England ... 2 Switzerland ... 1:An educational evening for Fabio Capello sometimes had the spectators fidgeting and grumbling like bored schoolchildren. At least no one was given false hopes about the era that opened here for England. There were modest pieces of encouragement and Wayne Rooney, knuckling down to the lone striker role he does not much care for, ultimately served the side well.
Steven Gerrard, too, came to terms with a somewhat unfamiliar role and both Coles had clearly been determined to demonstrate commitment to a new regime.
England, for their part, did not start as if they could stage a spectacle all by themselves and until Jermaine Jenas's stylish opener the best chance of the first half had been wasted by the visitors' centreback Mario Eggimann.
At that stage the home side were too busy mastering a new system to take control of Switzerland. While none of that proved the new manager to be wrong, it did show that strict rules at the team hotel and the habit of addressing footballers by their surnames do not bring about an instant transformation.
The crowd, while hardly inflamed about a game of this sort, seemed determined to be patient, a resolution that did not lapse until a particularly bad pass from Gareth Barry was too much for spectators who had been suppressing their boos. There was no excitement about a fixture of this sort to distract from the fact that a new manager has barely begun his work.
Every decision Capello takes is so far treated as if it were a warning against complacency but his preferences, at heart, must have more to do with basic principles. Michael Owen, for instance, had not seemed in form or shape to start, despite a goal against Middlesbrough on Sunday. Similarly, Owen Hargreaves may have lost out to Barry for a holding role because the latter's calm offsets the explosiveness of Gerrard.
These concepts, all the same, do function if the footballers in question are struggling to adapt. In the initial exchanges, Gerrard seemed uneasy in a deep-lying position. The notion may have been for the captain to have space into which he could burst but Switzerland, initially, were stimulated by a fixture at Wembley and eager to impose themselves.
That had its value in letting Capello see how his new charges coped, although the findings were disturbing. With 27 minutes gone a Hakan Yakin free-kick was helped on by Philippe Senderos only for Eggimann to direct a header wide of the target.
It was unfortunate that England were dull then, but it ought not to have been a complete surprise.
The public looks at Capello through a fog of yearning for this England team to be transformed. He is a great manager, but these observers can barely make out the fact that he also happens to be the person discarded last summer by a Real Madrid board who decided that his utilitarian style was too high a price, even for the La Liga title he had restored.
He never promised the FA he would turn himself into an impresario. Even so, there were flashes of entertainment.
Ashley Cole's endeavour in surging on the left was valuable in creating space for Joe Cole ahead of him. That latter had put Rooney in during the 10th minute for a finish that rebounded from the advancing goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.
There were some worthwhile contributions for display, but no one could have been prepared for the stylishness of England's goal five minutes before half-time. Gerrard found Joe Cole impeccably and he tricked Stephan Lichtsteiner before stroking the cut-back that presented Jenas with his first goal for his country.
The breakthrough encouraged the audience to look more kindly on the display that had been set before them. In retrospect, for instance, David Bentley's creativity might have been relished. His technique nearly led to a doubling of England's advantage in the 48th minute as the midfielder picked out Rooney but the striker, contending with the substitute Valon Behrami, shot wide.
Shortly before he was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jenas drew a fine save from Benaglio, but the pair of substitutions, which also saw Peter Crouch replace Joe Cole, may have broken England's concentration. Within moments Switzerland were level. A beautifully angled pass by Tranquillo Barnetta caught out Rio Ferdinand and substitute Eren Derdiyok got in front of him to shoot past David James.
Capello clapped his hands and then folded his arms irritably, but his side at least wasted no time in the bid to placate the manager. Four minutes later Rooney went deep to flick the ball on to Gerrard who was charging on the left, and the midfielder's pass invited Wright-Phillips to finish in front of a open goal. That was an improvement, but this showing was nowhere near good enough for Capello.
ENGLAND:James, Brown, Ferdinand, Upson, Ashley Cole (Bridge 73), Bentley, Jenas (Wright-Phillips 57), Gerrard, Barry (Hargreaves 73), Joe Cole (Crouch 57), Rooney (Young 87). Subs not used: Carson, Richards, Lescott, Woodgate, Owen, Defoe, Kirkland. Goals: Jenas 40, Wright-Phillips 62.
SWITZERLAND:Benaglio, Lichtsteiner (Behrami 46), Senderos (Grichting 55), Eggiman, Spycher, Inler, Gelson (Huggel 84), Barnetta, Yakin (Margairaz 63), Gygax (Vonlanthen 46), Nkufo (Derdiyok 46). Subs not used: Zuberbuhler, Coltorti, Ziegler. Goal: Derdiyok 58.
Referee:Felix Brych (Germany).
