The England hype train screeched to a halt at Wembley last night as a spirited Scotland side made the Three Lions look toothless. Boos rained down on England following the final whistle of this scoreless draw.
Speaking after the game Gareth Southgate said:
“I think it was a frustrating night and we know we can play better. Got to give Scotland credit, they defended valiantly and played well.
“We didn’t do enough to win the game but after that the thing we have to worry about in tournament football is we had to make sure we didn’t lose it. We know it’s a disappointment for our supporters, but we have to dust ourselves down and move on.”
Somewhere during the one millionth replay of the Gazza goal at Wembley, the English media had tricked itself into thinking England were the best team at the Euros. After vanquishing Croatia, the English press was starting to again to daydream about it coming home. However, last night was reminiscent of many past England games where a team full of individual talent played without purpose and conviction. Southgate has a number of huge problems to address if England are to revive their fortunes. In today's papers, last night's result has not been treated as an all-out catastrophe but it has had a sobering effect.
Writing in the Mail, Martin Samuel bemoaned the lack of a Paul Gascoigne-type player, criticised the Rice-Phillips axis and wrote that England's 'sense of supremacy was shaken'
Rice and Phillips appeared conservative. When England got on the ball they did little with it. It was a performance lacking imagination which, for a roster with this talent, is criminal
Here's a look at this morning's English tabloid front pages. Harry Kane is a target man for a lot of flack.
England-Scotland reaction
The Daily Express
It was a 'boo-tiful game' but Scotland was brave.
The Sun
No pun here, but instead a gag about the Scottish independence.
The Daily Mirror (front and back)
England were 'dire' and 'lucklustre'.
The Daily Star
They've gone for an utterly daft front page with their spoon-botherer ambassador Uri Geller.
Meanwhile in Scotland, there was pride in a point taken. Here's the Daily Record's front page.
SEE ALSO: Revisiting Every Calamitous England Euros Campaign Since 1988
