Sometimes it's worse knowing a draw is good enough. England's defence is not quite good enough these days to create an impregnable wall of steel and no team managed by Kevin Keegan is going to play with 11 men behind the ball.

England did manage the perfect draw that heady night in Rome two-and-a-half years ago, knowing that they only needed to avoid losing to Italy to qualify for the 1998 World Cup.

But that was a team with a different manager - Glenn Hoddle - and it was a team that had not suffered the ignominy of tossing away a two-goal lead.

The Portugal debacle, righted as it has been by the win against Germany, asked serious questions of the England back four.

The injury to Tony Adams was perhaps a blessing in disguise. It gave an indication to Sol Campbell that he would need to take more responsibility and it allowed Adams' Arsenal colleague Martin Keown to assert himself in the effective if unstylish way that would be ideal against the Germans.

In the end, neither disappointed. Campbell, after a shaky opening in which he twice fouled the tall Carsten Jancker, visibly grew in confidence and towards the end was making the perfectly-timed challenges and big clearing headers that he is renowned for.

Keown, for his part, was nominated by some as England's man of the match. And the two men on the flanks in defence, the Neville brothers, were a million times more effective than they had been against Portugal.

The permutations are in midfield. The Germans tried to play with width, and England mopped up most of their attacks.

But the Romanians play the ball along the ground a lot more, and counter-attack at speed. The mobility and sheer youth of Steven Gerrard would stand England in good stead, and it may be sensible to rest Dennis Wise or Paul Ince.

In the aftermath of the win against Germany, Keegan spoke highly of Gerrard, insisting he would not be frightened of starting with him if it was right for the team.

Assuming Scholes is fit, one option would be to leave both Wise and Ince out and play Steve McManaman on the left, with Gerard alongside Scholes in the middle.

For that to happen, McManaman must first pass a fitness test. Those three, plus David Beckham, all have the pace to stop the Romanian counter-attacks and the style to launch attacks themselves.

And if Keegan wants a more blocking midfield, he could start without Michael Owen and include either Wise or Ince, in the same shape that worked for the last half-hour against Germany.

Romania went into the game against Portugal looking for a draw. The tactic ultimately back-fired, although it had worked pretty well for 94 minutes.

The trouble now is they have to win to have any hope of maintaining their interest in this tournament. And one of European football's most enduring stars, Gheorge Hagi, is suspended after picking up a second booking against Portugal.

Truth to tell, Hagi was fairly anonymous against the Portuguese, and Adrian Mutu, the 21-year-old plying his trade at Inter, will probably be given his chance to step into the cavernous boots of the superstar.

Coach Emerich Jenei must decide what combination of Viorel Moldovan, Ioan Ganea and Adrian Ilie should play in front of Mutu, assuming he is given the chance.

Moldovan scored against Germany before missing a fine chance to win that match, Ganea is another youthful talent and Ilie has been his enigmatic self thus far.

Keegan said of Romania: "They are not ones to sit back - it's their natural instinct to come forward."

It may be that Jenei, knowing Hagi is missing, goes for broke and plays Mutu as part of a three-man attack.

This may have its benefits but it will mean another tough day for the veteran Galatasaray centre-half Gheorghe Popescu and his younger colleague Iulian Filipescu.

The temptation will be for Keegan to retain Owen, whose pace could embarrass the Romanian defenders.