It's very difficult to assess Jim. Like you I thought Austria would go further, but the young Turks beat them with their mixture of attacking play, youth, commitment and occasional brilliance. I didn't see that one coming.
Ritchie isn't daft to say England could win it. The ability exists within the squad, though we've seen next to none of it, but the draw became very kind to both us and Netherlands once Portugal gave Georgia a chance of beating them (which they gratefully seized with both hands).
Germany and Spain are two of perhaps four sides who have put in more than one good performance and are unfortunate to meet each other. Switzerland have also played well twice. I think I could pick a side which would at least give them a lot to think about, but I'm not sure Gareth will change much or learn from the Slovakia game, which I agree we should never have won. So I'm guessing we will struggle again.
No one would agree with me, no one ever does and I don't expect it but I'd go for
Pickford (we haven't got a better choice sadly)
Stones (he's used to playing in a back three and must be allowed to carry the ball forward)
Rice (he's almost been playing centre back anyway, and a back three needs ability on the ball)
Walker (badly as he is playing, you need some out and out pace when you have a ball-playing back three)
Alexander-Arnold (wing back, you can't score goals if you don't feed forwards and he'll take the dead balls)
Eze (he's moved inside because Bellingham needs people around him, close to him, who can genuinely play)
Bellingham (we have to give him the support and opportunity to show how good he really is and he wins tackles)
Cole Palmer (another with the skill to work with Bellingham and the cockiness to be determined to score himself)
Bukayo Saka (he can play almost anywhere, he'll put his foot in and terrify marauders down his wing with his skill)
Kane (he's been very poor, but I want to compensate for what he can't do!)
Toney/Watkins (if we need a runner because Kane can't then Watkins, or for the power and go that Kane lacks Toney)
Gordon would be a planned sub with about 25 minutes left and Foden's a bird in the bush from the jolly bench. And coming up against Xhaka I would do everything I could to wind him up and make him mis-time tackles.
Ritchie isn't daft to say England could win it. The ability exists within the squad, though we've seen next to none of it, but the draw became very kind to both us and Netherlands once Portugal gave Georgia a chance of beating them (which they gratefully seized with both hands).
Germany and Spain are two of perhaps four sides who have put in more than one good performance and are unfortunate to meet each other. Switzerland have also played well twice. I think I could pick a side which would at least give them a lot to think about, but I'm not sure Gareth will change much or learn from the Slovakia game, which I agree we should never have won. So I'm guessing we will struggle again.
No one would agree with me, no one ever does and I don't expect it but I'd go for
Pickford (we haven't got a better choice sadly)
Stones (he's used to playing in a back three and must be allowed to carry the ball forward)
Rice (he's almost been playing centre back anyway, and a back three needs ability on the ball)
Walker (badly as he is playing, you need some out and out pace when you have a ball-playing back three)
Alexander-Arnold (wing back, you can't score goals if you don't feed forwards and he'll take the dead balls)
Eze (he's moved inside because Bellingham needs people around him, close to him, who can genuinely play)
Bellingham (we have to give him the support and opportunity to show how good he really is and he wins tackles)
Cole Palmer (another with the skill to work with Bellingham and the cockiness to be determined to score himself)
Bukayo Saka (he can play almost anywhere, he'll put his foot in and terrify marauders down his wing with his skill)
Kane (he's been very poor, but I want to compensate for what he can't do!)
Toney/Watkins (if we need a runner because Kane can't then Watkins, or for the power and go that Kane lacks Toney)
Gordon would be a planned sub with about 25 minutes left and Foden's a bird in the bush from the jolly bench. And coming up against Xhaka I would do everything I could to wind him up and make him mis-time tackles.