Capello gives Gerrard centre stage

On 27 minutes - or just before 9.15pm local time in this crossroads Swiss town hemmed in by its borders - England showed which way to go.

There was a passage of play that should be replayed time and again. It demonstrated the football they are capable of. It demonstrated what can be done.

It was all about pass, move, pace, aggression and it involved seven players, switching the ball around, probing for space before Wayne Rooney incisively picked out Ashley Cole and only his cross striking the calf of a bewildered Switzerland defender prevented Jermain Defoe from sweeping it into the net.

It would have been some goal. And the fulcrum for that attack was Steven Gerrard. In the middle of midfield he, right now, is England's most important player, captain and driving force.

He may speak about Rooney being the "main man" and the striker may have scored England's opening goal but it's Gerrard who fulfils the role at present with yet another dominant, dynamic, athletic performance.

Last time it rained like this before an England international was when they lost to Croatia to crash out of qualifying for the European Championships three years ago.

They reached here on another low ebb, albeit one which they are slowly moving away from after the debacle in South Africa, but with many still wanting to talk about Capello as the 'wally with the lolly' - rather than Steve McClaren with that brolly at Wembley - but it's time for that cat-calling to stop.

Belief is being restored, at least the belief to reach major tournaments, and a more pertinent debate is whether England can play this way if - and after last night that if is probably a when - they qualify.

On a wet night in Basle, on a small pitch, a cool evening and a high tempo match against limited opponents then the formation and the approach blew them away before the inevitable drop in tempo allowed the Swiss back in.

Something more subtle, more measured may be required against better opposition and Capello will need to adapt what he is doing now. Whether he can do that or, more importantly, whether the players are able to do that needs constant attention.

But he has changed his tactics from the World Cup. This is a different approach to the midfield and Gerrard is the key figure it what has altered. By making a small change, Capello has made a big one.

The debate before was whether Gerrard should play as a so-called 'second striker' but that's not the best use of him either although by stationing him on the left - as the manager previously did - Capello gave him the licence to attack freely something which is overlooked. It was Gerrard's failing more than the tactic.

Now Gerrard is playing as an old-fashioned box-to-box central midfielder with Gareth Barry alongside him and the more likely one - no not necessarily always - to hold.

Although Barry did appear sluggish last night. Capello still has one 'flier' - a quick and, hopefully tricky winger - on the right flank which was Theo Walcott from the start and then the impressive Adam Johnson.

But instead of Gerrard drifting from the left he has placed the diligent, hard-working James Milner and the key to that is rather than giving Ashley Cole large areas of space to cover the full-back now has the licence to attack himself, which he did.

It also meant that the wide midfielders were not on their 'natural' flanks - left-footer on right and vice versa - but with over-lapping full-backs and the second striker falling back, the tactic of them coming back inside works.

Rooney's role then becomes one in which he drops off - not always - from playing alongside the centre-forward and is able to orchestrate moves and pick the dangerous pass as he did four times against Bulgaria last Friday or arriving late in the penalty area, as he did last night, to score.

A high-tempo defines this approach and, again, it may not be sustainable against the better nations while there will be the debate to be had of where does Frank Lampard fit into all this?

Capello can only choose the players who are fit. Lampard isn't so didn't play. When he is fit it is the manager's decision to restore him, change tactics - or not - or, as would appear the more likely option right now, leave him out.

As good a player as Lampard is he has not, for a while, made a compelling case for automatic inclusion.

Gerrard created the second with his clever pass releasing Adam Johnson for a second goal in two appearances and the confirmation that here is an England international for the next decade.

He, too, is bringing fresh belief but although England made a big step towards Euro 2012 they still have a long way to go. This, however, and with Gerrard the driver is most definitely the right direction.

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