Wayne Rooney: England's new AGGRESSIVE streak will spell international success

WAYNE ROONEY believes England's newly-adopted "aggressive" streak represents the way forward as he insisted the country has progressed since the World Cup.

00:10, Mon, Mar 30, 2015 | UPDATED: 01:51, Wed, Nov 8, 2017

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Wayne Rooney is confident England's new aggressive approach to games is the way forward

The England captain admitted that improvement will be put to the test against Italy tomorrow, but offered an insight into how he wants opposing teams to perceive Roy Hodgson's side.

"You don't want to go into games and teams enjoy playing against you," said Rooney.

"You want teams to look at England and think, 'We know we have a tough game. It is going to physically hard against them, we are going to have to defend and we are going to have to be good on the ball to keep the ball.'

"That is what we want teams to feel when they come up against us. Certainly since the World Cup we have done that."

For that impression to stick, Rooney maintains the high-octane, high pressing approach that proved too much for Lithuania must continue to be adhered to.

Harry Kane's headed goal after just 79 seconds of his debut on Friday drew much of the focus but, notwithstanding how limited the visitors were, England were pro-active, playing with tempo and intent.

Hodgson: Kane can emulate Rooney [AMBIENT]

There has been a definite change of emphasis of late and the momentum mustered in the win over Scotland in November was maintained at Wembley as a fifth successive Euro 2016 qualifying win was achieved with the minimum of fuss.

"I think it has to be the way forward with the energy that we have got in the team," said Rooney. "The players are so quick and when we lose the ball we want to be aggressive and win it back quickly.

"I am sure you have heard the manager talk about those little 'furies' that when we lose the ball we have to win it back as quickly as possible.

"Maybe it is not so much about being nasty, but being aggressive. Not in a bad way in terms of putting really hard tackles in, but we are getting up to the ball quickly, we are harrying teams and making them make mistakes.

"With the players we have got we have to play like that. At the minute we have the tactics right."

While England head into tomorrow's friendly in Turin with confidence buoyed, Italy coach Antonio Conte is under pressure following Saturday's 2-2 qualifying draw in Bulgaria

Wayne Rooney Player Profile

We are learning in every game since the World Cup, we are getting better and there is an excitement back about England
Wayne Rooney

Sampdoria striker Éder scored a late equaliser, though the inclusion of the Italian-Brazilian, who was born in South America, has forced Conte to defend his selection of oriundi - players born abroad but of their country's descent.

Yet Rooney anticipates a testing assignment.

"Obviously it will be a different game again on Tuesday," he said. "Italy will be very good on the ball and there will be times when they are able to play out so we have to make sure we pick our moments right and not get picked off. There will be times when we go, times when we sit off.

"There are times when you go and don't get it, but that is where the defence probably doesn't get the credit it deserves because they are pushing in right behind us to close the space off.

"You can't do it for 90 minutes. We have to judge when the time is right and when we feel we have the opposition pinned in. That is when we go and win the ball and try and put teams in uncomfortable positions.

"It is moving in a good direction. We are learning in every game since the World Cup, we are getting better and there is an excitement back about England."