NO WAYNE Rooney. No creativity. No X-Factor. No chance of winning the World Cup.
For all the progress made by England manager Fabio Capello in an impressive qualifying campaign, that is the perception which is most difficult to shake.
Capello has instilled confidence and conviction in a side not dissimilar in personnel from th
e one which looked so bereft of ideas under the guidance of Steve McClaren. He has encouraged them to treasure possession rather than resort to the 'launch it' philosophy of old.
He has restored discipline and togetherness, crucial qualities in any side chasing big prizes, even if concerns remain about the goalkeeping berth and the form of Rio Ferdinand. Yet the feeling persists that, without Rooney, all Capello's meticulous construction could topple like a house of cards.
It is why tonight's final qualifier against Belarus at Wembley is far from meaningless, despite England already having qualified while their opponents have no chance of doing so.
With Rooney injured, Capello is looking for a spark. He is searching for a combination which can bring penetration and unpredictability in Rooney's absence.
It does not help that Jermain Defoe is unfit, Emile Heskey out of favour at Aston Villa, Carlton Cole's positioning suspect and that Capello clearly sees Peter Crouch as a last resort.
The pace of Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor could provide the alternative threat Capello craves, playing up front with a big target man such as Crouch or Heskey in the combination he prefers.
The maturing Agbonlahor deserves another chance after impressing in the 2-1 victory against Germany before experiencing harsh reality at the top level in defeat against Spain.
The problem is that, whatever combination is concocted, it is impossible to get away from the fact that the team without Rooney loses its diamond tip.
Actually, the fact that England miss so much without Rooney could be viewed as a source of comfort as well as concern.
After all, would France have won the World Cup in 1998 without Zinedine Zidane? It is highly unlikely.
Would Brazil have won in 2002 without Ronaldo or Argentina in 1986 without Diego Maradona? Not a chance.
Would England have made history in 1966 without the creative spark of Bobby Charlton? Again, we know the answer.
The margins are so tight at the pinnacle of sport that the loss of a team's most valuable asset invariably tips the balance between greatness and failure.
With each performance, even in the 1-0 defeat by Ukraine on Saturday, Rooney has demonstrated that he is just about irreplaceable. He provides England with energy and phenomenal work-rate. He spurns routine. The rest look to him for inspiration. He makes things happen in a way not seen in an England shirt since the days of Paul Gascoigne. Except that Rooney is more dependable.
It is Rooney's thirst to win, however, which is his most impressive characteristic. Rooney would run all day and all night in a shirt bearing the Three Lions. Play any position. Accept any challenge. It is why he has become the team's talisman as well as the top performer.
Those are big boots to fill. No other England player can do a Rooney. No-one can replace the irreplaceable. The World Cup cannot be won without him. Perhaps not even with him.
Yet Capello must have an alternative if Rooney was to pick up an injury, in the group stages for instance, come the summer in South Africa. Agbonlahor? Crouch? Cole? Defoe? Someone must step up.
England's world cannot rely solely on Wayne.
