No-no-no-no-no . . . Yesvember

[Sweder]

I watched Ray Wilkins (Sky Highlights show) hold forth on the reckless abandon with which the England team appeared to chase a third goal with the score at 2 - 2. We needed, reasoned the Bald One, to hold on to the ball, control the game, make them work harder to gain possession. I like Wilkins, always have since his killer curler against Brighton in the FA Cup Final. He appeared informed, reasoned and eloquent this evening, and with England only needing a point from the game made a good deal of sense.

An hour later I listened to Martin Keown, that well-known advocate of reasonable argument, suggest that England had sat back and invited Croatia to attack. We should, suggested the stoic defender, have chased the game, killed it off with a third goal with the score at 2 -2. I suspect Mr Keown's view stems from his experience as a quality defender, having recognised with horror the paucity of anything approaching calm in the England back four this evening.

It all goes to show that opinions are indeed like orifices:
everybody has one.