Cole gets England out of jail but much more will be needed in Croatia

This, after all, is just the latest familiar chapter in the unfolding story of England's attempt to rediscover the golden age.

But for Joe Cole's second-half intervention, England might have been travelling to face Croatia with heads bowed, derision ringing in their ears and memories of Steve McClaren's 2-0 defeat in Zagreb in 2006 fuelling serious worries about their qualification prospects.

Joe Cole fires the first of his two goals as England open their World Cup campaign with victory over Andorra

It was Cole's introduction from the substitute's bench, along with Emile Heskey, that changed the nature of England's threat and, in the end, secured a 2-0 victory, raising no more than a flicker of a smile from a perplexed and relieved Fabio Capello.

He knew that England's contribution was barely adequate against a team ranked 186th in the world. But, in the end, barely adequate was just about enough. It won't be anything like enough on Wednesday.

Croatia are ranked fifth in the world and their coach Slaven Bilic, remember, was a tactical novice at international level when his team finished comfortably above England in their European Championship qualification table.

Capello can console himself with the thought that whatever team he selects on Wednesday in Zagreb, they couldn't possibly play with less wit and initiative than we saw against Andorra's part-timers.

To be fair, the Italian was quick to recognise the flaws in his first-half strategy and, after the interval, played Heskey at the front with Cole replacing the woeful Stewart Downing.

At times, Cole can be frustratingly unpredictable but he, at least, is a player of skill, invention and spontaneity, willing and able to lift England from the midfield drudgery that has become such a familiar trademark.

His two goals on Saturday, combined with that face-saving equaliser in the 2-2 friendly draw with the Czech Republic last month, mean that he should be in Capello's line-up on Wednesday.

Although Arsenal's Theo Walcott enjoyed success on the right flank - thanks largely to indifferent marking - I also feel that a player of David Beckham's experience might be more valuable in front of an intimidating crowd in the early stages on Wednesday.

I thought the former England captain would have been consigned to the history books by now but he is still with us - clear evidence of the scarcity of international-class England players in the Premier League.

Capello can pick only the players the English game produces and, to date, those he has selected were also available to both McClaren and Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Progress, as we saw on Saturday, is going to be painfully slow, though the consolation for Capello is that this latest chapter in England's sad decline was missed at home by the vast majority of fans because the subscription channel Setanta can't agree a fee for recorded highlights with the terrestrial channels.

The competing attraction of Andy Murray's epic victory over Rafael Nadal in the US Open semi-final - the first part of which was broadcast at the same time as the national side were toiling in Barcelona - would also have hit the viewing figures.

The TV situation does not promise to change radically over the course of the campaign with Setanta holding the live rights to all England's away matches. However, more performances like Saturday's embarrassment and Capello will be relieved there are so few witnesses.