Dutch of class lifts England

Group Six England 1 Austria 0: A performance of outstanding character swept England through to the World Cup finals. It was given by the Netherlands during their 2-0 win in the Czech Republic on Saturday evening, some hours after Sven-Goran Eriksson's team had meandered to victory over Austria at Old Trafford.

Still, a manager who suffers from insomnia following his matches might have enjoyed a pleasant drowsiness in the knowledge that England will qualify as, at worst, one of the two best runners-up in the European groups.

The side has been perfecting that knack of profitable underachievement. Following the subdued success in Cardiff, England's result in Manchester again had minimal impact. The opposition, muscular men of slender ability, were not outclassed as they ought to have been and the crowd was roused only by the unforeseen jeopardy after David Beckham had been sent off with half an hour remaining.

His pair of bookings came in a two-minute spell and while the punishment was draconian the captain did lose his self-control and concentration after the first of them. The remainder of the side then made up for that through resilience as, with Ledley King brought on in a holding role, they kept Austria at bay with little fuss.

Unfortunately, England had stifled themselves almost as comprehensively when in control before the Beckham dismissal. Despite all the chatter about making amends for the loss in Northern Ireland, there was no spectacle since there was no inclination to take risks. While Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard were among the better performers, their keenness to prove that they can combine responsibly in midfield meant that, jointly, they were a little too conservative.

That may be preferable to leaving the back four unprotected, but it also meant there was no sweeping onslaught to reacquaint the public with the currently submerged prowess of these players. Austria were so vulnerable England could still have scored on a number of occasions. Without being at his sharpest Michael Owen was put through twice, with goalkeeper Jurgen Macho saving both times.

In addition the Newcastle United striker should also have earned a couple of penalties. The second of the claims, when Andreas Dober felled him, was disregarded by Luis Medina Cantalejo. The referee had been more amenable when the offence was valid yet less obvious. Paul Scharner had indeed pulled Owen's arm as he gathered a Peter Crouch flick. Lampard, having taken over spot-kick duties from Beckham, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way in the 25th minute.

After that much of the game was bland, but there is often a threat concealed in insipidness. John Terry was lulled for an instant when he misjudged a long ball from Martin Stranzl, inadvertently helping it on so Roland Linz had a chance only to shoot against the crossbar on 57 minutes.

It was mostly those from whom least was expected who came to the fore for England and right back Luke Young, as well as being dependable in possession, was also vigilant with his marking. Crouch, while being far from flawless, did bear out the argument that he gives the team a greater variety of approaches.

For each weak header, there was at least one moment when he would locate Owen promisingly, sometimes with a well-weighted pass. The trouble for Eriksson was England's ambitions do not rest with the likes of Crouch or Young, who should normally be found among the substitutes. His senior players still are not giving him the dynamism of men who see a World Cup triumph as their destiny.

The manager is supposed to have raised the topic of their attitude to games, but if harsh words alone could reinvigorate footballers they would have thrived after the 4-1 drubbing in Denmark. It does not happen so easily. There has been a loss of form in a collective sense and even when individual contributions are respectable the play does not flow as it should.

England were blessed with an easy group but, despite the shaming at Windsor Park, there has been no challenge to galvanise players. The level of performance given during the away draw with Italy in 1997 or the Munich trouncing of Germany in 2001 has not been repeated, partly because it has not been needed. While muddling along, the side has still qualified for the World Cup with a fixture to spare and England have not done that for 20 years.

With no dramas to compare with Beckham's stoppage-time equaliser against Greece at Old Trafford in 2001, Eriksson could only have pleased the nation if he had brought out the promise of his team in this campaign. England have their place in Germany, but there is professional satisfaction rather than joy.

* Guardian Service