Bulgaria 0 England 3: Fabio's Lions of Sofia - pity about the shirt, but rampant England answer manager's call for pride

Fortunately for Fabio Capello, the new England team were a good deal easier on the eye than their new kit. That looked awful. The dark blue shirts and powder-blue shorts nothing like England.

But a side inspired by a rejuvenated Wayne Rooney and a bold, attacking system played in a manner that amounted to a significant step forward for their Italian manager.

A new shape, a few new faces, a new head of hair and what felt like the dawn of a new era.

It was the first competitive game since that World Cup quarter-final encounter with Brazil nine years ago that England had started without either Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard.

High five: Gary Cahill slides in to put England ahead

 

Lampard found himself on the bench until well into the  second half, and it is probably where he will stay if Capello now sees this as the future. Remember, Capello still has Jack Wilshere to come back. Not to mention Gerrard.

With Scott Parker and Gareth Barry deployed as a shield for the back four, Capello gave a four-man forward line of Rooney,  Ashley Young, Theo Walcott and Stewart Downing a licence to attack with real purpose.   

What a difference it makes to England when Rooney is on his game. Capello is  reluctant to admit to his team’s reliability on his best player but when he brings the form he has been showing recently for Manchester United to the national side, England’s  players shift up a couple of gears.

Hair we go: England celebrate Cahill's early strike

It makes that slight concern over a foot injury all the more of a worry ahead of Tuesday’s game against Wales when it has been a year — and five matches — since  England last won at Wembley.

After a slow start here at the Vasil Levski Stadium on a slow, slow pitch boasting a light covering of flowers and clover — all very pretty but not exactly conducive to fast,  fluent football — England dismantled their hosts with an impressive display of confident, clinical attacking that propelled them clear at the top of their qualifying group thanks to Montenegro’s defeat in Cardiff.

They were three up by half-time, Gary Cahill marking his fourth cap with his first goal before Rooney used the now well-covered head to score one and his left foot to score another seconds before the interval.

Cut above: Rooney heads home England's second

Capello must have been delighted with other aspects of this game. He has used 18 different central defensive pairings in his 59 games in charge but a first start for Cahill and John Terry proved a successful one. Cahill was a powerful presence at the heart of England’s defence, making some important interceptions as well as scoring his goal.

For Chris Smalling, too, it must have been most satisfying. He endured one or two anxious moments but he can reflect on a fine debut at right back.

True, Bulgaria weren’t very good, indeed as poor as they were at  Wembley last year and pathetic  defensively, especially when it came to dealing with set-pieces. Lothar Matthaus had called on his side to play ‘like Germany’ and the less said about that the better.

Stroll on: Rooney taps in the third on stroke of half-time

Deploying Young through the middle behind Rooney was a surprise when it is on the left wing that he has excelled for United so far this season. But it enabled him to accommodate Downing as well and he clearly wanted to do that when the new Liverpool winger has been so impressive in training.

Capello also pointed to the fact that Young is not exactly new to the role, having played there regularly for Aston Villa and occasionally for England.

It worked pretty well, even if Capello eventually replaced Young with James Milner to provide the midfield with a bit more support to protect their three-goal advantage.

Life's a pitch: England's unused players watch the game

England did take a little time to settle but by the 13th minute they were in control, Cahill scoring a goal that even justified the manager’s decision to go with the Bolton defender ahead of Phil Jones, the United teenager who even missed out on making the bench in the end.

It was the first England goal from a Bolton player in more than half a century, Barry meeting Young’s half-cleared corner with a diagonal ball that Cahill took on his chest before prodding his shot beyond the advancing Nikolay Mihaylov. 

It enabled England to settle in a hostile atmosphere marred by some disgraceful monkey chants, and within eight more  minutes Rooney had scored England’s second from another corner.

Who dares wins: Capello was rewarded for bold selection

This time Downing provided the delivery, Rooney rising athletically just ahead of Terry to strike with a super header.

Against a Bulgarian side who had failed to score in six of their previous 11 games, it amounted to a more than commanding lead. But shortly before the break Rooney arrived at the far post to finish off a move sparked by Walcott and continued by Young, who found his new clubmate with a perfectly weighted cross.

Hot heads: England silenced the home crowd

It enabled Rooney to become only the fourth England player to score 20 competitive goals and it also ended what had been a difficult run for the United striker in the national side. In his 15 internationals prior to last night he had struck just once.

After the interval it was all about discipline and protecting that lead. That England did so as comfortably as they did also pleased Capello. 

National service: Ashley Young was given licence to thrill

As did news of the result for Wales against Montenegro. Beat Wales on Tuesday night and the most they will need in that last away game will be a point to guarantee England’s passage to Poland and Ukraine.

No wonder Capello shook his fist in celebration at the sight of that third goal. His last season  in football has begun rather well.