RASPADORI RASPBERRY

Disjointed and desperate... England looking anything but World Cup contenders

IT is 59 days or eight weeks this Monday until England start their World Cup campaign.

And on this evidence, we should be worried. Very worried.

England suffered the indignity of defeat in the San Siro and relegation from their Nations League group.

They have now gone five games - or seven and a half hours - without scoring from open play and really do look as if they have forgotten where the goal is. In the summer, Gareth

Southgate could blame fatigue and tired legs for their dismal Nations League displays, but there could be no excuses against Italy.

The optimism and high hopes for the World Cup have slowly ebbed away, along with England’s confidence, and they look a team searching for identity and form.

It is such a worry for Southgate because he does not know his best team or formation and this was a defeat to a country which did not even qualify for the World Cup finals.

The England fans turned on Southgate after defeat to Hungary at Molineux in June and, while that felt harsh on a manager who has changed the mood of a nation, their concerns are now easy to understand.

England no longer look a team of genuine contenders with more questions than answers and, having been such fun to watch in the past six years under Southgate, they are in danger of returning to the bad old days.

Those were the days when we went to tournaments with no hope, no expectation, and the team would be home before the postcards. It is hard to believe they can turn it around in just the next two months.

The Nations League has become the competition Southgate could do without because relegation is humiliating, even from a group with Germany, Italy and Hungary.

But the consequences are serious as it means England will have a tougher Euros qualifying group, meaning things will not get any easier in the future.

They were beaten by a goal from Giacomo Raspadori, who was given too much space and time by Kyle Walker before he fired past Nick Pope.

England pushed in search of a leveller but it was Italy who went closest to a second when Federico Dimarco hit a post late on.

You have to feel for the everloyal 4,000 England fans behind that goal as they chanted Harry Maguire’s name before kick-off to give the under-pressure defender a morale boost and stuck with the team this time.

But it was with little reward in a largely woeful game, an awful first-half only improved by Jude Bellingham’s impressive display in midfield, while Phil

Foden was lively in attack.

Otherwise, it looked like a lopsided team as Maguire struggled at times down the left channel and Bukayo Saka was wasted at left wing-back and gave the defence little cover either. Frankly, it was a relief when the referee blew the half-time whistle.

The game was a non-event and, while the Nations League has at least provided some good moments during Southgate’s reign, this campaign has definitely not been among them.

Harry Kane toiled and tried, Eric Dier did well, and no blame was attached to Pope, but you were left looking for small mercies.

Poor old Tammy Abraham sat on the bench, the Roma star the one England striker who knows all about Italian defenders.

It was Raspadori who got behind Walker after 68 minutes and then drilled a shot past Pope into the far corner to bring the old stadium to life.

England did then try desperately to lift themselves to at least take their hopes of avoiding relegation to Monday’s game with Germany, Kane forcing a late double save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, but it was too little too late.