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Euro 2016, Group B: England must let fledglings soar

For the first time since 1996, it appeared that optimism surrounding the England team wasn't misguided. Dele Alli was a sensation in the 2015-16 Premier League season, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy battled it out at the top of the scoring charts, and Joe Hart had an impressive season between the sticks.

But performances in the pre-tournament friendlies haven't been entirely convincing from the Three Lions, suggesting that Group B could have a much closer finish than many initially anticipated. Roy Hodgson needs to find the right formula to ultilise his young throng most effectively - and quick.

The showcase match will be played in Lens, when England faces neighbour Wales in what's certain to be a hotly contested affair, but how Leonid Slutsky - familiar to Champions League fans as CSKA Moscow's nonplussed-looking gaffer - finishes his clean-up job from Fabio Capello's Russian reign could be fascinating. He's slated to relinquish his international duties at the end of the finals.

Slovakia, seen by many British bookmakers as less likely than tournament newcomer Iceland to win Euro 2016, is at risk of being rooted to the bottom of Group B come June 20.

Group Schedule

Date Match City Venue Time (ET)
June 11 Wales vs. Slovakia Bordeaux Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux 12:00 PM
June 11 England vs. Russia Marseille Stade Velodrome 3:00 PM
June 15 Russia vs. Slovakia Lille Stade Pierre-Mauroy 9:00 AM
June 16 England vs. Wales Lens Stade Bollaert-Delelis 9:00 AM
June 20 Slovakia vs. England Saint-Etienne Stade Geoffroy-Guichard 3:00 PM
June 20 Russia vs. Wales Toulouse Stadium Municipal 3:00 PM

4 Players to Watch

England: Dele Alli

If Roy Hodgson sorts out his crowded and disorganised midfield diamond - as unfortunately showcased in England's dour 0-0 draw with Turkey last Thursday - and puts Dele Alli at its tip, the Tottenham Hotspur livewire could be one of the stars of the tournament. Full of youthful abandon and running, he was deservedly voted PFA Young Player of the Year in his homeland.

Russia: Aleksandr Kokorin

Aleksandr Kokorin has had a miserable time in his first few months at Zenit St. Petersburg, but he boasts a fine scoring record at international level. Once linked with a lucrative move to Arsenal, the sinewy 25-year-old will be desperate to remind Europe of his obvious talents this summer.

Slovakia: Marek Hamsik

It feels as if Marek Hamsik and his questionable shark fin haircut have been around forever, but the predatory passer is still just 28. He links up with Slovakia off the back of arguably his best season with Napoli yet, scoring just six goals but adding 11 assists for the only team that looked capable of troubling Juventus' relentless charge for Serie A honours.

Wales: Gareth Bale

The best player in Group B and one who challenges Real Madrid colleague Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest in the tournament. Gareth Bale is likely to be handed a free role between the Welsh attack and midfield, with plenty of his teammates' runs aimed at stretching opponents out of shape for their main man to exploit.

Upset Potential

It's hard to imagine the Slovakians posing much of a threat, so the duty of upsetting group favourite England lies with Russia or Wales. The latter will be most determined in its June 16 date against the Three Lions, without a win against its foe since the 1984 British Championships and a squad of players predominantly at their peak. It's now or never for many in Chris Coleman's ranks to make a serious impression on the international stage.

Predicted Finish

Despite battling Wales' efforts, there are glaring gaps in its ranks, such as a consistent striker and a decent goalkeeper. In Igor Akinfeev, Russia certainly has a quality shot stopper, and can edge a second-place advantage and therefore face the second-placed team of Group F (Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Portugal) in the Round of 16.

  1. England
  2. Russia
  3. Wales
  4. Slovakia

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