We lack a creative force (like an Iniesta) that can run a game or at the very least have a touch of cunning with an end product (like a Payet). Gascoigne was the last such player - we just don't seem to create them. Barkley looked the part at one stage but has regressed, bulked up and lost form. Wilshere shows flashes but is not match fit and plays far too deep anyway.

We also lack a progressive 21st century manager.

The six changes last night are just an excuse - two of them everybody wanted and one of the others (Clyne) was MOTM. Of the other three rested (Alli, Rooney & Rose) they've hardly lit up the tournament thus far anyway and when Alli and Rooney came on they were no different.

We played too slow and a team intent on defence were always likely to stifle us as a result.

Positives - we dominated the game against what was not a mediocre side and their best player was pretty much anonymous. We created enough chances to win the game. Unlike in previous tournaments we didn't look like rabbits in headlights.

Negatives - we just lack that special unpredictable charismatic player that some of the other teams have. We pretty much play football by numbers and hope we take our chances. We lack inspiration on and off the field.

We do have enough quality players to do well still but need some luck along the way. We may do better against teams prepared to attack us and leave space for our forwards and adventurous fullbacks.

While we're still in it,there's hope...

That's the way I see it too. There are too many permutations to try to hand select your next opponent. Just get through and it's 4 games to win to win the title and you'll have to play the best teams at some point, whether it's game 1 or 2.

Vardy is more effective when space is available for him to run into, as he did in the 1st half. Completely invisible in the 2nd half, when Slovakia decided to defend their penalty area with 11 men.

I suspect he will be most useful to England, should they ever play the likes of Spain, for instance.

We did nothing to break down that organisation. Might as well of played football against a brick wall.

Oh we lack the ability to finish games, no argument from me. I think we have been better, but as always with England, something has to be a problem and this years theme in an inability to score goals.

I am not defending, I know what the team is and I think going through is about as good as you can realistically ask for. Any further than this round and thats a bonus, we are just not a top team.

Sterling is a prime example. £50 million, and he is not really any good. I know he had his moments, but £50 million pound player and you expect more than showing up for his national or domestic team a handful of games a year.

I also think a lot of the possession is wasted, just dead runs to nowhere. I don't know, maybe things will change, maybe they won't, thankfully it will be over soon enough and the league can kick off again (a lot of games are very negative and low scoring shitefests)

I dont think you create such players. They have that in their make up. Dele Alli could be such a player, and he is being given a chance, but perhaps it is a little too soon to see the best of him.

^^Rashford's another, hopefully it won't get beaten out of him in the Premiership.

We will get either Iceland, Hungary or Portugal in the round of 16 as we have to play the Group F runners up, then almost certainly France in the quarters if we get through.

You wouldn't want Portugal, would you.

"create" was probably the wrong phrase - we largely deconstruct such players and mostly coach the individuality out of them. Pace and power rule in the PL still. It's beginning to be eroded but there's a fair few prehistoric managers and coaches to fade away before we have an evolution. The old favourite was youth players being told they were "too small" to make it football - many of the best dribblers have been diminutive as they have better balance and turning speed.

I agree on Alli - he could potentially become a real force for us but this tournament is more of a vital development than a showcase for him. As for Rashford suggested in another post - lively player but not the central creative fulcrum I had in mind.

Why are people talking about who England play next?

I thought we went out last night? Or at least the reaction from certain people on here would lead you to think that if you didn't know what had happened.

I wouldn't mind Portugal - one immensely talented ego doesn't make a team and England's spritely attack can get at their central defence if we can up the tempo a bit and counter. If...

Yes, mostly hysterical casual fans knee-jerking - we're not world beaters but I've only really been impressed by Spain so far. I'd be interested to see how we do against a team that pushes onto us as none of our group opponents have really done that. We may be note vulnerable but we also may become more dangerous.

Limping home in the way we did hardly warrants celebration, even if we did go through.

Hardly a catastrophe to be planning for a knockout game next week at the same time.

England could easily win the tournament, just need a bit of luck and players to produce in the right moments. More than good enough to win it imo.

Not being a catastrophe shouldn't been the benchmark for England in this tournament. Though considering the last World Cup...

Of course England could have done a lot more so far, but some of the crisis talk about what was a relatively comfortable group stage is massively overdone. If Iceland batter us into oblivion let's start the funeral dirge, but we rarely breeze through groups in tournaments so this just seems like classic England up to this point.

Classic England? That means we're going to be knocked out on penalties - probably at the Quarter Final stage.

But do Wales not look set to have Belgium in the Quarter Finals? Their performance against Ireland was more impressive than any of France's three games.

I wouldn't actually fancy us against either side more than 40/60 but we are in the knock-out stages, two of our matches have been amongst the best three or four games in the tournament and we have had over 60 shots so I dont know why people cannot enjoy that.

If anybody has found these England performances boring, I would be fascinated to know what they made of us in Italia 90 ... and following on from Euro 88.

Our spiritual home!

Have you been watching the same tournament as everybody else? What sitters have been missed in the three matches? I cannot think of a single one. Sterling's miss against Wales was probably the worst and that was a 50% type of chance.

I can't recall Kane, Sturridge, Rooney or Rashford having missed a great chance. Akinfeev saved one brilliantly. Vardy only one at a stretch when he was through.

The problem has been not converting the possession in the area and half chances, into full ones.

Yes. 1990 is still spoken of as a golden era, but we were awful in the group games, and scraped through. The team came together because of injuries and suspensions before reaching the semis. These three games have been far better than those three group games.

You're not really a fan are you? Like many others here, it's a break from the season, and a chance to complain.

I have to wonder who all you moaners support, because I assume you all have a great manager, wonderful players playing attractive football, and winning all games comfortably.

Or do you moan about your club side when they dont win too?