More reaction and analysis
That’s all for tonight. I’ll leave you with David Hytner’s match report from Cologne. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight.
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Gareth Southgate's reaction
I thought we were much improved with the ball. We created some good openings. At the moment it’s hard work for us – we’re not quite getting that break in front of goal. The boys who came on had a really good impact on the game, and we had the discipline to keep a clean sheet, which meant we won the group. I understand some of the reactions, but it’s a strange environment we’re play in.
Cole Palmer was very good. He finds space well, he’s got lovely technique, he’s calm. You really fancied him when he got that chance at the end.
They’re really young players (Mainoo and Palmer), so we’re balancing blooding them in a difficult environment. They came on and played really well for us.
There’s lots to build on from tonight. Tonight we started with Conor who pressed well, then we thought Kobbie’s ability to move the ball up the pitch would help us and it did.
I don’t think we were ever going to go from where we were to winning 3-0 or 4-0. But there were a lot of things I was pleased about. We have to take it a step at a time. Tonight was an improvement and we have to keep improving. But we have topped the group and that was our intention at t e start.
The draw is irrelevant. We shouldn’t be seduced by which half we’re in. We hve to play well, whoever we play.
Some things are starting to come together. The defensive play has been a huge positive. Today we looked more dangerous and had a good impact from our subs. Now we’ve got to convert those chances.
Gareth Southgate went over to applaud the England fans tonight but was mostly met with prolonged boos and two empty plastic cups were thrown in his direction from the stands. This is ending in a sad way.
A few of you have pointed out that England’s group table is exactly the same as it was at Italia 90, the only difference being that it was two points for a win back then. A very good omen for Germany.
“Would you want to mark Palmer?” says Roy Keane, who looks like he’s fallen in love. “I’m hard to impress and every time he got the ball I thought something was gonna happen.”
The ITV pundits are raving about Cole Palmer’s performance as substitute. “Every time he gets the ball he’s trying to take opponents out of the game,” says Ange Postecoglou. “His first thought is: How can I eliminate one of the opposition or a whole line of them?”
John Stones’s verdict
We took a step in the right direction. It’s not the result we wanted but I’m so pleased we’ve topped the group. We’ve gotta believe now and step up when it counts.
“Kane and Bellingham both look like they’ve just finished a long car journey,” says Tom Atkins. “Kane is the dad who’s done all the driving and needs to stretch his stiff back; Bellingham the stroppy kid who didn’t want to go in the first place.”
England will play in Gelsenkirchen at 5pm on Sunday. I’m pretty sure their opponent will be one of these teams: Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia.
Harry Kane's verdict
That was the aim before the start of the tournament, to come top of the group. Tonight was a tough game – we played better than in the first two games but we couldn’t find that final pass. They defended well and made it hard for us.
The boys who came on did really well, they kept the energy high. That’s what we need – everyone to chip in when their time comes.
These games are really, really tough. We’ve been here before and stepped it up in the knockouts. Hopefully we can do it again but whoever we get in the next round will be tough. It might take extra-time, it might take penalties. That’s the reality of this tournament.
“Sometimes football matches are compared to games of chess,” notes Chris Fryer. “This is usually because they are tactically intricate and cerebral, not because only one piece moves at a time.”
The final Group C table
England 5pts
Denmark 3pts
Slovenia 3pts
Serbia 2pts
Slovenia and Denmark have identical records. Denmark finish second by virtue of their superior disciplinary record. As far as I can tell they had the same number of yellow cards but committed one foul fewer.
Full time: Denmark 0-0 Serbia
One of the great nights of European Championship football. Another goalless match in Munich means England have won Group C and will go into the easier half of the draw. All they need to do now is remember how to play football.
Full time: England 0-0 Slovenia
Slovenia have qualified for the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time! Their players are dancing with joy on the field, and quite right too.
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90+2 min Mainoo’s clever flick finds Kane, who plays in the overlapping Palmer. He runs onto the ball, 18 yards out, but hits a tame low shot that is comfortably held to his left by Oblak.
Palmer has been really good since coming on, so you expected him to do better there.
90+1 min: Slovenia substitution Jure Balkovec for Erik Janza.
90 min Four added minutes, and then the news cycle can resume.
89 min: England substitution Anthony Gordon replaces Phil Foden, who didn’t hit the heights but had his best game of the tournament so far.
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89 min Foden’s free-kick is headed away at the near post.
88 min A crossfield pass from Walker is dealt with majestically by Palmer, who cushions it first time over Janza and is blocked off. England have a free-kick on the right wing.
86 min: Double substitution for Slovenia Jon Gorenc Stankovic and Zan Celar replace Jan Mlakar and Andraz Sporar.
84 min: England substitution Trent Alexander-Arnold replaces Kieran Trippier, who is struggling with cramp. That means Kyle Walker will move to left back.
83 min Foden’s fierce shot from 25 yards is well blocked by Elsnik. Slovenia haven’t just parked the bus, they’ve taken the back wheels off.
82 min England have pinned Slovenia back for almost all of the second half, and at times their tempo has been better. For all that, I can’t remember Jan Oblak’s last save.
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81 min “My German girlfriend just told me that the local newspaper (Leverkusen) has described Southgate as a manager as a man who owns a Ferrari and drives around thinking he’s got a clapped out Trabant,” says Malcolm Shuttleworth. “Sums it up nicely, I think.”
I think that’s a bit harsh. But one thing’s for sure: he’ll never be happier than he was in that Trabant in 2018.
80 min Janza stays down after being caught by Bellingham. He might be trying it on, who knows. Slovenia are 10 minutes away from reaching the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.
78 min Palmer clips a nonchalant pass down the right to Kane, who rifles a dangerous low cross that is turned behind by Karnicnik. Foden was waiting behind him.
77 min Mainoo’s cutback is cleared, then Foden is booked for dissent. England are still top of the group, though a goal for Slovenia or Denmark would change that.
76 min: Slovenia substitution Josip Ilicic replaces Benjamin Sesko, who won’t be roofing anything tonight. He can’t be fully fit.
75 min A good effort from Rice. He cut inside from the left, played a one-two with Foden and larruped a speculative effort that whistled a few yards wide of the far post.
74 min Trippier’s free-kick is overhit, and all Guehi can do is keep it in play by heading it back to Foden. He wins a throw-in and the cycle begins again.
73 min Kane wriggles away from Bijol, who rugby tackles him desperately. A clear yellow card. The free-kick is about 22 yards out but a fair way to the right of centre.
72 min “I’m catching as much as I can from the U.S. during work hours,” writes Liisa, “but just to say this first half has been so uninspired that I focused more on figuring out how to email you than on the match, to include VPN’ing from London in case non Europeans were blocked for some crazy reason! Overall tournament comment too: what’s with all the own goals? This is the own goal tournament.”
The OG, you might say.
71 min: England substitution Cole Palmer replaces Bukayo Saka to huge cheers. It’s his tournament debut.
70 min When the free-kick is eventually taken, it’s overhit and goes out of play. Bleurgh.
68 min Guehi is booked for a cynical but necessary foul on Sporar, who had seized upon an error from Guehi and would have had a two-on-one had he got away. Instead Slovenia have a free-kick 25 yards from goal.
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68 min England’s tempo has dropped a bit in the last 5-10 minutes. Cole Palmer is apparently about to come on.
67 min “If it’s any consolation, those of us are watching on a split screen can confirm that the Denmark the Serbia game is equally duff, incoherent and unconsummated,” writes Charles Antaki. “So two mid-table games from four mid-table international sides. Sounds about right.”
It resembles England’s World Cup group in 2010 doesn’t it: 1-1, 0-1, a disgusting 2-2, 0-0, 0-1 and 1-0.
66 min Sesko has been eerily quiet, which makes you wonder a) how fit he is and b) in which minute he’s going to roof a violent 30-yarder.
65 min Bellingham leaves a bit on Janza, who takes the opportunity to go down about as convincingly as Gulbadin Naib last night. You can’t blame him: Slovenia are 25 minutes away from making history.
64 min “This situation is crying out for a game changer like Jos Buttler or Adil Rashid to be brought on,” says Simon McMahon. “Why can’t Southgate see that?”
Adil Rashid: now there’s a man who knows how to have fun at work.
63 min A rare Slovenia attack ends when Gnezda Cerin slices miles wide from distance.
62 min “In lieu of anything more interesting happening, let’s go back to the vowel ‘fun’,” says Matt Dony. “There is, of course, a difference between a vowel sound, and a letter being classified as a vowel. And, in English, a Y is a consonant. Other languages vary. In Welsh, for instance, a Y is a vowel. Along with W. So an English reader might look at a phrase such as ‘Nid yw’r bencampwriaeth hon mor ddifyr â 2016’ and think there’s not enough vowels. But there are plenty.”
What about that Adam Wharton though!
60 min Foden lines up one of his long-range heatseekers but is tackled just as he pulls his foot back.
59 min “Note to self,” says Richard Slassor. “Don’t speed read the MBM while watching the match and then wonder why Mainoo resembles Carol Vorderman.”
58 min Foden’s outswinging corner is met by Stones, whose header is cleared off the line by Sesko. He also blocks Bellingham’s follow-up, and then Saka is penalised for booting the side of Sporar’s face while trying an overhead kick.
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57 min Foden’s excellent free-kick is taken off Kane’s head by Bijol. For the first time tonight, it feels like an England goal is in the post.
56 min Look, it’s not award-winning stuff but England have been better – and, crucially, quicker – since half-time. Mainoo, the catalyst for that improvement, is flattened 30 yards from goal by Drkusic. His stiff arm went into Mainoo’s neck and he’s lucky to avoid a yellow card.
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54 min An outrageous long pass from Kane almost releases Bellingham, who can’t quite control the ball on the half-volley. Had he done so he’d have been through on goal, though it was a very difficult ball to take.
53 min A fine crossfield pass from Kane finds Walker in space on the right side of the box. He tries to cushion a volley back across goal and gets it all wrong.
52 min It’s still goalless between Denmark and Serbia, so as things stand England are top of Group C and heading for the easy half of the draw.
51 min “England are so stodgy,” says Jeremy Smith. “Remembering that it’s meant to be fun would be a start.”
That’s a great point – they look so uptight, even joyless. I wonder how much of that is down to the all the criticism they’ve received.
50 min This is better from England. Mainoo’s one-touch pass frees Bellingham, whose ambitious through pass to Kane is crucially cut out in the area.
48 min Mainoo, who has a slight resemblance to Carlos Valderrama in the way he lends people the ball, has already had loads of touches. He threads a nice pass into Bellingham, who wins a corner for England.
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47 min “At the risk of bucking the trend, I’m an England fan who is quite enjoying this game,” says Nick Parish. “Having said that, I’m watching it poolside in Costa Rica with a cold beer, and an article from John Curtice on the forthcoming election to read at halftime. Apologies to all those without such consolations.”
It’s Steak Club at Wetherspoons tonight, so…
46 min Peep peep! Slovenia begin the second half. They are 45 minutes away from reaching the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time.
Half-time substitution
Kobbie Mainoo on, Conor Gallagher off.
“Bellingham is dreadful for England (not interested in what he has done for Real, it’s a different game here),” says Andrew Hurley. “He is a huge part of England’s problem – why not have a meritocracy, play Foden where he should be playing, and play (a novel concept, hold on to your horses)... a left winger on the left wing ? Or a left back left back? Or a defensive midfielder in the defensive midfield position ? Everyone in Ireland is so amused by the fantasy football mentality that surrounds the English football team. You literally couldn’t make up all of the nonsense around this team – but it’s very, very amusing.”
That’s a bit harsh, no? In the games I’ve seen, Bellingham was great for England until about 5pm last Thursday. Agree totally on the Fantasy Football mentality though; that’s become a bigger problem for Gareth Southgate with each passing tournament. But then when he picks Conor Gallagher, who is an Anti-Fantasy Footballer, the incorrectly spelt hashtags are out before kick off.
The ITV panel’s verdict
Ange Postecoglou “The passing is way too slow”
Roy Keane “They need to be braver. Be brave enough to lose the ball.”
Gary Neville “It’s a collection of single passes. We look really basic and it’s sad because we’re better than that.”
“Re Southgate’s comments on Gallagher,” begins Mark Gillespie. “Is there anything more English football than picking a player because he can run and win second balls, over players like Wharton and especially Mainoo who mean you far more often keep the first ball.
“In addition, the change that has been made has already been tried in both of the previous games, and didn’t make any significant improvement. It’s like Southgate used up all his risk changes in the players he left out of the squad, but doesn’t trust any of the players he then brought in.”
While I can see the logic of picking Gallagher, his selection tonight felt like a statement that England aren’t panicking.
Half time: England 0-0 Slovenia
Gary Lineker said England were “sh!t” against Denmark. Tonight they are doing their best to put the log in Cologne. The first-half performance was uncomfortably similar to the Denmark game, only minus the early goal. Don’t know what else to say really, except that Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia and won the World Cup. But right here, right now, England are nowhere near.
45+1 min Don’t take this the wrong way, because he’s an astonishing footballer who makes me feel like I’ve finally seen Duncan Edwards play, but Bellingham has been dreadful.
45 min The reason there have been so many emails in this half is that there has been very little to write about on the field. England haven’t been crap as such, they’ve just kind of… existed.
44 min “I find it strange that Southgate discarded so many core players of his tenure for his last hurrah,” says Max Williams. “Apparently 13 of this squad are tournament debutants, which must impact the cohesion and general vibes, for want of a better word. We can debate the relative merits of Grealish, Rashford, Sterling, Dier, even Henderson but all are Southgate’s players and he seems lost without them. The fact he doesn’t appear to trust their replacements makes me wonder why he didn’t just go down fighting with the old guard.”
Yeah this is a fascinating psychological point, with a few possible explanations. Was he unconsciously responding to all those hashtags and accusations of excessive loyalty? Is he demob happy? Is he Keyser Soze?
42 min “This is a problem for a 24 team tournament,” says Gary Naylor. “England are pulling Slovenia down to their level.”
40 min Trippier, 25 yards out in the inside-left channel, whips a wicked inswinging cross that somehow evades both Gallagher and Kane at the far post. Gallagher missed his header and Kane just couldn’t react it on the stretch. Had he done so he’d almost certainly have scored.
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40 min That cross from Karnicnik (36 min) actually hit Guehi on the chest as he leant in front of Sporar. There were a few polite enquiries for handball but it was all fine.
Sporar has been more dangerous that Sesko so far.
39 min “I agree that Foden has been the sharpest England player, but I think he’s maybe too sharp, his teammates are always a step behind him,” says Kári Tulinius. “I think the charge that he’s a system player only is unfair, but he’s a team player, creating with others rather than on his own.”
As things stand England are top of the group, but a goal for Slovenia or Denmark would change that.
38 min Now Slovenia are having a good spell. This is all a bit World Cup 2010, and if England aren’t careful it will also end with a thumping by Germany in the last 16.
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36 min Slovenia’s most dangerous attack to date. Gorenc Stojanovic plays in the overlapping Karnicnik, who gets to the byline in the area and hammers a cross that doesn’t get past the crowd at the near post. That could have gone anywhere.
36 min “The attack might not have much verve, but the bench looks to have plenty.”
It took me about 30 seconds to realise you were talking about their football ability. At first I thought you were suggesting half of them had Richard Ashcroft haircuts.
35 min Foden’s free-kick is excellently struck, but Oblak dances across his line to make an awkward save look pretty straightforward.
Foden’s been England’s best attacker so far, which is one in the solar plexus for those of us who would have played Anthony Gordon. Who can we drop next? Bellingham?
34 min England are slowly taking control. Saka is fouled 25 yards from goal by Bijol, wiuth the free-kick in a shooting position. Kane and Foden are over it…
33 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “If England produce another stinker, at least it’ll be in Cologne.”
Way-hay! I’m sad I ordered Millings to put his phone away as he’s have enjoyed that.
32 min Gallagher’s loose pass goes straight to Sporar, who runs at the defence and hits a shot from about 25 yards. It deflects off Stones and spins through to Pickford.
32 min “England are playing like Arsenal did this season before the winter break - sluggish, devoid of ideas, vaguely bunging it in Saka’s direction in the hope he can create something out of nothing,” says Tom Atkins. “Can they all go to Dubai for a week or so for a holiday? They could pick up Ben White on the way back.”
31 min Rice again wins the ball in the final third and gives the ball to Kane, who tries a wobbler from 25 yards. It’s too close to Oblak, who saves comfortably.
30 min Kane’s shot on the turn is blocked, then Foden’s lovely cross is turned behind for a corner.
29 min Slovenia break dangerously, three on three, but Elsnik’s through pass to Sesko’s is slightly heavy and Pickford comes to the edge of his area to claim.
Just before that Rice won the ball high up the field with a cracking sliding tackle on Gorenc Stojanovic; that seems to have energised England’s players and supporters because the tempo has gone up.
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28 min Foden has been pretty sharp tonight actually, probably the most progressive of the England attackers. Kane and Bellingham have been disquietingly quiet.
26 min The key stats so far.
Possession: England 72-28 Slovenia
Attempts at goal: England 0-2 Slovenia
25 min “They’re not the only - or even the worst - offenders, but how often does an unambitious England pass arrive directly at the feet of a player who is standing still,” says Paul Cockburn. “No movement, utterly predictable, and usually slow enough that the defence has adjusted before the receiving player takes a step.”
24 min When the books come out in a few years’ time, it wouldn’t surprise me if we find out that Kane and/or Bellingham and/or half the team aren’t fully fit. With the partial exception of Saka, the attack has no verve.
23 min “I know it’s 15 minutes in but it’s all very end of season friendly rather than a Euros game,” says Graham Randall. “Just frustrating to watch.”
They’re really missing Raheem Sterling’s speed, movement and directness.
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22 min Janza is booked for a rugby tackle on Saka. He’ll miss the last 16 game if Slovenia go through.
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20 min: Saka has a goal disallowed for offside! A shame as it would have been a gem of a goal. Trippier forced the ball infield to Rice, whose terrific first-time pass released Foden on the left side of the area. He crossed to give Saka the goal – and then the flag went up.
It was against Foden, not Saka, and replays confirm it was a straightforward decision.
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19 min Sporar spins the ball up, 20 yards out, and mishits a volley that is going well wide until Pickford keeps it in play. England aren’t yet at the races.
18 min Janza’s wicked inswinging free-kick from the right beats everyone and bounces a few yards wide. Beautiful left foot, that lad.
17 min Trippier is booked for a lunge at Karnicnik.
16 min Janza, who has a lovely left foot, booms a cross from the left that tempts Pickford from his line. He doesn’t get there but, thankfully for England, nor does Andraz Sporar. He wasn’t far away thogh.
16 min So far, so meh. In England’s defence, it’s really hot. Don’t tell Roy Keane though, not after all the chat about the pitch in the last game.
14 min Saka is stretching the pitch on the right, whereas Foden is wandering where the mood takes him. Admirable as Kieran Trippier is, It would make such a difference if England had a left-footed left-back.
13 min “Apropos of Mr. Preston’s email,” begins Joe Pearson, “I am reminded that nothing from nothing leaves nothing. Is that an apt description of England’s lack of verve?”
These emails are going in a commemorative book when England bring it home next month.
12 min Slovenia play in a fairly rigid 4-4-2, shuffling from side to side and then breaking at pace when they win the ball.
So far England’s passing has been too slow and too safe, but there’s a long way to go.
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11 min Kane plays a terrific long pass to release Foden in the inside-left channel. His cross evades Saka and he was offside anyway. England need more runs in behind like that.
10 min “Your post re: the spelling of Conor Gallagher’s name is spoken (written?) like a man whose last name has been unintentionally spelled incorrectly for much of his life,” says Matt Burtz. “I know the feeling.”
Heh. That wasn’t actually on my mind when I typed it, at least not consciously, but yes it has often been misspelt or mispronounced. In fact now I can hear my slightly scary economics teacher barking, “Smith, what would you say?”
9 min The first promising attack from England. After a patient move, Kane rolls Drkusic 20 yards out before his pass is cut out.
7 min “I’m an Englishman at one of the late games at the Euros today,” writes our hero Mac Millings, “and, since it’s me, I’m at Denmark vs. Serbia. Updates as I witness them.”
PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS YOU EEJIT.
6 min An errant pass from Rice is intercepted and funnelled forward to Sesko 20 yards out. He tries to play the ball to the left but there’s nobody there.
England haven’t started particularly well.
5 min A deep cross from the left is nodded back across goal and then headed towards goal by Sesko. There’s no power on the header and Pickford saves easily.
4 min A nothing start. Gallagher, who is on a yellow card, is penalised for a bit of a wrestle in midfield.
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3 min “With England through I really hope that they make moves to show the world that the recent, and correct, criticism is unfounded,” says Bill Preston. “Ideally, they should get a proper stomp on from the get go, and throw caution to the wind and run up a heroically thrilling cricket score. However, I think we’ll see sideways passing and a general run about for a while before a sad 1-0 defeat.”
Patriotism ain’t what it used to be.
2 min England have started in a 4-1-4-1 formation, not 4-2-3-1, with Gallagher playing higher up the pitch. No great surprise, and on reflection I’m not sure why I listed the team as 4-2-3-1.
1 min Peep peep! England kick off from right to left as we watch. The word of the night, at least on the UK TV coverage, is “statement”.
“About the team selection, I have just one comment,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “If PAUL SCHOLES says great things about Mainoo, I would not leave him on the bench.”
To be fair, Scholes was saying great things about Seba Veron after his first month at Old Trafford.
“I was perplexed by your assertion that ‘rhythm’ has no vowels in it,” writes Joe Pearson. “So I went out to an internet dictionary to test your theory. Apparently, a vowel is ‘one of a class of speech sounds in the articulation of which the oral part of the breath channel is not blocked and is not constricted enough to cause audible friction’. Or it is ‘a letter or other symbol representing a vowel’. So in ‘rhythm’, ‘y’ is certainly a vowel.
“Just so we don’t have to argue about England’s midfield.”
Given the Guardian readership, tou have no idea what hell you’ve just unleashed. By half-time you’ll be hitting your knees pleading to talk about Adam Wharton.
Here come the players. It’s a sultry night in Cologne; let the ball do the work.
A peedie reminder of the teams
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Gallagher, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane.
Substitutes: Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Ramsdale, Konsa, Dunk, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Henderson, Palmer, Wharton, Mainoo.
Slovenia (4-4-2) Oblak; Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza; Gorenc Stojanovic, Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko.
Substitutes: Balkovec, Blazic, Stankovic, Verbic, Lovric, Belec, Kurtic, Horvat, Vekic, Vipotnik, Celar, Brekalo, Zugelj, Zeljkovic, Ilicic.
Referee Clement Turpin (France)
This is the real quiz
Ben Fisher profiles Timi Max Elsnik
I texted Derby’s physio, Steve Devine, saying: ‘Isn’t it great to see Timi playing for Slovenia?’ In the WhatsApp group, everybody came back and said: ‘Delighted for him because he was a great lad.’ He is a great role model for young players in terms of being humble and just digging in to try and continue the journey. His belief in himself is a really good story to take heed of.
Barney Ronay on Gary v ‘Arry
England were definitely worse than this in 1988, 1992, 2000, 2006 and 2010. They were less so in 1984, 1994 and 2008 but that was because they didn’t qualify. These are all tournaments Lineker and Shearer will remember, either directly or as part of English football’s wider cast.
Read Paul Macinnes’ preview.
What a word ‘rhythm’ is, by the way, and what a joy to experience. Any word of more than four letters that doesn’t require vowels usually refers to something pretty darn special.
Updated
Jordan Pickford has hurt his hand in the warm-up. It sounds like he’s okay; if not, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson are the back-up keepers.
More from Gareth, in this case yesterday’s press conference
Gareth Southgate’s pre-match thoughts
Conor presses really well and his forward running is an important asset. We think he can stretch them defensively and also win second balls in midfield.
We’ve spoken to the players about trying to win the ball higher, and then use it with more composure. We’ve been very honest about our assessment of our performances; we know there’s more to come. But we can talk all we like, we have to go and do it.
We’ve got to respect the positions on the pitch. We’ve gotta be more disciplined in keeping our positions with the ball – at times we’re coming to low. We need to stretch the pitch more.
Slovenia are quite direct, so we’ll have to defend well which we have up to this point. They’ve got everything to play for so it should be another cracking atmosphere.
We’re happy with the way we trained. But we have to go and deliver, it’s as simple as that.
🗣️ "Conor [Gallagher] presses the ball really well - his forward running is an important asset, we think he can stretch them defensively."
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 25, 2024
Was Southgate right to start Gallagher over Alexander-Arnold? 🤔#ITVFootball | 🎙️ @gabrielclarke05 | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/1MjKupOUGD
#ConnorGallagher is already trending. Come on England fans: if you’re gonna slag him off, at least show your support by spelling his name correctly.
It reminds me of the commenter who sneered at Paul Doyle for including Henrik Larsen – who won Euro 92 with Denmark – in a list of one-hit wonders on the grounds that Henrik Larsson won the Champions League 14 years later.
That was in 2007, and the wind o’ internet was only blowing one way.
Group D is done and dusted. Here are a pair of freshly baked match reports from this afternoon’s games.
Austria have beaten the Netherlands 3-2 and finished top of Group D after France were held to a 1-1 draw by Poland.
That means France go into the top half of the draw along with Spain, Germany and Portugal. England will be in the bottom half if they win Group C.
Don’t pretend you’re not thinking it. Roy knows what you’re up to.
Team news: Gallagher starts
As expected, England’s only change is Conor Gallagher for Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.
Benjamin Sesko is fit to start so Slovenia are unchanged.
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Gallagher, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane.
Substitutes: Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Ramsdale, Konsa, Dunk, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Henderson, Palmer, Wharton, Mainoo.
Slovenia (4-4-2) Oblak; Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza; Gorenc Stojanovic, Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko.
Substitutes: Balkovec, Blazic, Stankovic, Verbic, Lovric, Belec, Kurtic, Horvat, Vekic, Vipotnik, Celar, Brekalo, Zugelj, Zeljkovic, Ilicic.
Referee Clement Turpin (France)
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What each team needs in really simple listform
England need a win to be sure of topping the group, though they could still do so with a draw.
Slovenia need a draw to be sure of reaching the last 16, though they could still qualify with a defeat.
Denmark v Serbia is the other game in this group. You can follow the build-up to that with John Brewin.
The early game between Netherlands and Austria – one of whom may well play England in the next round – is a cracker. You can follow the last 15 minutes with Barry Glendenning.
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who has caught the eye of many an English club, is a doubt for tonight’s game. He’d be a huge loss.
Preamble
Football is a performances business. It’s no longer acceptable to take four points from your first two games at a major tournament; not if you’re England, not if you play as drowsily as they did against Serbia and Denmark. Tonight in Cologne they need two things against Slovenia: a result – imagine the reaction if they play poorly and lose – and a performance that registers at least 8.0 on the Guardian’s exclusive Itscominghomeometer™.
Since the Denmark game there has been a surrfeit of hot air, navel-gazing and fantasy XIs that look persuasive on paper but surely wouldn’t work on the pitch because he hasn’t played in that position for his club since 2020, and one of the last times he did so for England they lost 4-0 at home to Hungary, so it’ll be nice to have some actual football to break up the news cycle.
The word is that Gareth Southgate will make only one change to the team that played Denmark, with Conor Gallagher replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. That will increase the intensity of England’s pressing, which many identified as the biggest problem in the first two games. But it won’t address the lack of pace in attack, unless Gareth has decided to stick two fingers up at the lot of us by starting with a front two of Gallagher and Kyle Walker.
It’s easy to forget, this being an English newspaper and all, that this is an even bigger game for Slovenia. Unlike England, they have the chance to make history. They were denied their first win at the European Championship by Luka Jovic’s 95th-minute equaliser on Thursday, but they are still right in contention to reach the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time. A draw tonight would do the job, though a narrow defeat might also be enough depending on net run-rate in Group F.
Performances be damned, Fun Boy Three are talking gibberish. In Slovenia tonight, football is nothing but a results business.
Kick off 8pm.
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