England spurned the chance to crush France a with negative display against the walking pace football of an over rated French side.

Once Lescott had forced England ahead with a close range header they seemed intuitively to go onto the back foot and stopped pressing on. Milner’s early miss had shown how easily the French would buckle under a bit of pressure and on the occasions when England did get after them they looked vulnerable.

There was rigid mindset about England, a lack panache and a tedious caution that might ultimately prove destructive. France were nothing special and you felt that if really unleashed the English could have taken them apart. Redknapp you felt might have let the dogs out.

Nasri scored a good goal to equalise and France won the possession statistics. It was a fairly awful game and by the end of the game young Henderson was providing the legs in midfield and Defoe was roaming around up front. You could not overlook an Italian referee giving England nothing.

Hodgson was clearly well satisfied with the result and there is much talk of France being a good team. They’re not and an always competent Sweden, and Ukraine backed by vociferous hordes, might make things messy or worse.

A little bit more self belief would go a long way. It does not look like Hodgson has found it but that isn’t what matters. What matters is the players playing with confidence and belief in their ability. Roy is probably is no help with this – but lets hope some of Englands players can start upping the pace and getting after the opposition.

Those who have said England have no chance will start revising their opinion soon.

If you are an England supporter you have no choice, you have to believe. This is our time.

Come On England – winning the Euros in 2012.