I suspect it goes against the pleasant image of the tournament that ITV are trying to portray to the casual family audience watching.

they havent mentioned it once

what is their agenda in not reporting it?

Plus it's not as if qualification is tough with only 8 teams of 24 eliminated in the groups.

Jackie Oatley and Glenn act like an old married couple

Agree that's the problem now, it puts a lot of pressure on the wales game and Slovakia wont be an easy game either, they are certainly better than russia, top 2 is not guaranteed now.

Because in group games like these it is results that are far more important than performances.

We will most likely be in third place going into the second match, so the pressure will be on us to have to beat Wales, another draw would be pointless.

Quite simple really. The goal wasn't coming from open play, Sterling was making the same mistakes time after time, Kane was ineffective and Lallana died off......and what did Hodgson do ? he did nothing, he sat and watched. He's the manager, it's up to him to manage the team, he didn't do that.

You're obviously right. The role of midfield distributor is an easy one. That must be why nobody since Scholes has come close to fulfilling it?

Because they know the news is coming after the show is finished and they will mention on that show instead

I thought the overall performance was decent. The midfield 3 did really well. The front 3 less so. The timing of the subs and what the subs were are my main complaint. Not particularly worried about qualifying, neither of the other two sides in the group massively impressed me earlier and they wont sit back like the Russians and will leave themselves open..............hopefully lol

Sterling could at least get the ball away from our area which is more than Milner managed. I thought Lallana started well but faded. Kane was awful - worst player by a mile.

Lallana was hardly poor. I thought he had a really good game, especially in the first half.

I wouldn't give up on England yet.

Italy used to lose their first matches, yet managed to win tournaments in the end.

Robbie savage winding up fans on Twitter.

Top two is very much in question especially if we do not beat Wales, a draw will not be good enough, we have to win that game now, if we want to progress.

Find the squad selection thread on here. As I said, he should have been the first of the two names left behind. He is a decent player but he cannot save you a game and he cannot win you a game. I would have preferred Drinkwater to have come on in that situation, or Townsend actually.

I would have liked to have seen Barkley playing in that role

Not one to usually jump on players but he was absolutely dreadful mate. He's verging on Aaron Lennon 2.0, all pace and zero end product. His pace troubles defences but once he gets in key areas his final product is so poor that none of it matters. In countless good positions tonight and consistently lost the ball or made an awful decision. Nothing changed at any point with him which is why Hodgson should have taken him off around the 60 minute mark. Could easily have brought on a Sturridge or Vardy for him who both provide enough pace to threaten the defence but actually have an end product to put them to bed.


Strange that you know that considering you said you wasn't going to watch England again.

Im talking about this specific game against a poor Russian side. Lets see how he does in the blood and guts of a huge pressure game against Wales.

Scary replay on ITV of the Russian fans storming the England pen. Look at the fans having to vault over the fencing at the bottom.

Im not convinced. Slovakia were poor against Wales.

Yes be disappointed but don't get so down on all the players and manger, I don't think they all did that much wrong, was just unlucky. Sometimes that happens in football.

And a draw against Wales wouldn't be pointless, 3rd place in the group could be enough anyway!

I must have watched a different game because I saw plenty of chances to score in open play during both halves.

What three substitutions would you have made? Who on, who off and at roughly what times?

But we're not Italy, we aren't ever capable of doing what they are capable of doing.