Chris Thompson   Chris Thompson on the internet

Well, England crashed miserably out of the World Cup today, and it will be another four years before we can build up the snowball of hype, hope, and expectations again.

Is it really a surprise to see them go out? They played so terribly bad in the group stages, and failed to come in first place – which inevitably means playing tough opposition in the first knockout game. This time it was Germany. Last time it was Portugal.

The simple fact is, England seems to be a team of individuals – great individuals, there is no doubt about that; they are world-beaters and Champions League standouts, most of them – but they are not a team.

Argentina are a team. Brazil are a team; passing in a blur of brilliant speed, and attacking, moving forwards rather than sitting back, ponderous and slow.

England looked a pedestrian side today, and, really, even if they had got through, they would probably get picked apart by Argentina, who play like the team they are, and not like strangers.

I think there is a lot to be learned from Spain, here. Fabregas doesn’t make the Spanish starting 11 for a reason: it doesn’t suit the team. He may be a fantastic player, but it is not about amassing an army of fantastic players, it is about putting together a team.

And until England remembers that, or an England manager is brave enough to remember that, we will still be stuck playing pedestrian football.