Three Lions have that Rooney roar

SOCCER Euro 2004 Group B England v Switzerland: A professional performance by England, job done. Yes, there were one or two little hiccups, which were probably down to a hangover from the French game, which you'd expect, but once they created the first chance they knew they could create them at will. Yes, the Swiss carried a threat, but you always felt if England needed to score again they would. Midfield through to the front players they look a very, very good team and, of course, Wayne Rooney showed again what a special talent he is.

I always thought Rooney was a bit special but when someone like that plays with excellent players you're going to bring the very best out of him.

It's no surprise - playing with Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham and Michael Owen - that he looks the player that everyone knows he can be. He's got everything, that physical threat, he has an edge to his game, which he sometimes runs very close (another booking) - but he needs that, if he doesn't have that edge he's not the same talent, but in terms of pure footballing ability he's got the lot.

As against France Owen didn't play well, but the ball's just not running for him. He did contribute, though, he made the first goal, so that will make him feel better. But with Rooney playing the way he is you can probably let Owen play his way back into form. When he's struggling to score there might be pressure to make a change, but I'm certain when the third game starts Owen will play with Rooney again.

You could tell by the Swiss that their manager told them to have a real go in the first 20 minutes, "you might just catch them unawares", which they did, but I just think England's passing, their use of the ball, the width they got down the left-hand side . . . the team in white was always going to win.

They were more cohesive, they carried more of a threat and generally they had far better options than Switzerland.

There are always worries about the England midfield - the system they use, who plays on the left, all that - but I think it's shaping up well. Scholes can play on the left, he's such a clever footballer, he just keeps hold of the ball and gets on with it. He doesn't want to play there but with what England have he's the best option.

If you watched him against the Swiss every time Beckham got a cross in from the right he was in the penalty area - if Rooney missed the header for the first goal Scholes would have scored, he was right behind him.

Lampard and Gerrard showed, again, that they are very, very good players - good passers, very athletic, they get up and down the pitch very well, they must be so difficult to play against because one or both is always running at you.

And I have to say, the interchanging and passing between the four England midfield players is as good, if not better, than any other team in the competition, including France.

If that was Italy against the Swiss we'd be swooning, talking about how professionally they had done the job and not even noting any shortcomings.

No, England didn't play particularly brilliantly, but they did what they had to do, and more, score-wise.

Concerns for England? Well, the goalkeeper always worries me. Even when he's not playing he worries me. Crosses and free-kicks, they just weren't as commanding as they should be, and that was partly down to him. I'm sorry, but David James will always worry me.

Prospects for England? I would say at least the semi-finals. I think the French are, overall, a better team but I can't name another one in the tournament that is better. The biggest problem now for England is the usual one: the country will go mad.

It's gone "soccertastic" any way, but they now think they're going to win the competition. And that brings its own problems and pressures.

England will have a bad game in this tournament - whether when they have that bad game it's an Italian or a French or a German "bad game" - i.e. one where they can get narrowly through, despite playing poorly - I'm not sure. That could be their Achilles' heel. We'll see. But so far they can be content. And confident.