Sweden's 2nd goal - Olof Melbergs header.

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I don't know about you BUT (cue technical speak, I won't blame you if you can't keep up!)

If I am not mistaken, it was from a free kick that was lumped into the penalty area. I personally wonder why our defence keep a line on the edge of the area running towards their own goal to head away. You with me?

Surely if our defence are deeper, say, by the 6 yard box, they are running onto the header which makes it easier (?) to head away and you can see both your marker and the flight of the ball?

Just a question...

[fulhamben]

cos then our defence wouldnt actually be marking anyone. they could then just do what france did and queue up on the edge of the area to shoot

[Lighthouse]

Or we could have pushed on and not been so deep then marked the players that ran through onto the ball into our area. Oh no wait a minute.

[cmg]

It's one of the less impressive bits of defending you're likely to see.
The defensive line is OK to start with. As the ball is delivered the Swedish no4 easily 'moves' Carrol out of the way to leave space for Melberg's free header with Johnson (who presumably should be goalside, or at least hustling, of Melberg) looking on admiringly. It looks horrible. The simultaneous hesitation of the whole England defence is presumably due to the fact that the ball is put into a clever spot that is almost Hart's. Hart is an excellent keeper, but this might not have been his finest moment.

[MasterHaynes]

I thought the flight , height and pace of the cross it should have been Harts ball especially as he saw the swedish players queing up to head it, instead he back stepped towards his line making it a certain goal

[The King]

Mellberg is the reason Enckelman is at St. Johnstone now.

[craig10]

1st goal ashley cole sprinted out letting melberg stand on his own with 5 yards of space, johnson kept him onside however the ball went out n volleyed back in so quick i blame cole, also in the build up a cross field ball went to cole and he let the ball bounce - school boy error which i noticed all our defenders were doing with the exception on john terry

2nd goal joe hart should have come and claimed.... ball was headed in from 5 yards, anything inside the 6yard box should be keepers ball especially when it travelled 40 yards

[Burt]

I felt both of their goals were avoidable.

Credit to the lads though for picking themselves up, dusting themselves down, and getting a result.

There was some talk on 5 Live earlier about the fact (?) that this is only the second time in a tournament (World Cup or Euros) that England have won from a losing position.

[dannydog]

Craig 10 I make you right. Cole should have dealt with the long cross field ball in the first place, instead he made a huge error by letting the ball bounce which led to Carroll giving the free kick away. I really can't figure out why Hart chose to stay on his line for 2nd goal, it was so close to him he can easily punch that away and take out Melberg while he's at it. Out of the back 4 I thought Terry and Lescott did well but Cole and Johnson were not at their best.

[Burt]

Anyway, sod Melberg's header.

Carroll's was an absolute cracker. The height he got on his jump, and the power he got, were amazing. One of the best headed goals I have seen.

[craig10]

Craig 10 I make you right. Cole should have dealt with the long cross field ball in the first place, instead he made a huge error by letting the ball bounce which led to Carroll giving the free kick away. I really can't figure out why Hart chose to stay on his line for 2nd goal, it was so close to him he can easily punch that away and take out Melberg while he's at it. Out of the back 4 I thought Terry and Lescott did well but Cole and Johnson were not at their best.

i am not johnson's biggest fan as i feel defensively he is poor, that being said i think he has done a good job in the 2 games so far, he has been our saviour a fair few times when a player has got in behind our 2 central cart horses (defenders)

remember one in the France game and 3 in the sweden game