Yet it took Vardy just 11 minutes to nab the goal that put England back on level terms, while Sturridge found a way through a crowded penalty area to snatch the victor in stoppage time.
Advertisement
“After the England game we made a decision to go out for lunch as a group, the staff and players”, said Bale. Get away from the hotel a little bit, a change of scenery – and burger and chips seems to have helped! But it’s nice to get a change and it lightens everyone’s mood. I had a nice dessert as well, a crepe with Nutella. The Welsh will be hoping that England will do them a favor and beat Slovakia, which also has three points.
David Cotterill posted a picture on his Twitter account of the Eiffel Tower he had constructed out of Lego, saying: “Room is bouncing tonight!”
“If I go in the gym it will slow me down”, he said.
“But I couldn’t care if I perform my worst in every single game – the important thing for me is doing the best for my nation”.
A draw or defeat could leave Wales in limbo, awaiting the outcome of other groups, but Bale has no intention of going home anytime soon.
Bale has already scored twice at Euro 2016 – trademark free-kick strikes against Slovakia and England – but he accepts Wales need to keep the ball better if he is to be an even greater threat.
So far for Hodgson, the gamble on an attacking squad has paid off, with good form and no injuries among his defence.
“We’ve spoken about when we’re on the ball we need to be better, more relaxed, move the ball like we have been in qualifying and maybe we haven’t done that as much and that’s an area we need to improve”. It’s not about my performances, in my mind they don’t matter at all.
BetVictor make Sturridge 5-1 to score the opener in the clash against Slovakia, while a goal from the striker in an England victory is 9-4.
“There is still a game to go and one we can get something from”. That’s the mindset we need and hopefully we’ll take it into games.
But Bale said he was not bothered by the lack of preparation time as Wales know their system so well.
“I would start both Vardy and Sturridge against Slovakia now”, said Brown.
Asked if he can understand why Hodgson might want to keep Vardy as a so-called “impact sub”, the quick striker said: “I can see the logic definitely, when players are getting exhausted it is probably easier to exploit, but I am happy either way”.
And Adam Lallana, his team-mate with club and country, said: “It’s hard for anyone when you have faced a lot of injuries but that was the fittest I have seen him for a while, even including towards the back end of the season for Liverpool”.
“It would have been nice had we scored the last minute victor”. “We’ll get a goalscorer from distance, we’ll get a passer and we’ll get the benefit of his experience and his captaincy”.
But what if Bale scores the last-minute victor against Russian Federation – will he be eating more fast food?
Advertisement
“A lot of the youngsters coming up now probably don’t know I’ve had to come up the way I have, they just probably see it that because I’m playing at the level I am that’s where I’ve always been”.
