Certainly not Belo Horizonte in 1950 bad. But be in no doubt, after the fluidity and free-scoring of Monday's opening game and the hope that England's struggles since the turn of the year could be behind them, this was a return to stodgy, uninspired, set-piece reliant fare that has pockmarked the Gareth Southgate era, and it was bad.
Southgate warned that this would be a very different game compared to Iran. He was right about that. But he also predicted that it would be played at "100 mph" and that his players would have to be at it from the first whistle. If that was the type of contest he was expecting, he expected wrong, and perhaps that misreading of the challenge that the United States posed was at the root of England's below-par performance.
Long passages of the first half resembled the vision of this sport from the States' most popular and successful cultural export. Halfback passed to centre, back to wing, back to centre, centre held it. Held it. Held it. John Stones ended the first half with the most touches of any player on the pitch, while Harry Maguire and Kieran Trippier were not too far behind. England's build-up did not get off the ground floor.
Esta historia es de la edición November 26, 2022 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 26, 2022 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
How Spacey's career came down like a house of cards
As anew documentary reveals more harrowing allegations against the star of American Beauty’, Nick Hilton tells the story of an actor whose own character remains an enigma
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
House prices are down and mortgage costs are up. So how long will buyers and sellers have to wait before the market begins to show signs of life? James Moore digs into the data
Wilson on top after black ball finish halts Jones surge
World Snooker Championship final to resume this afternoon
Norris wins maiden grand prix to end Verstappen run
The Briton, 24, dedicates victory in Miami to his grandma’
Chelsea crush West Ham on late surge for Europe
Chelsea kept up their electric goalscoring form at home and boosted their hopes of securing a Europa League spot with a 5-0 thrashing of West Ham.
Anfield thrills to one more Klopp rollercoaster ride
Eight and a half years after Jurgen Klopp’s reign began against Tottenham, five years after it peaked in a Champions League final against them, Spurs may prove a final example of what made it great and why Anfield will mourn the German.
I'd vote for getting rid of the virtue-signalling smug selfies
A picture can tell a thousand words – but it doesn’t always.
More people should settle their differences with poetry
There’s a lot of conflict in the world right now
'Stop and search' shows that we live in a two-tier society
A few years ago, I went to Westfield in Stratford, east London. I find going shopping a bore at the best of times, so the idea of a place where all the stores I might want to go to are under one roof – a shopping centre, if you will – sounded super convenient, if also my idea of a living hell.
Tory voters won't thank us if we replace the prime minister
The results of the local and police and crime commissioner elections in England were supposed to follow a clear narrative – that Labour was on course for a massive parliamentary majority in a general election, and that Rishi Sunak’s premiership would be on the rocks, with rebel factions waiting to displace him.