Welbeck might have scored in his last game against Belgium, but Carroll should not be discounted - particularly if Hodgson can devise a tactical plan to ensure we see the best of him, rather than the centre-forward who was a shadow of his former self for much of last season with Liverpool.

 Until the final six weeks of the season, it was beginning to look increasingly difficult to see a way back for Carroll, yet he now goes to the Euros as a man in form.

 There are two key fundamentals when it comes to Carroll. You simply have to give him proper service and the right support. Without that, you risk him being isolated and nullified because he is not a player who thrives on being left on his own.

 At the end of the season, he was finally beginning to produce for Liverpool the form that he displayed for Newcastle when, at times such as the game against Arsenal at the Emirates in Nov 2010, he was unplayable.

 I remember that performance clearly because he terrorised Arsenal, both in the air and on the ground, before scoring the only goal of the game to claim three points for Newcastle.

Six months ago, however, Carroll’s form had deserted him to the extent that he was not even winning his aerial battles because he seemed to have lost the strength to jump.

 There was a game at Manchester City, when he was really struggling for form, where we saw how difficult he finds it to make an impact when he does not receive the support or service that his game relies upon.

 Carroll is not the type of striker who can lead the line on his own as he is not a classic hold-up player and he also does not run down the channels.

 But if you ask Rooney to play just in and around him, then that could give the team a real attacking outlet.

 Equally, if Steven Gerrard gets forward and supports him like he would have done in 2006, that would also be effective. But is he able to get forward like he used to?

 Carroll also thrives on crosses, but while James Milner, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young can all deliver from the flanks, will he get the service that can make him so dangerous? The Carroll questions mean it will be interesting to see how Hodgson chooses his tactics, but he is a coach who will have his players organised and he will have a plan to get the best out of Carroll.

 Hodgson overlooked Peter Crouch, who has better feet than Carroll, in order to have the Liverpool man in his squad, but Carroll’s form in the closing weeks of the season prompted that selection.

 He was exceptional against Chelsea in the FA Cup final, and again against the same opposition at Anfield three days later, so he will go to Poland and Ukraine as the man in form, but England have to use him properly.

 I believe it is by no means guaranteed that Carroll will be a hit at the Euros, but he will certainly pose problems for defenders and make them think hard about how they shape up against England.

 The best way to deal with a centre-forward like Carroll is to keep him away from the penalty area because he is unlikely to hurt you if he is 20 yards from goal.

 I would be telling my back four to push out if we were up against somebody like Carroll, but the further a defence moves up the pitch, the harder it is to defend because better teams and better players will then target the space behind you.

 So without kicking a ball, Carroll will give England an advantage because his presence will create uncertainty among the opposing team.

 And at 6ft 5ins, he possesses the crucial quality of height that is a problem for any defender because it automatically unsettles you.

 If you look back at Manchester City’s victory against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season, when they scored twice in injury-time to win the game and the title, the introduction of Edin Dzeko as substitute was key.

 Prior to his involvement, City never looked like scoring, but his arrival caused indecision in the penalty box and he scored a header from a corner which gave his team the platform to win the game.

 Carroll can give England the same option as Dzeko for City, but there is also the danger that he would provide the easy route to a long-ball, which would be completely pointless if he ended up receiving it without a team-mate anywhere near him on the pitch.

 With Rooney sidelined for the games against France and Sweden, England need some muscle up front. But they must make sure they help him to help them.