Euro 2024

[mrposhman]

Croatia should have tried to get a second goal rather than shytehousing with fouls and injuries to show the game down after they scored. In this they were more Italian than the Italians last night

Respect to Modric but they didn't deserve to go through.

I didn't watch the game, only saw the highlights but sounds like they Southgated themselves.

I don't mind really, Italy don't look like they are particularly good, they've looked poor in most games, only looking like they will score from corners and hoping Donnarumma keeps a clean sheet.

Hoping like hell that England don't Southgate themselves tonight. We need to top our group. If we do, the path to the semis looks like Czechia, Italy and Switzerland in the corner of the draw we would be in. I think everyone would take that quartet before the tournament started. Finish 2nd and we need to play Germany............................no thanks.

 

[AngryAnt]

I didn't watch the game, only saw the highlights but sounds like they Southgated themselves.

I don't mind really, Italy don't look like they are particularly good, they've looked poor in most games, only looking like they will score from corners and hoping Donnarumma keeps a clean sheet.

Hoping like hell that England don't Southgate themselves tonight. We need to top our group. If we do, the path to the semis looks like Czechia, Italy and Switzerland in the corner of the draw we would be in. I think everyone would take that quartet before the tournament started. Finish 2nd and we need to play Germany............................no thanks.

Yeah, Italy don't have much up front.

 

[mrposhman]

If England can sort the balance in their team out then who knows. Not only the balance, but changing things up quicker when its obvious some things need to change, Southgate is generally too slow to make changes, but look at the 2 different sides of the draw.

Side A: Spain, Georgia. Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia. France and Belgium
Side B: Romania, Netherlands, Austria, Turkiye, England, Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy

I know which side of the draw I'd prefer to be on.

 

[Sintiger]

If England can sort the balance in their team out then who knows. Not only the balance, but changing things up quicker when its obvious some things need to change, Southgate is generally too slow to make changes, but look at the 2 different sides of the draw.

Side A: Spain, Georgia. Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia. France and Belgium
Side B: Romania, Netherlands, Austria, Turkiye, England, Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy

I know which side of the draw I'd prefer to be on.

The problem for England is that if they get scored against first can they actually react? They could easily get knocked over by so called inferior teams if they get behind.
I generally find these international events laborious to watch because so many teams get risk averse in the way they play

 

[mrposhman]

The problem for England is that if they get scored against first can they actually react? They could easily get knocked over by so called inferior teams if they get behind.
I generally find these international events laborious to watch because so many teams get risk averse in the way they play

Its an interesting one. IMO England will look better playing better teams. The weaker teams tend to defend well. Take Slovenia, they went into that game with a plan to draw the game, an early England goal and the game opens up, but we didn't get it. The problem with Southgate is he doesn't react quick enough (aside from the Mainoo sub), it was clear as dogs balls that we needed pace against them in the 2nd half but he made the changes too late. I'd have had Bellingham off and potentially Kane too, and had Gordon / Eze and Watkins on for the last half an hour.

Other teams have struggled to beat the weaker teams as its hard to break them down unless you can score early and open the game up. As you say its tournament football and the group stages can be a bit laborious to watch because of that.

I'm expecting a similar game against Slovakia, and hopefully Southgate is more strategic with his subs, we haven't yet had to find out how we come back from a goal down as we've been so solid defensively, really enjoyed watching the growth of Guehi this tournament.

 

[Ian4]

this is nuts.

Its an interesting one. IMO England will look better playing better teams.

I haven't seen any of the England games, so I can't really comment on the criticism.

But the Socceroos cop a lot of this low block Football in Asia and Arnold struggles to cope with it. But as you said, the big difference is that the further they progress, the less their opponents will play anti-football and come to play.

hopefully I'll get the chance to watch England's RO16 game on the weekend.

 

[AngryAnt]

England have no balance, no system - they are really stinking it up. And now they lack confidence and leadership

They aren't really dealing with low blocks either, they are just bad. Even in the weaker arse of the drawer they won't go much further.

Contrast with Austria - tight system, every player has a role, excellent pressing.

Austria are everything England are not – and never have been | Barney Ronay

An incoherent national team always seem a surprise but why? There is no English coaching school, no coaching culture, nothing to pass down

www.theguardian.com

 

[TigerForce]

England have no balance, no system - they are really stinking it up. And now they lack confidence and leadership

They aren't really dealing with low blocks either, they are just bad. Even in the weaker arse of the drawer they won't go much further.

Contrast with Austria - tight system, every player has a role, excellent pressing.

Austria are everything England are not – and never have been | Barney Ronay

An incoherent national team always seem a surprise but why? There is no English coaching school, no coaching culture, nothing to pass down

www.theguardian.com

Yep. The Scouser BIL looks more red everytime I see him. Reckons Southgate will get sacked and become the ManUre manager.

 

[mrposhman]

England have no balance, no system - they are really stinking it up. And now they lack confidence and leadership

They aren't really dealing with low blocks either, they are just bad. Even in the weaker arse of the drawer they won't go much further.

Contrast with Austria - tight system, every player has a role, excellent pressing.

Austria are everything England are not – and never have been | Barney Ronay

An incoherent national team always seem a surprise but why? There is no English coaching school, no coaching culture, nothing to pass down

www.theguardian.com

Its tournament football, its the way these tournaments go with lesser teams playing better teams.

Have France looked great? What about the Netherlands? How about Germany outside of the Scotland game? Struggled to a draw in their last game against the Swiss. Belgium have failed to fire, Italy look rubbish. Portugam very similar. The only major nation to stand out in the group stages has been Spain. Thats not because all the other nations are crap, but that lesser nations generally play frustrating styles of football. They sit deep (did you see how deep Slovenia sat?).

I think defensively we look good, but we need a more stable midfield, Alexander-Arnold and Gallagher didn't work, Mainoo looked a lot better, and we need Southgate to be more bold, quick and aggressive with his substitutions. I also think we desperately need Shaw back. Every time we have passed the ball to the left back (Trippier) because he's right footed he's always coming back into the congestion instead of widening the pitch.

We certainly have work to do, but its not as terrible as you paint.

 

[TigerMasochist]

, Mainoo looked a lot better,

I thought that Mainoo bloke was a judge on some fancy arsed cooking show, does he play soccer as well?

 

[AngryAnt]

Its tournament football, its the way these tournaments go with lesser teams playing better teams.

Have France looked great? What about the Netherlands? How about Germany outside of the Scotland game? Struggled to a draw in their last game against the Swiss. Belgium have failed to fire, Italy look rubbish. Portugam very similar. The only major nation to stand out in the group stages has been Spain. Thats not because all the other nations are crap, but that lesser nations generally play frustrating styles of football. They sit deep (did you see how deep Slovenia sat?).

I think defensively we look good, but we need a more stable midfield, Alexander-Arnold and Gallagher didn't work, Mainoo looked a lot better, and we need Southgate to be more bold, quick and aggressive with his substitutions. I also think we desperately need Shaw back. Every time we have passed the ball to the left back (Trippier) because he's right footed he's always coming back into the congestion instead of widening the pitch.

We certainly have work to do, but its not as terrible as you paint.

As the pundits say, drop Bellingham and Kane. Foden at 10. Rice and Mainoo holding mids or even Wharton, he can play at defensive mid. Play TAA at right back or not at all. Move KWP to left back.

Play players in the positions they are actually good at om a system they can actually play as a team, instead of picking a team on star power and hoping it will gel.

England stink right now. If they meet Austria they are done. Posh you are right, plenty of big teams start slow but but Ebgland right now are totally disfunctional.

Dont even compare France to Ebgland. They actually have a pedigree of winning things.

There is a spicy matchup France Belgium next round though.

 

[mrposhman]

As the pundits say, drop Bellingham and Kane. Foden at 10. Rice and Mainoo holding mids or even Wharton, he can play at defensive mid. Play TAA at right back or not at all. Move KWP to left back.

Play players in the positions they are actually good at om a system they can actually play as a team, instead of picking a team on star power and hoping it will gel.

England stink right now. If they meet Austria they are done. Posh you are right, plenty of big teams start slow but but Ebgland right now are totally disfunctional.

Dont even compare France to Ebgland. They actually have a pedigree of winning things.

There is a spicy matchup with Belgium next round though.

France and England aren't too much difference, but yes you are right they have failed less than we have and thats mental demons that England need to get over.

BTW you don't drop Bellingham, but potentially we should play him deeper as that 2nd midfielder, especially with the next game being Slovakia. Bring Foden into the 10 and start Gordon or Eze left. I don't like Walker at LB, has never played there in his career, we'd be better with Shaw there. Southgate really made a mistake not picking another LB IMO. Chilwell would have been an option for the group stages that would have provided more than Trippier has so far.

 

[AngryAnt]

France and England aren't too much difference, but yes you are right they have failed less than we have and thats mental demons that England need to get over.

BTW you don't drop Bellingham, but potentially we should play him deeper as that 2nd midfielder, especially with the next game being Slovakia. Bring Foden into the 10 and start Gordon or Eze left. I don't like Walker at LB, has never played there in his career, we'd be better with Shaw there. Southgate really made a mistake not picking another LB IMO. Chilwell would have been an option for the group stages that would have provided more than Trippier has so far.

I seriously would drop Bellingham - great first game, nothing since, but as you say the postion and formation don't help. Totally insane picking Shaw who hasn't played for, what, six months? Good player but how are you going to find form at the Euros even if he does play?

 

[mrposhman]

I seriously would drop Bellingham - great first game, nothing since, but as you say the postion and formation don't help. Totally insane picking Shaw who hasn't played for, what, six months? Good player but how are you going to find form at the Euros even if he does play?

The difference would have been against the weaker teams w3oth the left sided full back, so I agree with you. No idea why another left footed full back wasn't selected. Would have meant that the option of hugging the touchline would have been an option, but with Trippier there, it was clear he would always come inboard so made the ground even smaller to defend for the opposition.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

If countries like Australia are looking at countries to aspire to in this sport, I often find myself drawn to countries like Switzerland and Denmark. Neither reach the absolute pinnacle of the sport. But consistently solid at the top level. They have comparable wealth, population (actually a bit smaller), general living standards and potential talent pool.

 

[marella jube]

Switzerland impressive in defeating a limp Italy 2-0. They'll certainly be tough opponents for England or Slovakia in the 1/4 finals.

Germany, after surviving some scares from Denmark, 2-0 ahead, 10 minutes to play. Musiala, wonderful talent, has given his nation breathing space, with a lovely finish.

 

[mrposhman]

Switzerland impressive in defeating a limp Italy 2-0. They'll certainly be tough opponents for England or Slovakia in the 1/4 finals.

Germany, after surviving some scares from Denmark, 2-0 ahead, 10 minutes to play. Musiala, wonderful talent, has given his nation breathing space, with a lovely finish.

Yeah I'd mentioned earlier in the tournament that Italy looked rubbish, only really looked dangerous from corners. The Swiss looked good, but they weren't playing a great team (many would say thats what England are too). I think if we get through Slovakia, its going to be a really interesting one. Can England gel enough to build the teamwork up, as we know well that a champion team will always beat a team of champions (which is probably closer to what England are right now).

Germany v Spain will be a mouth watering quarter final, unless something really weird happens tonight.

 

[AngryAnt]

Well, England still stinking it up but get the win, and as Posh says there is a history of sides playing ugly football and winning this comp - Greece, Portugal and Denmark for example.

I will concede the blokes I wanted dropped scored the goals

 

[mrposhman]

Well, England still stinking it up but get the win, and as Posh says there is a history of sides playing ugly football and winning this comp - Greece, Portugal and Denmark for example.

I will concede the blokes I wanted dropped scored the goals

You don't drop Bellingham or Kane for those reasons but we were putrid this morning. I was expecting to be coming on here and claiming this is the most talented list I have ever seen in an England tournament and we'd been eliminated by a small nation from the baltics. We were close, bloody close, took a great bit of skill to get it to extra time.

But, and this really annoys me, Southgate still doesn't learn. Half time of extra time he brings Konsa and Gallagher on, no real issue there, we had too many attacking players on the field since we'd been chasing the game, but he then moved to a 5-4-1 formation. We very nearly conceded again later on in the 2nd period of extra time and it would have all been down to folding back timidly and allowing them to control possession again.

My theory has been we will play better against good sides that don't flood back, we will find out if that theory is real at the weekend, there is no way that the Swiss will flood back and try to hit us on the counter. We can't be as timid against them as we showed at times this morning, else I expect they will beat us easily.

 

[artball]

Well, England still stinking it up but get the win

versus world beaters Slovakia