England tied with Slovenia but remains in Group C of the Euro Cup

England did not need to win, and they were not even overly bothered by their goalless draw against Slovenia, because they certified their first place in group C with hardly any surprises, with the entire match under their control, almost by inertia, but still at a distance. inappropriateness of the level raised by the name of its players and their alleged status as favorites, increasingly in doubt with each passing match.

The best is the first position, which took on even more, unexpected dimension throughout the afternoon. Not only did it provide a more accessible matchup in the round of 16, but it included it at the bottom of the draw. On the other hand, Spain, Germany and Portugal were already traveling beforehand. France joined them. England avoids them all until the final, as long as they are able to overcome stages while growing in their performance.

If he achieves it… Because he is still far from the team that is assumed. Neither in the systematic and attractive repetition of Southgate for the offensive front that sounds imposing formed by Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane, starters for the third consecutive day, nor in the change he introduced in the middle, Gallagher for Alexander- Arnold, he didn’t find everything he was looking for either. He did not flee from the disappointment that still haunts him.

At 25 minutes, for example, their possession was eloquent, 73 percent, but they had not shot, neither inside nor outside, apart from a goal disallowed due to an obvious offside. Until the middle, with a centered shot from Kane into Oblak’s hands, the result of a personal decision, not a collective play, he launched for the first time. A Foden foul, in the 34th minute, was the second. Nothing else. Too little for the collection of stars at his service.

Slovenia didn’t even flinch. In his rhythm, time was in his favor. The draw was a pleasant result, which propelled them to the round of 16, beyond their entire history in a major competition, regardless of the score in the other match between Serbia and Denmark. It was his mattress. A condition that allowed him to control the risks, with some sporadic attacks, like Karnicnik’s cross that put Pickford on edge.

Unprecedented in the first two meetings, Southgate suddenly turned to Cole Palmer, the young Manchester City phenomenon who signed for Chelsea a year ago and who has scored 25 goals this season, but, above all, he has something special when he receives the ball between the lines, when he gives a pass, when he sees the space… It was striking that he had not yet had a single minute in this Euro Cup, with his performance on the course. He gave it a try in the 71st minute, with some overflow, with some detail, with something more.

After more than four hours of competition, the coach called him and introduced him onto the field to seek a reaction, in the anodyne rhythm in which England’s frustration moves from side to side. It seems like a team without a soul, with no other recourse than to try, although almost everything comes to absolutely nothing, with many passes in irrelevant areas, on no occasion, with zero ambition. Palmer’s only shot was too weak.

Before, Declan Rice’s volley briefly altered the English torpor. He went outside. But it was something. At the very disappointing levels at which the current European runners-up are moving, a shot illuminates a completely bleak panorama, even though they still remain invincible, are first in the group and can see the horizon with the calm of not seeing either France or to Spain nor to Germany nor to Portugal on their way. Until the final; an impossible stop at this level.