Was glad to see Oxlade Chamberlain start and thought Johnson had a reasonable game too.  Otherwise it was as expected from England.

While England may well be happy with a draw, especially as most thought France would win, I can see them drawing their next two as well and possibly going home having not lost (or won) a game.

Did I watch a different game to the pundits who are praising England last night?

I thought both teams looked knackered before they even started, and I got the impression they might have had an agreement in the tunnel to settle for a draw. England as ever were unable to keep the ball or pass out from the back and I only recall one chance made (Milner) and not a single save by the French keeper.

Defend en-masse and sneak a set-piece is pragmatic but not much fun. At least they did not resort to humping long balls to Carroll (but that may be to come when we need a goal against the other teams).

Sure we were organised but I really struggle to see us beating anyone of substance. The other games I've seen so far have had far more quality.

Poor fare for the neutral, the dreaded mexican wave all you needed to know. One french fan in the crowd was asleep!

Italy impressed me earlier, and of course the Germans. Spain may huff and puff but be thwarted I think.

Bruce

I think you've all missed the point.

Compare that England performance to what we saw in South Africa in 2010?

- we defended as a whole team

- we looked organised rather than an 11 of complete strangers

- every single player in a white shirt actually looked like that they wanted to play for their country

- delighted to see some young talent on show

- in a tournament you don't have to play scintillating football from the off; just don't lose and gradually get better.

Lets face it if England had been more aggressive and lost every single pundit would declare how naive we were to play that way......

+1

I thought we were excellent - true I'd have like to have seen Roy introduce Carroll towards the end and play some long balls in to the box to scramble a winner, but overall very satisfied.

Shame JM could not have slid that one in when he skipped around the keeper, as that would have led to the win.

Nonetheless I thought France were a decent side and earned their draw against us. 

Good start, let's hope we can build on it.

OW,

It was great to see OX start , very lively didnt seem concerned or nervous , Wellbeck i thought was excellent , allround. maybe youth is the key.

Overall a good result , perhaps if we hadnt let them come on to us as much we could have sneaked a  win. Gerrard getting forward a bit more as well as he does for liverpool could have made the difference . . just need to beat  Ukraine friday and every thing will be good.

so far so good.  there  may be light at the end of the football tunnell, or as mozza put it "there is a light and it never goes out" !

TWP

Hook,

Like any sport and life, there is a fair amount of dross, but when it's good!

Bruce,

Looking knackered; the heat? It seems Parker has 65 to 70 minutes in him.

TWP,

Can Gerrard still get back after going forward as he's done in the past? But then it may be worth making allowance.

Wonder how England will deal with the pace of Ukraine? Sweden on 15th; they were disappointing v Ukraine. Still, it's another day.

What pleased me most yesterday was the substitutes, they made sense.

Cheers,

OW

What strikes me is just the basics. Lack of passing accuracy, lack of movement off the ball and above all lack of ball control. The first touch of England players is so often poor, enough to allow loss of posession or at least loss of momentum.

Players from other nations just seem better at these things, and make it look automatic. They receive the ball and they are already moving or have their heads up looking at options. In the main we don't.

Bruce

I think it's fair to say that many teams struggled in their first game or at least only a few of the games really excited. England - France wasn't a particularly good game, quite boring to watch IMHO. But so was Germay - Portugal and Netherlands - Denmark, again just MHO others may think differently. One of the best games must have been Russia - Czech Republic, beautiful. In short, it's early days and as we move through the tournament teams will hopefully hit top form and deliver more exciting performances for everyone to watch.

Good luck

tp

This is a very good game. Den2-Por2.

Now Den2-Por3 with 2mins to go.

Stu

Very good game with Denmark and Portugal ... I guess if Denmark beat Germany by a couple of goals and Portugal do the same to Holland then both Denmark and Portugal will go through - no wonder they called it the group of death. 

"Germany has a good team, should make a good match"

Fred,

you were right!.

Nice avatar also.

Thanks Fabio

(Netherlands got a deserved lesson in teamplay and effectiveness, how cool is Gomez! Thankfully Germany didn't play fullout, then NL would have no change for 1/4 finale (NL now has to win with a 2 goal difference for Portugal, when GER wins from Denmark). A good marker to work on a fresh team for 2014. As a Dutchman I truly wish Denmark al the best, they play bravely!)

I've quite enjoyed most of what I've seen so far but tonight I was seriously impressed for the first time and Germany did it. They were lethal in the first half. Holland are my second team after Scotland but they were a very poor second for much of tonight's match.

Italians players have got to know that a football match lasts 90 minutes...

Two good games tonight.

Fred,

The Netherlands are a poor shadow of what they were years ago.

My Grand Father was a Mulder and Holland has always been my second team.

My Grand mother was a Evens before she became a Mulder,Wales has always been my third team,but we wont go into that.

I also have a brother in law who comes from Denmark.

So its all good fun here in England.

Roll on tomorrows game.

Stu.

93 - the always add three minutes at the end 

Though Spain were superb ... 

Still roll on tomorrow and let's see what we can do against Sweden ... it won't be easy. 

I think this the toughest match in the group

Be good if Ukraine beat France to assure they go through, as then the might decide to ease up and have a rest in the last game. 

I bought something like this today in Sainsburys £1.50  for my 7 year old son ready for tomorrows game.

Of course yes.I also should say,permit,95, because of some clever "fans" throwing smoking candles onto the field.

Bring back the 

Vuvuzela - these competitions are not the same without it. 

BI didn't know you could buy cats in Sainsbury - oh well Cat Food, Cat Food, Cat Food again. 

I have never seen this before in a major tornament. Ukraine v France

Its chucking it down, thunder and amazing fork lightning.

Both teams sent off after 5mins and fans sent back up into the stadium for safety .

The pitch is like a lake.

Stu

Commentators here said that last time something like this happened was in Mexico 1986.

Come on ENGLAND.

Lots of long balls up to Carroll.