I wouldn't say that was a straightforward chance for Raheem Sterling - the bounce of the ball made it more difficult - but he probably should have scored. Wearing number nine is not right either Diego, I agree. But there is no obvious nine in the England side.

Charlie Austin would probably have it if this was the final 23 in France next summer.

Henry: Raheem Sterling. Worth £75m. Remember that.

Diego the Alter Ego: Raheem Sterling playing number 9 is so wrong

Dan Graham: ONE HUNDRED GRAND A WEEK

This is already a better game than last weekend's Dublin dirge. Kieran Gibbs whips in a dangerous cross but seconds later Slovenia are on the attack and Phil Jones has to concede a corner.

End-to-end stuff.

Martin Keown
BBC Sport

"That is one area Raheem Sterling needs to improve on, his finishing. England should really be 1-0 up now. It was a lovely ball in from Wayne Rooney, who has taken a couple of early knocks already."

Image source, PA

England make a dog's dinner of the free-kick in a good position, squaring it but short.

But then they go close! Raheem Sterling is played in over the top, clean through on to a bouncing ball. His only option is a first-time lob from 12 yards out, he gets it over the head of the keeper - but over the bar too.

Close, very close, but no goal. Will Sterling get a better chance?

Martin Keown
BBC Sport

"We are on Raheem Sterling watch tonight. He came off the touchline and lost the ball early on."

Wayne Rooney snaps into a tackle to get England back on the move and Andros Townsend wins a free-kick on the edge of the box. Good lively start from both sides.

Dynamic start from the hosts as Fiorentina midfielder Josip Ilicic slices right down the middle, beating Jack Wilshere and bearing down on the back four before the ball gets away from him. Great noise inside the ground.

Roy Hodgson is unhappy already. There's a TV camera too close to him and he's not having it. It won't move though - and the game is go.

England manager Roy Hodgson, speaking to ITV: "We need to get back to the way we were playing. We didn't live up to that in the game against Ireland. I think the match in Italy and the one in Ireland were low-key affairs but this won't be. Our players aren't used to a lack of intensity, and if we do need to provide it ourselves we will.

"I hope Andros Townsend will give us that extra pace and dribbling up front alongside Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling. It's good as well to have Adam Lallana and James Milner up our sleeves in case we need to change things.

"Raheem is a good player and I'm not going to be tempted to drop a player every time people suggest we should do so. We know what Sterling is about and what he can bring to the team."

Image source, Reuters

Two things you will always see during the England national anthem:

1. The crowd and the players will always finish singing 15 seconds before the music. Always.

2. There will always be at least one man dressed as a medieval crusading knight.

Two out of two here.

Slovenia: Handanovic, Brecko, Ilic, Cesar, Jokic, Ilicic, Mertelj, Kurtic, Kirm, Kampl, Novakovic. Subs: Oblak, Andelkovic, Samardzic, Beric, Birsa, Lazarevic, Rotman, Pecnik, Milec, Verbic, Vidmar.

England: Hart, Jones, Cahill, Smalling, Gibbs, Sterling, Henderson, Wilshere, Delph, Townsend, Rooney. Subs: Green, Bertrand, Walcott, Jagielka, Milner, Lallana, Austin, Cleverley, Barkley, Vardy, Clyne, Heaton.

Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)

Image source, Reuters

A cracking atmosphere in Ljubljana as the players emerge. The home fans hold up a colourful mural in the stands. England all in red tonight. A colourful performance ahead?

Martin Keown
BBC Sport

"Ross Barkley could have played today. Midfielder Adam Lallana is not really good enough. Striker Harry Kane should really be in this team. Can any of them really push on? The midfield is the area I am most worried about."

Roy Hodgson defends the selection of Raheem Sterling, saying "I'm not going to be tempted to drop a player every time he has a bad game."

More reaction to come from the England manager.

Does Rio have a point?

When the phrase 'Golden Generation' was being banded about in 2004 or 2006 I thought it was nonsense. But in hindsight there was maybe something in it after all.

Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Beckham, Owen, Cole, Ferdinand, Terry, Hargreaves, Campbell...

What's this? The copper generation?

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand

"The depth of quality in the players Hodgson has to choose from.....has an England manager had a more shallow pool to pick from??"

Jamie Curtis: Wilshere's done his job as the anchorman but he's more effective as a no.10 running at defenders & playing 1-2s around the box

Dave: We need score an early goal, never mind who's playing in defence! Give the ball to the ball players!

Dan Falvey: What I'd give for an England team which excites me, or an England team with an identity. Something to get behind!

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Alan Green
BBC Radio 5 live

"The qualifying campaign does not really matter. I am looking at the high profile friendly games prior to the European Championship. A year to the start of the tournament in France, I don't see it with any optimism.

"How many outstanding performers have England got? Wayne Rooney of course and Gary Cahill has come on as a defender, there's Joe Hart in goal, but who else? I don't see much."

Image source, BBC Sport

Four English players were named in the PFA team of the year this year. Two of them are in Roy Hodgson's squad but only Gary Cahill starts...