Are we overreacting to England's loss?

England are handed a footballing lesson in a 2-0 loss to Holland, leaving many observers pessimistic about England's World Cup hopes.

But are we overreacting to Eriksson's first loss in charge?

Click here to vote on Sven's game plan

Sven Goran Eriksson's love-in with the English public and press ended last night with a comprehensive defeat at the hands of a class Dutch outfit.

Even allowing for injuries and reshuffling, England looked second-best in all departments and the score-line was flattering to the home side.

A blistering goal from Mark van Bommel and a poacher's strike from Ruud van Nistelrooy separated the sides on paper, but in reality the gulf was wider.

Eriksson now has only two weeks to verse his England squad before the crucial World Cup qualifier in Munich.

Are people panicking for no reason?

Or has the Dutch defeat left you pessimistic about England's chances?

---

What really counts is the match against Germany

Glenn Ogden, Canada

Sven will Svengland savour the Swede smell of success?
Del Spooner, France

It constantly amazes us how bad England are with the array of players they have at their disposal. In Ireland we have much more limited resources, but due to a lack of ego-maniacs on the team and a team spirit second to none, we will beat the Dutch in Dublin on Sept 1. We also don't whine everytime the team loses a game!!
Brian, Ireland

England have one major problem - the inability of a succession of managers to notice just how useless Gary Neville is. He has two attributes: the long throw and an above average ability in the air for a small man. A team with a decent left side will exploit his deficiences time and again. When he wanders upfield to little effect the likes of Beckham and the centre of defence are drawn out of position to bail him out. The same problem occurs at Man Utd - it is anyone's guess how many points they could win the league by if they replaced him. That ridiculous two-footed challenge last night just about said it all.
Ian Stevenson, UK

We're becoming a nation of hysterical, gibbering wrecks who'll overreact to just about anything

Graham, UK

Though there has been an overwhelhming reaction to England's defeat I think it is justified. In the first half they played like helpless amateurs against a strong Dutch line-up. Their inexperience and immobility were exposed. Morever, Soccer is a highly passionate game in Brtian and bound to generate such a reaction. I am sure there would have been a great amount of applause and appreciation if they would have won, so if one can take the laurels for winning, why can't take critiscm for a loss?
Kiran Bharthapudi, India, in USA

The "Masterly Dutch" are currently lying in third place in their World Cup qualifying group, behind Ireland and Portugal. Their only victories so far have come against Estonia, Cyprus and Andorra. Doesn't this suggest that the reality of the White Hart Lane drubbing is not so much a "masterly" Holland but an inept England.
Nigel Edwards, Australia

Yes, people are overreacting as usual. We're becoming a nation of hysterical, gibbering wrecks who'll overreact to just about anything: A football match, a bit of snow, a dodgy TV programme ... Can't we just calm down a bit?
Graham, UK

Eriksson only used the match to assess the fringe players in the squad

Stew, England

I am so tired of my fellow countrymen (such as Mac) adopting a petty attitude to English defeats. The Dutch played some sublime football and on that performance would have beaten many teams (including Scotland and probably a full strength England).
Douglas, Scotland

The 4-1 win by England over Holland in 1996 didn't mean that England were world beaters and Holland rubbish. Last nights result means even less. Every team loses at some point, and every team plays badly in some matches. It's no big deal!
Dave, England

I think the Germans watching last night's effort will be brimming with confidence for the England game. This could be their downfall as I think Eriksson only used the match to assess the fringe players in the squad. Come September 1, the English boys will be up for it and come up with the goods.
Stew, England

I don't think the English fans should worry too much - for now. Wednesday could be a mere incident if England beats Germany and Holland draws or loses against Ireland. Going to the World Cup says much more about the state of football in a country than playing a great (half) friendly match.
Micha Helbig, The Netherlands

This was the best 45 minutes from Holland in years

Ronald Clijnk, Spain

Let's not get too excited about the defeat last night. What really counts is the match against Germany. Ultimately, finishing second in the group will do and then England have to be good enough in the play-offs. England are recognised as a major football playing country, and believe it or not many outside of England see World Cups without the team as less exciting. Good to see a Canadian in the squad by the way!
Glenn Ogden, Canada

To be honest, this was the best 45 minutes from Holland in years. You have to give them credit for that. Last night they could have beaten anybody. Just give Eriksson his time to build a good team. Because you have class players. Don't kick the players, kick the tabloids.
Ronald Clijnk, Spain

To me it looked like the England players were taking this very much as a pre- season friendly, when the dutch obviously didn't. England allowed Holland to dictate because the majority of the English players had their minds on Saturday, and not playing Holland. This exercise was about experimenting and getting the squad together, rather than winning the match.
Neil , UK

I am sure that the England team can do much better, and they have to when they want to beat the Germans. I am curious on what the comments of our Scotisch friend Mac are based on. The Dutch team have proven themselves time and time again in big tournaments.
Rene, The Netherlands

Eriksson said this was a learning process. Well, he learnt we can't pass, or play as a team

Jason Beard, UK

Did the players club Managers have words before the game? Something along the lines of "..it's only a friendly, don't push yourselves before the start of the new season.." Good to see the usual anti-English comments from the Scots. Why not concentrate on your own fifth-rate team before criticising England!
Matthew, England

Eriksson said this was a learning process. Well, he learnt we can't pass, or play as a team.
Jason Beard, UK

At last! It has finally sunk in that we have only beaten Greece, Albania and Finland. England were pathetic last night and let's not forget that Holland are only third in their World Cup qualifying group and look unlikely to qualify at best.

I always want England to win every game they play, but the English, either the public and/or the media, have a habit of overstating the standard of their national team. I think we will qualify through the play-offs, but do we really expect us to set the world alight in Japan and Korea 2002 should we make it throught the back door? A resounding no! Would the World Cup be harmed by our absence? Again, a resounding no!
Jason Tennant, England

All the old excuses come out at a time like this. 'It's only a friendly', 'We weren't prepared.' Don't forget that most of the Dutch team also start their new season this weekend. And they have also had a very shaky qualifying campaign up until now. But of course, the fact that England's footballers seem to have taken the foot and mouth movement restrictions rather too literally didn't help at all. There was so much space for van Bommel in midfield that you could have held a minor international athletics event in there.
Ray, The Netherlands

I don't know what match the BBC were watching but it must have been a different one to the one I was watching

Brian, England

I was amazed with the English team. They most certainly were not playing at the level we're used from them. I think the match in Munich will show a different England team. And for the Dutch, they played better then people here in Holland would have expected.
Martin, Holland

We are definitely overreacting to last night's defeat. I don't know what match the BBC were watching but it must have been a different one to the one I was watching. I thought England played poor, but I also thought the Dutch were equally unimpressive (especially considering they were playing an England B side).

The game which is most important is against Germany. Have the press already forgotton that we have beaten some quality teams since Eriksson took over! (Spain is just one of those teams and are a better team than the Dutch). Last night's game seemed to be only a glorified practice match, which neither team deserved to win. I honestly did not think there was going to be a goal. Let's wait until the Germany game to pass judgment on the England team!
Brian, England

England always seem to relax and let their guard down after a good passage of play. Against Portugal in Euro 2000, when 2-0 up, they stood back from Figo and allowed him time and space, with disasterous consequences. Then again against the Germans at Wembley, they were guilty of a total loss of concentration which allowed Haman to score a dodgy free kick. They have to close quality opposition down quickly, otherwise players like van Brommel will always take advantage. Sloppy mistakes and airhead defending aren't going to get us to the World Cup finals.
Ed , England

Good to see England getting back to the sort of performance we know and love. Absolutley boring.
Jon Lingwood, UK

I think it will prove more productive in the long run than us thrashing the likes of Lichenstein or the Faroe Islands

Tony Martin, London, UK

So we lost. Big deal. If it gave even some of the newer players a taste of what it's like to play a top-class team and what is required to beat them, it was worth it. The doomsayers will doubtless say we have no chance against Germany. I think it showed that we still have some way to go to reach the dizzy heights of Euro '96 but we have a realistic chance of beating Germany next month.

I think it will prove more productive in the long run than us thrashing the likes of Lichenstein or the Faroe Islands which does nothing for the players but boost their confidence and tells the manager absolutely nothing about where weaknesses lie.
Tony Martin, London, UK

In the English mind, hope springs eternal. Playing a bunch of non-contenders helped give the English a false sense of security. Let's face facts, the English team are no way near the top of the international game. Time to get real and lower the expectations.
Martyn, Wales

Well I think this game is a prick on the side and it has awakened the otherwise sleeping England team so that when they face Germany on Sept 1 they should be thoroughly awake!
Peter Khanganya, Malawi

It was only a friendly, so people should not take it too seriously

Chris Mackenzie, Scotland

Ok, we all know that Sven didn't field a first class team from the start, it was his chance to test out the other players in the England squad. It does show one thing though: we will have to field our strongest team to even think of beating Germany. Hope we do it!
Ben Jones, UK

England can surely do a lot better. The team seemed to lack motivation against the Dutch. I'm confident - and hopeful - they'll be up for it against Germany.
Peter Oosterhuis, Netherlands

The result doesn't really matter. It was only a friendly, so people should not take it too seriously. Those who do are the sort of people who end up getting managers sacked.
Chris Mackenzie, Scotland

Second-rate team? Holland have lost only once to England in the last 19 years. What does this say about England? A third or even fourth-rate team?
Folkert Bouma, Holland

Expect a completely different team and result for the Germany game

Chris , England

It is an annoying mentality of the English that we expect to win every game. I was actually at the game last night, and what I saw was an England side lacking in match practice prior to a big season, and an experienced Holland team who just clicked together on the night. Five wins on the trot does not make us World Cup contenders and one defeat to Holland in a friendly does NOT mean we don't deserve to go to the World Cup. I am certain that the Germany game will be much closer than last night's game, and that England will achieve qualification at least via the playoffs.
Matthew Hall, England (Reading)

We have to remember that this match was a friendly, played at a time when most of the team should have been involved with last minute preparations with their clubs. This was a good opportunity to experiment with new players. Absolutely nothing can be read in to this game, England faced a full strengh Dutch team who did outclass us on the day. Whether or not we think players should be in the team is irrespective, Eriksson picks the team and friendlies are when you should experiment. Expect a completely different team and result for the Germany game.
Chris , England

England were outclassed and outplayed by the Dutch. After watching Hungury crumble to Germany I don't think England have a snowball's chance in hell.
Ewan Millar, Scotland

Last night proved that English football is totally dependent of foreign imports to maintain standards. Other, but smaller, teams like the Czech Republic, Croatia, Yugoslavia would have easily beaten this Dutch side, they are not that good. If I was the England manager I would post the three points to Germany as it would save a lot of embarrassment.
Mac, Scotland