England's Lee Carsley experiment offers exciting glimpse of what might be possible - Stuart Rayner

It is supposed to be the impossible job, and if Carsley does it long enough to drop the "interim" from his title, the expectation of and desperation for success, will probably ensure it is for him too.

But for now it is all sunshine and smiles - played two, won two, scored four, conceded none after Tuesday's 2-0 win over Finland.

"You want to stand at the side of the pitch enjoying watching the team play - attacking, being exciting. I thought we had that over the two games," said the interim head coach, proudly.

England's football was like a pleasingly dizzying combination of musical chairs and pass the parcel.

One minute Rico Lewis was left-back, the next central midfielder. A moment later he would be right-back - with or without Trent Alexander-Arnold swapping sides - then left winger. He was the most extreme example but everyone in white was at it.

Debutant Angel Gomes popped up occasionally in his Lille position behind the striker, usually anchored midfield but at times filling in at centre-back, or full-back. Harry Kane did not just drop into midfield, he often pulled wide.

Whether entertaining or winning football should be the priority is a matter of taste. The first buys time and friends but as Three Lions coach only the holy grail of both will do.

Has any one in the country's 78-year history of managers (or head coaches) regularly done that against world football's elite? No matter.

The acid test is still two years away, at the next World Cup. Gareth Southgate's pragmatism was based on what he thought was possible in a (Qatar apart) end-of-season tournament and few Englishmen have more experience of them than him.

Possibly the closest European contenders to "Carsball" were Holland's "total footballers" of half a century ago but they were loveable losers.

Whether it was this refreshing new approach or winning his 100th cap, Kane looked revitalised, scoring his 67th and 68th international goals after having one narrowly chalked off for offside and hitting an overhead bicycle kick at Lukas Hradecky.

They were good goals too, a nutmeg and thumping finish setting the ball rolling to the ecstatic relief after England banged the door for 58 minutes without opening it.

"The way he can drop deeper and link the play, the way he creates overloads in different areas, he's not only a great goalscorer but a really good footballer as well," said Carsley.

"I think it's important we have players around him that when he does drop deep are running forward with pace."

The losers from Carsley's first senior camp were at home. It is hard to imagine Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham not playing but on this evidence Jack Grealish and the pace of Anthony Gordon and Bukyo Saka should too. There is not space for all of them.

Not for the first time against inferior opposition Trent Alexander-Arnold looked a must-pick, ideal as a roving right-back, directly creating Kane's first, playing the pass which allowed recently-introduced debutant Noni Madueke to tee up his second.

Southgate almost always preferred Kyle Walker, possibly the world's best defensive right-back during his tenure, and being a Manchester City player comfortable with fluid formations.

But with the Yorkshireman yet to get properly up and running this season, Alexander-Arnold has the jump on him. Asked if the Liverpool defender could cement himself at right-back, Walker's name was not mentioned.

"He's definitely got the ability to be really important for the team," said Carsley. "I don't think players should ever come to camp thinking the starting XI is copy and pasted."

However long this lasts, it should be exciting.