Only bad news for Eriksson as England wait

MANCHESTER, England, May 30: England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has given himself less than a week to find a World Cup winning formula that does not involve Wayne Rooney.

Eriksson remains publicly optimistic that Rooney could recover from a broken foot in time to play some part in the finals and says that as a coach he would be ''stupid'' not to wait and see.

However, the medical evidence is clearly pointing to a bleaker verdict.

The Swede's initiative to bring forward Rooney's scan by a week to June 7 -- two days before a FIFA deadline for replacing him in the squad -- suggests his optimism has some very real limits.

Add a statement from Manchester United on Monday that their striker's metatarsal injury now involves the joint, thereby taking longer to heal, and it is easy to understand why hopes of Rooney going to Germany are fading fast.

His absence will be a double blow to England and the full extent could be brought sharply into focus in the friendlies against Hungary on Tuesday and Jamaica on Saturday.

Firstly, Rooney's surging runs and eye for the target which brought him four goals at Euro 2004 are, as Eriksson admits, irreplaceable. ''There is only one Wayne Rooney,'' says the Swede.

Secondly, a dearth of top-quality strikers is set to lead to a last-ditch reshuffle of England's midfield on the eve of a tournament which they start on June 10 against Paraguay.

All eyes will be on the team sheet against Hungary as Eriksson has said: ''When we start the game it will be the team who we think today might start against Paraguay.'' Eriksson, who has admitted taking one gamble already by naming untried 17-year-old Theo Walcott in his squad, is expected to take another by moving central defender Jamie Carragher into a midfield holding role.

The task, allotted to Ledley King before he also broke a metatarsal, would allow Carragher's Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard to move up to support striker and former Anfield team mate Michael Owen.

With two goals in Liverpool's FA Cup final triumph over West Ham United being only his latest goal feat, Gerrard would certainly provide a real threat going forward.

The years spent playing with Owen at Liverpool means the two men already have the rapport needed to deliver.

Carragher's inclusion would also allow goal-happy Frank Lampard, who scored 20 times from midfield for Chelsea last season, to push into the danger zone.

The gamble comes in the fact that Carragher is a defender and not a midfielder -- and that he has less than a week to learn the job in match conditions.

Towering striker Peter Crouch, previously tipped to partner Owen, could still make an appearance from the bench, while Walcott could become England's youngest player in history if he comes on at Old Trafford.

Given that Eriksson said he would try different alternatives to replacing Rooney against Hungary and Jamaica, he should fly out on Monday to the finals with a clear idea of his starting XI. He should perhaps also take a good luck charm.

An injury scare from Owen, who suffered a tight thigh muscle in training on Monday but should still face Hungary, was further proof that fortune has yet to smile on his team.

REUTERS