England manager Roy Hodgson expects substitutes to continue to be important for his side at Euro 2016 after two of his changes led to the goals that beat Wales 2-1 in Lens on
Thursday.
Hodgson brought on Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge at half-time in the Group B encounter, with Wales leading 1-0 following Gareth Bale's
free kick.
Both substitutes went on to score in the comeback win, but when asked if it was the best double change of his career Hodgson opted to play his involvement down.
"It's certainly my best double substitution of these Euros, albeit after two games," Hodgson said. "When the chances don't go in and you've compounded your task by conceding that Gareth Bale goal, it really is a happy moment when both the substitutes score". Subs will play a major part in this tournament.
The games come thick and fast. Each team has 23 players. In those 23, there'll be a lot of players who feel hard done-by when not selected.
It's going to be a feature of the tournament. Watching France play Albania last night, it was a similar situation when Pogba and Griezmann came on, which helped France get the victory they deserved."
England had struggled to pose much goal threat in a disappointing first half against Wales, with lone striker Harry Kane look tired and isolated, receiving the ball just once in the opposition penalty area.
The Tottenham striker was replaced at the interval by Vardy, and Hodgson says that he is delighted to have such replacements up his sleeve.
"Harry was looking a bit tired in the first half," Hodgson said. "He'd worked hard against Russia and had a long season, so it was great to have someone like Vardy to step into his shoes. And Marcus Rashford and Daniel Sturridge came on and gave us something different when we need to ask questions of a packed defence."
England's final group game comes against Slovakia in Saint-Etienne, where a win would seal their qualification for the knockout stages
as group winners.
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