Carroll, Henderson Debut for England vs. France

Added on Nov 17, 2010 by Trent Sillanpaa in

Premier League

Despite protests from Newcastle United, formidable striker Andy Carroll makes his England debut tonight along with Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson as the Three Lions face France inside Wembley Stadium.

Garnering their debuts at the senior national team level is sure to be a point of pride for both Carroll and Henderson. At the same time it will be interesting to see how it affects them when they return to Premier League action this weekend. Carroll’s doubt for tonight’s match rested solely on a gimpy groin which Newcastle bosses surely embellished the severity of in an effort to keep him fresh for a trip to Bolton in a matchup between surprise teams. Meanwhile, a healthy Henderson helps Sunderland host Everton at the Stadium of Light.

Fitness doubts aside, attention should be paid to the role each plays against France. There is never a shortage of rising English stars who fans are convinced will lead a new generation of Three Lions to international glory, but the number of these sure-fire standouts who prove to live up to the hype are few and far between. Carroll has a unique blend of size, speed, and skill to play up front for England for years. Henderson is a distributor which England has been lacking for some time and could prove to be a suitable replacement for the sorely missed Paul Scholes.

Keep an eye on Carroll and Henderson against France, but pay more attention to the youngsters on the weekend. A national team call-up can be the start of big things or it can be too big of a thing for some players to handle. Whether these two take the opportunity – as well as responsibility and pressure – and run with it or take more of a Theo Walcott approach is sure to impact their Premier Leagues sides throughout the season.