Shearer: Euro 2012 is Made for Andy Carroll

Former England captain Alan Shearer has implored Roy Hodgson to start Andy Carroll against Sweden on Friday, after their Group D opponents struggled to contain Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko in their opening game.

Sweden's propensity to concede headed goals was in evidence in the 2-1 defeat against the co-hosts on Monday.

And, with a large percentage of goals at Euro 2012 being scored from headers, Shearer would like to see the Liverpool striker given a chance to shine in Kiev.

"Right now, this tournament is made for Carroll," Shearer is quoted in the Liverpool Echo. "Every defence seems to be struggling with the aerial threat. I would not have him in there at the expense of Danny Welbeck either - but alongside him.

"Poland, England, Ireland, Germany, Ukraine and Croatia and Denmark twice all scored headed goals. All bar one, were from very good deliveries too. Big men getting on the end of good crosses."

Ukraine came back from a goal down to beat Sweden, with two headed goals from Shevchenko. Erik Hamren's side have now conceded five headed goals in their last three games, including three from corners.

A win on Friday in their second game will move England one step closer to a quarterfinal appearance and BBC pundit Shearer insists Carroll's aerial threat will give Hodgson's men an extra dimension in the Olympic Stadium.

"We play Sweden next and look what Andriy Shevchenko did to them," said Shearer. "He is 35 now and when strikers get older it is that pace over 20 yards that goes. He didn't cause Sweden a problem by getting in behind their defence.

"But over a few yards, he beat Olof Mellberg and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to get on the end of quality crosses to head Ukraine to victory. We can defend those situations much better than Sweden did.

"What about us getting those balls in at the other end? Joleon Lescott's execution with his head for our goal was superb. But, right now, this tournament is made for Carroll."

Nevertheless, Hamren does not seem unduly concerned by the danger posed by Carroll.

"It's a part of football, you can't do so much about it," he told reporters after the match against Ukraine.

"With the corner, we should have won it in the first area with Zlatan (Ibrahimovic), we had a man on the front post but not in the spot we wanted. Sometimes it happens."