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While an abject defeat at the Puskas Arena threw up more questions than answers for Gareth Southgate, one thing did become crystal clear; England have work to do.
A 22-game unbeaten run (so long as you ignore the penalty shoot-out defeat in the Euro 2020 final) came to a shuddering halt in Hungary as the Three Lions limped to a 1-0 defeat in their Nations League opener.
In truth, it is not the first alarming result in the sequence of fixtures. A lack of precision and incision up top has been highlighted in draws at Wembley against Scotland and Hungary. A 1-1 draw in Poland also took its place in the near-miss category.
Gareth Southgate has plenty of questions left to answer ahead of the World Cup in November
The run had been punctuated by resounding victories against non-opponents, with the likes of San Marino, Andorra and Albania all battered within the last 12 months.
But while some see the Nations League as an aggravation, its tendency throw up opponents of a similar calibre is a far more useful barometer for progress than banging in a bucketload against nations that couldn't even fill Wembley with their own populations.
And on England's recent showings, there are areas needing addressing if a tilt at the World Cup in November can be considered genuine.
First and foremost on the agenda, would be settling on a formation that allows for both defensive stability and an attacking threat.
Since the 2018 World Cup, Southgate has used 3-4-3 as his go-to, especially against fiercer opponents. It has allowed for more stability at the back, with John Stones, Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker his preferred triumvirate at the back.
It has been a formation that has produced some memorable moments - it was in place for the run to the semis in Russia, and for the stunning 2-0 win over Germany at last summer's Euros.
England will enter the World Cup as one of the favourites, and will want to live up to the tag
However, all too often, the formation has the effect of stifling creativity at the other end. It was evident once more on Saturday, as England failed to muster any real threat. It was evident after the second minute, too, against Italy at Wembley last July.
There has been an alternative often deployed in qualifying clashes, a 4-3-3, or 4-2-3-1, which allows for more forwards on the field, at the expense of shoring up at the back.
Changing formation comes down to how much faith Southgate has in his backline. His three at the back is deployed as something of a safety net, with out-and-out centre backs Maguire and Stones covered by the pace of Walker should
