Hodgson's choice is good for EURO 2012

England's opening match in the Championship, a one-all draw with France shows us the pragmatism that Roy will deploy against quality opposition.

France will be around later in the tournament, but the England boss knows we'll have to play to our strengths if we want to be there with them.

City Slicker beats City Slacker: 1-nil England!

The draw extended France's unbeaten run to 22 against an England boss with just three matches and ten training sessions under his belt.

Sure we surrendered territory at the end of each half. They're practiced, experienced, continuous, confident and very, very good.

But England's hard workers didn't flinch, and when French relentlessness opened us up, there was Joe Hart to quell danger wholeheartedly.

This is going to be a recurrent pattern for Roy the realist, who's track record of producing difficult to beat sides must be how it is until we grow to his ultimate gameplan.

And it's not all pie and mash football: Roy's willing to pull a few rabbits out of the hat too. He's sprung surprises with his selections and has the unknown quantity in the back of his mind: Oxlade-Chamberlain and Welbeck showed that.

Hodgson's right; we will get better, but while we're not, this England fan would rather us win then go home with the tabloids screaming down his neck.

It's Sweden and Ukraine next - neither of them strike fear into our hearts. Come on England and well done Roy's boys.