England v Slovakia and Wales v Russia ko 8pm.

[Sheebo]

The only real chance tonight fell to Vardy. Everything else was half chances or edge of the box stuff. Their keeper never made a save you wouldn't expect a championship keeper to make.

True, the Russia game was the one that really was a sickener. That said, I make it one really good chance we've given the opposition in all 3 games (Smallings mistake tonight) which is encouraging. We've really restricted the opposition. Just so frustrating we couldn't break that bus down tonight.

 

[Sheebo]

Lallana had a good chance, by no means his only one this tournament. He is still to score for England.

Played brilliant has Lallana but should have scored a couple by now.

 

[Milano]

Lallana had a good chance, by no means his only one this tournament. He is still to score for England.

Edge of the box.

Vardy had to score, you get one chance like that at this level, it would have completely changed the game.
That's why the Linekers, Shearers and Owens of this world played in multiple tournaments and Vardy will play in one.

 

[One Love]

It's frustrating as we have played well in all the games but our finishing has cost us, there isn't a great deal Roy can do about that

You can blame him for still not realising he has to forget about Kane this tournament. He is so badly off form. A complete waste of a substitute and Sturridge might well have unlocked them.

Also Henderson was one change too many. Then to take off Wilshere instead of him was mystifying.

 

[warmleyseagull]

If you take away the results & the finishing aspect and look at each game, chances created & generally how the football games have been played we've been dominant beyond our wildest dreams - played some really nice stuff & the team seem to care... That's the positive bit.

The negative bit is we haven't taken the chances to turn that dominance into wins - finishing hasn't been good enough. We were good first half tonight but seemed to run out of steam & the tempo was far too slow. That said, Slovakia offered nothing & it is hard to play against 11 behind the ball in the final 3rd.

My annoyance is quite high at not topping the group as if we had it could have been Albania or N.Ireland in the next round and then possibly Hungary or Portugal in the 1/4s - I'd have really fancied us against any of them. Same old England at a major though, and we could even get Portugal next. I predict Hungary which id expect us to get through but then it would most likely be France - a much tougher 1/4 than if we'd topped the group. Very frustrating especially as we've played very well overall - only ourselves to blame for not putting the chances away though

Group F has been a disappointing turn up with the two favoured teams - Portugal and Austria - underperforming. I don't think this draw makes a huge difference as I would fancy Belgium to beat Group F winner so it should be France for England and Belgium for Wales in QF. France are home country, Belgium are highest FIFA ranked team in the competition.

 

[Sheebo]

Group F has been a disappointing turn up with the two favoured teams - Portugal and Austria - underperforming. I don't think this draw makes a huge difference as I would fancy Belgium to beat Group F winner so it should be France for England and Belgium for Wales in QF. France are home country, Belgium are highest FIFA ranked team in the competition.

Yes you're spot on! I just realised this and it made me feel a bit better TBH. Belgium will probably come 2nd & probably as tough a test as France - but we need to go out & play like we can in the last 16 whoever we play. It's an annoying feeling this, I know we've played well overall but feel gutted we haven't got the results to top the group. Whatever will be will be.

PS - Spain have looked the best team so far & 2nd means we're not in their side of the group at least!

 

[BadFish]

All 3 teams we've played have set themselves up defensively. The knockout stages are a different kettle of fish.

I don't get the bed wetting. England are unbeaten and comfortably through to the next round. Some glaring chances missed tonight and some last ditch defending by Slovakia, but we've all watched enough dominant Albion games to know that that happens sometime. I'd rather save the games where England take every chance, or the deflected shots go in the net and not behind, for the knockouts.

I admire your optimism and hope you are right. sadly though we don't have the best track record which probably explains the bed wetting. Having said they i think the team is much improved and we have shown that we can play possession football (albeit against sides who don't want the ball). If we can add a few goals to our game then we might be able to do something.

 

[Mr Banana]

The whole thing reminds me of Mike Bassett. We squeaked a result against Wales when we had to and drew against two pub teams.

We will nudge onwards by a goal/get knocked out on a Monday, rather than a Saturday, because of our incompetence. An awful, aggravating chapter even (perhaps especially, given that this is supposedly the off-season) for those of us who will gormlessly go to Burton away on a Tuesday in six months. Our manager probably votes Tory. These will be looked on as flat days.

 

[One Love]

If we can add a few goals to our game then we might be able to do something.

What we could do with is having a bit of luck.

We have to work so hard to get a goal whereas Wales were given three gifts tonight.

 

[SK1NT]

My main issue is with hodgson resting 6 players. Ffs they've played 2 games so far one of which was over 4 days ago. Utter joke he's ruined the confidence and us topping the group. Players playing well and enjoying it won't tire. It's not as if we won our first 2 games and were guaranteed top of the table... Hodgson doesn't have a clue... ****ing sterling and now Henderson ... Lallana can't hit a cows arsemwith a banjo, Bertrand look poo... Only positive was clyne looked good

Ruined my massive accumulator too that I had a massive cash out on... We have got the players I genuinely question most of what hodgeson does

 

[Easy 10]

Changed a winning team - momentum lost. Rooney was settling into that deeper role in midfield very nicely, that was binned. Walker has been our player of the tournament in the first two games, he was binned. Then Rooney comes on and is pushed further forward, playing where Alli should have been, same old problem of him being shoe-horned in where he doesn't quite fit any more.

We should have started with our strongest and most aggressive XI, the one that started the 2nd half against Wales. Ideally get a couple of goals and THEN make a few changes if necessary. Instead, he throws it all up in the air and does it back to front, so we end up trying to revert towards something like Plan A after an hour to try to retrieve it.

Seriously, if we can't turn over a team as poor as Russia and someone as bang average as Slovakia (after SCRAPING past bloody Wales), then this is heading towards such a familiar ending against the first proper team we face. Its already written isn't it.

 

[sydney]

we are just shite.....the fans are more entertaining than the team.

 

[knocky1]

Yes you're spot on! I just realised this and it made me feel a bit better TBH. Belgium will probably come 2nd & probably as tough a test as France - but we need to go out & play like we can in the last 16 whoever we play. It's an annoying feeling this, I know we've played well overall but feel gutted we haven't got the results to top the group. Whatever will be will be.

PS - Spain have looked the best team so far & 2nd means we're not in their side of the group at least!

Yes we have to hope we improve and more adventurous teams open up the game more and we get do or die moments.
But Croatia win tonight and it could go Iceland, France, Spain and Germany Final. That's the way to do it. We haven't lost in the tournament yet.....

 

[warmleyseagull]

Yes you're spot on! I just realised this and it made me feel a bit better TBH. Belgium will probably come 2nd & probably as tough a test as France - but we need to go out & play like we can in the last 16 whoever we play. It's an annoying feeling this, I know we've played well overall but feel gutted we haven't got the results to top the group. Whatever will be will be.

PS - Spain have looked the best team so far & 2nd means we're not in their side of the group at least!

Good shout. I thought we avoided Spain this route until final, so really glad now that we engineered second place. (tongue firmly in cheek)

 

[maltaseagull]

I fancy this side against the French - if you consider the defence we should go to town on them, plus Giroud isn't a worry

Agreed, but Payet certainly is.

 

[warmleyseagull]

What we could do with is having a bit of luck.

We have to work so hard to get a goal whereas Wales were given three gifts tonight.

This. All the teams in our group set up that a draw against us was a good result. Wales were not expected to do well so I am sure the others paid them less respect. The goalie mistake against Slovakia got them off to a good start.

We haven't take chances it is true but also unlucky. Clyne's shot hit keeper's shoulder, Ali's effort just cleared by Skrtl, Rooneys shot against Russia that cannoned off goalie onto crossbar, all of these needed a centimetre or two to be a goal and all would be different. Fine margins.

 

[Sheebo]

This. All the teams in our group set up that a draw against us was a good result. Wales were not expected to do well so I am sure the others paid them less respect. The goalie mistake against Slovakia got them off to a good start.

We haven't take chances it is true but also unlucky. Clyne's shot hit keeper's shoulder, Ali's effort just cleared by Skrtl, Rooneys shot against Russia that cannoned off goalie onto crossbar, all of these needed a centimetre or two to be a goal and all would be different. Fine margins.

You're quite right. In fact, you're spot on. We've certainly looked one of the better football teams at the tournament too. Unfortunately, because it's England, Twitter, Facebook and NSC alike are full of 'I want it now' supporters who will stick the knife in at every opportunity because they think they can do with us. First half v Wales, 2nd half last night were poor halves by our standards. The other 4 halves of football were brilliant. No bad result will change my opinion on that

 

[SK1NT]

Unfortunately, because it's England, Twitter, Facebook and NSC alike are full of 'I want it now' supporters

That is one of the funniest things i've ever read... England fans "want it now" .... Not had a final for 50 years... last semi 20 years... having had spain, italy, germany, france all win a major tournament within the last 20 years... Yea England fans want it now... We only wanted to beat Slovakia and top an extremely shit group lol

Everyone saying how fractions meant we drew. That the same with Russia, we were unlucky again... A decent team would have had enough dam chances and scored that the fractions of misses meant f all. If we had 10/20 good shots on goal then fair enough, but we made one maybe 2 clear cut chances in 90 mins against a shit team that wales beat. 1-1 with Russia a team Wales smashed. Wake up and smell the coffee.

**** sake Hogdson resting players after two games and not guaranteeing topping the group. We will only be playing one/possibly two more games anyway. Hardly going to need to rest players to only get knocked out in the quarters.

After the most awful 20 years of football heartbreak i was genuinely thinking with these hungry youngsters we may do something here and i think we do have the players, it's Woy who is costing us.

 

[Sheebo]

That is one of the funniest things i've ever read... England fans "want it now" .... Not had a final for 50 years... last semi 20 years... having had spain, italy, germany, france all win a major tournament within the last 20 years... Yea England fans want it now... We only wanted to beat Slovakia and top an extremely shit group lol

Everyone saying how fractions meant we drew. That the same with Russia, we were unlucky again... A decent team would have had enough dam chances and scored that the fractions of misses meant f all. If we had 10/20 good shots on goal then fair enough, but we made one maybe 2 clear cut chances in 90 mins against a shit team that wales beat. 1-1 with Russia a team Wales smashed. Wake up and smell the coffee.

**** sake Hogdson resting players after two games and not guaranteeing topping the group. We will only be playing one/possibly two more games anyway. Hardly going to need to rest players to only get knocked out in the quarters.

After the most awful 20 years of football heartbreak i was genuinely thinking with these hungry youngsters we may do something here and i think we do have the players, it's Woy who is costing us.

'I want it now' meaning we must win every game easily etc. It's just not going to happen. Yes, our record at majors isn't that good (although 1/4 finals etc isn't exactly poor when we have got that far) especially given how well we tend to qualify these days while others struggle (Holland, Portugal etc). Who says England should be winning tournos regularly? How many of the other 19 countries you've not mentioned have won majors in the last 50 odd years? Not many. I just prefer to support the team, enjoy the Summer and take it for what it is. Yes, last night is disappointing, but we've still qualified and 1st or 2nd doesn't make a great deal of odds in our group in this new format at least.

I agree re Hodgson - Too many changes last night for me. You rightly say this is a young team and one that is exciting. Let's just see where it gets us before slating them too much on the back of 3 good overall performances and an unbeaten record...

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

That is one of the funniest things i've ever read... England fans "want it now" .... Not had a final for 50 years... last semi 20 years... having had spain, italy, germany, france all win a major tournament within the last 20 years... Yea England fans want it now... We only wanted to beat Slovakia and top an extremely shit group lol

Everyone saying how fractions meant we drew. That the same with Russia, we were unlucky again... A decent team would have had enough dam chances and scored that the fractions of misses meant f all. If we had 10/20 good shots on goal then fair enough, but we made one maybe 2 clear cut chances in 90 mins against a shit team that wales beat. 1-1 with Russia a team Wales smashed. Wake up and smell the coffee.

**** sake Hogdson resting players after two games and not guaranteeing topping the group. We will only be playing one/possibly two more games anyway. Hardly going to need to rest players to only get knocked out in the quarters.

After the most awful 20 years of football heartbreak i was genuinely thinking with these hungry youngsters we may do something here and i think we do have the players, it's Woy who is costing us.

Against Russia we had good chances:

Walker's cut back to Lallana - Hit straight at the keeper
Alli's cut back to Rooney - Hit at the keeper
Lallana hit a chance wide when about 8 yards out
Rose cut it back to Rooney - Keeper tips it on to bar somehow
Lallana hits post with rebound

That is 4 or 5 great chances, not to mention the ball that flashed across the goal when no one gambled

I am sure I have missed some as well