Mark Langdon: Fortunate England must make use of extra life

There are no pictures on scorecards. It's better to be lucky than good.

Think of all the cliches you want, but England's fortunate extra-time success over Slovakia cannot mask the obvious problem that Gareth Southgate must make changes if he wants to lead the Three Lions to glory at Euro 2024.

It would be absolutely nonsensical to take too many positives from a quite dreadful performance that should have resulted in a European Championship exit that would have been at least as shameful as Iceland in 2016.

England should be on their way home, instead it might still be coming home, and rather than the squad suffering the most embarrassing walk of shames, the fans were left to sing about being on their way to Berlin after Jude Bellingham saved the nation with an overhead kick usually reserved for Roy of the Rovers just as time looked as if it was running out.

Harry Kane converted in extra-time to turn the tide and to those who only care about the result it was job done. Move on to the next one.

However, it's barely believable that England are still in with a chance of winning this tournament. 

Yes they won the group, yes they are still unbeaten and yes the draw remains favourable with a quarter-final date with Switzerland on Saturday. But surely it will need a serious gear change to get past the Swiss never mind lift the trophy.

Southgate must make the most of his extra life and if he thinks the decision to sit on his hands for much of the match was the right one rather than make changes, then he is seriously deluded.

The Bellingham overhead kick was England's first shot on target. One shot on target against Slovakia having chased the game since Ivan Schranz put the outsiders deservedly ahead on 25 minutes.

That's nowhere near good enough and Southgate surely knows it. 

Quite how and why he waited 66 minutes to make a change - an enforced one at that with Kieran Trippier injured - was remarkable, although not nearly as remarkable as watching until the 94th minute before bringing on Ivan Toney for Phil Foden. 

Bellingham's stunning goal had nothing to do with processes or team shape - it was a moment of brilliance following a long throw and a flick-on. 

The Bellingham goal will be iconic, shown forever and the type of strike every young Three Lions fan will be trying for years to come. There's no goal I have scored more in my living room than David Platt's Italia '90 extra-time winner over Belgium.

Chuck the sponge ball up the wall, hook it over my shoulder and invariably break an ornament as I wheeled away in delight.

England didn't win the World Cup in 1990, but Bobby Robson tried new things after a dull start to the tournament.

He swapped players, he changed formation and tried to find the right formula and it almost worked. It was the same story at Euro 96 when Terry Venables tinkered with the side in an attempt to get a tune out of a squad that wasn't quite clicking apart from one glorious night against Netherlands.

On both occasions the tournament ended in heartbreak against Germany on penalties as luck deserted the team when they needed it most.

Maybe this is Lady Luck giving something back after taking so much as Southgate somehow gets an undeserved life. He can't waste it. Rip it up and try something else. It's been so bad it's hard to know where to start, but he has to try something else.

You've got to be in it to win, but surely you have to play better than this.

Read more from Mark Langdon . . .

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Mark Langdon: Minnows making their mark at Euro 2024 

Mark Langdon: Dropping Harry Kane won't ease the pain 

Mark Langdon: Hosts were impressive but one game doesn't tell the whole story 

Mark Langdon: Beers and tears - the Tartan Army should demand more 

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