Over and out

For a so-called ‘golden generation’ of players, who leave South Africa in disgrace after suffering the heaviest defeat in England’s World Cup history, the end of an era has surely arrived.

For manager Fabio Capello, hired at a cost of £6million a year to end the ignominy and embarrassment that accompanied Steve McClaren’s reign in charge of the national team, the time has surely come to resign and walk away with a semblance of dignity intact.

And for anyone who has previously argued that England deserve a place at world football’s top table, yesterday was a day for reflection and the acknowledgement of weaknesses and failings that are huge.

In all the years of serial under-achievements on the World Cup finals stage, it is hard to remember an afternoon as embarrassing or chastening as this.

Inevitably, there will be those who point to Frank Lampard’s goal-that-never-was in the 38th minute and claim that, had it not been for the intransigence of FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who remains steadfast in his distrust of goalline technology, the outcome of yesterday’s game might have changed.

Perhaps they would be right. Lampard’s shot, which rebounded off the underside of the crossbar and bounced at least two feet over the goalline, came at a crucial period, when England were finally generating some momentum after falling two goals behind.

But had Lampard’s goal sparked a recovery, surely it would simply have been delaying the inevitable and much-needed inquest to another time. If Germany were capable of ripping England to shreds in so clinical a manner, imagine what might have happened had Argentina been their quarter-final opponents in six days’ time?

Ultimately, a ragged, disjointed England side got what they deserved, and by the time the sensational Thomas Mueller rolled home Germany’s fourth goal in a manner that was almost apologetic, the defects in the side playing in red were almost too numerous to mention.

John Terry and Matthew Upson, exposed for a chronic lack of pace and completely unable to deal with the speed and dexterity of Germany’s attacking movement.

Gareth Barry, notionally a holding midfielder, but exploited time and time again by both Mueller and Mezut Ozil, a duo that are rapidly becoming the stand-out players in South Africa.

Wayne Rooney, supposedly England’s talisman, but in reality a player who has underperformed spectacularly in all four of his side’s World Cup matches.

Capello must also take his share of the blame, as from an early period, it was obvious that England’s rigid 4-4-2 system was incapable of dealing with the fluidity and flair of the German attack.

The Italian’s response, however, was to do nothing. No tactical tinkering, no messages to the players, no swift substitution in an attempt to plug the gaps.

By the end of the game, Germany were ripping England apart at will.

The opener was from a route one goal-kick that led to a dreadful mix up between John Terry, Matthew Upson and David James with Klose prodding home.

It did not take long for England’s task to become even harder. James had already saved from Klose with his legs, but there was to be no escape when England’s defence was carved open once again for Lukas Podolski to drill home a fierce angled drive.

England clawed a goal back when Upson headed home Steven Gerrard’s cross and should have been level 60 seconds later when Lampard produced the moment for which the game will forever be remembered. In England at least.

The Chelsea midfielder crashed a 25-yard drive that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced at least two feet over the line.

But, inexplicably, assistant Mauricio Espinosa kept his flag down and Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda felt unable to award a goal.

With a stunned England desperately pushing forward for an equaliser in the second half, two goals in the space of three minutes from Mueller ensured England would create a piece of World Cup history for all the wrong reasons.

At the final whistle, England’s players did not seem to know what to do with themselves. For a large proportion, that will surely be their final taste of a World Cup finals.