England finished top of the Group of Dearth courtesy of a dire, drab, dull draw with Slovenia that was worthy of a stream of more four-letter words.
The point they earned meant they will now play the equivalent of a lucky loser in the last 16. They are also on the side of the draw denuded of Germany, Portugal, France and Spain.
The catch is, if they keep playing like this, they are going absolutely nowhere except home after the first knockout game, which may be against the Netherlands, or any of the teams in Group E — Romania, Belgium, Slovakia or Ukraine.
On this form, it would be unwise to back England to beat any of them. Gareth Southgate and his side are muddling through this European Championship without anything that looks remotely like conviction.
If there has been some scintillating football in this tournament, precious little of it has come from Group C. England beat Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia out of it but it was a grim, grim struggle.
They look like a mixture of a team that is scared to death and tired out. They keep talking about the weight of the shirt and it seems to be hanging more and more heavily around their shoulders.
They are evolving but they are evolving uncertainly. Phil Foden had his best game of the tournament so far but Jude Bellingham probably had his worst. Harry Kane is still misfiring. Playing Conor Gallagher was a plan they have already given up on.
The night ended with Gareth Southgate applauding the England fans and the England fans slinging plastic cups at him. It was that kind of night.
As expected, it was announced before the match that Southgate had abandoned the experiment of playing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield and moved Conor Gallagher into his place alongside Declan Rice at the base of England's midfield.
England started the game with more energy and intent than in their previous two games but Bellingham and Marc Guehi both gave the ball away cheaply in quick succession in their own half.
Even if those lapses weren't punished, Slovenia created the first chance of the game in the opening minutes when the ball was headed across the area to danger-man Benjamin Sesko. He was unmarked but his tame header fell gently into the arms of Jordan Pickford.
England struggled to find a rhythm. John Stones allowed a ball from Guehi to run under his foot and into touch, a ball wide to Kieran Trippier sailed high over the full-back's head into the crowd and Trippier was booked for a high tackle on Zan Karnicnik.
They played with more energy. They even made fitful attempts at a high press but there was little consistency to that. And once again, there was a lack of movement. England are best when they play at a high tempo but too often, the player on the ball had nothing to aim at and played square or backwards.
Gallagher's presence did shore up England's midfield. There were fewer opposition line-breaks than in the previous two games. But England were up against another low block and, once again, they laboured to break it down. Once again, they looked anxious and fretful.
England thought they had unlocked the Slovenian defence midway through the half when Rice played a first-time pass to Phil Foden, Foden took a touch and crossed for Bukayo Saka, who tapped it into the net. The flag went up straight away. Foden was offside.
Too often at this tournament England have looked like a team that is missing a beat. They have lacked a connection. So when Foden made a promising, darting run to the edge of the area, he flicked the ball left to Kane and Kane was caught flat-footed. He watched it roll into touch. Foden looked mystified.
Foden arrowed a 30-yard free-kick towards the top corner but Jan Oblak is too good a goalkeeper to be beaten from that distance. England, though, were starting to drop hints that they might yet cause Slovenia problems.
They should have scored five minutes before half-time. Trippier whipped in a superb cross from the left. It was hit with pace and curl and Gallagher rose to meet it just in front of the penalty spot. It only needed a touch to direct it in but Gallagher missed it. Kane flung himself at it at the back post but he missed it, too.
Bellingham, who won England's game against Serbia almost single-handed, was restricted to a peripheral presence in the first half here. On the stroke of half-time, Saka played a ball in to him on the edge of the box and then ran for the return.
Bellingham flicked it back to him but Saka did not read it and the ball rolled to a Slovenian. Another disconnect. When the whistle blew for half-time, it was met with a sullen chorus of murmuring boos from the England fans.
Gallagher did not come out after the break. He was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo. It was a ruthless move from Southgate but it also spoke of a manager who had tried one more option and given up on it after 45 minutes. Things evolve fast at tournaments but this was warp-speed.
Mainoo injected more positivity into the side immediately and Kane almost freed Bellingham with a brilliant pass behind the Slovenia defence. Bellingham stretched for it and controlled it but his touch took it far enough away from him to allow a Slovenian defender to recover and clear.
England finally threatened the opposition goal 10 minutes into the second half. Kane nodded the ball down firmly from a corner and it bounced towards the goal before it was half-cleared by Jaka Bijol.
Guehi headed it back into the six-yard box and Saka tried to score with an overhead kick but only succeeded in flattening a Slovenia defender. The burst of action raised the spirits of the England fans, at least, who burst into song at the other end.
England pinned Slovenia deep in their own half but when their opponents eventually broke out, Andraz Sporar wriggled away from Guehi and was about to play in Sesko when Guehi cut his losses and dragged Sporar down. Guehi was booked. Slovenia wasted the free kick.
England returned the favour at the other end. Kane was dragged down on the edge of the box, Bijol was booked for hauling him down and Trippier overhit the free kick to the back post. It was a dismal sequence.
Cole Palmer came on for Saka and began to ask more questions of the Slovenia defence. It felt as if England were getting closer but there was still plenty of frustration boiling up inside them. Foden was booked for dissent.
The game petered out. Slovenia celebrated wildly in front of their fans. England's fans through missiles at their manager. England, and Southgate, are running out of time.
vuaabdipu
0
They need a new manager They need new blood in the team
yeetingmy
0
yup, it’s actually insane how warped the media coverage of england is… some players get bashed for no good reason and some are completely protected. it’s complete fantasy world over there. freaky stuff
Agreed it’s disturbing
veecmpsuz
0
its funny how all English fans and pundits are so delusional and unfortunately Southgate listens starting with the squad....its not always about form of a player but if we take harry kane who is englands vest player and build a team around him. we all know his really creative and givè him runners like rashford...etc it's sad actually how they they just put players without chemistry on the pitch and expect results might actually come up with a better wngland team than this southgate its funny how they play foden , saka , Bellingham as a ten ..trent in midfield ...kobbie maino who really doesnt deserve to be in the team instead of calling uo guys like sancho ..rashford ..maddison grealish ..mount ...guys who actually know how to kick the ball guys like foden play with people likes de bruyne and rodri at city and gurdiola as tye coach ....he is not that good actually and that facts if he is tell me hes better than ....musiala ...wirtz.. pedri etc only kane starts in that Germany,spain, france team and thats just how bad. England are
definitely wrong about foden but that’s okay! england make him look bad because they have no chemistry which is the coaches job, not fodens.
veecmpsuz
0
“Bellingham stretched for it and controlled it but his touch took it far enough away from him to allow a Slovenian defender to recover and clear.” Bellingham is way too protected in the media, he is not a good player. The touch he took from kanes pass was woeful, something you would see in the championship, and that wasn’t his first time that game or any of the games he’s been in this tournament. He needs to be dropped because his first touch is awful, he’s invisible in the midfield and the whole pitch, it’s like England is playing with one less player.
yup, it’s actually insane how warped the media coverage of england is… some players get bashed for no good reason and some are completely protected. it’s complete fantasy world over there. freaky stuff
veecmpsuz
0
Madrid and arsenal fans really don't want to admit how poor their boys are in this tournament, even I'm a city fan knew foden will not played the same like he used to in epl. He already got history of that in euro 2020
yeah crazy how they focus on foden and ignore saka and jude and others who are supposed to be “world class”. i haven’t heard a word about saka lmao
veecmpsuz
2
so annoying how everyone and media bashed foden in the first game but now he played well and Jude disappeared and now it’s “england”… team game all of a sudden 😂 City players are held to a much higher standard for some reason
myclubliverpool
0
They are more scared of mistakes and criticism than not playing creatively
thank you brother !!
Ubong12
0
They are more scared of mistakes and criticism than not playing creatively
Clean fact
jueikopru
3
l have been telling people that Belligham is not good enough, now people can see for themselves, if they drop him an put another player in , you will see the different in that English team, but because he plays for Real Madrid his untouchable , for that reason last 16 is thier last game in that tournament.
Kohadkmorz
0
overhyped players
Naocdeintz
1
What's wrong with England? The diagnostic is the following: 1) England Federation have to name a stranger as head coach instead of the talkative English coaches. 2) All the players are not able to play together to give a good result. 3) Some players must be called by the coach; others mustn't be in the squad. 4) Players selected should themselves be hungry of winnings, victories, and glories. I'm not a player but that's my thought.
ANK3430
1
They are more scared of mistakes and criticism than not playing creatively
Randkluz
2
What has happened with England's pressing? It has all but disappeared in this tournament. Has anyone told Rice he's a six not an eighth? Has anyone told Foden and Saka they don't have to cut inside every single time? England has regressed badly this year for some unknown reason. They resemble Hodgson's England at this point. Thank goodness Trent didn't play. Otherwise, he would get blamed again for this drab draw.
Manchesterisblue
1
Madrid and arsenal fans really don't want to admit how poor their boys are in this tournament, even I'm a city fan knew foden will not played the same like he used to in epl. He already got history of that in euro 2020
yeetingmy
1
“Bellingham stretched for it and controlled it but his touch took it far enough away from him to allow a Slovenian defender to recover and clear.” Bellingham is way too protected in the media, he is not a good player. The touch he took from kanes pass was woeful, something you would see in the championship, and that wasn’t his first time that game or any of the games he’s been in this tournament. He needs to be dropped because his first touch is awful, he’s invisible in the midfield and the whole pitch, it’s like England is playing with one less player.
iyg
0
Bellingham plays for Madrid that's why he is hyped and he is surrounded by world class player in Madrid who carried him 😛😛😛
safe for foden..saka etc
iyg
1
its funny how all English fans and pundits are so delusional and unfortunately Southgate listens starting with the squad....its not always about form of a player but if we take harry kane who is englands vest player and build a team around him. we all know his really creative and givè him runners like rashford...etc it's sad actually how they they just put players without chemistry on the pitch and expect results might actually come up with a better wngland team than this southgate its funny how they play foden , saka , Bellingham as a ten ..trent in midfield ...kobbie maino who really doesnt deserve to be in the team instead of calling uo guys like sancho ..rashford ..maddison grealish ..mount ...guys who actually know how to kick the ball guys like foden play with people likes de bruyne and rodri at city and gurdiola as tye coach ....he is not that good actually and that facts if he is tell me hes better than ....musiala ...wirtz.. pedri etc only kane starts in that Germany,spain, france team and thats just how bad. England are
wuscmnruy
0
who is Bellingham? what's the hype for?
Bellingham plays for Madrid that's why he is hyped and he is surrounded by world class player in Madrid who carried him 😛😛😛
GodCool
1
"Hopes for England to win anything is like one's expectation to see a chicken in the sky. It's a bird with wings but it will never fly."
Wabadilnty
1
Thank God TAA didnt play else he would collect all the blame...God will always shame your haters
posabdkmrs
3
who is Bellingham? what's the hype for?
nehbilnopy
0
sack southgate