PEOPLE are talking up Switzerland like we have a mountain to climb. Let’s get it right, it should be a molehill . . . they aren’t world-beaters.
There isn’t a great team in these Euros. Not like a Spain from the days of Andres Iniesta and Xavi, or France with Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry.
Fair enough, the Swiss were good value in beating Italy — but that only proves my point about the so-called big teams not being great.
No disrespect, but how many would get in the England side?
Manuel Akanji would have a good shout and although some would push Granit Xhaka’s case, Akanji’s the only one for me.
Look at the players Gareth Southgate’s got and we’re entitled to be turning them over . . . especially if we take them on, if we go out to attack.
Let’s make them worry about us, rather than playing it safe and steady.
That’s hardly been a roaring success up to now, and we’re so lucky to have got away with it thus far in Germany.
The nature of the manager’s job for Southgate is that one minute he’s heading to the Tower, the next he’s off to the Palace — fingers crossed there are no more changes of direction from here.
Thirty seconds from going out against Slovakia, but now Gareth is preparing for a quarter-final against Switzerland. Maybe some things are just meant to be.
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Sometimes it goes that way in cup football because as badly as England have played at these Euros, I am beginning to think it’s fate they’ll go all the way.
I know we’ve made heavy weather of it so far but the draw couldn’t have been kinder if Gareth had chosen it himself.
When we were one down on Sunday with less than a minute to go, I’m looking at Southgate and wondering: “What must be going through his mind?”
I’m not having it that he always felt England would turn it around, any more than his thoughts were still on how they could get back into it.
At that stage you’re not thinking about tactics but “Oh, my God, the grief that’s coming my way after this!”
If we’d lost, Gareth would have got absolutely slaughtered, and he knew it.
The whole country was so bullish beforehand but we’d played badly and were going out. I’ve been in that position as a manager, when time’s virtually up, you are losing and know what’s coming next.
And that’s at club level, not England, and not against Slovakia.
Never mind what he’d done in the past, his reputation was heading out the window, his life would never be the same again . . . that must have crossed his mind.
England ratings: Bellingham rescues woeful Three Lions as big names, and manager, have a shocker
JUDE BELLINGHAM’S majestic overhead kick deep into stoppage time saved England from a humiliating Euros exit.
Gareth Southgate’s side had been utterly woeful and looked to be heading home thanks to Ivan Schranz’s clever finish.
But Bellingham came to the rescue in the 96th minute, brilliantly firing into the corner after Marc Guehi had flicked on Kyle Walker’s long throw.
Remarkably, it was England’s first shot on target, summing how poor they had been.
But another one came soon after, as 53 seconds into extra-time, Harry Kane headed home from close range to set up a quarter-final with Switzerland.
It was as close a shave as it comes, and if they play like this against the Swiss, then they will be toast.
Here’s how Tom Barclay rated England’s stars… and manager Southgate.
Jordan Pickford: 5
Appeared to hurt his left hand when taking a big whack in the warm-up, but still played. Fired a lot of long balls and was lucky not to be lobbed by David Strelec’s 45-yard strike.
Kyle Walker: 4
England’s second-most experienced player had a shocker. He looked uncharacteristically slow, his touch was heavy and his crossing was nowhere near good enough. But it was his long throw that led to Bellingham’s magic.
John Stones: 4
Said it was time for the senior pros to step up in the build-up to the game, but there was little sign of that until Bellingham did his thing, and he is only 21. Stones fired aimless long balls, gave it away and it was his mistake that almost led to Strelec’s trying his luck from range.
Marc Guehi: 5
Booked early after Kieran Trippier’s underhit pass meant he had to take out the excellent David Strelec, meaning he is out of the quarter-final. Ivan Schranz bamboozled him for Slovakia’s opener but his flick-on to Bellingham brought the leveller.
Kieran Trippier: 4
When Jude Bellingham’s good ball found Trippier on the edge of the box early doors, on his favoured right foot, you thought, ‘Here we go’. He smashed it into Row Z.
Declan Rice: 5
An old-school reducer on Juraj Kucka was a fair tackle, even if it left the 37-year-old hobbling. His curling effort with ten minutes to go cracked against the post.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6
FIRST start at a major tournament and our only decent performer in an horrendous first half from England. Blasted a volley over but was also booked for a late tackle.
Bukayo Saka: 5
We all know what a fantastic player Saka is for Arsenal, and for England in games gone by, but he rarely threatened here. Did go the distance though, and in a number of positions.
Jude Bellingham: 7 and STAR MAN
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. He had underwhelmed again until the 96th minute, but who cares when you step up like that.
Phil Foden: 4
Thought he had levelled early in the second half but his tap-in was ruled out by VAR after he was caught being, inexplicably, offside. Just off it all night, in danger of being dropped.
Harry Kane: 6
Still way off his best – he was nowhere to be seen in the first half and missed a free header after the break – but got it right when it counted in extra time.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Cole Palmer (on for Kieran Trippier, 66): 7
FANS were on their feet applauding when Southgate finally made a change and brought him on. So lively and with a lovely delivery, must be in with a chance of starting against the Swiss.
Eberechi Eze (on for Kobbie Mainoo, 84): 6
Did enough to put off Slovak full-back Peter Pekarik from turning home at close range in extra-time. Looked like he had been hit by a train when Denis Vavro walloped into him.
Ivan Toney (on for Phil Foden, 90): 7
GRABBED the assist for Kane’s winner by flicking on after a free-kick – which he had won with his strength – had been cleared.
Conor Gallagher (on for Harry Kane, 105): 6
Southgate rolled the dice in extra-time by trying to shut the game out, taking his captain off for the Chelsea midfielder.
Ezri Konsa (on for Jude Bellingham, 105): 6
Ditto to Gallagher as Konsa got his first minutes of the tournament in place of the hero Bellingham, which felt a risky strategy.
MANAGER
Gareth Southgate: 3.
A lucky, lucky man. Tactically, his team were all long ball, lacked any movement, and did not conjure up a shot on target until Bellingham’s wonder strike – and that came from Walker chucking it in the mixer. Subs took ages in the 90 and then felt risky as he sought to see the game out in extra-time.
But then, out of nowhere, Jude Bellingham saves the day, a mis-hit shot is headed on for Harry Kane to score a goal Wimbledon would have been proud of and here we are.
That’s what I mean by name on the trophy. I just hope we learn from it and Gareth makes a change or two for the quarters, although I’m not so sure he will.
If Luke Shaw’s fit enough, surely Cole Palmer has GOT to come in on one wing, with Bukayo Saka on the other.
That frees Phil Foden to play in the middle behind Kane, where you’ll get so much more from him, with Bellingham dropping in alongside Declan Rice.
I love the way Palmer wants the ball and wants to take people on. The Swiss full-backs like to get forward, so let’s make them worry about having someone running at them instead.
We’ve got so many options like Cole, too. Anthony Gordon and especially Eberechi Eze just drift past people — the pair of them are a defender’s nightmare.
I’ve not even mentioned Ivan Toney, who was outstanding when he came on against Slovakia.
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He did his chances of a big move this summer no harm whatsoever.
It just amazed me why Gareth only chucked him on with a minute to go. What’s he supposed to do in that time?
I know we ended up winning, and Toney played a part in it, but that wasn’t down to any grand plan or tactics.
No wonder he had an argument about coming on so late in the day.
To be honest, I’d be happy to see him in from the start and I’m sure Harry would love it — although there’s no way it will happen.
Southgate’s just too safe and steady for that.
I only hope if it does come down to substitutions, Gareth makes the right ones at the right time, and doesn’t simply go like for like again.
But the bottom line is England really should be too good for Switzerland . . . and once they get past them, we really CAN start to dream. Here’s hoping, anyway.
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