Gareth Southgate was given further cause for encouragement ahead of this summer's World Cup during England's 1-1 draw with Italy.
Jamie Vardy's opportunistic first-half strike looked to have secured another narrow victory for England but Lorenzo Insigne's late VAR-awarded penalty saw Italy snatch a draw at Wembley.
But that 87th-minute setback was just a blemish on an otherwise encouraging international break for Southgate's men, who next meet up just weeks before jetting out to this summer's tournament in Russia.
After watching the game for Sky Sports News, England Women defender Laura Bassett rated the performances of her male counterparts out of 10...
Jack Butland - 6
When he goes long on the ball he has distance and finds good areas but I thought he overplayed on occasions. It was almost like playing out from the back was on his mind - perhaps Jordan Pickford's performance against the Netherlands was on his mind, too. But I cannot fault him trying because that's what England are trying to achieve. In terms of shot-stopping he didn't have much to do and that's a credit to England's defence.
Kyle Walker - 8
His pace at the back proved invaluable as it allowed him to cover large areas in both defence and attack, despite playing in that central role. He's composed on the ball, he reads the game and he looks enthused. With two centre-backs England could get caught out but with Walker's natural pace he provides cover.
John Stones - 6
He had a really poor start to the game - if we do that in the World Cup we will get punished. Having said that, he recovered well with two blocks to keep England in the game. I hope the head injury he suffered is not serious because that's the last thing we need, we need Stones getting minutes under his belt.
James Tarkowski - 5
Maybe a slightly harsh score but he didn't set the world alight. He was solid and fairly comfortable. But he was dealt a harsh reminder of how brutal international football can be with the penalty.
Eric Dier - 6
A solid performance from Dier. He could have broken up play a bit more in midfield but I liked his adaptability to drop into the defensive line when needed.
Kieran Trippier - 7
He offers good width and pace and has a good relationship with Walker. He's really staked his claim to be starting in Russia, let alone being on the plane.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 6
He did OK but I'd have liked to have seen him in the game more. We don't see enough of the good things from Oxlade-Chamberlain, yes he works hard in defence but he has the ability to change a game.
Jesse Lingard - 7
Over the two games, he's been impressive, better than I thought to be honest. He's always looking to arrive and turn into space and to link things up. I'm not sure anyone else would have executed the quick free-kick for the goal like he did. To have the creativeness and confidence to do that was brilliant.
Ashley Young - 6
I preferred him when he played on the right towards the end of the game. He's so right-footed that when he was playing on the left he automatically came inside and we had less balance. But I like the options Young provides, his pace and versatility could come in handy.
Raheem Sterling - 8
When the ball went to him everyone thought something was going to happen. He seems like he's matured and understands his role and his strengths. The Italian defence just dropped off him because they didn't know how to deal with his threat, and he brought other players into the game.
Jamie Vardy - 7
His goal was nothing short of world-class - no goalkeeper in the world is saving that strike. Some fine defending denied him more goals, but the way he stretched Italy and created space bodes well.
Substitutes
Danny Rose - 6
He did very well when he came on and provided a lot of energy.
Adam Lallana - 6
He was confident on the ball and tried to make things happen. He looked hungry and I think he plays better when he has something to fight for.
Marcus Rashford, Lewis Cook, Jordan Henderson - 5
I didn't see a lot from these three. The raft of substitution towards the end of the game, and the VAR penalty incident, made it difficult for them to get into their stride.