But you must admit it was a good substitution from hodgson. Inspired even, it was an almost instant reaction to going 2-1 down.

All top quality manager make decisive game changing subs like that, don't they?

Young was terrible and how Johnson got the MOM I don't know. He is out of position so often its ridiculous. We're having to reduce our pace on the right by starting Milner to cover for when Johnson goes walkabout.

Still I suppose we showed we can score goals without Rooney in the side. It'll be interesting to see who Rooney will come in for. You'd probably say Young deserves to be dropped on form but I can't see it as it would mean changing the system quite dramatically, unless he wants to play Welbeck on the left, but I'm not sure thats the best way to use him.

All in all we need to improve in every department. The midfield so been very poor so far, they work hard but there's no cutting edge, from Parker inparticular.

Can't stand Hansen, he's a bitter jock, and I don't know why Lawro bothers watching the game, he makes 1 positive comment per game.

I think it's funny with lawro, he just chips in with sarcastic snide remarks

has been living off the Croatia game for years, he's not good enough". Boom, eat that old man. They should get Stan Collymore on the BBC, passion and enthusiasm for the game and he also offers some insight having played the game in the last 20 years.

England were fine tonight, playing very positively when they finally got the ball off the Swedes. The only problem with tonight's performance was that they weren't able to keep the ball in midfield which meant they were always in danger of dropping too deep. England have many problems, but the main one for me is the centre of midfield. I thought Gerrard had a reasonable game tonight, but Parker, for all his effort, is extremely poor technically.

Milner continues to annoy me. He put in a couple of half decent crosses tonight, but is so far away from deserving an England shirt that it's not funny. Theo was sensational tonight when he came on, perhaps that is the right way to use him. Finally a player had the guts to go at someone.

Tough decisions ahead for Hodgson. The fact we only need a draw could well cost England IMO, as he's likely to pick Milner, Parker and Gerrard again and make only one change, bringing Rooney in for one of the front two. I don't see why they don't abandon the width and go with Jones, Gerrard and Rooney in midfield and Carroll, Young and Wellbeck up front.

Some more hideously obvious anti-England refereeing tonight. There seems to be two sets of rules, one for England and one for the non-English sides. There were some absolutely blatant examples again tonight. Like when Scott Parker was shoved in the back and pushed over the side line and a throw in to Sweden was given and when Lescott won a header cleanly and a free kick was given. I don't know what Gerrard has to do to get a free kick on the edge of the box. Perhaps his reputation for diving is going before him, but the one against France was a knee to the thigh and tonight there was another clear foul ignored.

Milner is in there for his workrate. Someone's got to do the running for that midfield, Gerrard and Parker get less and less mobile as the game goes on. Nice to see Walcott go at the defence for the 3rd, but let's not get carried away, I still think Chamberlain is a better all round player.

I was think something similar, 4-3-3, with Jones/Parker, and Gerrard as holding players with Young or even Milner in there in an attacking role, with Carroll up top with Rooney and Welbeck either side. I doubt he'll change the system too much though.

How is Carragher a bad pundit? Speaks sense and honesty. I understand it may be difficult to.understand him, but the way he reads the game and understands it is brilliant. He's a top pundit.

It was a good sub but I wouldn't call it inspired. Walcott is what he is, a speedster who thrives in open play, but struggles when facing players. His goal was a great hit but I was left astounded by the goalkeeper; what on earth was he thinking? The assist was class, something England have lacked all tournament. Roy done well there but England shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place. The first goal was unfortunate, but the second was disastrous, whilst England never defended with any conviction all night. Ibrahimovic was class.

The acsent though...

He might say the right things, I wouldn't know, I spend too much of the time he's on whincing at the harshness of his accent, or putting it on mute.

"Eeeeaaaaaaarrrrrrrrmmmmmm"

Sorry Saddened, but England were not 'fine'. The full backs were wasteful and offered little going forward. Glen Johnson was poor and incapable of completing the most simple of one-twos; Ashley Cole offered very little offensively. The centre halves didn't handle Ibrahimovic all night, the game was far too 'open', if England want to compete, they have to show some sort of control and composure. The midfield can dictate a gameplan, whether it's counter-attacking or all-out possession, England's midfield looked lost and they never had a hold of the game all night.
Both wingers were poor and provided little for the two strikers. Young is quick but very little quality, similarly, Milner isn't quick but also offers very little quality.

I'm not being negative, I'm just not buying into all of the euphoria that surrounds England at a tournament. Because they haven't been beat, the media grows rapidly with optimism, flaws are ignored, positives are exaggerated and the end result is a totally deluded nation. For me, England look average at the moment, they managed three goals tonight but they're defending poorly and the midfield is struggling. The positive is that two strikers have scored and Rooney is to come back, and England only need a draw to go through, which is achievable with enough composure in a hostile fixture.

Pleased to have won, but after 2 games the player we are missing most at the moment isn't Lampard or Rooney but Jack Wilshire,somebody with a bit of composure and great passing in midfield.

Bang on mate

No wonder we have done nothing for so long, I wouldn't want to play football to represent a few select TOSSERS on here too.

Good result England, our starting right hand side needs changing !!!

I'd keep the same team but bring in Rooney for Carroll. A front three who play together every week sounds too good to not try. It's also a front three which has some speed because we can't play Young on the left and Walcott on the right but I expect we'll need to speed to play on the counter. Ukraine need to win, we don't so I'm pretty sure Hodgson will play for that because it makes perfect sense.

I just dont think that the current England squad is capable of playing for a draw. There's too big a risk that the midfield will run out of gas and we will invite the Ukraine's on to us as we drop deeper and deeper. We need to take control early on while we're still fresh and capable of playing with some tempo. I really doubt that Parker can play 3 games in 8 days. I would drop Milner back into the holding role (where he doesn't give the ball away as much), bring in Ox for Parker and Rooney for Carroll.

Do you not think Welbeck and Rooney have to similar playing style, i.e. fast, sharp, movement, whereas Carroll offers something different, a massive airel threat, big presence and will hold up the play, and give flicks ons to Rooney etc. As I've said, Carroll and Rooney could be devastatingly good.

My take on it all so far. The Germans have displayed ruthless efficiency, top athletes, skill in abundance, robotical in their performance, every player knows his job. Deserved favourites. France and Spain quite similar in their game plan and performance, tip tap, to me to you, hold onto the ball as if their lives depend on it and skill in abudance. ( Are they just a touch boring)
England, ruthless unpredictability, you need a drink inside you to watch them (and some blood pressure tablets) infuriating to the point of screaming at the telly like a mad man. Shouts of “I knew it, you complete to$$er, followed by “Go on my son I knew you could do it”
Watching Danny Welbeck walk about in central midfield whilst the score was 1-2 and 2-2, all he needed was a dog on a lead to complete the act. And then providing the deft touch of the Championships so far. Ashley Cole (amongst others) deciding to wear his Pin Ball boots and having his Rabbit in the headlight game. Knowing the the Pubs and clubs throughout England are full of folk on a high, and then looking for the Samaritans number, back to a high, and then euphoria. Its not pretty, it’s not technically perfect, and of all the teams in this Championship they have that ‘soap opera’ appeal. You can’t take your eyes off it. Nobody in their right mind expects to get beyond the quarters. And one last thing how does an opposing coach know how to set his team up against us. (scratch head)

5/1 Spain 2 Croatia 2


Surprisingly short odds!

Play a containing game a la against France = people moaning we aren't exciting or attacking enough.
Play a more expansive and risky game a la against Sweden = same people moaning that we are too open.

Hodgson just can't win with some people.

Was an excellent turn around for me. From a position of relative comfort at half-time to being all over the shop after an hour to winning and possibly winning by more than we did in the end. One thing that can't be faulted is the team spirit and determination to get out of the hole we got ourselves into.

England weren't open because they were playing expansively, they were open because the midfield was sh*te and incapable of getting a hold of the ball for long spells. If you think last night was expansive, you clearly can't grasp expansive football; how can you play an expansive game when your four starting midfielders offered almost nothing all game?

I was criticising them for being open because to succeed, you have to control the manner of the game. England were neither great defensively or great offensively. I watched the French in the game before and they were always in control, even if they weren't playing particularly expansively or fluently. They were solid in their shape and Ukraine struggled to break them down all night, yet they done enough to snatch two goals for a comfortable win eventually. As a spectator it was fun to watch and it was much better than the game against France on Monday, but that doesn't mean you can't talk about the faults and criticisms of the side. When I criticised England for being too negative, it wasn't that I was asking them to play open or leave the defence exposed, it was that I felt they didn't make an attempt to play and resorted to aimless play without intent. I mentioned Italy as a good example of playing football yet still remaining strong defensively and getting men behind the ball. I don't think I'm asking for a lot by asking England to pass and dribble the ball with a bit of intent, but I guess that's too much for some to get their head around. Passing? Dribbling? Nahhh, we'll stick to our fourty yard crosses and seventy yard diagonals, pal.

Hart was at fault for Swedens 2nd goal for me...the cross was on his 6yd box and he just stood there,should have come for the cross and got ball,man and everything.

I thought so too.

I thought Sweden's first was an own goal as well. It didn't look to be going in, it hit Johnson and then he knocked it in when trying to clear it.

Keepers nowadays seem hell bent on parrying everything.After Swedens 2nd goal,Hart came for everything with catches and punches and there was more bodies in the way then but not for the goal,when he hit the cross,im sat thinking Harts ball then thought he isnt coming for it.Also,what got me was Ibrahamovic was giving him a right gobful and he never said a thing...should have been giving him it back.

For all Zlatan's posturing and nice touches, he didn't create much. Thought we marshalled him fairly well. We paniced after half time and conceded 2 stupid goals from set pieces.

I really do cringe when there is a simple ball to feet on, and Gerrard tries to hit a 60 yard hollywood ball. Gerrard was by far our best midfielder yesterday, class player, but we need to keep it simple, and keep the ball. Whenever we put 5 or 6 passes together in midfield we look dangerous. Try the glory ball and it just keeps coming back ay tou.