When a striker escapes a rigid defence and bears down on
goal, this is his one chance for glory, but who would you put your proverbial
mortgage on burying a one-on-one chance at the Euros?
He may have scored 71 goals this season, but Cristiano
Ronaldo’s form for Portugal is far from record-breaking.
Seven goals saw Ronaldo placed joint-third in Euro 2012
qualifying, but his shot-to-goal ratio is staggeringly poor. 41 shots yielded
seven goals, almost one in six efforts.
There are more clinical players than Ronaldo. Miroslav
Klose’s nine goals from 12 shots on target is prolific, but he did squander wide
a further 10 in qualifying. The same can be said of Robbie Keane, who finished
seven of 28 chances.
The man to put your mortgage on is Jermain Defoe, with three
in two games for England during qualifying. Although he may not start in
Ukraine and Poland, you can rely on Defoe to come on and sneak home a crucial
goal.
He was one of just three England players to score at the 2010
World Cup, and is the archetypal nippy striker that slips from his man at the
opportune moment. Unfortunately, he has struggled to hold down a starting place
at Spurs; his style not suited to the 4-5-1 of England.
Defoe’s role is a super sub. When Emile Heskey ran through
on goal against the USA, two years ago, there was only hope that he would bury
the chance rather than expectation.
Defoe carries expectation in front of goal, as much as
Keane, Klose, or Huntelaar, and, like all three, he usually takes his chance.
And this is what England need. In a creatively restricted
team against deep-defending opposition, Defoe, more than anyone, is the man to
tuck away that single, golden opportunity, amongst a deluge of dross.
Defoe has a lot on his plate, if he hopes to change England’s
reputation as a competition ‘also ran’. Check out the Euro 2012 odds, to see
just how dismal England’s chances are, this summer.
