World Cup: England v Panama 24/06/18

Not the strongest of opponents but you can only beat what's put in front of you. Hopefully we'll  be regularly expressing just such sentiments next season as another little NLS side gets crushed by Gary's yellow dynamos.

All those goals will have done wonders for the confidence of the players, as well as making Gareth Southgate's shoulder feel a bit less painful. Now it'll be down to working out whether to keep momentum going by trying to beat Belgium, or to play some more squad players. As we won't meet Belgium again until the final  , maybe we shouldn't show our full hand against them on Thursday? Or can we see any likely advantage to topping the group ?

Chelston makes some good points about the officiating. In the later match the little Japanese were often painfully on the end of carelessly flailing Senegalese elbows. One problem the Japanese don't have to contend with, is that they're considered much less of a threat from corners, and so don't suffer the pulling and holding that England's players do.

With linesmen having been instructed pre-tournament not to flag for marginal offsides, and to leave VAR to decide on such borderline decisions, you do wonder whether the Refs as well are subconsciously leaving responsibility to those watching the screens. Why have all the responsibility for a contentious decision on your shoulders when you can justifiably claim: 'Nothing to do with me Guv, it's what the VAR boys have just told me to give via my earpiece'

Putin's World Cup continues to run smoothly, entertainingly, and safely, with our fans seemingly far safer over there in Russia than if they'd stayed at home and took their chances on the acid stained streets of London, where 10,000 knives glint in the Summer sunshine.