Euro 2020 - Congrats Italy

[Mike1812]

I hope he sticks with at least one of Grealish and Saka. They actually try and do things. 

[Adrock]

10 minutes ago, feltmonkey said:

This second half performance has been crap by design, not by accident. Every time anyone moves forward with the ball, look at Henderson and Phillips - they'll be pointing at the centre backs. It's a plan, it's game management.

 

It'd be interesting to look at average positions, Henderson was seemingly pushing everyone 10 yards further up the pitch and seemed to be a lot further forward when compared with Rice. It looked like he was brought on to drive the forwards further forward at points and lead the press, he was furthest forward at points.

 

Phillips became the single deep lying midfielder with Henderson working up and down the pitch. Nothing stuck to Kane all night and after the goal pretty much nothing came off up top.

 

Saka was the big positive in the match.

[andygt]

Both should be playing, they did more in half an hour than foden and mount in two games 
 

 

[Mike1812]

The more I watch Kane, the more I think Bamford could have done a useful job from the bench, particularly when 'managing' the 1 - 0.

[feltmonkey]

Wrighty there telling us about Grealish "regurgitating" the ball.

[Fry Crayola]

The more Bamford doesn't get picked for England, the more I hope he scuffs a late equaliser for Ireland in a 2-2 draw in Kazakhstan to seal fourth in the group.

[ChewMagma]

Lads, they don't put an asterisk next to a tournament winner's name if they weren't entertaining enough.

 

I'm not a football fan really, it is pretty dull sport 99% of time, but having given up on England during the Golden Generation, it is infinitely better to see this squad and manager looking like they actually know what they are doing for a change.

[the_debaser]

Thankfully we have some Group F games tomorrow to look forward to. 

[andygt]

I’m glad someone enjoyed the tactical masterclass of the draw with Scotland 

[Fry Crayola]

5 minutes ago, ChewMagma said:

Lads, they don't put an asterisk next to a tournament winner's name if they weren't entertaining enough.

 

Maybe they should!

 

And also the following:

 

^ - opponents had their best players injured

~ - dodgy refereeing decisions in their favour

¨ - home team in the tournament, take with pinch of salt

` - didn't win tournament but workmanlike midfielder scored a worldy, look it up on YouTube, it was great

[Keiths_Dad]

It was a good performance, not exciting though. Realistically, our best chance of winning this is to stay disciplined and manage our way through the games. It would have been nice to see them go out and try to rip these to shreds, and even nicer for them to try to beat Scotland rather than settling for the draw, but getting through without conceding and playing in a way that maximises our chances of winning the tournament is, on reflection, the right approach. That doesn't stop it being frustrating to watch, particularly given how well Sterling, Grealish and Saka played in the first half.

 

Kane's clearly fucked, though. He was doing alright first half by dropping in a little deeper and linking play, but it was clear his pace wasn't what you'd expect from him, and he pretty much disappeared in the second half. I think we might have been better off giving Calvert-Lewin a go at some point, and ensuring Kane is fully fit for the knockout games where we'll be more reliant on his goals.

[Angles Morts]

Good first half, mediocre second half, will be in trouble if we have to come from behind against decent opposition (although I guess in statistic terms that is stating the obvious)

[Hamus]

A very enjoyable evenings entertainment I felt!

 

Some interesting back and forth, a nice end point with a set up for further characters to come into the fold, and some flying about all over the place!

That's right I finally caught up on the last 2 episodes of Wandavision. Clearly a good choice.

[ChewMagma]

5 minutes ago, andygt said:

I’m glad someone enjoyed the tactical masterclass of the draw with Scotland 

 

I'll take going through to the last 16 tbh. It is just classic English entitlement - not enough to win the group without conceding a goal we have to be pumping everyone 3-0.

[Fry Crayola]

In recent years with England, I find you can't really judge them on their performance against B and C tier sides, and in truth that's often the case with the other major nations. When faced with a top tier opponent, they tend to put in a top tier shift. They may or may not win, but they're not going to made to look like utter chumps.

 

Meanwhile, Italy have so far looked excellent against everyone they've faced, but could easily fall apart when they play the group F winners in the quarter final.

 

If I was an England fan, I'd be quietly optimistic.

 

I mean, if I wasn't busy whipping myself in apology for everything.

[mexos]

Pretty good, nothing inspiring but not embarrassing either. 
 

Portugal, France or Germany would absolutely spank us mind. 

[Calashnikov]

Scotland man. Just not good enough. No way we’re getting a result against Modric et al with Dykes and O’Donnell in the team. We actually did well not to lose by more, all things considered.

 

Patterson should have played every game ahead of O’Donnell, he offers so much more as a footballer, defensively and creatively.

 

As for Dykes, sadly we’ve got no one else.

 

There are some very good players in this Scotland squad by our standards (Robertson, Tierney, McGinn, McTominay, Gilmour), there are some decent B-tier players around them (McGregor, Armstrong, Adams, Forrest), some solid journeymen in the likes of Hanley and shit, but we just can’t realistically expect to compete at this level with the likes of O’Donnell, Dykes and McKenna etc. There’s too much dross, but it’s not like we have anyone else to pick ahead of them. We did about as well as we could I reckon.

[Calashnikov]

Czech game fucked us, actually. We should be doing better in that game. Again, it’s the lack of quality in key individual areas that’s cost us.

 

EDIT: it also comes down to a dodgy team that day. Fair play Tierney was injured, but Gilmour would have been a good shout for that one.

[Azrael]

Still, it's possibly the most Scottish way to be knocked out. 3 from the group qualifying, 2 home games, 1 goal/point. FFS man. 

 

[Orion]

England top group. 7 points. 3 clean sheets. Make it look easy.

 

RLLMUK - "We should be attacking non stop. Why are we not playing a front 7 of Sancho/Foden/Grealish/Sterling/Kane/Rashford/Saka? Southgate has not got a clue."

[Calashnikov]

2 minutes ago, Azrael said:

Still, it's possibly the most Scottish way to be knocked out. 3 from the group qualifying, 2 home games, 1 goal/point. FFS man. 

 

 

Goal of the tournament in against ye comes as standard every time. Was Scottish af 

[feltmonkey]

England could do with France beating Portugal and Hungary beating Germany.  That would be great if someone could arrange for that to happen. 

[Angles Morts]

I laughed at Declan Rice being told to put his mask on and keep his distance from Souček when they were having their natter. Don't want any more isolating!

[Boothjan]

I actually thought England managed the game very well. It looked like we wanted the early goal to settle us down and allow us to dictate the pace of the game. Which we did. 

 

Not too concerned with tonight TBH but we'll need to work far harder to contain whoever we face next.

 

Was speaking to my mate during tonight's game and asked the following question: when did we last beat a high profile side in a major tournament? Have we done so since Beckham's penalty beat Argentina 1-0 in 2002?

 

We will need to do so in the next round. Looking forward to it - these are the games we should be relishing. We will need to improve for sure.

[Plissken]

I think the last time England beat a side ranked above them during a tournament is… never.

 

Having said that, they do have a habit of reaching par which for a side generally ranked 4-8 in the world is the quarter finals.

[Fry Crayola]

10 minutes ago, Plissken said:

I think the last time England beat a side ranked above them during a tournament is… never.

 

If penalties count, it's Colombia at the last World Cup (11th v 12th).

 

But penalties don't count, so you have to go back to the win over Argentina in 2002 (5th v 13th).

 

The other times it happened are against Germany at Euro 2000 (6th v 12th) and Netherlands in '96 (13th v 24th). With the rankings only being formed in December '92, that's your lot.

[spork]

1 hour ago, Azrael said:

Still, it's possibly the most Scottish way to be knocked out. 3 from the group qualifying, 2 home games, 1 goal/point. FFS man. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Calashnikov said:

Czech game fucked us, actually. We should be doing better in that game. Again, it’s the lack of quality in key individual areas that’s cost us.

 

EDIT: it also comes down to a dodgy team that day. Fair play Tierney was injured, but Gilmour would have been a good shout for that one.

at least now you can both get behind the mighty ENGERLUND!

 

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[Azrael]

Well they'll have full attention, and all my laughs, when they have to play a decent team and get pumped. 

[Matt Defis]

12 minutes ago, spork said:

 

at least now you can both get behind the mighty ENGERLUND!

 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Wales first and Denmark second for me. 

[Fry Crayola]

13 minutes ago, spork said:

at least now you can both get behind the mighty ENGERLUND!

 

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