England

[roverstillidie91]

what did everyone think of tonights performance ??

[MrFrost]

Shite

[DonnyNoel]

Dug in well after going behind although disappointing to concede from set pieces. Our limitations in terms of technical ability were on display at times but I thought the fact the game was like a Premiership game went in our favour.

We don't have the players to win it and thats something that won't be remedied in the short term (see Germany for how to redevelop - £750m on youth development spanning over a decade since the Euro 2000 failure) but as long as they give their all I don't see what else we can ask for. Its still not certain we'll get out the group and even if we do we'd have to beat at least 2 quality sides to win it but I enjoyed tonight and I haven't said that about England games for a while.

[Draytonian III]

Great ,I had money on at 23/20,we will qualify for the knock out stages

[roverstillidie91]

I think slowly players with good technical ability are coming ie wilshere gibbs walker etc and we need a plan in place to bring quality players through otherwise we are going to get left behind and this isn't going to happen in a year

because if we was playing spain or germany we aren't comfortable enough on the ball when under pressure with it

just need more managers having a system such as likes of arsene wenger and brendan rodgers and we should develop the players we want

and we also need to try and adopt a different system as opposed to the 4-4-2 cos it looks very predictale and we will get opened up like in the world cup 2010 defeat to germany

[mushRTID]

It's not about the performance it's about the occasion. Hogans was amazing tonight.

[RoversAlias]

Rooney is so vital to our team. That said I'd bring him in for Welbeck, not Carroll. Welbeck may have won us the game but every other second of the game he was crap. Ineffective and awful at keeping the ball for the team.

[dickos1]

Good result. Much better than 1-1 v USA and 0-0 v Algeria

[RoversAlias]

Personally I like Carroll, think he is good to have as a presence and a different option. He is a very good hold-up player too, and he proved tonight why it pays to put him in the starting line-up.

Welbeck will continue to develop into a terrific player, of that I have no doubt especially under Ferguson, but right now I don't look at him and believe he is ready to start up front for England.

[Thinwhiteduke]

Personally I like Carroll, think he is good to have as a presence and a different option. He is a very good hold-up player too, and he proved tonight why it pays to put him in the starting line-up.

Welbeck will continue to develop into a terrific player, of that I have no doubt especially under Ferguson, but right now I don't look at him and believe he is ready to start up front for England.

I agree...without Carroll tracking back and doign a hell of a lot of defensive work (some cracking headed clearances in our box) we'd have conceded more...Rooney would do jack shit in that department.

Hodgson has a dilemma, if he includes Rooney (who still doesnt set the world alight in an England shirt) over Carroll against a Ukraine side who arent that competent with dealing with an aerial threat, and we fail to progress, he'll be up shit street.

[Mr1Croft]

Personally I like Carroll, think he is good to have as a presence and a different option. He is a very good hold-up player too, and he proved tonight why it pays to put him in the starting line-up.

Welbeck will continue to develop into a terrific player, of that I have no doubt especially under Ferguson, but right now I don't look at him and believe he is ready to start up front for England.

I agree...without Carroll tracking back and doign a hell of a lot of defensive work (some cracking headed clearances in our box) we'd have conceded more...Rooney would do jack shit in that department.

Hodgson has a dilemma, if he includes Rooney (who still doesnt set the world alight in an England shirt) over Carroll against a Ukraine side who arent that competent with dealing with an aerial threat, and we fail to progress, he'll be up shit street.

I disagree with that in its entirety, Rooney has never been a goal poaching striker and does a lot of work outside the box without the ball, which a lot includes getting back to defend, to say to the effect that Carroll would do this better is just insane.
However for me Welbeck shouldn't be there in the first place, Grant Holt should have beaten every striker apart from Rooney to be called up after finishing as the second highest scorer of an English Striker. The only reason he has stayed at hone is because he doesn't play for Man City, Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Tottenham. For example it took Carrol his £35 million move to Liverpool to reciece a call up. It took Glen Johnson his move from Pompey to Anfiele before a call up, Scott Parker ? No one was interested when he was at West Ham, gets signed by Tottenham (at 31) and people speak about making him captain. Henderson, Kelly, all the same story. Only Rob Green and Leighton Baines are the exception.

[tommy toes]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned how completely hopeless Ashley Young has been. He needs kicking out pronto. John Terry is finished as well

[Red wizard]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned how completely hopeless Ashley Young has been. He needs kicking out pronto. John Terry is finished as well

Was coming on to say the same. Young did nothing for me.

[idler]

I totally agree about Young. He's done very little so far.
A game on the bench might do him good.

[Donny Dub]

Young hasn't impressed me much since he took the "diving" out of his game!

Good luck!

[Mirsad Bubalovic]

We were shite and only looked the part for the last 10 mins and only then because the Swedes were chucking everyone forward for an equaliser.

[Wellred]

Can someone tell me what Scott Parker brings to the team?
We may as well have Mark Wilson in the side. 

[Sprotyrover]

We were shite and only looked the part for the last 10 mins and only then because the Swedes were chucking everyone forward for an equaliser.

By the way Mirsad your erstwhile countryman mr Ratface Ibrahimovic has got some 'SAUCE' pinching our Goalies water!!!

[Mirsad Bubalovic]

We were shite and only looked the part for the last 10 mins and only then because the Swedes were chucking everyone forward for an equaliser.

By the way Mirsad your erstwhile countryman mr Ratface Ibrahimovic has got some 'SAUCE' pinching our Goalies water!!!

Aye I'd noticed that the cheeky bas**rd! I'll haunt him.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I thought we were alright last night, played half decent.  Against France organised and hard to beat, last night more open and decent going forward.  Roy needs to find away to bridge the gap in between.  Roy for me has done an excellent job so far, he's just doing what needs to be done and managing the right way.  Would many have took Carroll after his season?  Probably not but I thought Carroll was excellent last night.

As for those who say we can't pass it like SPain etc, well without passers like Wilshere, Lampard etc we aren't going to.  Play to the strengths of the players and I think tactically Hodgson so far has really done what he can to get the best out of his players.  The goals conceeded were individual mistakes, no manager can prevent that, but they're showing improvement and most importantly pride in the shirt, that's what Englishmen want to see isn't it?

[roverstillidie91]

I was very shocked when the line ups was announced and milner was in the place of walcott... WHY!!!

he has pace and can run at defenders.. seemed a bit of a coincidence when he came on we started to have some luck and creating some chances as well

we need to go 4-3-3 in my opinion with the 2 forward dropping back to make a 4-5-1 when we haven't got the ball and with players like walcott we should be effective counter attacking

i think Ashley Young is seriously over rated all he has is pace thats it and can only deliver 1 in 5 good balls into the box

also Terry hasn't got the pace as proved when trying to keep up with Ibrahimovich
in the next game i would go

Hart

Johnson ---- Jones ----- Lescott ------ Cole

Gerrard ---- Milner ----- Parker

Walcott ---- Welbeck ----- Rooney

After the euro's we need to look to the future.... discard of players, your lampards, cole, Terry and blood a new 11 for the world cup as these players have had their chance and now its time to see what the new guard are made of

This would be a rough guide of my new starting X1

Hart

Walker  Cahill  Lescott  Gibbs

????  Parker Wilshere

Walcott Rooney Oxlade-Chamberlain


If you are starting to notice there is a lot more technically gifted players in there than the last world cup and i think that if teams such as Arsenal keep producing players like Wilshere we should be alright

[BillyStubbsTears]

BFYP

You're right. They WERE "alright". No more, no less.

Throughout my lifetime, England have been on average about the 6th-8th best side in Europe. Sometimes a bit better. Sometimes a bit worse. I'd put them currently around that level, with Spain, Germany, France clearly better than us, and us in a second group with Italy, Holland, Russia, Croatia, Portugal. Sure, one of that secondary group might break through and win the whole thing, but you wouldn't put money on it. They are all significantly poorer sides than the big three.

I've seen nowt yet to suggest that England are basket cases, but equally, nowt to suggest that they are going to drag themselves up to the level required to be genuine contenders. We'll make the QFs but that'll be about it. There's an outside chance we might have a blinder and make the semis, but I wouldn't put money on it.

6-8th best in Europe. About right. Just like we usually are.

[roverstillidie91]

Think its fairly likley there is a chance we might get Spain in the next round should the tables stay as they are at this moment in time

If we can win by a few goals and top France's goal difference then we should be alright to possibly get Italy in the next round seeing as I can't see Croatia doing anything against Spain

but then again they always say you have to beat the best to be the best so don't see why we couldn't pit ourselves against Spain in the knockout see what we are made of

[MartinB]

It was a great game to watch last night, people said RH was going to be boring...but that had to be one of the best England games to watch in the past decade (unlike Capellos teams).  Brave selection choices not done by the media (unlike The Wally with the brolly) & a great attacking sub (unlike Eriksson). He seems a very good choice overall & is also giving younger players a chance too.

[GazLaz]

The football knowledge of some on here is minimal to say the least. Welbeck "crap"?

[scotlandsbest]

whats with all thiss rooney craphes a workhorse the same as carrol and you cant see it yes he brings a new dimension to the side but if you had rooney last night were would the goal like carrols have come from ? knowhere and with rooney in the side last night you wouldnt have done nowt at all cos sweden would have nullified him


sobefore YOU ALL START SLATING ME (WICH YOU NO DOUBT WILL ) ITS A GAME OF OPINIONS

AND WHY DIDNT HE START WALCOTT TO START WITH AND WHY DIDNT HE JUST PLAY YOUNG IN HIS NATURAL ROLE AS IF HE DOES WITH MAN UTD ??????

I CANT SEE YOU GOING FAR SORRY BUT JUST MY OPINION

RTID

ALLTHE BEST

[grayx]

what did everyone think of tonights performance ??

I thought Hodgson got it wrong, but got away with it.
We should have had players with pace starting against a slow Sweden defence, not 2 big target men. Walcott changed the game due to his pace.
Young was awful & should have been subbed by half-time.
I'd like to see Rooney & Defoe start, but doubt they will.
I'd also like to give Parker, Terry or Gerard  a rest if we dare. Lets start with " the ox" and/or Walcott.

[RedJ]

whats with all thiss rooney craphes a workhorse the same as carrol and you cant see it yes he brings a new dimension to the side but if you had rooney last night were would the goal like carrols have come from ? knowhere and with rooney in the side last night you wouldnt have done nowt at all cos sweden would have nullified him


sobefore YOU ALL START SLATING ME (WICH YOU NO DOUBT WILL ) ITS A GAME OF OPINIONS

AND WHY DIDNT HE START WALCOTT TO START WITH AND WHY DIDNT HE JUST PLAY YOUNG IN HIS NATURAL ROLE AS IF HE DOES WITH MAN UTD ??????

I CANT SEE YOU GOING FAR SORRY BUT JUST MY OPINION

RTID

ALLTHE BEST

at least we made it

[Standanista]

Thought we did good if you cut the first 15 mins of the 2nd half out of the tape (then play it back over to the players to hopefully learn from).  Roy has had 2 different game plans for the teams we've faced and it's worked, kudos to the man.  Watched it in a bar in Sumatra, 2am kick-off, only one there apart from the barman and woke the village up twice (maintained my composure for the equaliser).  Agree with MartinB above: one of the best England games to watch in the past decade, great attacking sub and giving younger players a chance.  No expectations will help but we can hopefully build on this, it's only the bloke's 4th game in charge.  More of the same please Mr Hodgson.

[Standanista]

PS Hopefully this spells the end for Lampard and Ferdinand, time to move on.  Cole and Gerrard still have shelf life I think, Terry to an extent despite being found wanting at times last night, but with Cahill in the wings.  Still think RB is waiting to be claimed by somebody, and we should find a place for Adam Johnson at some point, but overall feel more positive about England than for a long time.