It has never been easy following England in major tournaments. Even in those campaigns which could be deemed a success there were precious few comfortable games.
Take Euro ’96. England were unlucky to go out on penalties in the semi-final, but the lead-up games were almost all pretty nervous affairs.
Everyone remembers the 4-1 rout of the Dutch, but the insipid draw with Switzerland was hardly a rollicking start, the win over the Scots could have been oh so different had Gary McAllister’s spot kick gone in and the Spain game also went to penalties.
So perhaps this competition is playing out as it was meant to. England were expected to dominate their games and top the group. Point one accomplished, point two a resounding failure.
A harder passage through the knockout stages lies in wait, with ties against Portugal and then hosts France a distinct possibility.
Going into the tournament all the talk was about how England were awash with attacking talent but suspect defensively. It hasn’t quite turned out that way.
Although the defence, in only conceding two goals, has hardly imploded, tougher tests lie in wait. But in 270 minutes (plus added time) the much-vaunted attack has scored just three goals. That has to change, and fast.
“Sooner or later we will get the reward for our play,” manager Roy Hodgson said after the frustrating 0-0 draw with the Slovakians. “Someone might find themselves on the end of a tough result. Soon we will make someone pay; we will score goals one day.”
Quite how it will change is another matter. England are hardly going to have as much possession as they have enjoyed in the last three games in their futures fixtures. The one game the side have managed to win, against Wales, saw just about every attack-minded player in the squad on the pitch at one time or other.
Perhaps an early goal would help settle the side. For much of the Slovakia game, England played pretty well, patiently trying to unlock a stubborn and packed defence. But the last ten minutes or so had an air of desperation about them.
Perhaps taking Andy Carroll along would not have been such a bad idea. At least the powerful West Ham striker would offer the team another dimension for these tight games.
To be fair it is not just England who have struggled to break sides down. Many games have been close affairs with goals coming late in the second halves. But much of the criticism of England is being aimed at the muddled thinking of the manager.
Did Hodgson really need to make all those changes going into a match that England needed something from? Was such an important game really the time to test out Jack Wilshere’s match fitness?
There are positives. England are through to the knockout stages and have not been playing badly. Kyle Walker and now Nathaniel Clyne look like two of the best right-backs at the tournament. Wayne Rooney has been very impressive in his new midfield role and Jamie Vardy and Adam Lallana offer menace going forward.
And no other side has really lit up this completion so far, rather most teams are playing in fits and starts.
England now have a week to work out how they are going to start finding the net. Otherwise, the likelihood of games going to penalties will start looming large. And we all know how that turns out…
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