GO JO ... Lescott deals easily with the threat of Fernando Torres

Q: What impressed you most about England's performance in the 1-0 over world champions Spain?

A: THE defending. We defended for our lives and that was the key.

Spain had all the possession but we were well organised and made them play in front of us.

For the first half, it was a case of England clearing the ball, Spain picking it up and then having another go.

But not until the last 10 minutes of the game did Spain actually look like they would break us down.

The two centre-halves — Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott — were well organised and the back four performed magnificently as a unit.

There are now four or five centre-halves pushing for a place in the first team and that is reassuring when the opposition is capable of playing such amazing football.

England did not exactly beat Spain at their own game. It was always going to be a set-piece that would give us a breakthrough.

Yet the defending could be written into a textbook.

Look how resolute our players were. Bravery, great timing and fierce determination underpinned everything we did when Spain had possession. It was classic England rearguard stuff.

Q: How do you assess Joleon Lescott's performance in the centre of England's defence?

A: LIKE Scott Parker, he has enjoyed a renaissance.

Eighteen months ago, Manchester City were looking at him and probably thinking he was not quite right for them.

They had Kolo Toure playing at centre-half and Lescott looked very much the second choice.

In that time, though, he has become a big player for a big team at the top of the biggest league in the world.

Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill are also improving rapidly.

A while back, Bolton's Cahill was perhaps fourth or fifth choice. Now he is pushing all the way.

Lescott was excellent against Spain. He has had to wait for his chance but looks to have taken it well over the weekend. I was particularly impressed by him.

Training and being around such good players at City has helped him raise his game and remain confident of his own quality.

And Kolo Toure's problem with the drugs ban could work to his advantage.

It offers great encouragement that Lescott and the other central defenders in the squad seem to be coming into form and maturing at just the right time with a big tournament just eight months off.

Q: Why was Scott Parker so effective? What impact did he have?

A: SCOTT has now established himself in the heart of the England team. He protected the English back four, kept the ball well and tackled expertly.

Lots of people are asking 'What if?' What if he had been involved more regularly over recent years? Would England have done better?

The making of Scott was going to West Ham. He became their best player. He was the big fish, whereas at Chelsea he only played a bit. Upton Park was the first time he had been the big star since Charlton.

Q: Does this shatter the myth that England must play Wayne Rooney?

A: NO. Rooney is our one genuine world-class striker. England certainly need him.

I thought Spain lacked punch against us. It was like watching Barcelona without Lionel Messi. He makes things happen.
Fernando Torres has gone off the boil for Spain and, without him, they had nothing to put on the end of all that fantastic football. Had Rooney played for Spain, they would have scored for sure.

Winning minus Rooney is good for England. The manager and players will gain confidence. But we must not get carried away.

Q: Frank Lampard scored on his 90th England appearance. Reckon he'll get 100 caps?

A: YES. Frank and the other experienced players will be vital at Euro 2012.

Frank was immensely proud to be England captain and I can see a way of Frank, Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard making up England's midfield — a way that would work.

Players like Frank, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry are crucial at tournaments.

I do see Manchester United's Phil Jones becoming an England regular of the future but not in midfield. He can be a great centre-half or a right-back. Yet in midfield he will do a job and that is it.

Q: If we played Spain in Euros would we win again?

A: WELL, there are only two or three teams in the world which are better than England.

We have too much quality for most of the average sides who will be at Euro 2012 next summer.

Spain's quality is evident. There was a clear gulf in the technical abilities of the players. But England had a gameplan and stuck to it.

Spain also had a full-strength team out so it was not a fluke win.

It reminded me of one time when Portsmouth played Manchester United. They battered us and we hung on for dear life. But then we got two chances and scored from them both.

England could do the same in a full competitive game, of course. We could well have Wayne Rooney back by then as well.

Q: Should John Terry be brought back against Sweden?

A: JOHN TERRY and Rio Ferdinand are still the two to shift, in my view.

And let us remember that with them in the team it would still be the same back four we would have played at the World Cup.

There were some good displays from the understudies — particularly in defence. But Terry is our captain.

Fabio Capello will do what he thinks is best.

I expect a different game against Sweden. We will dictate the game more, open it up and control it more.

I reckon we will score a few goals against them.

It is important to get a look at what the others can do before Euro 2012 and Fabio has done that against Spain.