David Beckham with his 100th cap at Wembley

As the season moves towards twilight’s last gleaming, a brave new dawn still seems distant for England, although there were glimmers of encouragement for Fabio Capello against the US. Use Steven Gerrard in his best position was the main lesson Capello learned Wednesday night.

England’s manager started with a 4-4-2 formation that brought a dead-ball goal, a jubilant John Terry heading home a typically expert David Beckham, but it was when Capello tweaked his tactics in the second period that England exuded greater balance, conviction and threat.The key was Gerrard being allowed to break away from the shackles of his left-sided station. With Gareth Barry joining Owen Hargreaves in the boiler room, Gerrard had more licence to attack, and duly glided on to Barry’s marvellous pass to give the score-board a better look. England now head to the Caribbean, but leave most of their leading lights behind.

Until Terry’s wonderfully cathartic moment seven minutes from the break, England had been too static, too one-dimensional. This friendly was as supine as last week’s Champions League final had been thrilling. England looked tired and slightly predictable. Only when Gerrard moved more into the middle after the break did England really impress.

Capello had clearly decided to go back to English basics, good old 4-4-2, the solid banks given a twist of fluidity by the busy Hargreaves dropping deep and Wayne Rooney slipping back into the hole or drifting wide.

Until Terry’s bony forehead connected with David Beckham’s free-kick, an end-of-term feel pervaded proceedings, Capello’s first-formers almost out of the school gates, scampering down the road to the sweet-shop and then the beach.

Terry won on both counts. Sprinting past the penalty spot, England’s determined captain outjumped Carlos Bocanegra and poured all the pain that has built up since Moscow into the ball. Terry’s header sped past Tim Howard in the American goal, triggering a massive cheer around the ground. Terry is a popular figure with England, and his peers’ respect was reflected in the way his team-mates mobbed him.