England was on top in all three group games.
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England’s frustrating 0-0 draw with Slovakia last night combined with Wales’ excellent 3-0 win over Russian Federation consigned Roy Hodgson’s men to second place in Group B. “If that brings France, we’ll take France”, one said.
“We’re not doomed yet”, Hodgson said. “We have been playing very well as a team”. You need to beat top teams to win the tournament and as the likes of Iceland and Albania have shown there are no easier games. “Once we find out, we’ll look at that game and that game only”. “It’s a very, very hard game and I think that they have yet to get going yet”. To not get the win at the end is frustrating.
“Not finishing top may not be the end of the world”, said Cahill. Depending on the group’s final results on Wednesday, it could throw up a clash against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. That group is very odd, Portugal could finish first, second or third. “We’ve had to play in front of the defence because they’ve played with so many men in defensive positions”.
Slovakia came back out after the break more unsafe than they had ended the first, but it was Clyne who threatened to score when he latched onto Sturridge’s ball and fired a fine effort which hit Kozacik’s arm and went out.
England aren’t winning many free-kicks around the box, which tells you they aren’t getting into those areas enough.
The side surpassed almost all expectations in the group stage – with supporters saying they had not made plans to stay in France for the knockout stages of the tournament.
The 30-year-old also pointed out that most games in the group stage have been neck-and-neck affairs.
“We have no pressure on us, that’s the main thing”, Sigurdsson said. It’s been played at a great pace. By playing on Monday, we will have longer to prepare for our opponents and that is important.
Look, the Three Lions have absolutely dominated all three matches so far.
The break also gives Cahill the chance to recuperate after a hip complaint flared up during the first half in Saint-Étienne.
However, Chelsea centre-back Cahill believes that their group stage performances will be rewarded with a clinical performance in the knockout stages. Some people say he needs to improve his hold-up play but that’s not his role. In fact, numerous changes worked out well, particularly Jordan Henderson, Nathaniel Clyne and – at least in the first half – Vardy.
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But I don’t want to come across as overly negative.
