Everton pair sit out bore draw in St Etienne

Doesn't explain Milner, Wilshere and Henderson though.

Sterling is not a left-sided option, he's a right-footed winger, so should play on the right. He seems to think he's Lionel Messi, he's actually Aaron Lennon.

England very embarrassing tonight. Once a decent team shows up and show England how to play football, the English players can't start their summer holidays.

As for the two Toffees in question, well I think Stones is slightly unlucky to miss out, so far... whilst I think Barkley is lucky to be a professional footballer!

England want to press high initially, then later on sit back and hit on the counter against teams who are good in possession themselves. They've been too good for Russia, Wales and Slovakia to be able to attack them, so have never had any space to run into.

Christine, even accepting that in full, it's still only 'a bad second half of the season' not 'a bad season'. It's quite a significant difference - about five months of good football with goals and assists coming regularly.

Our best chance is come up against a team that try's to press high and nick the ball back from our midfielders. I think we'll give one of the top teams a game in the Quarters and get knocked out by the odd goal.

For what it's worth I'd absolutely play Ross and Stones in the KO stage against the better teams. Not just because I'm biased but because Ross is the only player that can go right through the midfield on the break without having to use the wing-backs. If he can break through the lines on the counter Vardy & Sterling become very dangerous. That alone could make England a far more dangerous proposition than what we are seeing now which is nothing other than a slow, predictable last 8 exit.

I just about kept up with the England game on the iPad and saw a lot of toil and a few unlucky misses, although not enough cunning to get around Slovakia's parked bus. While I don't think Hodgson comes out with much credit - can't help think (as echoed by Bilic on ITV) that against 'better' teams, they will do better (as Everton often do - although less often than we'd like)

I can see both teams making it through to the quarter finals, but despite my preference, still think England have a surprise or two up their sleeves in this tournament - while the Welsh will no doubt fall down somewhere as 'plucky losers' (a term Evertonians have grown tired of over the last decade or so!)

Finally, I could see Stones getting a game at some point - especially if Cahill picks up a knock...but can't see Barkley getting on - based on his low confidence and weak end to the season - and Hodgson's clear favouritism of others!

I think when England play better teams the games will be completely different to the last three games, and so to draw conclusions from the one about the other seems to be nothing other than pure guesswork and speculation.

He's wasting his time in France if he's behind Wilshire, Henderson, Lallan, Ali, Vardy, Sturridge and Sterling for any of the midfield rolls.

The England team seems to be getting credit even though we are in a bang average group, playing dog shit football and looking like a team that wont score goals.

Ross had a bad end to the season, yet he scored more goals than Wilshire, Lallana and Henderson put together, in fact his goals and assists records resembles that of Payet who is the key to France team.

Stones is simply not getting played unless one of the two centre half's gets injured, Walker has the right back slot boxed and Clyne is his replacement.

There both young, rich and have no family to worry about, they both played a lot of football last season and should concentrate on having a few weeks yo themselves.

They even played Jordan Henderson for a full 90 minutes and still dominated completely. As my mate said: "they should just play with ten, at least that would be ballsy and awesome".

I am a biased Evertonian and aware of it. That awareness gives you the half chance of being objective. No matter how biased you are, it has been clear for years that the Redshite (no bias there . . . !) are preferred and by comparrison to Everton, aggressively marketed, by the two main pillars of our football society; the BBC and the FA. The 3rd pillar, the commercial Sky group are not quite so biased, however when the derby is being played the coverage is provided from the Redshites being the team to beat, and the Blues being there to make up the numbers.

Why is that. I don't know. But not acknowledging it is weird. I have on several posts raised the subject over the last few years, and an article sparked some debate. However, when you delve into the statistics it is much more prevalent than you realize. When you read in between the lines and pick up on the bias nuances of the social pillars and the media it is even worse.

I expect Moshiri will be aware of this as an issue to address, but don't ask me to rationalize it or ignore it, or even worse suggest it doesn't exist and raise the paranoia argument. I and others like me deserve better for simply being aware.

As far as Barkley and Stones are concerned, let them warm the bench and recuperate for the season coming. Having said that both Smalling and Rooney were pretty ordinary. Why not play Rooney as a centre forward for the last 20 minutes and drag Vardy?

I thought the Slovak keeper was good, stayed on his line or back and let the defender do the work, dominated his area with safe hands and made some important saves.

Same old story, its not how well you are playing, but which team you play for.

Vardy had an excellent season, only when he came on against Wales, did England improve.

I may be biased, but how the Christ lallana and Henderson gets picked is baffling.

Ihave a feeling England might be back home before their postcards.

Objectively, the first two should not be on the plane. Defoe should have went instead of Rashford and Baines instead of Bertrand. Drink water should be in as a stand in for Dier and replacement for Henderson. Stones should have been played throughout qualifying but as he wasn't best he doesn't play but Jags should have been there instead of him on this basis (or in my view, as well as and instead of Wiltshire),

This season is massive for Ross, he's no longer a kid with potential and he needs to start realising his potential or he will be left behind. I think Roberto set him back a bit with his non existent coaching and cheerleading but personally, I think he is massively overated, and what we see now is as good as we will get from him, which Imo just isn't enough. If we got a big offer in the summer I'm sorry to say I would sell.

Just come home rested, and injury free lads and fuck England and that useless git.

You'd think that would be the last of Wiltshire we see but doubt it, he's Roy's boy.

At least we'll have Stones and Barkley fresh for next season.

Peter Barry (84) gives that away fairly straightforwardly. He even has the gall to suggest it's bias to think otherwise!

Never mind.

Both players were badly coached last season, both haven't learnt the basics of their respective roles and were encouraged to be risk takers. I think Hodgson was under press and peer pressure to pick them in the first place and doesn't fancy either of them.

Wouldn't it be lovely if both get a game somehow and move England forwards, and hopefully get Hodgson the boot.

At least their lack of Euros action will remove any suggestion they will go into next season totally knackered. For Everton or any other clubs !

This is international football – play what you think is your best players and best team and stick with it whoever you are playing.

Going back to August 2014, England have yet to play a decent side in a competitive match. The qualifying group was a training exercise and the EM group the same. They should get a fairly comfortable draw in the next round and will then likely go out in the quarters against one of Germany, Italy or France.

Not fussed whether Ross or Stones get game time tbh.

No space in behind, and not a winger on the pitch, is fucking criminal, especially with such limited midfielders, who can't keep hold of the ball long enough, to draw out the opposition.

I think the end for Hodgson at Anfield, was when he said it was Liverpool's best performance, when Everton, took their foot off the pedal, (something that still makes me fume to this day) and only won 2-0.

Why do people think we will do well, against better teams, when we can't put 2nd rate teams to bed?

I hope I'm wrong, but I think something is seriously amiss, because for such an attacking team? England just don't get enough bodies into the oppositions box.

Barkley, on the other hand really worries me, because he should be in the team before a few of these other clones, but it's his complete lack of belief in himself, that seems to be really holding him back.

We have created some decent chances with Vardy missing a one on one last night, Sterling missing an absolute sitter against Wales and a bundle of missed opportunities against Russia.

Its not been great but its not been awful either. We are not the first and won't be the last team to struggle to break down defensive set ups. We certainly look a lot better than in the last 2 tournaments we were in.

I think we may do better against teams who come at us a bit more and would not be at all surprised to see us win the next round and make it to the quarters where we may well meet France and that will be a tough ask as they and Spain are the only two teams who have looked half decent so far...

Tony, have you not watched Everton for many, many years? It's a very common feature of football, and all sport in fact, that you raise your game against better opposition, whilst inferior opponents somehow drag you down to their level. This has happened in so many Everton games that surely you know this?

With England specifically, their preparation and game plan is aimed at playing better teams, it will suit their attributes and qualities to have an opponent who looks to get forward and attack. It's very difficult for any team to break down an inferior opponent who 'parks the bus'. Spain struggled massively against the Czech Republic, Germany failed completely against Poland, and France have made dramatic breakthroughs right at the end of the games.

England may indeed get knocked out in the Quarter Finals, but if they do it'll be because of what happens in the Quarter Finals, not because they missed chances and struggled to break down inferior opposition in the group stage.

As for Barkley, he is lucky to be anywhere near that team in my opinion. His form in the second half of the season was shocking despite having the luxury of a complete free role with no responsibilities. He consistently shows poor decision-making, poor workrate, no aggression or desire, no tackles and often looked like he was playing for himself rather than the team.

He does show potential but he is nowhere near good enough to be given a free role and can't be trusted to play anywhere else and that is why he will stay on the bench.

I just think we lack both a cutting edge, and enough good players on the ball, to really dictate a game of football, when the opposition retreat, like last night.

Once the competition gets going, I think we should play like Vardy's, Leicester, see Auto's post 81, because I just think better teams will pick holes, in England's present style, and formation.

Yet another post from on here from you just dripping in paranoia. Pure undiluted paranoia.

Like I said to you on here before, and you keep dodging to answer... Hodgson spent near enough his whole spell there getting abuse off their fans and was binned off in double-quick time.

Bearing this in mind, why would he be biased towards them in anyway? I wouldn't mind an answer this time, please.

He dithers depending on what the press 'experts' say in their columns the previous day! He may chance upon a good team by accident and we may get to the final. In the same way if Sturridge hadn't scored against Wales we'd be most likely on the plane home! Fine margins?

Haven't learnt!!! What the hell have they been doing since the age of 10... if you can't understand how to defend, or pass the ball in the subsequent 10 years, how the hell do you become a professional football player!!!

All these people have done for the best part of their short lives is play football... if they don't get it now, why are they anywhere near our first team, let alone on the pitch!!!

Why no Baines.... Why no Baines? Bertrand is one lucky guy – can't defend, can't attack, can't cross the ball, Rose is slightly better... Why no Baines?
Why no Barkley? he can be a lazy sod but knows how to play a killer pass to open up defences. If he can't get into the team before Wilshere, Henderson, Milner, or Stirling, then something is wrong.

Why no Stones? He's much better than the other two clowns – especially Smalling.

Once again, a manager who prefers boring football with steady Eddies.

I'm not really that bothered that they haven't been picked, and of course it avoids unnecessary injury to them.

At the moment I am pleased our lads haven't been exposed amongst this collection of individuals.

England are not a team under Hodgson and the comparison with Martinez is a valid one. Neither of them has any balls to demand more from the players.

Can you answer why the media are biased against Ross but not so against Deli Alli and Wilshere? At least judging from many of the comments on here? Perhaps your answer may be they are not, and possibly the comments are unreasonable?

Also I don't dispute your point that Roy has no reason to be so pro the Redshites judging from his experience as their manager. Then please advise why he is so?

I am open to suggestion, but please don't drop the level of the discussion to 'paranoia'. The subject deserves more debate than that. The more you look at it, the more interesting it gets...

I've yet to see any anti-Barkley sentiment. And if he ends up getting criticism...so what? That's all part and parcel of football.

Given his poor performances for us in the last 3 months of last season he was damn lucky to get in the squad. No way should he be ahead of Ali in the pecking order, who played much better than him last season.

Wilshere is another question entirely. Why he's in the squad is a mystery.

If anything, Hodgson is 'biased' to Spurs as he picks more of their players than from any other club. So why aren't you going on about that seemingly 'bias'?

Anyway, maybe it's for the best. If he played well, we would have all the hype. If he played badly, we would have the fall out from that to deal with. I feel for him, despite my misgivings about the manager and team in general.

Anyway, maybe it's for the best. If he played well, we would have all the hype. If he played badly, we would have the fall out from that to deal with. I feel for him, despite my misgivings about the manager and team in general.

Alli has been poor for a while now but the media will not say so since that contradicts their ridiculous pre-tournament script whereby he was going to be our teenage salvation.

FA chiefs outraged as Hodgson risks losing England job after Euro 2016 gamble backfires

ROY HODGSON'S selection own goal in England's final group game at Euro 2016 has incensed senior figures at the Football Association..................

To me, reading between the lines, it basically implies that the players Hodgson brought in on Monday night, were not good enough to win the game.

Reading the article, there is not one mention of any player coming in being criticised for their performance.

You can bet your bottom dollar, however, that if Stones and or Barkley had played, they would have been pulled to bits by the press for Englands failure to win the group.

Bitter????...............too bloody true I am. If I were either Stones or Ross, I'd throw a sickie and asked to be sent home. No way are either player going to get a game.

England were just the same, no plan B and no imagination. It needed something different to break through... Ross or even bloody Sterling might have offered that...

I kept thinking Roy had morfed into Roberto, particularly when he justified the tactic on the grounds of possession and superiority !

Against a team sitting deep and defending with 9 players in two banks, full backs like Bertrand are not useful; Baines could have added some intricate passing guile (a la Spain and Argentina) instead of pure athleticism. He should have been on the plane (oat) or bespite having a rough season with us; Baines wasn't necessarily the problem for us anyway.

Jags AND Stones. Yes. No Wilshire, he's a useless luxury. I must admit that Lallana has played well but like Milner it's not always clear what he adds. And he missed a few chances.

Shocking that we didn't try Barkley, up front even, or instead of Alli, against Slovakia; again, pace/break forwards like Vardy aren't the best for breaking teams down; I think the Sturridge goal against Wales was a good example (although it came from an Alli mistake).

I do think the squad we have will do better in attack against better teams, but we'll also likely get scored on a lot more, so I am expecting some 3-2 type results in the knockouts ...

There are many, many posters on ToffeeWeb who record their frustration at the raw deal Everton get in all branches of the media. Let's not dispute that.

The raw deal is very insidious. Example being the continual reference to Everton's star players being considered as already transferable commodities in waiting. This never happens to any other club? Why?

The Redshite media luv-in is so blatant, responded to literally hundreds of times a month by knowledgeable ToffeeWebbers without referring to the paranoid angle, so let's simply accept it as fact. OK? But why is it so?

The appointment of Koeman really is big news. That plus Moshiri's stated intentions for the Club is bigger still.
So why should we find the BBC highlighting the negative polemics such as Koeman is gambling and are Everton "really" a bigger club than Southampton? Compare this to the celebrations and hoo-haa that accompanied Klopp's appointment which has even now still not died down.

Therefore my observation still stands. Why are the media, especially the BBC, who pride themselves on their politically neutral reporting, so biased against Everton? There are many opinions. If you acknowledge this I would like to hear your opinion. Simply labeling me 'paranoid' is doing neither of us justice.

It's the only reason I can think of that explains why the likes of Noble, Drinkwater, Townsend and Defoe are not in France. Four players who were bang in form during the last few months of the season. Certainly better than Henderson and Wilthsire, who hardly even played.

Bit strange how Rashford got in on 'form' and yet the above players didn't. Defoe is exactly the kind of joker off the bench that could do a job in the second half when chasing a goal.

So some at the BBC question the move of Koeman to us. So what? I didn't agree with them but football is all about opinions, isn't it? Just like your giving yours.

I don't really see Klopp love that is supposed to be still going on. Perhaps it just resides in your head? With the Euros in full swing, I don't remember the last time he was even mentioned in the media.

Again, I'm not aware of these 'hundreds' of Blues who come on here every month cry-arsing about so-called media bias towards LFC and I've been posting on TW everyday for 7 years.

None of us like it, but they are a much higher profile club than us hence more media coverage. It's not rocket science.

Ironically enough, some of my RS mates and family have the reverse views of yours by moaning about how the media is against them!

Sorry William, but I don't think I've ever come across a Blue with a chip on their shoulder that size. I don't think it's healthy to be that paranoid and look for conspiracy in everything.

Remember Mexico 86 and the England squad being dominated by Everton players? Steven, Stevens, Lineker and Reid. And everyone of them ended up starting all but the first two games.

I wonder if fans from sides lower down the table complained about that back then?

Certainly not based on form anyway, (otherwise Barkley and Stones wouldn't be there either).

Anyway, seems they've gotten lucky, dodged a bullet with Iceland scoring the winner after 94 mins.

Had Wilkins not have been sent off and suspended and Robson not have done his shoulder, those two players probably wouldn't have started for England.

As it turned out all four of the Everton contingent started the ball rolling in Mexico 86 and all four started the last 3 matches of that campaign.

There is and always has been a strange attitude towards Everton FC and its players from the FA's point of view during my time of watching football, you don't see it which is fair enough.

I always ask the question had the situation which caused the European ban have involved Everton FC how many English clubs would the English FA have banned?