Fabio Capello's Craft Lets Wayne Rooney Run the Show

England approach tonight’s match with Ukraine in the unusual position of runaway group leaders with confidence and crucially competence the watch words of the day.

What is most impressive about Fabio Capello’s short reign as England manager has been how swiftly and efficiently he has not only stamped his authority on the team in a disciplinary sense but also how so many of England’s tactical issues appear to have been solved.

Indeed it is unlikely that the two points are unconnected. To hear Frank Lampard speaking this week about being comfortable playing in a deeper role for the sake of the team was incredibly refreshing for those fans who have long given up hope of Gerrard and Lampard operating effectively together in the middle of the park.

They were comments which under the previous regime (and for that matter the one previous to that) might have been offered to placate the press but this time it was much easier to take them on face value.

Lampard and Gerrard are both in the latter stages of their careers and there seems to be a desire, expressed across the entire squad, to heal the wounds of previous campaigns and salvage their international reputations.

Of course it is easy to appear affable and content when the team is winning and for the time being that is the case.

England should qualify comfortably for the World Cup finals but their defeat in Seville earlier this year displayed a clear gulf between them and the Spanish, arguably the best team in the world currently, and something that Capello will need to address in order to avoid another early knockout.

The Italian was brought in on the back of his magnificent record with Milan, Real Madrid and Roma; a record which was built on pragmatism and his efforts with England have so far followed that pattern.

His first significant move was to identify Wayne Rooney as his most talented player and to adapt the team to allow maximum expression of the Manchester United man’s talents.

Things did not click immediately but the introduction of Emile Heskey as a foil for Rooney has allowed him to return to his menacing best, bagging seven goals in the last four games.

Part of Rooney’s brilliance is his desire to drift deep and to the left hand side in order to dictate the game and this in part has solved England’s longest running problem. It is a sign of Capello’s genius that, by combining Gerrard, Rooney, and Ashley Cole, the left hand side is now far less significant an issue.

Gerrard and Rooney have an almost telepathic relationship on occasion and their link up play to provide Heskey from the inside left position last Saturday was quite sublime.

Cole might not be the most popular character in the game but at his best he is a wonderfully free-flowing attacker and his contributions going forward will be priceless over the nest year or so.

There are of course much tougher challenges to come for Capello and he must be hoping that Glen Johnson and Aaron Lennon continue their excellent form and that Owen Hargreaves, England’s most impressive performer in the last World Cup and a player who relishes the big occasion, can return to full fitness ahead of South Africa.

For now however, Capello can look forward to tonight’s game against Ukraine and further challenges beyond that knowing he has rapidly crafted an extremely, well, competent team.