HALF-BACK WEAKNESS.

But it was at half-back that England was weakest; it is no sort of team that is given to wobbling in its middle. Only Barton did himself full justice, and, in the position which he affects, I doubt whether there is his superior in any of the countries. By comparison with him, George Wilson and Kean, the Wednesday players, suffered severely. The English pivot began well, and always, in point of energy, was he his characteristic self. A more untiring worker than Wilson never kicked a ball, but for the most part he created little or nothing. He was out of touch with his forwards, and sorely neglected his wings, Jack and Chedgzoy on the right of the attack being almost forgotten. However, yesterday was the first time in inter-country games that Wilson has not risen manfully to the occasion.

And as for the English attack, as it was built yesterday, it fell far below expectations. Chedgzoy is not the player he was. True, he was given little of the ball, but several of his centres were badly done, and he made a hash of one corner kick at a period when England looked like saving the game. Jack is unquestionably a great player, and one who has it in him to thrill the spectator, but I prefer Kelly, of Burnley. Like Chedgzoy, however, there were long intervals when he was without any chances to show off his talents. The best thing Roberts did was to hit the crossbar with a terrific shot in the first half, and to get a goal by heading the ball into the net as it came to him from a free kick for a foul on Tunstall by Russell. England has still to find something like a complete centre, and, really, of all the forward leaders I have seen this season, Creek, the Corinthian, is as good as the best of them. Roberts was all for feeding his left wing. He played very much like a one-footed player. Clem Stephenson and Tunstall were the most successful of the English five, but even they did not play quite so well as expected.