When Steven Gerrard leads the England team out against the USA, the responsibility of being captain is not the only thing weighing heavily on his shoulders.
To wear the armband means representing the hopes of an expectant nation but if England are to have any chance of making an impact in South Africa, then Stevie G's most important role is to provide the key for Wayne Rooney to rediscover his magic.
As the team showed in qualifying, when the Manchester United striker is in form they are a match for most sides in the world.
The problem is that since Fabio Capello's men qualified with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Croatia last September, Rooney hasn't scored for his country. A volley against the unmighty Platinum Stars doesn't count and his frustration in the warm-up games before the tournament has been there for everyone to see as he told the referee where to go.
That performance against Croatia also represents the last occasion when England impressed on the international stage and they will have to reach those heights again if they are to enjoy the delights of their training camp in Rustenburg for another four weeks.
Every magician needs an assistant to make their tricks tick and Gerrard has proved more than useful to his Scouse mate in doing just that in the past.
It is no coincidence that Rooney began to really perform during qualifying when the Liverpool midfielder was selected to play on the left, which allowed the duo to combine effectively behind the battering ram of Emile Heskey.
The first time it was used earned a 5-1 demolition of Kazakhstan in October 2008 and, four days later, Gerrard and Rooney both scored in a 3-1 win in Belarus.
By the time Croatia visited Wembley 11 months later, their understanding was unstoppable and yet the lack of competitive games since then has seen some of the fire go out. Capello has understandably experimented in friendlies over the past few months and it has played a part in England looking disjointed.
They can ill-afford that trend to continue and early indications are that the trio of Gerrard, Rooney and Heskey will be employed in the same manner which brought such a wave of optimism across the country not so long ago.
However, one gets the impression it is not just Gerrard's bond on the field which is so crucial to bringing out the best in England's talisman.
They may have been playing for rival clubs throughout their career due to Rooney's starring role for Everton and Manchester United and the former taking up residency at Anfield, but being born and raised in Liverpool has ensured they have still formed a strong sense of brotherhood.
As Gerrard said: “I think the reason we have a good understanding on the pitch is because we are quite close off it. I know what Wayne is about, I know his upbringing, his background and I think I can certainly help Wayne be one of the best players in the tournament.
“The stage is set for Wayne. He is at a fantastic age, he is in great shape and is coming off the back of an unbelievable season, probably his best.
“I'm just delighted he is English and going to be leading us out there and we will be behind him. Hopefully he can be our main goalscorer and score the goals that spur us on to victory.”
The last Englishman to walk away from the World Cup with the Golden Boot was Gary Lineker, whose six goals helped the Three Lions reach the quarter-finals in 1986.
Some of the younger supporters just associate him with delivering scripted jibes on Match of the Day but one thing no-one can dispute is his knowledge of how to find the net. With England's defence looking far from solid, much will depend on what England can do at the other end, which is why so much focus is on Rooney to follow in Lineker's footsteps.
It is a challenge the former Everton and Tottenham striker is confident Rooney can rise to. He said: “Wayne will be the key thing for success. He is one of the best players in the world and this is his big chance to show that on the world stage.
“He has learned about the game, he doesn't chase people with the ball willy-nilly, as he used to. He plays in a central position and reserves his energy a bit better. His movement in the box has got better.
“He is spending a lot more time in the penalty area and that is the reason he is scoring more goals and getting into more threatening positions. I don't think England could win it without him — a hell of a lot revolves around him.”
Still, within the England camp one gets a feeling there is a sense of relief the waiting is almost over.
The USA are not the easiest opponents for an opening match as they thrive on being the underdogs. What they lack in quality they make up for in work-rate, which is why it is so crucial England's best players deliver.
Should Gerrard help Rooney find his scoring touch, it may not just represent a good start but the start of something special.
No comments:
Post a Comment