How do England get the most out of Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Wayne Rooney at Euro 2016?

Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy could be key for England at Euro 2016

How should Roy Hodgson use Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Wayne Rooney at Euro 2016? England's win over Portugal threw up more questions than answers...

Roy Hodgson said before England's 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 England's final preparation game for Euro 2016 ended on a winning note and Portugal's defensive approach after Bruno Alves' 35th-minute sending off made the hosts' task tougher.

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But there was little attacking verve on view to send England's travelling supporters to France on a wave of excitement.

Portugal's 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.

Kane and Vardy were deployed in traditional centre forward positions, where they'd 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 didn't. As a result, England's 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 goalkeeper's arms and Rooney's 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 didn't help the situation because it didn't allow Vardy the space he'd like to run in to. Maybe that didn't 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 didn't test us much."

Vardy found himself doing his fair share of defensive work

So what are Hodgson's 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. Rooney's FA Cup final commitments and Vardy's 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 shouldn't be too much read into that victory over the Euro 2016 favourites but it is interesting to note England's 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 England's entire Euro 2016 qualifying campaign as a centre forward and was the team's leading goalscorer with seven. For many of those performances Rooney had a strike partner alongside him, and who better than the Premier League's top scorer?

Rooney and Vardy share their thoughts against Portugal

It's 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. It's a decision he needs to get right…