This was not just a defeat by Germany, this was England’s heaviest reverse in any World Cup and drew the curtain down on their worst World Cup of modern times. Yes, they were denied what should have been an equaliser when Frank Lampard’s chip struck the crossbar and bounced back from a yard over the goal-line and yes they played quite well for 10 minutes either side of half time. But Germany more than deserved their victory, their fourth over England in a major tournament since 1966. They ruthlessly targeted the weak link in Fabio Capello’s back-four, the stand-in centre-half, Matthew Upson, to take a two-goal lead. And when England came pouring forward in a series of shapeless cavalry charges, German counter attacks sliced what passed for defensive cover to give Thomas Muller two quick fire goals that ensured Germany would maintain their record of reaching at least the quarter-finals at every World Cup since 1950. England returned home, their golden generation tarnished and about to be broken up.