].
“At the moment we’re hoping it’s not. I’m sure they’ll have a second look but at present we’re hoping that’s okay.
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“John Terry had a hamstring issue that will be scanned this morning. The medical staff are hopeful that it is not bad enough for him not to be able to stay in the squad.”
Should Hodgson lose either centre-back, he has limited options for who to call up. Liverpool’s Martin Kelly, who made his debut with a brief substitute appearance last weekend against Norway, is likeliest to be drafted into England’s 23, with Tottenham’s England Under-21 defender Steven Caulker an outside bet after his impressive season on loan at Swansea.
Full-back Kelly is a clear possibility to replace Cahill. That would mean Phil Jones, who can play at right-back, covering a central defensive position, with Joleon Lescott the potential partner for Terry when England open their Group D campaign against France in Donetsk on June 11, even though both prefer to play on the left side of defence.
Privately, Hodgson might be ruing his decisions to ignore Rio Ferdinand and Micah Richards when naming his initial 23. Both players were peeved by their snubs and Hodgson would have to do some sweet-talking to bring them into the party.
Ferdinand’s inclusion would only, it seems, be an option if Terry is ruled out. The players’ personal differences — with Terry facing a July court appearance after being charged with racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother Anton — seeming to militate against putting both players in the same squad.
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Hodgson said on Saturday: “He [Cahill] is having a CT scan tonight and if his jaw is fractured, which is a distinct possibility, then once again we lose a key element of our original group. If he hasn’t fractured it and it’s a bad bruise it won’t stop him going, so it’s a case of waiting to hear.”
Regarding Terry, the manager sighed: “There is a slight worry on JT. The thing about John is we worked quite hard this week and the players are going to feel a bit tight. He has tightness in his hamstring and will have a scan.”
The foul by Mertens — who pushed Cahill in the back, sending the defender flying into Joe Hart and landing against the goalkeeper, face-first — enraged the England manager. “I wasn't too happy,” Hodgson said. “When an attacker is chasing a defender who’s screening the ball, if you’ve been a defender you’ll know those nudges by the attacker are something you take very unkindly to.
“Their player was booked but unfortunately for us the consequences of the action might be a lot worse than a yellow card.We’re running out of stand-by players.”
Hodgson was pleased with the result, his second 1-0 victory in his second match in charge, and saw positive signs in Scott Parker coming through another match after an Achilles injury and in the performances of Ashley Young, Danny Welbeck and, particularly, his captain, Steven Gerrard, who was taken off as a precaution after suffering cramp.
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“I’m obviously pleased we’ve won the game. Belgium are a good team who provided a real test, as we expected them to,” Hodgson said. “Danny Welbeck’s was a very good goal. I was delighted with the way he took it and delighted with the way they fashioned it. He showed remarkable calmness and that was the obvious highlight of the game.
“My ideas on the starting 11 [for France] get clearer every day. I think I’m a lot closer now to knowing how I’d like to start the game.”
Welbeck played "having had an ankle knock,” Brooking said. “That seemed okay although I’m sure he’ll have got some reaction from playing for the best part of an hour.
“Glen Johnson’s got a toe injury. He played yesterday, it was a little bit sore towards the end but he should be fine as well and Scott Parker, of course, is still working towards that match fitness.
“There’s a combination of different issues which will keep the medical team busy. At the moment we’re still hoping that the 23 will stay intact.”
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England's squad for the Euros:
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Rob Green (West Ham), Jack Butland (Birmingham)
Defenders: Martin Kelly (Liverpool), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton)
Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Scott Parker (Tottenham), James Milner (Manchester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Ashley Young (Manchester United)
Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
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Defenders:
2 GLEN JOHNSON
3 ASHLEY COLE
4 STEVEN GERRARD
5 GARY CAHILL
6 JOHN TERRY
7 THEO WALCOTT
8 JORDAN HENDERSON
9 ANDY CARROLL
10 WAYNE ROONEY
11 ASHLEY YOUNG
12 LEIGHTON BAINES
14 PHIL JONES
15 JOLEON LESCOTT
16 JAMES MILNER
17 SCOTT PARKER
18 PHIL JAGIELKA
19 STEWART DOWNING
20 ALEX OXLADE CHAMBERLAIN
21 JERMAIN DEFOE
22 DANNY WELBECK