Jude Bellingham:
What a comedown for Jude Bellingham after the high of his World Cup debut against Iran. The Borussia Dortmund sensation didn't just score in England's opener, he also ran the show in the middle of the park. Here, he got outshone by Weston McKennie, which is never a good look. Bellingham is a truly incredible prospect but his early withdrawal here, after failing to have a meaningful impact on proceedings, served as a timely and useful reminder that he won't always have it all his own way at this level.
Harry Kane:
The draw was undeniably kind to England, just as it was in 2018 in Russia, and there was the feeling that Harry Kane might once again run riot in the group stage to put himself in contention to win a second consecutive Golden Boot. However, Kane has yet to get off the mark in Qatar and, worryingly, he's not really come close to scoring. Walker Zimmerman did make one brilliant block to deny the Spurs striker but, for the most part, Kane was ineffective, and even started dropping deep to try get on the ball. The question now will be how much was he affected by the ankle injury he sustained against Iran. It's a real concern, anyway, as Kane is arguably the one player in the England line-up who is irreplaceable up front.
Gareth Southgate:
The Three Lions boss was right to stick with the same starting line-up that had torn Iran apart but his mistake here was waiting too long to make a change. It was clear well before half-time that things weren't working. England looked lethargic and devoid of inspiration. He should have made at least one substitution during the break to liven things up. As it was, he inexplicably waited until the 69th minute to try change the momentum of the game. By that stage, though, the U.S. had been on top for more than half an hour. Unsurprisingly, those that believe Southgate is too cautious and conservative to get the best out of this extravagantly talented group of players were once again making their disapproval known online long before the full-time whistle blew. And if he once again ignores Foden against Wales, Southgate risks making a rod for his own back...
England's expectations:
In the grand scheme of things, this is not a bad result. Avoid defeat against a Wales side outclassed by Iran and England will almost certainly progress to the last 16 as winners of Group C, which was the pre-tournament expectation. However, it would be impossible to class this display as anything but deflating, given what had gone before. England looked a pale imitation of the side that tore Iran to shreds. They were frustratingly flat, which is a seriously worrying sign at this stage of the competition. One could argue that the squad will benefit from this reality check, as it will reduce the pressure on their shoulders. But the bottom line is that the Three Lions didn't look anything like World Cup winners at the Al Bayt Stadium.
