Gareth Southgate took full responsibility for a rare England qualifying defeat on Friday evening, the Three Lions losing their 100% Euro 2020 record in Prague where the Czech Republic ran out deserved 2-1 winners despite Harry Kane's early penalty.
The warning signs from the 5-3 win against Kosovo were intensified as a Czech side unrecognisable from their Wembley hiding enjoyed possession and chances aplenty in the final third of the pitch.
"We didn't play well enough, simple as that," said the England manager after a first qualifying loss for 10 years.
"We conceded possession of the ball too cheaply. Particularly in the first half we didn't create enough chances.
"Second half we had some good chances that we didn't take and throughout the night we were too open out of possession. Some of that was because of giving the ball away."
Whether the defeat has come at a 'good' time for England, allowing Southgate to alter his thinking over the next few months will only be known in hindsight but it may mean the end of his faith in Michael Keane, in particular, amongst other changes that could come as soon as Monday evening in Bulgaria.