Wales rode on excellent performances from Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale to inflict an embarrassing 3-0 loss on Russian Federation at the Stadium de Toulouse here on Monday to claim first place in Group B and head into the knockout stages of Euro 2016.
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Group toppers Wales will be off to the Parc des Princes in Paris to play the third place team from either Group A, C or D on Saturday June 25. “If we do get through, it will be interesting because I don’t think they will play against us the same way Russia, Wales and Slovakia did”. But we knew that result wouldn’t define the group. Like Kyle Walker in our first two games, Nathaniel Clyne got forward well down that flank against Slovakia but they kept forcing us inside where there was no space and, in the end, we just ran out of ideas.
“I know a lot of games at this level are tight but we have to be beating them”.
“In my wildest dreams, I never thought Taylor was going to get one of the goals, but he deserves it”, Coleman said.
“I said before that there’s more to come for this group”. The 45-year-old, who has combined his national duties with a club role as manager of domestic champions CSKA Moscow since August 2015, watched on in frustration as his oft-criticised team produced one of the worst performances of the tournament and were deservedly thrashed in Toulouse.
England will play the second-placed team in Group F, which could be any one of Portugal, Hungary, Iceland or Austria.
“I can understand that”.
“We may play with different personnel or in a different way, so all the time the manager and staff have with us is vital”. “We defended well, we were dogged and we nearly got a point from not playing very well”.
“Very good, very well”, Henderson said when asked about the England captain’s performances.
The final minutes saw England throwing numbers forward as they tried to force a late victor but they could find no way through and may now have to contend with more daunting opposition in the round of 16.
While recalls for Vardy and Sturridge had seemed natural, and rotating his full-backs scarcely affected the team’s quality or shape, there was undoubtedly an element of risk in midfield. “If we’re maxing out and at our best, then we’ve always got a chance”.
“After a tournament like this you need someone else in charge”, Slutsky said after the full-time whistle in Toulouse.
For Russia, defeat meant its time at Euro 2016 is over and coach Leonid Slutsky gave a major hint that he won’t be the man in charge for much longer.
“We’re not doomed to penalties, we’re not doomed to not take our chances”. With the Russian Federation defenders focusing so much on the Real Madrid player, Taylor had the time and presence to slot in a rebound after his first effort was blocked by Akinfeev.
There was a big cheer from England fans when Rooney came on for Jack Wilshire with 56 minutes gone.
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Whether the gamble to make so many changes backfired will only become clear as England negotiates the second phase of Euro 2016.
