England must beat Slovakia and top Group B and take control of their own destiny at Euro 2016
It is vital that Roy's boys finish first so they can plot their own path to final - finish second and they're on the back foot
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FIRST is everything, second is nowhere.
Finish top of Group B and England will plot their own path to the Euro 2016 final in the Stade de France on July 10.
Slovakia stand in their way, but the Three Lions bandwagon will roll on to the Parc des Princes on Saturday if they take care of business tonight.
Finish first in the group and then attack the tournament itself. The crystal ball tells us it is likely to be one from Albania, Northern Ireland, Croatia or the Czech Republic in the second round.
Win that and the Lightning Seeds will be signing copies of It’s Coming Home outside HMV before you know it.
The time is right to remind world champions Germany, keep-ball kings Spain and tournament hosts France that England are a major noise here.
Suddenly something sounds good about the Three Lions.
Roy Hodgson is on the front foot, picking a bold, adventurous and attacking side for the final group game.
There is confidence about the place, so much so that captain Wayne Rooney is expected to be one of six changes.
Daniel Sturridge — in. Jamie Vardy — in. Jack Wilshere — in. Bring it on because England are in vogue again.
Sturridge and Vardy are the cover stars, poster boys for the team after they saved Hodgson’s job last Thursday.
LIKELY LINE-UPS
ENGLAND: Hart; Bertrand, Smalling, Cahill, Clyne; Dier, Henderson, Wilshere; Lallana, Sturridge, Vardy
SLOVAKIA: Kozacik; Hubocan, Durica, Skrtel, Pekarik; Pecovsky, Kucka; Mak, Hamsik, Weiss; Nemec
It was that close, but the first, tentative signs of tournament momentum are there after that stunning win against Wales.
Baby steps, sure, but England can grow into this. Hodgson admitted: “It was doom and gloom after Russia and euphoria after Wales, but that is something coaches and players always find hard to deal with. I didn’t think our first-half performance against Wales was good enough.
“We didn’t move the ball quickly enough or create as many opportunities, but we put that right at half-time.
“What you would really like is good performances to give you pleasure and bad ones performances to hurt you.
“It really is all about results and you can get a lot of pleasure sometimes from playing ridiculously badly and nicking a result that you don’t deserve.”
Hodgson was referring to Stade-Bollaert, when old twinkle toes Sturridge saved England by scoring the winner against Wales in the 92nd minute.
Sturridge, who also set up Vardy’s equaliser, deserves his starting place.
He is a player of genuine pedigree. So, too, is Jack Wilshere.
The Arsenal midfielder has been patient, waiting for his turn to start in England’s engine room.
Wilshere spoke so well last week, admitting he was in a one-on-one with Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli.
With Wilshere in line to start, it is the international version of St Totteringham’s Day. Alli is far from happy about it.
Hodgson loves Wilshere and has been waiting for a chance to shoehorn him into the team. The time has come.
This time last year Hodgson was drooling when Wilshere scored two beauties against Slovenia during a Euro 2016 qualifier in Ljubljana.
Injury free and fully fit, this is Wilshere’s chance to be first pick. Rooney said: “Everyone knows Jack’s qualities. He is a fantastic player. He can take the ball, he can run at players, create chances.
“Jack doesn’t have to prove himself to us or his team-mates. He’s an unbelievable player with a lot of ability. If he comes in he won’t let anyone down.”
This fixture in St Etienne, England’s first return here since the excruciating defeat to Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, is far from straightforward.
Slovakia beat Germany 3-1 in Berlin before the tournament began and won 2-1 against Spain their qualification campaign. Boasting Vladimir Weiss and Napoli striker Marek Hamsik, scorers in their 2-1 win over Russia, they are a goal threat.
With that meat-head Martin Skrtel at the back, they will also take some breaking down. Hodgson added: “We know their players and who is likely to play.
“The frontline are good attacking players. Hamsik is exceptional. I know Skrtel well from my time at Liverpool.
“Slovakia will be tough opponents, but all we can hope is that the performance is good enough to win.”
England are racing clear after beating Wales, out in front of the pack as they prepare for their final group game.
All that counts is finishing first.