Wayne Rooney Must Take Chance to Chase England Goals Record and Prove Leadership

Wayne Rooney was perhaps not a unanimously approved selection to be the new captain of England's national team, but the Manchester United star is Roy Hodgson's choice to go forward as the leader of the side over the forthcoming Euro 2016 campaign and has an opportunity, over the next week, to show why his qualities made him the right call.

While England face two sides who won't necessarily pose any definitive answers for the longer term due to their relative weaknesses, San Marino and Estonia can be the ammunition Rooney in particular needs to stop further questioning headed his way.

Goals Galore?

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Rooney is, over the next two years or so, likely to become England's all-time record goalscorer. He currently sits on 41 international goals, fourth in the list but just eight behind Sir Bobby Charlton—nobody has yet reached the half-century wearing the Three Lions badge.

It has become customary for players or managers to start sentences about expecting a win over such teams to begin, "With all due respect..."—but the truth is that San Marino are atrocious, and if England were to be capable of sustaining pressure, bringing a good tempo and some creativity to the game, they should easily win by seven or eight goals.

Past results against San Marino have seen England win by 6-0 and 7-1 (1993), 5-0 (2012) and 8-0 (2013).

There is nothing to suggest that kind of record should stop for Thursday's Euro 2016 qualifier, and with Rooney set to start up front alongside Danny Welbeck, a hat-trick—which would take Rooney level with Jimmy Greaves in third—shouldn't be out of the question.

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After overtaking @themichaelowen in England scoring charts @WayneRooney targets Sir Bobby Charlton's record http://t.co/wyNXblzkhe #SwivEng

— England (@england) September 8, 2014"

Estonia, the next opponents, will be tougher to break down, but they still conceded 20 in 10 games in qualifying for World Cup 2014 and will not be likely to trouble those looking for qualification to the finals.

It's a game England should be looking to win, and which the forwards in particular should be naturally looking to score in. There is no real reason why Rooney should not be coming out of these two international matches in third place in his own right in England's all-time scorers list, quieting the questions from those who have consistently doubted his efforts in the national shirt.

Impact on Attack

It's not just scoring that Rooney is required for, though; with England's team currently lacking much of an identity—in style, formation or midfield approach play, it could be argued—there is ever more expected of him as a creator as well as a scorer.

Rooney started in attack, but it was Welbeck who scored the goals against Switzerland in England's tough away opener, with Raheem Sterling involved in creating both strikes.

The new England captain, however, created plenty of chances before the second of those goals, with his four key passes the most in the game, per BBC Sport.

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Against the packed, deep and rigid San Marino defence in particular, Rooney's movement and incisiveness in his play will be key in unlocking a frustrating opponent, so expect to see him dipping out of the forward line, picking possession up outside the box and looking to swap passes on the run to open up the lines of blue.

Once more, it should be acknowledged that success in this regard against San Marino, and even Estonia, will not necessarily bring huge praise for Rooney, but the failure to do so will certainly bring unwanted questioning.

Group Leaders, but One Captain

The most recent revelation from Hodgson's England squad has been the appointment of Gary Cahill, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge as "unit leaders" of the defence, midfield and forwards, respectively, per Sam Cunningham of the Daily Mail.

Francois Xavier Marit/Associated Press

Each of these players is to be responsible for ensuring the different areas of the side know their roles and jobs on the pitch—but the head of the XI is still the captain, still Wayne Rooney.

The United man has been boosted by Adam Lallana saying there is a "great feeling" around the squad with Rooney as skipper, per BBC Sport, while Hodgson has also stated that Rooney has the right temperament for the job.

In two upcoming games now, Rooney has to show that.

They will be, in as much as any top-level game is, "easy"—but they still have to be won, and in a manner which befits a team which should in all honesty now go through the entire qualification phase with a 100 percent record. England's group is not tough, and they have already won their trickiest fixture.

If Rooney can guide the team through in that manner, if he can perform in front of goal and make an impact on the team's all-round attacking play, then vociferous manner or not, he will have vindicated the choice to make him captain and be an awful lot closer to being the country's all-time top scorer to boot.

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