A laboured display against Hungary means the Three Lions are yet to secure a World Cup berth and left manager Gareth Southgate with more questions than answers after his more attack-minded team selection failed to pay off against resolute opponents at Wembley.
Fielding both Phil Foden and Jack Grealish in his starting XI, Southgate was left with much to ponder as England struggled to create much in the way of clear-cut chances and his two most dependable sources of goals, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling, both looked shadows of their usual selves.
Sterling has since been quoted as saying he would be open to a move abroad at club level, with game time at Manchester City having been limited, while Kane had the rare indignity of being substituted as the hosts relied on a John Stones goal just before half-time to earn them a point against opponents they had eased past just a month earlier.
With a maximum of four points needed to secure top spot in their qualifying group, November games at home to Albania and away to San Marino should not pose too much of an obstacle to a guaranteed World Cup spot, and the Hungary game was a rare blip under Southgate's reign but could it be the catalyst for yet another refreshing of the Three Lions squad with just over a year to go until the tournament begins?