England top group

A solid performance from the 3 Lions tonight in what was in reality a very tricky away game in Ukraine’s back (coal) yard. Hopefully the hardy 4,000 Englishmen will be safe tonight in Donetsk.

Wayne Rooney got the all important winner, but otherwise looked very match rusty. Gerrard was immense and Parker as expected blocked and harried everyone and everything. The back four impressed, particulary Terry and Lescott, although once again the evidence was there for millions to see that even having a human-being five yards from the goal-line will never be as accurate as technology. Oleg Blokhin looked like he was going to blow a gasket. Oh well, swings and roundabouts as far as England are concerned I guess.

We didn’t create many goalscoring opportunities and the end product again lacked but the spirit was plenty evident and I think most of us would say if the road ended on Sunday then it would be hard to find too many complaints about Roy and his charges, although I am sure there are some that think we should be tonking teams and playing like Brazil.

Winning Group D was unexpected and also a big achievement. I was thinking this morning that maybe Spain would be an ‘easier’ game. The Spaniards from what I have seen look tired, and are maybe struggling with the moniker of odds-on favourites. Italy meanwhile have been impressive and I wonder if the French players felt likewise as they failed to chase the game at 0-1, particularly with Portugal or the Czech’s next up. Conspiracy theorists comment below please.

Nevermind, we are through to the last 8 of what has seen some very good sides already go home. Onto Kiev on Sunday.