England 1 Iceland 2: Three Lions sent crashing out of Euro 2016 after humiliating defeat at hands of Nordic minnows
THEY could not deal with the big ’un.
The big throw. The big man up front. The big occasion.
There is nowhere to hide for Gary Cahill and Joe Hart after England were humiliated by minnows Iceland
With England players crumpled all over the pitch the travelling fans sang ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt.’
They are not fit to lace Iceland’s boots, either.
Adam Llalana was caught laughing laughing and joking with fans shortly after the game.
Before England’s players jet out to Vegas, Dubai, Marbella on their boozy holidays they should watch endless re-runs of Iceland’s celebrations.
Surely this can never be allowed to happen again.
This one hurts. Really hurts. Goodbye Roy, thank you Roy, you have been an unmitigated disaster.
Roy Hodgson can barely look Wayne Rooney in the eye as England crash out
It was a throwback to the Dark Ages, of kick and rush, of hit and hope, of booting it into the big man and hoping something sticks. As for Iceland — the 34th best team in the world — they were magnificent.
England had four shots on target, Iceland five. They won fair and square.
In the coming days there will be a lot of love for them before France gleefully accept a bye to the semi-final.
Regrettably, we must deal with England first. This was a diabolical display. Shameful, pitiful.
With the exception of Marcus Rashford there is not a man wearing a white shirt with Three Lions on the left breast who can say he did all right out there. Rashford, poor guy, was given four minutes to save Hodgson’s skin. You cannot do that to a kid.
Wayne Rooney celebrates after his penalty put England one-up against Iceland
There was not a cat in hell’s chance of him doing something because the previous 86 minutes was some of the worst we have ever been made to sit through.
That, with the 0-0 draw with Algeria at the 2010 World Cup springing to mind, takes some doing.
England did it last night. Congratulations fellas.
What on earth was going on with Wayne Rooney, the man Hodgson reinvented as England’s Andrea Pirlo in the centre of midfield?
With the exception of his penalty, scored on the night he equalised David Beckham’s 115-cap record for the number of outfield appearances, he was dreadful.
Behind Rooney, there is a lengthy queue of bad lads. Joe Hart, England’s shouty keeper in the tunnel before games, can keep his trap shut from now on.
It was his elementary mistake, that allowed Kolbeinn Sigthorsson to squeeze Iceland ahead after 18 crazy minutes.
England’s defence, properly tested for the first time at the tournament, crumbled. So, so predictable.
Now the country must come to terms with the biggest upset since USA taught us how to play ‘soccer’ at the 1950 World Cup.
What a way for England’s head coach to be remembered.
England players trudge back for the kick-off after Iceland took the lead
This was clueless and chaotic, with England launching a stream of aimless balls into the head, shoulders, feet and toes of Harry Kane. Pointless.
Ragnar Sigurdsson was immense. He scored the equaliser, nearly put Iceland further in front with a bicycle kick and made a life-saving challenge on sub Jamie Vardy.
Before that, the good bit, when England went ahead from the spot after Raheem Sterling had been taken out by Iceland keeper Hannes Halldorsson.
Rooney scored with an ice-cool finish. So far, so good.
The euphoria whenever England go in front at a major tournament lasted 34 seconds.
Iceland — whose first sport is handball and second is fishing — equalised.
To Hodgson’s credit he flagged up Aron Gunnarsson’s long throws.
What a crying shame he was ignored. In came the missile, launched towards the head of Kari Arnason and his flick-on was turned beyond Hart by that man Sigurdsson.
Who was to blame? Easy. Everybody wearing an England shirt.
Then came the move of the match, engineered by the Hollywood pass off the boot of Gunnarsson from the left.
England waited. Iceland made their move. Hart did not make his.
Sigthorsson finished it, creating wriggle room inside the area to get his shot away after 18 minutes.
Just like he did with Gareth Bale’s free-kick in Lens, Hart allowed Sigthorsson’s shot to squirm beyond his abject dive.
England’s response was agricultural, losing shape, discipline and with it their heads.
When they walked off the pitch at half-time, Hodgson knew he was 45 minutes from the sack. Time was up for Eric Dier. It would soon be up for good, old Roy.
England half-heartedly pushed for a leveller, with Jack Wilshere’s lob finding Kane 12 minutes from time. Halldorsson saved… easily.
This lot cheated the country by telling us someone was on the verge of a real hiding.
Unfortunately, the reality for Roy’s flops is that there is simply no hiding from this.
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DREAM TEAM RATINGS
ENGLAND: Hart 5, Cahill 7, Walker 7, Smalling 7, Rose 6, Dier 6, Sterling 6, Alli 7, Rooney 8, Sturridge 6, Kane 7.
SUBS: Wilshere 7, Vardy 6, Rashford 5.
BOOKED: Sturridge.
ICELAND: Halldorsson 6, Sigthorsson 7, Bodvarsson 7, Gudmundsson 7, Gunnarsson 6, Arnason 6, Bjarnason 6, Skulason 7, Sigurdsson R 8, Saevarsson 6, Sigurdsson G 6.
SUBS: Bjarnason 5, Traustason 6.
BOOKED: Gunnarsson.
STAR MAN: Ragnar Sigurdsson