Have England learned from Germany after their 2014 World Cup success?

Much of the talk on these shores following the 2014 World Cup focused on what England could learn from their German counterparts.

In the dumps following a campaign to forget, England were once again looking in the mirror for self-assessment, while Germany were dancing in front of the Brandenburg Gate in front of half-a-million fans.

But 20 months on, and with England preparing to face Germany in a friendly in Berlin on Saturday, have they learned anything from Joachim Low's success? Which issues remain unsolved? And did they need to take all the leaves out of Germany's book in the first place?

Increase the youth pool

In the aftermath of Germany's extra-time win over Argentina in the Maracana, Sky Sports pundit Phil Thompson urged Premier League clubs to take better care of their young players.

"Germany went back to basics, with better coaching, took care of the kids and made sure a lot more German kids were coming through the system to play in the Bundesliga. That was good preparation."

Roy Hodgson was praised for bringing Luke Shaw (18), Raheem Sterling (19) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (20) to Brazil, but two weeks later, it was all forgotten.

Have Premier League clubs helped increase the youth pool since? This season, whether through a forced hand or gamble, the likes of Reece Oxford (16 at the time), Joe Gomez (18), Marcus Rashford (18), Jordan Rossiter (18), Sheyi Ojo (18), Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (18) and Dele Alli (19) were handed their Premier League debuts.

Alli in particular has been a breath of fresh air since his debut in October, and the latest England squad has an average age of 25.6, nearly a year younger than the 2014 World Cup squad. But could the Premier League be doing more?

Homegrown development is a buzzword heard more in England since 2014, but the Premier League still has some way to go to match Bundesliga's alignment with the German national team.

"The Bundesliga has a big part in this with its training centres," Low said in 2014. "The clubs also have their share in this because they got younger and younger players into the first teams. They are doing great work and I have to thank them for that."

Put faith in the regulars

Premier League form is hard to ignore, but in his four-year tenure as England manager, Hodgson has largely picked players who fit his system.

Hodgson has kept faith in the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Phil Jagielka Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge, despite indifferent form or, in some cases, lengthy injury and lack of playing time.

He appears acutely aware that a national side needs time to gel as a team before a major tournament, ignoring the temptation and pressure to bring in too many players on fleeting form for their clubs.

Granted, the balance between old and new is there. Leicester's Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater have been introduced to provide some competition for the regulars, but England's starting XI, injury-permitting, is tried, tested and relatively predictable.

Low did the same before the 2014 World Cup, selecting veteran Miroslav Klose, despite scoring just seven league goals for Lazio the season previous, and Lukas Podolski, who was in and out of Arsenal's side.

"Our biggest strength is that we improved throughout the years even if we missed taking that last step at tournaments," said Low after the win in Rio. England have, by and large, resisted the temptation to tear up and start again after Brazil, and that team cohesion could be telling.

All for one, and one for all

Germany had no shortage of individual stars since rising from their lowest ebb in 2000, when their group-stage exit from the Euros in Netherlands and Belgium prompted a change in thinking between the German FA and German Football League.

But their current crop, and the infamous 2014 side, have never solely relied on just one or two to pull them through.

Whether heaping praise on one, or crucifying another, England's obsession with the individual has been the hallmark of recent tournaments.

One man at the centre has been Wayne Rooney; his injury at Portugal in 2004, question marks over his recovery in time for Germany in 2006, a similar tale for South Africa in 2010, and his two-game suspension for Euro 2012.

But Rooney's role has changed. Yes, he is still arguably England's most important players, but not as the all-singing, all-dancing, pillar of the side. The pressure on his shoulders has spread around the team, and that can only be a good thing for Hodgson approaching what could be his final major tournament in charge.

Don't just replicate. Innovate.

There is no textbook for international success, and while youth development, squad cohesion and the spread of responsibility seem like givens, England cannot, and have not, attempted to replicate Germany's triumph like-for-like.  

"People who write 'England should follow the German route' are either oblivious to the obstacle or believe in magic wands," said Gary Neville after Brazil.

"We are going to have to find our way of doing it because the system we have doesn't allow us to adopt the German route in its entirety."

The Premier League's power, attraction and wealth means patient club youth development often comes secondary to short-term success, but Hodgson has regularly pointed to England doing things his own way on the pitch.

Of late, Hodgson seems to have rejected the temptation to shoehorn players into positions. He isn't slotting David Beckham in the quarterback role, Neville at right wing-back, or any pick of Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney on the left wing, all failings of previous managers. This is a huge step in the right direction for Hodgson, but injuries could change things come Russia in Marseille on June 11.