Match Day Thread Slovakia vs England 8pm 20 June

Er....England aren't in the same half of the draw as France, therefore could not meet until the final.

 

All goes horribly wrong for them though if they lose to Croatia. Suddenly they get Italy, Germany, France in a row, most likely.

 

We finished in B2 did we not? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/euro-2016/schedule/knockout-stage

 

Oh, I could have sworn the wallchart at work said otherwise. My mistake.

 

That's the nearest he got to a good cross all evening.

 

I love the optimism on here. But should we really be praising an England team that can't beat the likes of Slovakia? Shows how far we have fallen as a national side!

 

Then Wales actually will be in the final.

 

Er.... yeah

 

You must have a better memory than me.
I can't recall us beating teams easily and regularly in major tournaments

 

the sooner England accept their place as also-rans, the better. We are the Southampton of the international scene right now

 

What's the point of that! Why go into a tournMent saying we're crap!

What a load of ****. You can't compare us to Wales. Slovakia and Russia attacked Wales. We are essentially a counter attacking side which has had to play three matches against sides too scared of us to play. We let in two jammy goals. Boo hoo.

 

But to stand up there with the big guns, we need to be able to beat teams that park the bus. Spain or Germany would have smashed this Slovakia side to pieces, instead we just spend 90 minutes pinging the ball around their box with no end product.

 

Egypt 1-0 in 1990. How could you forget?

 

The same Germany who Slovakia beat a few weeks ago?

And the same Spain who Slovakia ended their 36 game unbeaten run?

 

Germany struggled against Poland. It isn't so easy. The truth will become clear with knockout football.

 

But those matches were not in tournament football. Tournament football is where the likes of Germany, Spain and Italy rise to find their best form while England cower in the corner.

 

I don't think England cowered....they were the best side in all 3 games, but only won the game against the better opponent....probably because Wales tried to play.

 

You're too easy

Look, we haven't been great for years and I had no expectations coming into this tournament, but we played well tonight. Didn't take the couple of clear chances we had and didn't quite get the bounce in the area we needed. Same as Russia.

If you really think or expect we're a Germany or Spain then you're in for a disappointing week or so.

For me the Russia game and this game were far more positive than the drivel we served up last time out at the World Cup.

 

BBC Sport write up of the match has it spot on. Limp performance is definitely the way I would describe it.