The sound and the fury of the final of last year’s European Championships, when fans ran amok and disorder was everywhere, were gone.
Molineux was empty, save for the high-pitched encouragement of a thousand or so kids, who cheered every England flick and shot.
Not that there were many of those. This match was intended as a punishment for what happened at Wembley last July and sometimes it felt as if England’s players, tired at the end of a long season, were doing their own kind of penance.
England were held to a drab goalless draw by Italy in the Nations League at Molineux and are now facing relegation
Gareth Southgate’s side could drop out of Group A3 of the competition, and remain without a victory after three matches
It was not a match to stir the emotions. It was a Nations League tie to be thankful for small mercies: England did not lose a penalty shoot-out to Italy at the end of this draw.
Their players were not racially abused after it as England’s unsuccessful spot-takers had been 11 months ago.
And the children who were allowed in for this rematch of the final did not boo the England players when they took the knee, as 30,000 Hungarian kids had done in Budapest last weekend.
In terms of encouragement for what lies ahead in Qatar in November, though, this was a night of slim pickings.
It was not that England played badly, just that they did not play particularly well. No one stood out.
None of the Three Lions players stood out and grabbed their place on the plane to the World Cup during the nervy clash
No one demanded a place on the plane to the Gulf. This match, the first time the England men’s team has played at Molineux since 1956, was a game to be endured before the players can escape to somewhere sunny.
The drab goalless draw left England bottom of their group, not that anyone cared too much about that.
This was all about thoughts of the World Cup. England, at least, will be there.
The same cannot be said for Roberto Mancini’s team, who dived into decline after they broke England’s hearts by winning Euro 2020. England are building towards Qatar. Italy are rebuilding.
Different observers will glean different things from the three Nations League games that England have played so far but with only three more matches to go before England open their World Cup campaign in November, there are some hints about how Southgate’s thinking about his starting eleven might be developing.
At the back, he has stuck doggedly with Harry Maguire, who repaid him with a solid performance last night and despite the criticism that has been aimed at him, it is getting increasingly difficult to see him being dislodged now.
Jude Bellingham did not play last night but if one player is going to burst into the line-up late, his performances have suggested he might dislodge Kalvin Phillips in midfield.
Most debate still rages around the line of three that will support Harry Kane as a lone striker, handing Southgate a headache
Most debate still rages around the line of three players that are likely to support Harry Kane as a lone attacker.
Phil Foden’s chances of starting appear to have grown through missing these lack-lustre matches and Mason Mount’s prospects have receded. Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling are favourites to make up the rest of that line of three.
Tammy Abraham was given a chance to stake his claim to be Kane’s understudy last night but he did not present a compelling case.
He did not get an awful lot of service and he remained a marginal presence throughout.
Aaron Ramsdale played well, deputising for Jordan Pickford, and even though Reece James had a solid match at right back, he is likely to be supplanted by Kyle Walker.
Three Lions goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made some vital saves to preserve the deadlock after making a rare appearance
The match was not without chances and isolated sparks. Italy should have scored inside the first two minutes.
Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini split the England defence asunder with a through ball to Davide Frattesi that left the Sassuolo forward clean through on Aaron Ramsdale.
Frattesi took his time but slid his shot tamely past the far post. It was a lucky escape for Southgate’s side.
Two minutes later, it was England’s turn to waste a golden opportunity. Italy were too ponderous at the back as they tried to play the ball out and Gianluigi Donnarumma’s pass was intercepted by Abraham ten yards out.
Abraham advanced on goal but just as he was about to shoot, a challenge from Manuel Locatelli did enough to put him off and the Roma forward scooped the ball behind.
England went even closer soon afterwards when Raheem Sterling played a beautifully weighted pass into the path of Mason Mount.
Mount ran on to the ball and hit it first time with his right foot. It beat Donnarumma but cannoned off the face of the crossbar and Abraham headed the rebound wide.
The chances kept coming. Midway through the half, Italy right back Giovanni di Lorenzo ran on to a diagonal ball and volleyed it across goal.
It squirted through to the back post where Sandro Tonali was waiting. It seemed Tonali must score.
He hit the ball firmly but Ramsdale dived across his goal and saved the shot with his trailing leg. It was another escape for England.
Italy ended the half stronger, too. Ramsdale tipped over from Matteo Pessina and then the visitors nearly profited from some slapstick in the England defence.
Jack Grealish and Abraham contrived to collide with each other as they tried to clear a high ball and when it fell to Manuel Locatelli, his volley was well-saved low down by Ramsdale.
Grealish and Abraham left the pitch debating how their collision had happened.
England regrouped and as the light began to fade, Reece James illuminated this old ground with a beautiful cross from the right after Grealish had floated a pass out wide to him.
James’ cross evaded the Italy defence and found Sterling unmarked at the back post but it came to the England captain so fast that he could not control it and lifted his effort over the bar from close range.
It was the last clear chance that either side created. After that, the match petered out. At least on Tuesday, Molineux will be full for the match against Hungary. For now, the punishment is over.
RE-LIVE THE ACTION from the Nations League clash between England and Italy.
