While it would be easy to castigate England for many aspects of their performance against Argentina, and right to do so, a sense of proportion has to be maintained in the context of the game itself.
Undoubtedly there was much to criticise and much that needs to be worked upon — how often have we heard that before — in terms of England moving beyond the merely functional. But it cannot be overlooked that this was the opening high-pressure game of their World Cup and that while a tournament cannot be won in the first round, the result can go a long way to determining how far a team can progress — and their route in the knockout stage. So, for now, let us give