Group B - Wales (Q), England (Q), Slovakia (Q), Russia

[Conjo]

[Yorkie]

I've seen much worse England teams than this in tournaments but I'm not sure I've seen a messier squad selection.

 

Sums it up. It's really frustrating; you can see how it's gonna play out. We could see the problems at the time of selection, we can see them during the games, and we're going to be cursing it after we go out.

 

I feel like England could do really well this time but we won't.

[Wullie]

Really like Barney Ronay's pieces in the Guardian:

 

Roy Hodgson did not really want to leave the pitch at the end here. He paused and looked around the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. He waved vaguely at the emptying stands. He strode across to shake Joe Hart’s hand as England’s last player left the pitch. In the end there was nothing left to do. Hodgson walked off, quite slowly.

 

This is not the end. It is probably not the beginning of the end. It might just be the middle of the end, though. Nice is lovely right now. It has a monied, elite retirement resort feel. It is here that England will now go to play their last-16 game, having been held 0-0 in Saint-Étienne while Wales romped past a wretched Russian team. A quarter-final against France in Paris now looms if England can get there. You have to play them sometime, they say. You also have to lose sometime. The general idea, though, is to stave it off as long as possible.

 

Perhaps England would not have been able to score against a competent Slovakia whatever selection they put out. Probably the real missed chance in Group B was that wild, decelerating draw in Marseilles where the gathering rage of Russia’s ultras almost seemed to suck the ball into England’s net in that horribly fevered final 10 minutes.

 

Really, though, the most remarkable thing about England’s Group B performance has been the contrast between the unremarkable monotony of their football and the fevered contortions of the manager behind them. Hodgson is adamant England dominated all three group games. He is right in a way. But this has been a sterile domination, football played at a stodgy, smothering pitch, remarkable only for its custard-like consistency through the frantic revolution in combinations and partnerships behind it.

 

Here Hodgson spun the wheel again, with six changes to the starting lineup, none of which materially changed the pattern of England’s attacks, the lack of real width, the sense of brittle combinations, of a team struggling on the hoof to get to know itself. The only really startling thing is the way in which England’s manager has now managed to make himself the story in all this. Hodgson does not really have to do any of this.

 

There is no magic formula in this England group waiting to be unpicked. The players are all of a standard more or less. Another moderate, hopeful group of England players are once again performing moderately at a tournament. So why make himself a target? Why place the bucket of water above his own classroom door? Why build a scaffold of all the chop-and-change formations, the ins and outs, and stride so manfully towards it?

 

They say this job sends men briefly, but publicly, mad. Bobby Robson would flap his blazer and twitch in moments of high tension. Graham Taylor sweated, his sodden pyjamas a matter of documentary record. Steve McClaren tried to smile, which only made it worse. Perhaps this is the madness of Roy, an intelligent, reflective man driven to a peculiar kind of restless tinkering. It is almost as though Hodgson has tried to cover himself in France by picking every team, all the teams. Even a frantically whirling, bonging blue-blazered grandfather clock tells the right time once a day.

 

At the end of which England have finished second in a moderate tournament group, playing without rhythm or drive or any sense of getting the most out of some talented parts. Just as remarkable is the basic boredom of the teams all this friskiness has rustled up here. The sheer novelty of Hodgson’s team selection was by far the most interesting about this England performance, like a man making a pan full of rubbery scrambled eggs while performing a handstand.

 

England did play well at times here, or at least like a group of individuals trying to force some spark into the game. How, one wonders, has it come to this, almost as though the tournament has come out of nowhere? England had a new shape, too, or at least an oddly fluid shape, all the shapes. It looked like a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2, or an adaptable 4-1-3-2. Later some other players came on. Others moved around. Other things happened. People stood in other places. Nothing really changed.

 

The resting of Wayne Rooney will look like a piece of hubris now. His name was chanted by the fans in the first half and England’s captain did introduce some urgency. Perhaps the decision to rest him will be vindicated at some later date, though those later dates are a bit further away now.

 

England will rattle on. One or two pieces clicked. Jamie Vardy, Nathaniel Clyne and Jordan Henderson did well. Loyalty to Jack Wilshere was a good thing but he is just not fit, sharp or ready He had a really horrible game here. That is more an issue of styling, though. The real failure in the past two years is the absence of any actual growth, the settling in of a spine, a way of playing culled from Hodgson’s sifting and sorting.

 

Saint-Étienne was a humid, feverish place before kick-off, England’s travelling support swelling the squares and filling the town with an undeniably authentic tournament feel. Don’t take me home, they sang, please don’t take me home. Really? Are you sure? Because for all the froth on the periphery, not a lot seems to be happening here beyond an oddly angsty drift towards an ending.

[Yorkie]

Good stuff.

 

Guy loves imagery, mind. Making a pan full of rubbery scrambled eggs while performing a handstand? wot

[louistoon]

Shearer having a proper mardy on MOTD :lol:

[mozy]

He thought Henderson did well, so his opinion means nothing to me.

[Leazes_End_Mag]

Absolutely incredible the amount of people in the media and even others on twitter, facebook etc that think that:

 

A) Henderson was better than absolute shite

B) We have any chance once we come up against a half decent team

[Parky]

The other problem with the Eng team is the amount of games this lot have played (yeah that old chestnut). They looked mentally tired the last 20min.

[Wullie]

Course we have a chance against a decent side.

[Kaizero]

 

[jollof rice and pea]

Shearer having a proper mardy on MOTD :lol:

Was correct on every point.

[Cronky]

I'm pretty sure the starting eleven for the next game will be the one that started the second half against Wales. None of the players coming in made a decent case for inclusion. So at least we have a settled side now, and a set pattern of play.

 

Clyne did well in the first half against a poor full back, but overall I felt we missed Walker and Rose. Those two have really improved this season.

[The College Dropout]

 

 

I've seen much worse England teams than this in tournaments but I'm not sure I've seen a messier squad selection.

Also the worst group we've ever been in and we've won 1 game.

[Parky]

Had that been Italy or Germany in the last 20 min they would have spent the whole time running at the back line at pace and diving. We still seem to be tournament naive.

[The College Dropout]

Had that been Italy or Germany in the last 20 min they would have spent the whole time running at the back line at pace and diving. We still seem to be tournament naive.

The squad is big game naive. Not sure how much that matters however.  Nearly every player of Beckham's generation would win European competitions and appear in multiple finals at club level then look naive for England. In this whole squad only Rooney and Joe Hart have been in CL semi finals or better.

[steve_69]

Course we have a chance against a decent side.

 

We'll be more effective against decent teams than we were against teams like Russia, Wales and Slovakia IMO.

Lesser teams in this tournament don't come out and attack you, which leaves very little space and very few clear cut chances. They basically stick 11 men behind the ball and make themselves incredibly difficult to break down. 

As soon as we come up against a team with more belief in their own ability we should, in theory, see a better England performance. We've got plenty of pace and some good, technical players who should thrive with a bit more space.

 

Either that or we'll go out with a whimper like we usually do.

[Parky]

Had that been Italy or Germany in the last 20 min they would have spent the whole time running at the back line at pace and diving. We still seem to be tournament naive.

The squad is big game naive. Not sure how much that matters however.  Nearly every player of Beckham's generation would win European competitions and appear in multiple finals at club level then look naive for England. In this whole squad only Rooney and Joe Hart have been in CL semi finals or better.

 

The Germans I watched the game with were saying that these have been the best overall Eng performances they have seen for ages and that I was being too critical.

[The College Dropout]

Had that been Italy or Germany in the last 20 min they would have spent the whole time running at the back line at pace and diving. We still seem to be tournament naive.

The squad is big game naive. Not sure how much that matters however.  Nearly every player of Beckham's generation would win European competitions and appear in multiple finals at club level then look naive for England. In this whole squad only Rooney and Joe Hart have been in CL semi finals or better.

 

The Germans I watched the game with were saying that these have been the best overall Eng performances they have seen for ages and that I was being too critical.

Russia and Slovakia are shit though.  Wales under performed. 

 

The quality of the group was awful. 

 

I agree we played some nice stuff but little penetration.  Alli aside there's no goals in midfield.  None of the CM's bar Rooney seem able to make an incisive pass.

 

Like Lallana's ability to win the ball high up though

[Yorkie]

Urgh sick as a chip again this morning. I really want to get up for it with England, and it's particularly frustrating atm because we've clearly got the makings of a good side. I don't want to lay into Hodgson because he's a good man and I like a lot of what he does, but if we slump out as also-rans yet again, he'll have to take a massive portion of the blame.

[mozy]

It was so obvious what the problems were, same as it was against Wales and Russia. Not getting the ball into dangerous areas quickly enough, and not attacking with the required level of intensity.

 

Without Alli and Rooney there wasn't a CM willing to be the 3rd man runner, or even to dribble forward themselves. Basically passed the ball around the defence until Slovakia retreated into their 11 men behind the ball shape.

 

But then you look at the stats, 29 shots with only 5 on target, there's only so much blame you can put on a manager for players not taking their chances.

[Disco]

I don't think we played too badly last night tbh. Lack of a wide player to stretch the game was obviously an issue but we all knew that going in to the tournament. Could / should have been 1 or 2 nil on another day with the chances missed/saves/blocks etc. Yes it's galling to not top the group but it's not the end of the world.

 

Have to say the main thing that annoyed me yday was the reluctance to toss the ball back in to the box straight away following a cleared corner/FK. Every time Smalling/Cahill were peeling away to the far post for the returned diagonal and not once did it come. Must've been an instruction but it was a chance wasted for me. Dunno how it came across on the to last night but the atmosphere was absolutely class. Both sets of fans at it from the off and the England fans second half were something else, one of the best I've ever been involved with.

 

On a final note, you don't half get some 'interesting' people following England. A choice old bunch.

[joeyt]

From the Beeb

 

Joe Hart (goalkeeper) 6

 

One anxious second half moment of confusion with Chris Smalling and some routine work, but otherwise untroubled.

 

Nathaniel Clyne (right-back) 7

 

A real threat going forward with some good crosses and almost scored in the second half. Had little to do defensively.

 

Gary Cahill (centre-back) 6

 

Had little to do but what he did was solid and effective.

 

Chris Smalling (centre-back) 6

 

Same as Cahill. He had that one worrying moment with Hart but was never given much work to do.

 

Ryan Bertrand (left-back) 5

 

Spent too much time going into challenges with his arms in dangerous positions and was deservedly booked. Did not make any sort of case to oust Danny Rose.

 

Eric Dier (midfielder) 8

 

Dier is having an excellent Euro 2016. Solid as a rock as the defensive shield but also contributed as England pressed forward and looked like he might even break the deadlock late on.

 

Jack Wilshere (midfielder) 4

 

Looked exactly what he is. Less than fully fit and off the pace after barely any game time for Arsenal last season. A poor selection.

 

Jordan Henderson (midfielder) 5

 

Had a good spell in the middle of the first half but too many poor deliveries and simply not enough quality. Did not take his chance.

 

Adam Lallana (forward) 5

 

Positive opening with good feet, but lacked a cutting edge when in scoring positions.

 

Daniel Sturridge (forward) 5

 

Started well with some neat touches but then drifted out of the game. Came too deep and was marginalised.

 

Jamie Vardy (forward) 5

 

Tireless running and hustling of Slovakia's defence. Should have scored in the first half. His effectiveness was reduced when Slovakia camped on the edge of their own area for the last 30 minutes.

 

Substitutes

 

Wayne Rooney (on for Wilshere, 55 minutes) 6

 

Slovakia were already in base camp on the edge of their own area when he came on. Tried hard but could not fashion a breakthrough.

 

Dele Alli (on for Lallana, 60 minutes) 5

 

Almost scored seconds after coming on but still waiting to make his impact on the tournament.

 

Harry Kane (on for Sturridge, 74 minutes) 5

 

One or two half chances but the pattern of the game was set when he came on.

 

Some strange ones there. Lallana only a 5? Rooney got a 6?

[Beren]

Rooney a 6? He played like Peter Kay in a John Smiths' commercial. Came on, belted it out of play twice, then slalomed forward with the agility of a steamroller to get dispossessed twice. The commentators said he was "finding his range" and taking the game by the scruff of the neck, so that's okay though.

[Interpolic]

Rooney a 6? He played like Peter Kay in a John Smiths' commercial. Came on, belted it out of play twice, then slalomed forward with the agility of a steamroller to get dispossessed twice. The commentators said he was "finding his range" and taking the game by the scruff of the neck, so that's okay though.

 

He was fucking awful.

[Nobody]

I don't think we played too badly last night tbh. Lack of a wide player to stretch the game was obviously an issue but we all knew that going in to the tournament. Could / should have been 1 or 2 nil on another day with the chances missed/saves/blocks etc. Yes it's galling to not top the group but it's not the end of the world.

 

Have to say the main thing that annoyed me yday was the reluctance to toss the ball back in to the box straight away following a cleared corner/FK. Every time Smalling/Cahill were peeling away to the far post for the returned diagonal and not once did it come. Must've been an instruction but it was a chance wasted for me. Dunno how it came across on the to last night but the atmosphere was absolutely class. Both sets of fans at it from the off and the England fans second half were something else, one of the best I've ever been involved with.

 

On a final note, you don't half get some 'interesting' people following England. A choice old bunch.

Atmosphere was class on the tele