From 'Iceland vibes' to 'get-out-of-jail-free card'

At half-time successful England's crippled against Slovakia location were "Iceland vibes" and, moreover astatine nan end, "Sweet Caroline didn't sound very sweet" - but nan Three Lions are successful a 4th quarter-final successful a statement nether Gareth Southgate.

After 3 performances ranging from atrocious to mean successful nan group stage, galore pundits had wondered if a convincing triumph successful nan Euro 2024 last-16 necktie would laic down a marker for a squad who had been favourites to triumph nan tournament.

But, instead, talk was of a "get-out-of-jail-free card" acknowledgment to Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

England trailed astatine nan break, pinch Ivan Schranz capping disconnected a good move to springiness Slovakia - a squad classed 45th successful nan world - nan lead.

That brought backmost memories of Euro 2016, erstwhile unfancied Iceland shocked England astatine nan aforesaid shape of nan tournament.

Roy Hodgson resigned arsenic head aft that crippled - and location are galore who deliberation Southgate will extremity his reign arsenic England leader this summertime aft being successful complaint since November 2016.

ITV pundit Gary Neville, who was Hodgson's adjunct that summer, said: "I was sitting connected nan chair successful Nice erstwhile England played Iceland - this crippled has Iceland vibes.

"Gareth Southgate needs to rip up nan script."

Former Republic of Ireland skipper Roy Keane added: "It's nan biggest squad talk of Gareth Southgate's career.

"Southgate could beryllium retired of a occupation successful 45 minutes if he doesn't alteration something. He needs to spell retired connected his shield."

Did things prime up successful nan 2nd half? Not really. Until nan extremity anyway.

Phil Foden had a extremity disallowed for offside soon aft nan break - but England struggled to get immoderate power of nan crippled pursuing that opportunity.

Joe Hart was England's goalkeeper for that Iceland upset 8 years agone and, aft retiring from playing this summer, was watching nan crippled for BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I tin subordinate to this," said nan ex-Manchester City and Celtic player. "It is not a bully feeling. I was location successful 2016. As a team, and arsenic players, you are conscionable hoping for 1 much chance."

There was 1 much chance.

In nan 5th infinitesimal of added time, Real Madrid prima Bellingham scored England's latest-ever extremity astatine a awesome tourney (excluding other time) - pinch a singular overhead footwear from adjacent nan separator of nan box.

"He looked dormant connected his feet and then, aft he had scored, he was pressing astatine nan commencement of other time," said ex-England defender Matt Upson connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He scored a important header successful nan first crippled [against Serbia] and that was a clutch infinitesimal for England there.

"I don't deliberation you tin alteration these performances now. We are relying connected moments of brilliance."

That extremity was England's first changeable connected target. Their 2nd came 50 seconds into other clip erstwhile their all-time apical scorer Kane headed in.

There were nary more. They seemed to spell backmost into their ammunition and were hanging connected astatine nan extremity astatine Schalke's ground.

Hart added: "It is specified a shame erstwhile you tin spot them beryllium truthful ascendant but erstwhile they spell up they conscionable go truthful cautious.

"Let's rate successful nan get-out-of-jail-free paper and build connected it.

"I expect erstwhile we person won, for nan hairs to guidelines up connected my cervix and I conscionable don't consciousness for illustration that. I consciousness for illustration I should beryllium buzzing. It’s going to person to beryllium a immense betterment to get thing retired of nan Switzerland crippled connected Saturday."

England fans, arsenic they do, sang Sweet Caroline afterwards arsenic nan England players and Southgate went complete to convey them for their support.

Some of them whitethorn person been among those filmed extracurricular nan crushed aft 90 minutes, earlier moving backmost successful erstwhile news of Bellingham's extremity broke.

"Sweet Caroline doesn't sound very sweet," said erstwhile England right-back Neville.

"Relief is nan connection of nan time and we should convey our fortunate stars. We were woeful and we person been woeful for 4 games."

Former Arsenal and England defender Martin Keown called it "one of nan astir singular England games and performances I’ve seen".

"They were connected their measurement location and past 2 goals successful 2 minutes," he added. "We were hanging connected but we're still successful location pinch a shout."

England, who mislaid connected penalties to Italy successful nan Euro 2020 final, play Switzerland successful Saturday's quarter-final astatine 17:00 BST, a crippled which will beryllium unrecorded connected BBC One.

"Switzerland are a measurement up," said Hart of nan squad who hit Italy successful their last-16 tie.

Several of nan pundits besides wonderment if it is clip for an England reshuffle.

Ten of Southgate's starting line-up person been nan aforesaid for each game, pinch only nan midfield partner to Declan Rice changing.

They person played pinch a level backmost 4 - but successful other clip ended up playing pinch 3 centre-backs and attacking players Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze arsenic wing-backs.

Switzerland play pinch a backmost five.

Upson, who scored for England astatine nan 2010 World Cup, said: "There's thing to suffer because what we're doing isn't blowing anyone away.

"If we're going to play for illustration this, we whitethorn arsenic good lucifer up crippled by crippled and deliberation let's do what we request to do for nan opponent."

Centre-back Marc Guehi will beryllium suspended for nan Swiss crippled and full-back Kieran Trippier went disconnected injured against nan Slovaks.

Trippier, usually a right-back, has played connected nan near for nan first 4 games because Luke Shaw is not yet fresh to play.

"The centre-back business will beryllium surgery up, will Trippier beryllium fit?" asked erstwhile West Ham defender Upson.

"It whitethorn good suit England to play a backmost 3 pinch Kyle Walker, John Stones and Ezri Konsa. Can Luke Shaw feature?"

Neville added: "We person sewage to alteration thing drastically. Everybody successful nan state has been crying retired for much change."