What the papers said about . . . England

"Cole-less, goal-less and brainless." Mirror

"For the second time in Terry Venables's seven games as coach, England shared a goalless draw which begged questions about his team's limitations when faced with defenders who know their business." Guardian

"The prospect of England being seriously competitive in next summer's European Championship is still a real one, but, given the increasing influence of youth on the side, and the lack of games before the Championship, France and the 1998 World Cup may be a more realistic target." Independent

"Sheringham has not the physical presence, the burgeoning dynamism of Shearer. Who has? But since he also lacks the instant control and the flair to conjure something out of nothing, his isolation was testimony to what England were missing in the absence of Shearer." Times

"You need Gazza." Express

"Both had suffered the annoyance of their previous games concluding prematurely: Uruguay's in a Dallas thunderstorm, England's in a hail of Dublin seats. Monsoon and morons were swiftly forgotten. The national anthems were respected. Only the DJ's breathless pre-match introduction of `The new single from The Beatles' struck a surreal note." Telegraph

"Tel's blank of England." Star

"The teenage pressure group begging to see Andy Cole in an England shirt were treated at Wembley last night to two contrasting glimpses of the man who may one day be king . . . From the moment Venables took his place on the bench near the end of the first half he must have felt the breath of anticipation from the schoolchildren who filled the seats nearest to him and, most definitely, from one young player a couple of rows behind him." Mail

"The honeymoon is over and Terry Venables will be hoping it doesn't one day end in a messy divorce." Mirror

"No soul - not enough Cole." Sun

"Terryble." Today