THERE is an elite level. And then there is the England team.
That is the way it is, a depressing, endless cycle of hope, expectation and despair.
France were just too damn good. Even when Harry Kane, bless him, levelled from the penalty spot after 48 chaotic minutes, we were clutching at straws.
France still finished the job with ten men, scoring the winner 12 minutes from time when Kylian Mbappe set up Ousmane Dembele.
England are nowhere near this level, nowhere near competing against the top teams. It was a depressing night.
In less than a year they will be on Russian soil, travelling to the 2018 World Cup without a prayer of reaching the final.
MOST READ IN SPORT
Imagine a draw with Spain in the second round, Germany in the quarter-finals and Les Bleus in the last four.
England would be home before the postcards. For some reason this felt like England had just been knocked out of a major tournament, back to square one after abandoning route one.
It was not quite a revisit of Iceland last summer but another eye-opening night for anyone with an interest in our national team.
They could have been marmalised here.
France won with ten, carved open in the 78th minute by Dembele for what felt like the millionth time.
The new formation — three-four-free — left dear old England exposed, vulnerable and leaking goals left, right and centre.
Gareth Southgate, a good man, a well-intentioned man, has some serious work to do before this system can be tried again. This French forward line, with Mbappe and Dembele wreaking havoc up and down either wing, are truly sensational. Paul Pogba, also, had the run of the place.
Even more troubling is that these French lads were only at half-pace, trying out all manner of stuff during a mesmerising, jaw-dropping destruction.
England’s bright spots, notably Kane’s double, were few and very far between.
At times France pummelled them, 2-1 ahead after 43 minutes with goals from Samuel Umtiti and Djibril Sidibe. They were sensational.
To watch England’s three central defenders — Gary Cahill, John Stones and Phil Jones — dragged out of position so easily was truly a terrifying sight.
Under pressure, nobody seemed capable of holding their position.
It was such a pity, because Southgate’s side got off to a flying start when captain Kane put them ahead after nine minutes. Then they were playing as if it meant something, as if they wanted to sign off the season with some international intent.
It did not last. With England, it never does.
Still, Kane put them ahead when Ryan Bertrand read Raheem Sterling’s clever backheel on the edge of the area.
Bertrand supplied the cross and Kane was there to nudge England in front.
The set-piece curse did for them with France’s equaliser, giving away yet another soft foul on the edge of the area.
Tom Heaton saved well from Olivier Giroud’s downward header but Umtiti got to the follow-up.
The only surprise was it took another 20 minutes before France finally went in front.
Giroud’s effort was ruled out for offside and Dembele drilled another shot wide of Heaton’s goal.
The Burnley keeper did well to save again from Dembele in the build-up to France’s second but England’s defence was flailing around by then.
Sidibe, in the right place at the right time, put them in front.
Every time they went forward, with that thriller Mbappe and his accomplice Dembele, they seemed capable of anything.
England responded briefly before the break when Kieran Trippier’s magnificent, lofted pass dropped into the feet of Sterling.
It was screaming out for a first time dig but his hesitation gave France’s defence the chance to clear the danger.
Southgate made changes at the break, bringing on Jack Butland as promised in goal and sending Kyle Walker on for Bertrand.
France were still adjusting when referee Davide Massa awarded England a penalty.
Dele Alli, who snoozed his way through the first half, joined the wide awake club at the start of the second.
It took the intervention of the VAR to confirm the decision to award England a penalty and upgrade Raphael Varane’s initial yellow card to a red.
It seemed unnecessary to send him off but England eventually equalised when Kane beat club-mate Hugo Lloris from the spot.
By then it was chaos.
French boss Didier Deschamps brought back some order, thickening up his backline by bringing on Laurent Koscielny in favour of Giroud.
It proved to be a smart, match-winning move.
They got the winner when Mbappe set up Dembele to score France’s third.
To watch England fall apart like that, to watch them gift this game to their opponents in the final minutes, is so, so frustrating.
The World Cup is just around the corner but they showed again that they cannot cope against the very best.
France belong in that category. England, certainly, do not.
Leave a comment