VILLA THRILLER ... Darren Bent converts former Villa team-mate Ashley Young's cross

Did Fabio pick the right team?

YES, the way he wanted to attack was good.

There were two wide men and one player up front in Darren Bent with Wayne Rooney dropping off.

Rooney had an excellent first half before letting himself down.

I was particularly impressed with the two wingers. They were flexible, switching around during the first half and that meant lots of different options opening up.

There was pace and there was energy along the flanks.

Ashley Young is a good player, so exciting. I tried to sign him a couple of years ago for Tottenham and last night confirmed I was right doing so. It just so happens we have a bloke called Gareth Bale in that position now who isn't too shabby.

Was he right to gamble with Rooney?

IT LOOKED like it for most of the game — but then what Rooney did was just stupid.

I was thinking how mature he looked and how the situation involving his dad and his uncle had clearly not affected him and he had moved on.

But a likely two-game ban at the start of the Euro 2012 finals is a massive, massive blow for England.

He just cannot go around doing that sort of thing. We thought we'd seen the last of it but I guess he had his angry head on after all.

Rooney is a ferocious competitor for Manchester United and for England but there has to be a line.

It's hugely disappointing. He could be missing for the entire group stage and the rush of blood could end up costing him and England dearly.

Which player caught your eye?

THE three forward players all did well.

Ashley Young, Theo Walcott and Rooney — aside from his sending off, of course.

There is pace, energy and talent in that area and they are progressive players.

In particular, Young is important to England. He has solved the long-standing problem on the left-hand side and provides great cover for Ashley Cole.

It is very similar to Spurs where Gareth Bale and Benoit Assou-Ekotto combine so well.

Rooney looked back to his best — and until his red card, it appeared to be a question of who plays up front with him.

Does he go up as the striker with Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard playing off him, or does he support a striker. Now it might need a major re-think for the finals.

How did the new boys do?

SCOTT PARKER looked amazingly settled for a player with limited experience of playing for England and at a relatively late age.

Parker shielded the defence well but it was always going to be tough when down to 10 men.

Gary Cahill has settled in well, too. I still maintain Rio Ferdinand is our best choice to partner John Terry but it's reassuring to see another player getting in some important experience and getting used to the set-up and demands of international football.

Phil Jones got away with it once or twice but it was his international debut. He is a player with a great future. It's just the right time for a group of young players to start emerging and pressing the more senior squad members for their places.

Where's there room for improvement?

THERE is always room for improvement but England have done well in the qualifiers, even if results were a little patchy at Wembley.

You can say that Rooney maybe needs to improve his temper and stop lashing out but, in pure football terms, there is not too much wrong with the set up at the moment.

The only area where I think there is a need to improve is at goalkeeper. Joe Hart is an excellent No 1 but England does not currently have a regular and reliable back-up to the Manchester City stopper.

Personally, I would like to see Blackburn's Paul Robinson come back into the fold. Whether he would, though, I don't know.

What were the tactics and were they right?

YES. Capello picked a well balanced team and I liked the look of it — when we still had 11 men, anyway!

We had two wide men with bags of skill and pace with one up front and one dropping off.

It was good to see Darren Bent score, too, because now we are going to need different options for scoring with Rooney facing his suspension at the finals.

At least last night we saw there are some different options.

Ashley Young took his goal very well and worked hard to set up Bent.

You can't help but note it was Rooney heavily involved in both goals and we can only hope his ban isn't too lengthy.

But if Capello needs goals from midfield then Frank Lampard is still there and more than capable of providing them.

All the tacical questions will be raised again when Steven Gerrard is fit again.

Have England progressed since the World Cup?
THAT will certainly be a fiercely debated topic over the coming months. In football terms I'd say we have, but the best judgment will come in the game against Spain.

Technical and tactical issues seem to have improved, as I mentioned earlier with Ashley Young playing well on the problematic left wing.

We still have quality in quantity, as you could see when Frank Lampard came on, so we're no longer as reliant on players like him and Steven Gerrard.

But England's fallibility in making a drama out of what should have been a procession was exposed again.

How far can we realistically go at the finals?
I FIRMLY believe we can do very well.

Rooney's red card throws new light on our prospects because of his impending suspension.

He showed in the first half what a performer he can be for us. I said it's a case of who plays up alongside him but now for the group stage that may not be an option. But when I look around Europe, I firmly believe that only Spain is better than England.

I have repeatedly tipped England to win something with this crop of players. Some of the boys are getting on like Ashley Cole but it's not too late for them to win a major trophy.