By Alan Hansen

BBC Sport football expert


Make no mistake, Wayne Rooney's injury has harmed England's chance at
the World Cup.


Rooney's absence will be felt on the pitch and in the dressing room

If he is fit and playing, England have got a great chance of winning
and if he's not then that chance is diminished.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to replace Rooney, but it
looks almost certain that that is what England coach Sven-Goran
Eriksson will have to do.

Some people say you can play Steven Gerrard in Rooney's role, but I
think Gerrard is much better facing the goal than with his back to
goal.

He is so much more prolific when he is driving forward, we see that
week in and week out.

Another option is to play Peter Crouch and Michael Owen as your
strike pairing.

Stewart Downing has played well recently for Middlesbrough and he
could go on the left with Joe Cole pushed up front with Owen.

Personally, I think the answer is to play Joe Cole just off Owen and
move Gerrard to the left, giving him a remit to roam.

David Beckham can stay on the right, with Frank Lampard in the middle
alongside a holding player, maybe Michael Carrick or Ledley King, if
he's fit.

You can understand Man Utd's concerns - but you can understand why
England might push Rooney to play

Ferguson warning over Rooney
I would guess that is the choice for Eriksson. But then, that is my
thinking. Eriksson might be thinking differently.

In any event, the injury to Rooney makes it even more essential for
England that Owen is fit.

Of course, we do not know when Rooney will be back.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he is doubtful
Rooney will be fit, Eriksson says he wants to take Rooney if there is
even a slight chance of him playing.

You have to look at both sides. If Eriksson was manager of Manchester
United, he would say the same as Ferguson. And if Alex managed
England he'd say the same as Eriksson.

For the England manager, the thinking must be that if there's a 1%
chance of him being fit then you take him.

I think it is a certainty he will be named in the squad.

Of course, you can understand Manchester United's concerns, but you
can understand why England might push him to play.

Before the '81 European Cup final I knew Dalglish wasn't fit, but I
thought 'we're better with him than without him'

You have got to be sensible and get the balance right.

You must also remember, this is a 20-year-old who just wants to play.
The danger, which we have seen 100 times before, is that players
sometimes say they are fit when they are not.

Rooney's absence will be felt not only on the pitch but in the
dressing room.

I have seen it myself when Kenny Dalglish was not playing.

I think it was the 1981 European Cup final. He had missed the six
games before it and he was not fit to play - but he was picked
anyway.

I just remember sitting in the dressing room thinking 'I know he is
not 100% fit but we're better with him than without him'.

In the dressing room, different players will approach this in their
own way - some will be positive and some may be quite negative.

And the ones who are negative may perceive a game differently if if
they do not see Rooney in there.

Among all these factors, one simple fact remains: if your best
players are missing then it is difficult.

And without Rooney, England have got a massive chasm in their team.