France v England, KO: Monday 17:00, live on ITV1
Match Odds
Under/Over 2.5 Goals
Correct Score
18:49 Full Time
France 1 England 1
I think both sides will be satisfied with that. France aren't as good as I first thought, England are about as good as I expected, which isn't very good in all honesty. Can any of these two win Euro 2012? Not for me they can't.
18:43
France doing the probing as the games comes to a conclusion. They're not really threatening but they are offering more than England. Theo Walcott is about to be introduced, perhaps too late to have an impact but better late than never.
18:39
Right, about 10 minutes to go and to be honest, this game has had a draw written all over it since the second half commenced. Will anyone be brave enough to go for the win I wonder.
France 5.49/2, England 9.08/1, The Draw 1.42/5
18:34
England feeling a bit aggreived with the ref here, they feel a lot of decisions are going against them. They've got to keep focussed and not let that worry them. AOC has left the field and Jermain Defoe is on in his place. I'm guessing Young will go to the left and we'll play a simply 4-4-2.
Jordan Henderson is on for Scott Parker. That one's a baffling substitution. Don't get that one bit. Parker looked fine, and suprised to be brought off.
18:29
Another Opta stat for you... and it's a worrying one. France have scored five goals in the final 20 minutes during their last seven games.
18:27
France 4.03/1, England 5.79/2, The Draw 1.728/11. Can anyone see a winner?
18:26
At least England will win something this tournament - block of Euro 2012, by Scott Parker. He'd jump in front of a cannon that guy... just what you want.
18:23
We can't say both sides have settled for a draw already but it looks that way. Long range shots are the norm now with each side passing the ball and keeping possession in their own half when they get chance. The draw is odds on now at 1.84/5.
18:20
The game continues by the way, and Ribery is ok.
18:18
The French players are furious that England didn't kick the ball out when Franck Ribery was down injured. This really annoys me. It's not up to the players to stop the game and the responsibility shouldn't be on them. The ref can stop the game at anytime if he thinks someone is seriously injured, and he often does for head injuries. But if someone's rolling around on the floor with a leg injury why shuld the oppisition have to put the ball out. Rant over.
18:14
Not much happening in this second half, no clear cut chances, very much the same as the first part of the first half really. Time for some substitutions surely?
France 3.185/40, England 4.84/1, The Draw 2.1211/10
18:09
This is probably why I'm not England manager but how about Andy Carroll coming on and us just hoofing so balls up to him? We either go for pace, or we go for the long ball, either option could threaten the French but right now we're doing neither.
18:06
Under 2.5 Goals 3.02/1, Over 2.5 Goals 1.51/2
18:04
France are 2.447/5 to score the Next Goal, England are at 3.711/4, and that man No Goal is at 3.02/1
18:02 Kick-Off
The second half is underway. No changes to personnel.
17:55
I'm sure every England fan in the country will be happy with a draw but watching the French defend in that half surely offers hope that we can win this. If I were boss, and I'm not, but I ver nearly was, I'd bring on Theo Walcott for Milner and just let the four fastest players in the world attack this dodgy looking Le Bleu defence.
This game is definitely their for the taking... but who will take it?
17:46 Half Time
France 1 England 1
England have been very ragged since they went in front, which is a bit surprising (and disappointing) but they are still very much in this game.
Opta have changed their tune. They are now telling me that England have gone on to win six of the last eight games in which they have been 1-1 at half time, drawing the other two. So that means we're good for at least a draw then. What do you think?
France 2.829/5, England 4.94/1, The Draw 2.226/5
17:41
Should Joe Hart have saved that? France pass the ball around on the edge of the box before Nasri unleashes a shot into the bottom corner from about 20 yards. Perhaps I'm being harsh on Hart but the net result is that we're level again and back to as we were. We were right about Under 2.5 Goals being too short though, and Over 2.5 Goals looking good at 3.185/40 - it's available to back at just 1.374/11 now. Profit.
17:39 GOAL!!!
France 1 (Samir Nasri) England 1
17:37
Opta have informed me that England have won just six of the 13 Euro Finals game in which they have scored first, and three of the last eight game in which they have led. Killjoys!
France very nearly equalise, Diarra with the header, similar to how England scored, but it's straight at Joe Hart who parries away.
17:33
A free-kick wide right is swung in by Gerrard and Joleon Lescott is there to bullet a header home past the France goalkeeper. I have to admit - and yes, the humble pie is in the oven - that France look really poor at the back. Over 2.5 Goals is into 2.3411/8, whilst England can be backed at 1.75/7 to win the game.
17:30 GOAL!!!
England 1 (Lescott) France 0
17:27
I've spoke about the pace in the French attack but I doubt there's a nation in this competition who can boast a faster attack than that of Welbeck, AOC, and Young. And Milner's not too slow either. Ok, yes he is. Still 0-0 by the way, still boring, sill pedestrian.
17:23
We've reached the half way stage in the first half and it's a very cagey affair. Maybe the heat is having an influence but there's no real urgency about either side right now.
Under 2.5 Goals is now into just 1.292/7 now. I don't think I've ever seen that market so short with over 65 minutes to play.
17:18
Enland are doing ok here and France don't look happy defensively. I'm just a bit worried how high we're playing up the pitch. France have a lot of pace in attack and I can't see it being too long before they exploit the space England are offering them.
France 2.6813/8, England 3.6553/20, The Draw 2.89/5
17:14
Great chance for James Milner and for England. Great ball by Ashley Young behind the France back four and Milner is through on goal, he rounds the keeper but the angle is too tight and his shot hits the side netting.
17:13
This is shaping up to be an extremely boring game, very low-key start with France slightly the better side. I'm sure it will change but the 0-0 Correct Score at 5.85/1 looks tempting already.
17:10
Ok, I'm maybe seeing why Unders is so short. The French are playing at a pedestrian pace when they have the ball. England in no hurry either. No chances whatsoever yet, but France have had a corner.
The boys at Opta have just told me that nine of England's last 10 competitive goals have came in the first half.
17:05
Oxlade-Chamberlain has started wide left, and he's started well. The French are knocking it about at the back but not with any enthusiasm... they're settling for a draw already! England are playing quite high up the pitch. Beware of Benzema's pace, beware.
17:00 Kick-Off
We're underway. Come on England (didn't take me long did it?)
France 2.6213/8, England 3.3512/5, The Draw 3.052/1
16:57
I'm really baffled by the Over/Under 2.5 Goals market. Unders is now trading at just 1.4640/85. Over 2.5 Goals is available to back at 3.185/40. I've changed my mind about my best bet - Overs has now taken over that mantle.
16:53
Patrick Vieira (on ITV) isn't sweet on the French defence, whilst Jamie Carragher says France - unbeaten in 21 games or whatever it is - aren't very good! Crikey, wish England could go 21 games unbeaten without being any good.
The teams are about to emerge from the Donbass Arena tunnel. Butterflies anyone?
16:45
The ever popular First Goalscorer market is shaping up nicely. I've had a small investment on Benzema to be the tournament's top scorer so I'd like to see him score at least. He's a decent looking 7.613/2 to score first however, ahead of Welbeck 10.519/2 Young 12.011/1, Ribery 12.011/1, Gerrard 13.525/2 and Nasri 15.014/1.
16:43 Breaking News
How unlucky are England with injuries? Our goalies has just snapped his achilles tendon in the warm up. What, Ray Clemence... goalkeeping coach. Oh it doesn't matter then. Sorry for the panic.
16:40
Opta stats times. Click here to read the stats in full, and click here to read Michael Lintorn's best bets based on those very stats. He doesn't fancy England either. So it's not just me then?
16:35
Compare England's attacking players to the likes of Frank Ribery, Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa, Samir Nasri, Florent Malouda etc. Ok, not all of those are starting, but I know which set of players I'd fancy the most to get on the scoresheet a few times.
France are 2.0621/20 in the Next Goal market, in other words, to score first, and that is going to be my best bet of this game.
16:30
So how are we expecting England to line-up? The Ox on the left perhaps, or playing just behind Danny Welbeck with Ashley Young on the left? I suppose the point is there's lots of flexibility in this England attack with AOC, Young, Welbeck and even James Milner being able to play in various positions. The question is then, are they good enough?
16:25
Now here's a man who knows his onions. James Eastham has had a 100% successful start to this year's Euros and he believes France are a good bet to win more corners than England at 1.910/11, and he also likes the prospect of both teams getting on the scoresheet (2.245/4).
16:20
Which takes us straight to Lee Dixon. Although Lee doesn't think we'll win the game, he doesn't think we'll lose it either. LD goes for the Draw at 3.211/5 (odds correct at time of publication), and Under 2.5 Goals at 1.511/2.
Lee may well be right, but I wouldn't back Under 2.5 Goals at 1.511/2 in a game with two buses as goalkeepers. Those odds look incredibly short to me.
16:15 The Teams
Question 1 - Does this England side excite you?
Hart, Cole, Terry, Lescott, Johnson, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Young, Welbeck
Question 2 - Does this France line-up scare you?
Lloris, Debuchy, Rami, Mexes, Evra, Nasri, Cabaye, Diarra, Malouda, Ribery, Benzema
If you answered Yes and No I'll send a shrink round, if you answer No and Yes then we're in agreement. This is the last time I'll be downbeat about England's chances though, as it's now time for some 'positive' previews.
16:10
I've stickied some popular market links at the top of this page. Clicking on any will take you directly to that particular market. For the time being though, here's where we are at with the Match Odds;
France 2.68/5, England 3.412/5, The Draw 3.052/1
16:05
We've got absolutely every angle covered to give you the best betting advice available; from Lee Dixon's match preview, to Michael Cox's tactical analysis; from Michael Lintorn's Opta stats, to in-form James Eastham's expert views.
We've even got details of the pre-match meals some players will be enjoying. Rio is having sour grapes, Frank is having three bowls of cake and custard (as a starter), and Gary Cahill is having a bowl of soup... through a straw! Ok, those players aren't in Donetsk, but the point is, you'll go a long way to find better insight than right here.
16:00
For most England fans, this is where Euro 2012 really starts. For this England fan, this is where Euro 2012 - from an England perspective - could well end.
Before you all start calling me pessimistic and unpatriotic etc, it has nothing to do with that. I just happen to thing we'll struggle against France this evening, and if that's the case then we can forget all about winning Euro 2012.
Of course, I could be completely wrong about England and we might just be about to witness a great performance from the Three Lions.