Stale goal-less draw between England and Germany.

Stale goal-less draw between England and Germany.

This really was a damp squib. Recent confrontations between England and Germany have been so amiable and relaxed that on this Remembrance weekend you're reminded of that famous First World War truce between the countries when a football match broke out on Christmas Day right in the middle of the muck, bullets, bombs and trench warfare.

Of course we've all been here with both England and Germany because the rivalry between the two has always been both fierce but fair. Essentially the Germans love to lock the horns with their English counterparts because they know that without fail, both will shake hands with each other and honourably declare a mutual appreciation of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Last night there was a diplomatic goal-less draw in the air and all was well in the world. In fact so diplomatic had relations seemingly become that for a  minute you half suspected Henry Kissinger to walk out onto the Wembley pitch and sign a permanent peace agreement. Matches between England and Germany can never really be considered as friendlies in the literal sense but it did seem as though as a truly negotiated settlement had been sealed between both nations last night.

Memories of the 1966 World Cup Final have now been completely obscured by both time and the fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of the 1980s. Since then there have been light hearted skirmishes, one or two English and German humiliations and a general acceptance of what will be will be. For reasons that never became obvious the England of 2017 wore dark navy shirts while Germany wore their traditional white. Some things simply defy explanation.

It was seven years ago that England were quite literally stretched and pulled, torn apart, eaten up and then spat out by a hungry and merciless Germany in the 2010 South African World Cup. The Germans may have beaten England 4-1 but it was a result that did little to cover any of the gaping defensive shortcomings in England's defence. If Fabio Capello, England's boss at the time, could have asked the ground to swallow him up then the ground may well have granted him his wish.

Then of course there was the memorable night in Germany in September 2001 when England ensured their qualification for the following summer's World Cup in Japan and South Korea with a sparkling 5-1 victory in Munich. That was the night Michael Owen spread havoc among a sheepish German defence and Emile Heskey got on the score sheet for England. If that electronic scoreboard in Munich could have cried that night then maybe it would have done so. This constituted one of English football's most satisfying of nights and no questions were asked about the legitimacy of Sir Geoff Hurst's goal.

The Germans, for their part, will never tire of reminding the English national side that they were the last country to beat England at the old Wembley Stadium. Even now the sight of Dietmar Hamann's shot nestling in David Seaman's net on a sodden Wembley evening still haunts and darkens the corridors of the FA. Why. of all the teams in the world, did it have to be the Germans after all that had taken place before? Still it could have been Iceland but let's not go there shall we?

So it was that England and Germany came face to face in a friendly and there were times when this famous old fixture began to resemble a genial five-a-side match or just an attractive exhibit in a museum. If you didn't know any better you could have sworn that somebody had told both of these teams to play keep ball for 90 minutes rarely venturing any further than their respective penalty areas.

What we had last night was some gentle dress rehearsal for a far more important occasion. There was none of the electricity, urgency or excitement that normally accompanies these fixtures. The Germany and England of 2017 could hardly have been more far removed from that epic day 51 years ago when overjoyed England fans splashed around gleefully in the Trafalgar Square fountains. This was both a sterile and lacklustre game of football genuinely lacking in any competitive element, a game that seemed to drift towards some very amicable conclusion without anything that could be accurately construed as out of the ordinary or exceptional.

Quite what if any long term benefit could be taken out of this game is quite literally guesswork. There was an almost cautionary and deeply restrained air about both of these teams that was both startling and baffling. Comparisons with chess and similar games of high strategy had to be at the forefront of our minds. The game itself seemed to have a weirdly tactical blanket thrown over it which more or less stifled any semblance of attacking fluency from either side. Were both Germany and England saving themselves for the main dinner party in next year's World Cup in Russia? Certainly most of the England supporters looked in dire need of a strong vodka or two.

Still it was interesting to watch the body language of England's reasonably new manager Gareth Southgate. Now here is a man who looks as if he's just been asked to attend a job interview and is doing his utmost to impress his prospective boss. In his perfectly, made to measure dark navy suit and that rather dashing waistcoat Southgate was smart, presentable, personable and utterly respectable, perhaps terrified of defeat and its repercussions, hoping against hope that nobody would be disappointed with him.

Throughout last night's match Southgate paced his technical area like a late night commuter waiting for the last train to arrive and checking his watch in a mild state of anxiety. With that hint of a beard on his face, Southgate did throw his body to one side in utter frustration and exasperation when Jessie Lingard missed what looked like the winning goal right at the end of the game. Nowadays Premier League managers tend to indulge themselves in some irrational bout of water bottle throwing but Southgate did look at ease with himself and a satisfied grin suddenly appeared on his face.

So how are we to pass considered assessments on this clearly experimental England team? Jordan Pickford, England's keeper for the night, must have been relieved to take time away from a struggling Everton side producing an excellent performance for England that must have been immensely pleasing for both Pickford and those with understandable concerns about England's defence. Pickford made some exemplary saves when he was called into action but then he would probably have spent his time more constructively tackling the Times crossword.

Both Kieran Trippier, Phil Jones at full back linked up with John Stones at the heart of the defence effectively and proficiently but that probably says more about the match itself than their respective performances. Stones, in particular, looks easy on the eye, confident in possession and never afraid to carry the ball out of England's defence with a knowing and streetwise air about him. Stones is no Bobby Moore- far from it- nor does he resemble the equally as noble Beckenbauer but he does know when to tackle before striding assertively towards the half way line.

Eric Dier, the Tottenham central defender has all the hallmarks of a sturdy and steadfast captain if indeed he is appointed as England's captain in future international matches. Dier is a tall and upright figure who shows every sign of securing regular participation in an England shirt. His positional sense is immaculate and reading of the game has become almost second nature. Dier's increasing footballing knowledge and awareness of the game and his opponents have to be an enormous source of encouragement.

Further forward were both Jake Livermore and Harry Maguire, two players who are still wet to the point of soaking behind the ears at international level. It would be horribly unfair to say that both Livermore and Maguire are just passing ships in the night for England. Over the years England have chosen players for inclusion who would never have been otherwise even thought about. For instance when Carlton Palmer once pulled on a white England shirt the critics were ready to inflict grievous bodily harm on the England manager. Sadly Palmer never fully recovered his composure and was never seen at Wembley again.

Livermore did as much as he could to put forward his name as one of England's main midfield contenders. He was full of honest, whole hearted endeavour if indeed such qualities were ever required against Germany last night while Maguire, now at Leicester was sound, competent and unspectacular. It was hard to know whether both players needed any kind of job application for last night's display. You almost felt as if you'd been invited to some leisurely picnic in the park where the summer sun glanced flirtatiously on a mouth watering plate of sandwiches and glasses of lemonade.

And then there was Ruben Loftus Cheek. Now here my friends is one footballer whose name is never likely to be forgotten. This is the age of the aristocratic hyphenated player. At Everton Goodison is currently enjoying Dominic Calvert Lewin. Eventually English football matches will be held on country estates or sprawling stately homes. Perhaps butlers will be serving the half time tea and the occasional click of the croquet ball will be followed by a discreet cup of Earl Grey tea.

For what it's worth Loftus Cheek looked full of running, full of the joys of the season and full of beans. But you began to wonder whether Loftus Cheek will be uppermost in his mind come next June when the World Cup begins next summer. Of course he was well intentioned and desperate to create an impression but still looks like a work in progress ready perhaps for the 2022 World Cup - wherever that happens to be. The youngster looked powerful and purposeful but then so were many of England's post 1966 generation.

Finally I give you last night's England's forward combination Jamie Vardy and Tammy Abraham who in all fairness looked as compatible as Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Vardy of course must be cherishing his Premier League title with Leicester City rather like somebody carefully preserving a valuable painting or a sentimental keepsake. Approaching that difficult age of 30, Vardy can still score goals but the pace may desert him shortly and there are very few Ryan Giggs left in the game.

As for Tammy Abraham the jury may well be out for a considerable length of time. True Abraham did all that was required and galloped around Wembley like a young foal. But the Swansea youngster still looks as if he should be carefully wrapped in cotton wool for another day.  Abraham is slowly finding his feet at Swansea and any more exposure to the big time at international level could be more of a hindrance than a help.

By the end of this goal- less mystery of a match the England supporters disappeared into the North London night and perhaps glanced at that brightly lit red arch that is Wembley at night. It was a cold November evening and a vast majority of England's supporters were questioning the necessity for a meaningless football friendly when they could have been looking at beer mats. Sometimes even the daftest ideas seem almost credible. But then nobody could possibly have imagined how on earth a football match could suddenly emerge on a First World War battlefield. Still even the impassive Sir Alf Ramsey would have broken into a smile. England awaits Brazil. Football has so much time for its friendlies.