Don't forget Fabio...it's Emile Heskey you really need

One must hope that Fabio Capello, the England manager, is not as suggestible as he has been made to seem, judging by his comments after the win over Mexico. His supposed encouragement of the idea may have been mere politeness and practicality, born from the natural inclination of a coach not to rule out any option.

Anyway, he had just played Gerrard in central midfield for 45 minutes when quizzed on the subject, so would appear foolish if he dismissed the idea as regressive.

Perhaps, like a lot of what we saw against Mexico on Monday, Capello was discussing it only as a possible plan B or C. Plan A, the masterful road map that allowed England to coast the journey to South Africa, defeating Croatia 9-1 on aggregate along the way, was safely tucked in his breast pocket for use when it really mattered, against the United States on June 12.

This would make sense, for Capello is no fool and has already seen what works for England. As for those agitating on Gerrard's behalf, get a grip. One good half of football, against Mexico at home, and it is as if the World Cup qualifying campaign never happened.

All this revisionist talk about Gerrard and the graveyard shift on the left, the resurrection of a hoary debate that went away when Capello demonstrated that Gerrard and Frank Lampard could play in the same team, just not in the same position. Is this really what we need three weeks before the World Cup? It feels as if we have opened a door to the past.

For the last time: Gerrard does play centrally for England, but he starts on the left. When the opposition have the ball, his duty is to close down the right back, if England have possession, he goes where he wants. It is that simple. Nobody is asking him to operate like a teenage Ryan Giggs, nobody wants him to hug the line. Zinedine Zidane started left and came in; so did Ronaldinho; and Gheorghe Hagi. It is no slight. Great players often start wide because the centre is too congested. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may both do so at the World Cup.