Although Andorra were a very ordinary team, Emile Heskey made a big difference for England on Saturday because he occupies defenders in a way that no-one else in the squad can.
Wayne Rooney looked a bit more like himself in the second half because of the space Heskey created for him, and the Wigan striker could do the same against Croatia by giving the centre-backs something to worry about.
Fabio Capello issues instructions to Wayne Rooney against Andorra
Somebody needs to sit Rooney down and tell him to be more selfish because at the moment he expends too much effort running lost causes for other people.
Look back to Euro 2004 when he took Croatia apart in England's 4-2 victory. He was fantastic because it was all about him.
I'd like to think Heskey might stay in the team because he does make things happen against certain teams and he will carry a threat.
I also think you make a statement by having two up front as they can occupy three defenders whereas with one forward you should only occupy two. I think it invites the opposition full-backs to go forward.
Heskey is good at showing for the ball all the time and because he's a big guy you can get the ball into him. Centre-backs are very aware he can bundle them over easily.
He is also a get-out ball when you are under pressure - as long as the ball has some quality and craft. The other thing is the midfield players also know that when they have someone to hold up the ball they can make forward runs.
There's nothing worse than playing one up front when they can't keep hold of the ball. Eventually the midfielders stop making runs because they think "what's the point? I'm wasting all my energy and I'm not getting onto anything".
Heskey is also a good way of relieving the pressure from the defence by drawing fouls which give time for the team to regroup and build further up the field.
Rooney needs to be restricted a little bit. Fabio Capello had a go at him and Joe Cole for drifting deeper once they went 2-0 up against Andorra and he was absolutely right. They need to play up in support of someone like Heskey and push on.
I'd tell Rooney to just patrol the width of the penalty box in the opposition half. Don't go running all over the place looking for the ball.
England want him in the middle of everything because even if he's not playing particularly well he still makes things happen.
His ball for Cole's second goal on Saturday was outstanding, he sees those things. If you can get him in that area where he's facing the opposition then even better.
But people are getting carried away if they think England can reverse the shambles of two years ago in Zagreb when Steve McClaren's tactical reshuffle was cruelly exposed in a 2-0 defeat.
The Italian in Fabio Capello will say: "Let's go for a point, let's make sure we're defensively very sound. Let's not open up and allow Croatia to play through us."
I think that's the way it will be, in what will be a much-changed team from Saturday.
I'm not sure what David Beckham gives England any more but I think he will end up playing.
It may be that Capello will think of playing five across midfield but does that mean Rooney will play alone up front? Or do you drop him into the five?
England have to be positive in looking for a draw. You have to pose a threat and ensure their two full backs aren't bombing on all game and overloading their midfield.
Luka Modric is the key man for Croatia and the important thing about the team is they get him free.
Modric is always facing the opposition defenders or midfield and he's always probing around the ball - which is exactly what England want with Rooney.
I think England are good enough to get a point. But I would just be a little bit worried that Capello might play 4-3-3 and leave one up front and two wide men.
What tends to happen with England under that system is that it becomes a 4-5-1 and I don't think they do that very well.
Theo Walcott in a four would be a gamble but Capello might think that Walcott in a five might not be as big a risk and it might not be Beckham who comes in, it might be someone like Jermaine Jenas.
They need to be very clear what they are trying to do because it was a shambles last time when they tried 3-5-2 under McClaren. The players that night were like strangers.
Bookmark with:
What are these?