Wayne Rooney has been more influential than ever since breaking his metatarsal. His absence sways everything that England do.

He is the reason for the radical decisions that Sven-Goran Eriksson has been taking on the verge of the World Cup finals. A striker such as Michael Owen is severely disadvantaged in the process, exactly when he needs assistance after metatarsal troubles of his own.

Why, in the win over Hungary, was the manager resorting to a 4-1-3-1-1 formation only six days before the squad head for Germany? "Rooney got injured late and I didn't have the possibility of doing it before," said Eriksson. If the Swede's faith alone could heal the Manchester United striker, further scans would be superfluous.

As it is, Rooney will return to England and undergo one on Wednesday, having flown out to the World Cup 48 hours earlier. The manager made light of the journey time to Baden-Baden. "It's like travelling from central London to see Charlton play and then back. He's not going over an ocean. It would have sent a very bad message to all the England fans if he was not on that plane," said Eriksson.

The manager talks of avoiding an obsession with Rooney, yet stokes it by behaving as if the side must be overhauled because of his injury. England's best moments while beating Hungary 3-1 actually derived from a trusted approach and David Beckham re-emerged as an elite performer by displaying the repertoire of passes and crosses from the right that made him famous in the first place.

Eriksson's team were unsure when attempting something different. Holding players have been utilised before, but Ledley King took up the post against Argentina last November at the expense of Joe Cole, who started on the bench, and England virtually employed their normal system, with Rooney behind Owen.

On Wednesday, Steven Gerrard did tolerably well as a shadow striker, yet could not ply the Newcastle attacker as Rooney might have done. If Owen enjoys being the lone forward, it is when a team-mate draws defenders before sending him clear. He expressly cannot shield the ball and bring others into the play.

Owen, who cracked the metatarsal on New Year's Eve, still awaits a goal in 2006. He is badly in need of of it. While Eriksson testifies that he has been "on fire" in training, Owen merely seemed burnt out against Hungary. Jamaica, on Saturday, might be weak enough to allow a cathartic goal, but England, to be on the safe side, should help him more.

A sharp finisher is essential at the World Cup and only Owen, in form, fits the bill. Eriksson, having already ruled out drafting in Joe Cole as a support striker because he is far too productive on the left, should aid him in the obvious answer.

"Last week Crouch and Owen played together (in the B international against Belarus) and did well," Eriksson observed yesterday, "so this week I wanted to see something else."

Having had a peek at the alternative, he ought to reinstate the pairing. Perhaps he is affected by shame at the idea of resorting to that most English of figures, the big target man, but Crouch is not like the bruisers of yore. He takes no pride in obliterating his brain cells with concussive headers and, indeed, is overly fond of delicate glances. The Liverpool striker, however, can make space for Owen, as he did for the latter's two goals against Argentina.

Eriksson will deny any problem with his key poacher. "The only thing that worried me, a couple of weeks ago was his fitness level, but he's fit now," the manager asserted. "He is cautious in friendly games because he has been out for so long. When we play Paraguay he will be different. You know that for every big game he is there."

This stance puts Eriksson on the brink of complacency. His keenness to discover a holding player is wise, but it is not the immediate priority. It was apparent in his words yesterday that he may revert to a conventional structure at least for the group phase in Germany.

"If we had all the players available," he said, "Gerrard and Lampard could easily divide that (holding role). Especially at the beginning of the World Cup. But we have one injury (Rooney), so we will see."

The lack of height in Paraguay's back four should be borne in mind. No one seeks an attritional style, but it would be self-defeating to ignore the potency of Beckham's free-kicks, Crouch's flicks and the potential of Owen to pounce. A stereotype that works will always be forgiven.