Roy Hodgson's team laboured to a 1-1 draw in the rearranged fixture, the manager conceding it had been one of the least impressive performances of his tenure to date and acknowledged a lack of zest throughout his team.While his players pointed to the sodden pitch having sapped energy from their approach, it emerged many had struggled to sleep after returning to the city centre hotel when the original game was cancelled, with their customary pre- and post-match routines effectively wrecked. A number of squad members had taken caffeine tablets earlier in the day in preparation for the original match and, when that was abandoned, they struggled to fall asleep.
That hangover appeared to drift into their performance. There were uncharacteristic mistakes made throughout, with England's passing particularly sloppy, their approach play sluggish on the heavy turf and Joe Hart culpable for Kamil Glik's headed equaliser 20 minutes from time. The result leaves England a point clear of Montenegro at the top of Group H, though they are likely to be overtaken at the top of the section next month and could travel to Podgorica in March two points adrift.
