England's Euro 2024 solutions were staring them in the face against Slovenia - Stuart Rayner

That was what Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer and fleetingly Anthony Gordon brought to England from the bench on Tuesday. Boy did the Three Lions need it.

A disappointing evening in Cologne could turn out to be a good one for them in the long run if Gareth Southgate is emboldened by what he saw in the second half of the 0-0 draw with Slovenia.

England's manager was very brave in throwing his lot in with youth when he named a 26-man squad featuring 12 players still in single-figure caps and no Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish.

It was supposed to be most un-Southgate like. The Rooney-retiring, Sterling-dumping, Rashford-snubbing, Henderson-sidelining reality is not quite so simplistic, but it felt like the selection gloves were off.

Once England got to Germany, the comfortable cardigan of conservatism was straight on.

Southgate has shied away from starting 19-year-old Mainoo, 22-year-old Palmer and 20-year-old midfielder Adam Wharton, with four starts and nine caps between them before Tuesday. The snorefest which England signed off Euro 2024's Group of Dearth with was hopefully encouragement not to worry about it.

To see Mainoo, Palmer and Gordon bring something extra was no great surprise. I wrote in The Yorkshire Post that morning that the trio were the three players I would bring in to shake up an XI which disappointed with its laboured football against Serbia and Denmark.

Instead, Southgate's only change was Conor Gallagher for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Even the Chelsea man's energy could not spark England and the dull pattern continued.

But once Manchester United midfielder Mainoo came on at half-time, England at last had a central midfielder invariably playing the forward pass, and following it, moving around the fixed midfield anchor of Declan Rice, providing a fluidity and vibrancy that had been missing.

Palmer's later introduction saw a winger who looked fresh, energetic, and willing to take people on. Gordon came onto the opposite flank with the clock almost run down and although the Newcastle United man's first act was to kick the ball out of touch, to do so trying to beat his full-back was at least something.

Before the game was out, Gordon and Mainoo linked with Harry Kane to release Palmer for one of England's few threatening attacks.

It has felt for months like Mainoo and Palmer would start the tournament out of the XI and finish it cemented in it. It is not an unusual thing at these big international competitions.

In truth, the group stage has been a bit of a waste of time for England. They need to reset.

Their Euro 2024 starts in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday. Hopefully it does not end then too.

The phoney war reassured us Marc Guehi was ready to fill the boots of Sheffield's Maguire, and told us Alexander-Arnold as a quarterback is maybe a step too far at a European Championship, at least in the midfield mix he was dropped into.

Other than that, we have not learnt much. Time which could have been spent integrating Mainoo and Palmer has not been. Wharton has not had a taste of the tournament yet, it has barely touched Gordon's lips.

We have seen Kane is a slow starter – the more so on the back of an injury – but anyone who has watched England in the last two tournaments or England’s captain most Augusts knew that already.

We have been reminded a right-footed left-back (Kieran Trippier) behind a left winger who does not want to play there (Phil Foden) is not a great combination, but that cannot have come as much of a shock. Fitting Foden's undoubted talent into the team is as much a conundrum as it has been since his debut in 2020, but Southgate would have been mad not to have tried.

Whether he has to in the last 16 is unclear just now, with Foden flying home to be at the birth of his third child. How quickly and in what state he returns, we wait to see.

Luke Shaw's injury problems have ben laid bare but anyone who thought a full-back who has not played since February, whose physique means he needs time to get up to speed, and who his club manager said of him as recently as FA Cup final day "will never be able to play 60 games in a year" would be up to speed for a European Championship was deluding themselves.

Southgate was probably not, but thought that when squads were extended to 26, it was worth the risk. Not having a left-footed alternative was where he went wrong.

The biggest surprise of the group stage from an England perspective has been Jude Bellingham, looking as tired a player who has carried Real Madrid for a season should do. A big call is looming there.

But all is not lost – far from it.

England are through, unlike Croatia. Others have been unconvincing too – Italy and France, not to mention the Netherlands, behind Les Bleusin the Group D reckoning.

Some answers, at least, were staring Southgate in the face on Tuesday. Do not blink now, Gareth.