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England hit a five-year low against France on Tuesday, as they conceded three times for the first time since 2012.
While the Three Lions have done little to inspire confidence over recent years, they have been resolute at the back.
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Since Zlatan Ibrahimovic destroyed them during a friendly encounter in Stockholm, with the enigmatic frontman netting four times on the night, England have been a relatively tough nut to crack.
France, though, were able to slice through Gareth Southgate’s side with relative ease in their latest outing, with Didier Deschamps’ side securing a 3-2 victory with 10 men.
Harry Kane had fired England in front early on at Stade de France, but saw that effort cancelled out by Samuel Umtiti and Djibril Sidibe before half-time.
Raphael Varane’s dismissal after the break, with the aid of the Video Assistant Referee, allowed Kane to restore parity again from the penalty spot, but Ousmane Dembele was to have the last word.
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Things could have been worse for England as well, with the hosts squandering a number of other opportunities – with Kylian Mbappe firing against the crossbar at one stage.
Southgate can point to the fact that results in friendlies count for little in the grand scheme of things, but he will be aware that his decision to go with a back three did not work and that there were far too many holes in his defensive unit.
