Northern Ireland will also look to reach the last 16 when they face Germany in Paris.
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And that means they will face the runners-up of Group F in Nice next Monday, but Southampton defender Bertrand believes aspects of all three team performances in the competition so far can give England fans hope. “As a nation geographically we are small but if you judge us by passion you could say we were a continent tonight”. “I have never been involved in such a one-sided game as that second half against Slovakia and in the next game we should go out there and do something similar”.
“I think the time will come when we will take those chances and some team might be at the end of that fairly soon”.
“Obviously we’ve had some unbelievable nights over the last few years [with Wales] but that was really incredible and to top the group as well was an even better feeling, and one that we want to keep having”. It was four changes from the side which finished the Wales game. “Had Wayne (Rooney) started, would he have scored the goals the others missed from his left half position?” said Hodgson.
“Created chances. Dele Alli off the line, Rooney chance near the end, Lallana same thing, he’s had two or three in each game”.
“I think the gap has changed, and not just with ourselves to then teams but with the likes of Wales. Now it suddenly becomes six with those two starting”.
We all presumed that’s how they were going to set up – so why the heck was Jamie Vardy playing?
England seems sure that facing more attack-minded sides in the knockout stages of the European Championship will work to its advantage.
“It’s down to the manager and what team he feels he needs to win the game, but I feel ready, I feel good”.
He said: “I realise his performance hasn’t been too highly rated in the mass media”.
“I think he’s a very good footballer and will be a very important member of our troop and squad”.
Twice Kozak was invited, gently, to rub salt into Hodgson’s wounds and twice he declined.
Playing in its first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, Wales defied expectations to win Group B ahead of England and sent Russian Federation home with an impressive counterattacking display that rested on more than just the talents of Bale.
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Slovakia lost 2-1 to Wales in their opening game, and Kozak said: “From what I have seen, in terms of quality, they are better”. With four points on the board, Slovakia still has a chance to make it to the knockout stages as one of the best third-place teams.
