June: The Euro 2020-ish Group Stages

The People spoke and One Fred won out though there was a lot of chat about one per stage and stuff so I'm thinking one for the groups then one for the knockouts as a whole with a poll of the remaining teams so people can predict England's glorious bringing home of Football. Obviously these threads can serve for any other business for the month as well.

The Squads: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020_squads
The Groups: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_E...20#Group_stage
The Schedule: https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/n...-the-fixtures/
The TV Schedule: https://www.live-footballontv.com/euro-2020-on-tv.html

Some shit from Baz:

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Originally Posted by Baz

Fantasy Football anyone?

https://gaming.uefa.com/en/uefaeuro2...61006C0066/Baz

Or get get the app (Android | Apple) create your Euro 2020 Fantasy Football team and join the league using the code 30BRTA7Z01

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He also asked me to post a 'betting guide' in here but get that shit in the betting thread.

Also just realised I wasn't paying attention when typing out the poll question so I'll let a mod decide whether to short that to an actual full question or leave my idiocy there for the ages as I don't think I can edit it.

EDIT: For fuck's sake I forgot to make the poll public as well.

Delete the thread and try again

Turkey v Italy must be one of the better opening fixtures there has been in a while. Usually it's The Hosts v the Republic of Outer Shitalo and the corrupt home president sits in the stands looking smug as the hosts run out 3-0 winners.

Obviously 2010 was the best opener, then. The hosts were the underdogs, featured Team Pepe AND had Vuvuzelas. :drool:

That was a pretty good one, also notable for the absurd Peter Drury commentary, and what was actually a glorious goal by Tshabalala.

Russia v Saudi Arabia wasn't it last time? Good lord.

Forgot that was the opener last time. :D Fucking hell.

Euro 2008 opened with Switzerland v Czech Republic. :uhoh:

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Originally Posted by Ian

Obviously 2010 was the best opener, then. The hosts were the underdogs, featured Team Pepe AND had Vuvuzelas. :drool:

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And Suarez fully arrived as a BASTARD at that 'tourn'.

You've also left "not enough Freds" off the poll.

The worst thing about it is the group stage format. 32 games of minor footballing nations playing for a draw in the hope they can sneak a third place and not be one of the eight teams knocked out.

Greenwood’s out injured.

Why is he taking an unfit Henderson? Surprised Ward-Prowse is being snubbed as well, Southgate loves a set piece.

Do we think Greenwood would have got much of a look in anyway? His form is much improved but Sancho would definitely have been ahead of him and I assume that's also a position he might play either Mount or Rashford with the other being sharing the other side with Sterling.

I printed off my wall chart yesterday. I usually can’t be arsed with international football but I’m really looking forward to this.

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Originally Posted by 7om

I usually can’t be arsed with international football but I’m really looking forward to this.

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Same. Feels like footballs back for the first time since Liverpool lost to Atletico Madrid.

Surely nobody can be arsed with international football between tournaments?

Clearly you aren't as thrilled as me about the return of Asian World Cup qualifiers, headlined by Japan's 10-0 win over Burma at the weekend (Yuya Osako scored five, to add to his three in the earlier 14-0 win over Mongolia. God I miss the calendar year goalscorers)

Also sad to report that North Korea have withdrawn from the World Cup, mid-qualifiers.

What's Roy "The Crush" Krishna's tally for the year?

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Originally Posted by Ian

Surely nobody can be arsed with international football between tournaments?

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Some people are but I mean like I’ve barely watched any England games in the recent World Cups/Euros, but gone out of my way to arrange going to a beer garden with some mates next Sunday to try and catch the full-on Ingerlund hype bug.

Make sure to social distance so you don't get EUROS FEVER!!

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Originally Posted by Ian

What's Roy "The Crush" Krishna's tally for the year?

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Still banging them in, top scorer in the Indian Super League with 14 in just 20 games, and also the joint most assists with former Atletico Madrid and Blackpool hitman Alberto Noguera. It was some golden boot race, actually. As well as the aforementioned, Krishna held off ex Reading marksman Adam Le Fondre, 2002 World Cup veteran Bartholomew Ogbeche, and Jamshedpur and Lithuania's much-travelled frontman Nerijus Valskis.

Adam Le Fondre, fucking hell. There's a name I hadn't thought about in a long time.

I didn't realise the Euros were so soon.

I thought they were still a month away.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2zwrdZX...pg&name=medium

He's bottled making a decision.

That squad is horrific.

Four right backs. :happycry:

Bellingham hopefully going for more than “the experience” like when Sven took Walcott, considering Bellingham is already better than a lot of the other players.

Put Bellingham in goal and we'll still lose 6 points to Croatia and Scotland of all teams.

When was the last time Taz said something and wasn’t proven wrong almost immediately. He was first on open the clubs and now his enormous nose is entirely useless.

Think it makes sense if he reverts to 3 at the back.

Shaw/Saka and Arnold/Trippier on the wings and you can revert to a 4 easily.

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Originally Posted by Pleb

That squad is horrific.

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Is this bait?

He’s got 5 midfielders there and 2 are injury doubts and Mount is wasted playing from deep. England could have done with Tomori over Coady or Mings. Maguire the only decent centre half there and he’s nothing special and out injured at the minute.

The attack should see them do decent enough but I wouldn’t trust Southgate much. Be a blessing in disguise like in 2018 when he finishes 2nd and avoids France/Germany/Portugal

I was looking through the Finland squad today and center back Daniel Michael O'Shaughnessy caught my eye. That's going to be Alexis Mac Allister commentary times a million.

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Originally Posted by phonics

When was the last time Taz said something and wasn’t proven wrong almost immediately. He was first on open the clubs and now his enormous nose is entirely useless.

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This was somewhat out the blue and I'm not even sure it makes sense :D you wanna throw hands just say so, no need to tickle my balls.

Someone do a result prediction competition for the Euros and lets sort this out once and for all.

That would require these melts to actually have some opinions :happycry:

Points could be based on odds to stop Mahow winning, and it also immediately puts those in the know ahead when Turkey beat Italy.

Cant be arsed finding the correct thread: Ancelotti leaves Everton for Real Madrid :D

I'd do predictions but I just can't be arsed to get new predictions in every other day.

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Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

Someone do a result prediction competition for the Euros and lets sort this out once and for all.

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The app linked in the OP for fantasy football also has match prediction and tournament prediction games, but no leagues afaik. Can post our picks though, like this:

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.imgur.com/GN10qKK.png

PS EVERYONE JOIN THE FANTASY FOOTBALL

England will finish with 2 points in the group. One each from Scotland and the Czech lot.

They'll just about qualify (on goals scored) and then get dumped out in the first knockout game.

Facts.

I would rather see Kyle Walker at CB over BlockHead

I'd rather have Captain Tom and his walker over that cuboid cunt.

We will walk our group, and then I can't make sense of how it works other than oo-er we might get Germany or Ronaldo or even France if they throw the first match.

Given Kyle Walker seemed to try and set up an opposition goal every time he touched the ball in 2018 I'm not sure what the argument would for him as a centre-half over anybody for England.

At best, he has the pace to recover but I wouldn't want him near an England squad.

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.ibb.co/5KkZRb5/5-B53-BF4-A...35744-E4-E.jpg

Can’t believe I’ve predicted that all 100% correctly

https://i.imgur.com/Ww6Sjuz.png

https://i.ibb.co/GWCvkks/Screenshot-...-Whats-App.jpg

We need a name to categorise these fucking dogshit nations who specialise in low-scoring affairs with their national pool which strictly prohibits any kind of character or flair (no, Hamsik's haircut does not qualify). They're the international equivalent of Burnley minus the organisation and plan.

Pandev's boys were seconds from victory though :cool:

The Bore-draw Pact.

Slovenia have to be the world champions of pointlessness. Since that underdog run at Euro 2000, which was fun, I don't think they've had a good player or really anything interesting to say about them.

The fixtures sneak up quick

Slovenia and Slovakia should just merge to avoid confusion.

Bring back Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.

I’ve got Denmark in a sweepstake. :yn:

Solid booing from the North Yorkshire crowd. :cool:

Christ, that was bleak. I'd hate to be a footballer.

The infamous Turkey game in Sunderland was probably the last decent England atmosphere. More North East fixtures please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b0xvtjlJu8

Rustu looks like an absolute clown on the highlights. More memories ruined.

I wonder whether anyone has ever had a better five minutes of football than he did towards the end of that Croatia match.

Watching a bit of France v pays de galles with nothing else to do tonight. Really tremendous effort from O'Williams to get sent off for deliberate handball in a friendly, but then Benzema had the penalty (well) saved, the useless twat.

Why are they playing people like Mbappe in this? Surely you cotton wool them for a week.

Coady and Mings terrify me.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Watching a bit of France v pays de galles with nothing else to do tonight. Really tremendous effort from O'Williams to get sent off for deliberate handball in a friendly, but then Benzema had the penalty (well) saved, the useless twat.

Why are they playing people like Mbappe in this? Surely you cotton wool them for a week.

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They might have some covid considerations. That's why Holland's first team are out tonight whilst the Scots have 7 out.

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Originally Posted by Manc

Coady and Mings terrify me.

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Mings is the dirtiest bastard in football. Should have been sent off earlier

DCL over the likes of Ings & Bamford really is mind-boggling.

I'll be honest, outside of Kane I'm not sure who I could bank on up front for England.

Realised whilst watching there was no idiotic "England band" droning on with their shit music. Covid :cool:

Why was Lingard starting when he hasn’t made the squad?

Southgate wanted the cut guys to feature.

Such monumentally dumb logic.

The final squad submission isn't until just before the tournament starts so if people get injured then they can be swapped in.

We're also missing the people who played in European finals so might as well give the rest of the players a run out.

According to 5Live, he gave the players the option to go home but who leaves an England camp unless they're injured? It make sense to play them, to be honest. It gives you the option to preserve some players.

Pre-tournament games are always pointless, and especially so now when everybody is shagged. They might as well just go on a week-long bender together like olden days European Cup final preparation.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Really tremendous effort from O'Williams to get sent off for deliberate handball in a friendly

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Shouldn't be overlooked quite how ridiculous a decision that was [VAR's love bunging the French dodgy penalties on super slo-mo handballs *ahem* world cup final], and also how much it shows a problem with the rule if you can point blank it into someone's arm, get a penalty and have them sent off (this was not a Suarez situation).

It seemed like the ref was giving it the 'Look, mate, I'm really sorry, but rules are rules...' treatment, when he could have just not sent him off and no one (including his assessors) would have cared.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

The Bore-draw Pact.

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The Vladis-Draw collective.

Ben White should be going and should be captain.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

It seemed like the ref was giving it the 'Look, mate, I'm really sorry, but rules are rules...' treatment, when he could have just not sent him off and no one (including his assessors) would have cared.

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*Lloris said even the French players were asking the ref not to send him off.

Our quest for qualification into the proper stage of WCQ is determined by 4 games in 12 days starting in under 3 hours.

Quieroz's replacement Marc Wilmots outed himself as a complete terrorist after defeats to Bahrain and Iraq which leave us needing virtually 4 wins. We almost bankrupted our football federation in sacking him and had to replace him with a Croatian nobody who had domestic experience in Iran.

2 games are give-mes against HK and Cambodia but Iraq and Bahrain will be tricky, particularly after AFC had the brainwave of moving all remaining group games to Bahrain which meant we have lost home advantage in both key games, Bahrain have got double the advantage and the new host country is also now crumbling under COVID and experiencing 40 degree temperatures :cab:

Christ, I'd suck so much dick to have Quieroz back.

I was looking at that group earlier, Iran have been properly screwed, though tbh the gulf states always get handed everything on a plate in international sport so no change there.

However, as long as you draw with Bahrain I think you can go through on GD by beating an already qualified Iraq at the end.

As if things couldn't get worse, North Korea's withdrawal has meant AFC yet again doing wonders and deciding the results against bottom-placed teams won't count in deciding the best 2nd place runners up so we have lost our 14-0 Cambodia result (along with our 2nd game against them) so today's HK game requires an emphasis on boosting our GD.

Carlos Queiroz is unemployed? United asleep at the wheel once again.

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Originally Posted by Don

As if things couldn't get worse, North Korea's withdrawal has meant AFC yet again doing wonders and deciding the results against bottom-placed teams won't count in deciding the best 2nd place runners up so we have lost our 14-0 Cambodia result (along with our 2nd game against them) so today's HK game requires an emphasis on boosting our GD.

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Read this post before the poster and thought it was John Arne. Had to double take.

Don Arne.

Alexander-Arnold out of the Euros. I think Southgate should go for Lingard. Having Godfrey or White (much as I like him) there is unlikely to make much difference, whereas Lingard could feasibly win us a game. He's a BIG GAME player and is confident. Plus he's right bantz and would presumably be good for the group.

He's a must imo. That touch to put Grealish through was sumptuous.

Yeah Lingard should deffo go.

Jesse Lingard scoring the consolation when the first good team we play batters us. :cool:

Zero need for a winger. We're well stocked. Ward-Prowse (sorry Ollie).

Actually, yes. We could use someone other than Trippier on set-pieces.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...-scoring-first

That graphic showing our record after scoring first in tournaments is one of those where if I'd sat down and thought about it I'd probably have guessed around that percentage, or maybe a bit higher allowing for us usually escaping the groups but just having it laid out like that it's pretty glaring.

1-0 up, finish 1-1 is a speciality of ours, or at least it feels like that in my head. Let's see if there are actually some tournament examples.

Colombia 2018
Russia 2016
France 2012
USA 2010
Sweden 2002
Switzerland 1996
Germany 1996

Also a menagerie of 1-0 up, lose 2-1:

Croatia 2018
Iceland 2016
France 2004

That's without even touching on our various crimes at Euro 2000.

Yeah, I mean if you asked me "England go 1-0 up, what do they do next?" then the answer is invariably to retreat deeper and deeper into our own half and invite pressure. But given that's since 2000 when some of those other teams have also had long stretches of being average really hammers it home.

Here's a damning stat which I have just researched. Since 1982 (when Bryan Robson scored in the first minute vs France and we went on to win 3-1), we have gone 1-0 up in the first five minutes of tournament games six times. We have gone on to lose all six, either outright or on penalties.

I wonder if, as Liew mentions in that article, 'scoring too early' really is only a thing in England.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Here's a damning stat which I have just researched. Since 1982 (when Bryan Robson scored in the first minute vs France and we went on to win 3-1), we have gone 1-0 up in the first five minutes of tournament games six times. We have gone on to lose all six, either outright or on penalties.

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It's a shot in the arm for those we have here that say any prior evidence of our failings has no bearing on what we do now. Since 1982, we must have had what, six completely different teams?

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Originally Posted by Ian

I wonder if, as Liew mentions in that article, 'scoring too early' really is only a thing in England.

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It's a proper losers mentality, I know that much. And when you think about it, utterly insane.

Perhaps, but anymore insane that expecting 'J-Lingz' to be some sort of situation saving difference maker?

Because English sports coaching is all about orthodoxy and following the rules, generally our saving graces in other sports are hired in forriners. That 'gentleman's agreement' bullshit is really costly, we could have got ten years out of Angel Rangel.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Perhaps, but anymore insane that expecting 'J-Lingz' to be some sort of situation saving difference maker?

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He’s in shithot form, surely that counts for something?

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Perhaps, but anymore insane that expecting 'J-Lingz' to be some sort of situation saving difference maker?

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He's got a good record in big games.

There's a good argument for Ward-Prowse too though.

Who is/are our first choice free kick and corner taker(s)?

Trippier innit?

Looking to set-piece specialists when you have Grealish, Foden, Sancho and Kane is a great indicator of your failings.

This isn't chump club football with your 'movement' and all that bullshit, set pieces are hugely important in internationals. We turned a dogshit team into semi-finalists at '18 on the back of them.

You don't even have a single dominant header of the ball so naturalise Sinisa Mihailjlhjlhjlhjiovic for all it matters. At least Slabhead could cause some problems.

Kane on corners. :baz:

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Originally Posted by Baz

Trippier innit?

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Will he be on the pitch to take them?

I guess maybe he is our first choice right back? Difficult to tell…

Hopefully Harry Kane again :yn:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Here's a damning stat which I have just researched. Since 1982 (when Bryan Robson scored in the first minute vs France and we went on to win 3-1), we have gone 1-0 up in the first five minutes of tournament games six times. We have gone on to lose all six, either outright or on penalties.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

It's a shot in the arm for those we have here that say any prior evidence of our failings has no bearing on what we do now. Since 1982, we must have had what, six completely different teams?

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Is it really a surprise that a nation that has regularly been knocked out early has failed to win matches? The article mentions Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain etc as having >80% records when scoring first. Well they've also all won over 60% of their tournament matches since 2000. England have won 39% in that period. I see no evidence that the order goals are scored in is predictive of future performance.

The idea that England's squad from 1996 have any bearing on how they will do this summer is insane. Like trying to predict this year's Champions League final based on how many goals Salomon Kalou scored in 2007.

Just because Paul Gascoigne's fat arse isn't going to travel forward in time 25 years and put us out of this tournament doesn't mean that whatever factors contributed to us performing in broadly the same way for a period of decades can't contribute to the same again this time out.

It might do, but it doesn't that they're connected. Southgate is pretty cautious but that's pretty much the meta for international football.

Maybe it's chance and it's all been for different reasons but it doesn't change the fact that our performances as we go out tend to have an awful lot in common with each other.

Teams can play well and go out or go out looking like they had a plan, with England it's almost always crabbing, backfoot bullshit.

Yeah, I don't remember much about the Croatia semi final but I sense we didn't create much. We're not direct and we don't really run at sides. Sterling can do that but he's also dicking about at the byline waiting for Rashford or someone to sulk into the box. Assuming Sterling doesn't try to do it all himself.

That losing from the lead statistic could be down to playing a certain way that leaves us open to fatigue, or having players who can't cope with pressure, or having managers who can't react to developments in the game (or all three). All of those things could still have relevance to today, which is how the pattern would have emerged in the first place.

Italy are posting up some mighty impressive form. Haven't lost for almost 3 years and winning games real comfortably. Quality scattered all over the pitch but in a very classy, understated way in an age of FIFA 'packs' and mixed-race physical specimen. Do it for Mussolini, lads :cool:

And the defence still anchored by Chiellini and Bonucci :D

I’d love to see them win it. They had a great run in 2016 and I think if Pelle doesn’t hit the worst penalty of all time in the shootout against the Germans they could have potentially beaten France in the semis.

I'd love to see them go out early and go through yet another round of entitled histrionics.

Berardi is class.

Italian tantrums are the best tantrums.

Last four World Cup winners:

Italy
Spain
Germany
France

Spot the missing piece of the jigsaw.

Japan 2030.

Featuring a 64 year old Kazu Muira up front. :cool:

Everton 'in talks ' with Andrea Pirlo sounds pretty lol.

As is the entirely expected Spurs no longer interested in Conte as he wanted money to spend line. They're actually in quite a tricky position the spuds, could go backwards quickly if they meff this appointment.

https://i.ibb.co/QdMfcVh/4227.jpg

Ridiculous :D

That can't be all of Grealish. :D

Why’s he called up 3 right backs and still playing Godfrey there :D

Have they changed the spelling of Romania in English? Rou is what we’d use in french.

Roumania in English is archaic, so probably some boomer manning the decks.

Really hoping for a Rashford leg break. Woeful footballer.

I've been half-watching this for ten minutes and only just now suddenly realised oh shit, we're the team in blue.

Grealish is such a cheating bastard

Romania actually changed their 3-letter code from ROM to ROU some years ago.

Captains penalty.

Finishing has been abysmal.

It's coming home.

Eddie Howe to take over for the World Cup?

Didn't catch any of this, but seemingly that's two utterly pointless and rancid warm up games.

I don't understand Marcus Rashford, in that I don't get what he actually is. His scoring record (one season aside) is nowhere near good enough to be a striker and he doesn't seem particularly creative either.

If we stink up this tournament I'm going to be livid.

Germany Portugal u21 final on now.

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Originally Posted by Yevrah

I don't understand Marcus Rashford, in that I don't get what he actually is. His scoring record (one season aside) is nowhere near good enough to be a striker and he doesn't seem particularly creative either.

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If you looked purely at his stats steadily going up season on season leading to 20+ goals in the last two years you'd think he was coming along nicely but he's managed to hit that this year despite not ever really hitting form or looking that good.

I can't think of (m)any games this year where he's properly threatened the defence consistently, he just semi-regularly manages to get a goal.

At least we have conclusively learned that Henderson shouldn't be anywhere near a penalty, under any circumstances, unless we somehow take Spain to the 11th in a shoot-out and they have De Gea playing.

Nah, penalties are a lottery. Henderson struck it well but the keeper guessed right.

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Originally Posted by Ian

If you looked purely at his stats steadily going up season on season leading to 20+ goals in the last two years you'd think he was coming along nicely but he's managed to hit that this year despite not ever really hitting form or looking that good.

I can't think of (m)any games this year where he's properly threatened the defence consistently, he just semi-regularly manages to get a goal.

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If you believe Henry Winter, he's carrying an ankle and shoulder injury which makes me think why the fuck are we even playing him with the reserves available.

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Originally Posted by Kikó

If you believe Henry Winter, he's carrying an ankle and shoulder injury which makes me think why the fuck are we even playing him with the reserves available.

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How in the hell are we doing that again?

The livid is rising.

@Shindig It wasn't very good really, it was too high and not close enough to the corner.

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Originally Posted by Southgate

On Jordan Henderson's penalty miss: "We had Marcus Rashford on penalties then James Ward-Prowse but both came off. We expected Dominic Calvert-Lewin to take it and I was expecting Hendo to go over to him and let him take it. We will pull rank next time."

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Frustrating from all of Southgate, Henderson and Calvert-Lewin there.

Just so silly. We should have a list of takers that is followed by everyone.

That we don't have that, with the tournament starting in a week, is quite worrying.

Presumably Henderson was 'on them' (god help us) otherwise seriously what the fuck is going on?

They'd better not have one of those don't take it if you won it mantras.

Marcus Rashford is very good at a few specific things, namely carrying the ball at speed and kicking it hard with a reasonable degree of accuracy, which under a proper manager in a proper system would make him very effective. He has his best games when United beat somebody good with counter-attacking and he is expected to maintain a degree of position discipline, and his best spells have been when Ole Gunnar Binman had his new manager/Project Restart bounce and things just sort of managed themselves, as well as when Jose Mourinho was being accused of stifling him because he wasn't scoring that many.

What he isn't good at is anything to do with playmaking, because his decision-making is poor and he lacks composure. You see this every single week. The longer he has the ball the more likely he is to make the wrong decision, to the point where you can see his brain working on it. Unfortunately, he seems to fancy himself as a bit of a 'wide forward', cutting in and making things happen, rather than more of a traditional wide player who ought to just be running the same lines on repeat with the odd pot-shot thrown in. He also seems to be a bit of a comfort blanket for Ole Gunnar Binman, hence the playing through injuries and being shoehorned into the team on the right where he is genuinely useless.

BBC just put a quiz up about our Euro 1996 semi-final line-up. That side's implanted in my memory and then Steve Stone always came on at the 70 minute mark. Sol Campbell got 4 minutes against Scotland which stunned me.

I was just getting into football at that time and had Steve Stone as a doyen of the England side and the consummate footballer (I think because he may have scored/played well in that Higuita match which was Game Zero for me watching England).

He was actually just a functional bald man, wasn't he?

On another note, this kneeling/booing thing I find really interesting. It's a real front line in the culture war - one group think they are making a meaningful gesture against racism, one group think they are unfairly being called racist/being lectured to by rich people and are expressing their feeling of injustice about that. Both groups are probably wrong, and neither has any interest whatsoever in engaging with the other's point of view. There is no way out and it looks set to dominate the tournament as far as the England narrative is concerned.

And it achieves absolute zero.

I swear some of you gammons would rather England win the tournament than defeat racism as a team. I just want to see the likes of Rashford and Sterling finally not have to face the hardships they face on a daily basis.

I doubt anybody's booing it for any reason other than the obvious, you'd just ignore it otherwise.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

neither has any interest whatsoever in engaging with the other's point of view

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This goes for about 95% of discourse on any issue currently. And 95% might be a bit generous on my part.

Just watched the England match there. (I’m in training all morning, so may as well stick something on in the background)

England looked good at times going forward. Couple of nice interchanges, mostly featuring Grealish.

It was ridiculously easy for an average Romania to slice England open. They definitely should have grabbed a goal.

DCL did well and probably should have scored either his free shot in the second half or his header.

Henderson taking a penalty is just awful management / captaincy. Firstly, everyone should be clear who is the onfield taker. Secondly, Henderson is quite clearly bad at penalties, so shouldn’t ever be an option.

Good: Grealish (going to be England’s star of the tournament if he starts), Sancho, DCL, and Johnstone (looked very solid apart form flapping at one at the end).

Bad: Mings, Rashford (just doesn’t know what to do with the ball at his feet), none of the subs really did much.

That guy Chiriches is an animal and should have been sent off.

Every time I see Mings I chuckle a bit, remembering that he’s an England international. Dreadful. Nat Phillips is genuinely better.

Ben White has made the cut. Fully deserved after his showing last night.

The Guardian has made an amazing page profiling every Euros player (all 600+ of them), there is some fascinating stuff on there if you have some minutes/hours to while away: https://www.theguardian.com/football...P=share_btn_tw

There are some quality nuggets floating around. Such as this:

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Pickford’s father, Lee, changed his name from the original Pigford to Pickford because he was tired of being called “Piggy”. His grandfather, Barrie, is still a Pigford – though Jordan calls him “Knackers”.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

On another note, this kneeling/booing thing I find really interesting. It's a real front line in the culture war - one group think they are making a meaningful gesture against racism, one group think they are unfairly being called racist/being lectured to by rich people and are expressing their feeling of injustice about that. Both groups are probably wrong, and neither has any interest whatsoever in engaging with the other's point of view. There is no way out and it looks set to dominate the tournament as far as the England narrative is concerned.

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Something will have to give at some point, which is liable to mean some sort of petulant official response.

'I love this game!'

The thing with BLM/kneeling is that the opposition to it is a lot more than 'a few fruitcakes' as you would have seen in the 2000s, it's a mainstream view that it's shite, albeit not a media-acceptable view.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The Guardian has made an amazing page profiling every Euros player (all 600+ of them), there is some fascinating stuff on there if you have some minutes/hours to while away: https://www.theguardian.com/football...P=share_btn_tw

---

Lots to like about that Czech side. Denmark to also do bits.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Lots to like about that Czech side. Denmark to also do bits.

---

Yeah, I have Denmark getting to the semis. They’re solid all over, which is all the really matters in international football.

Kasper Dolberg's watch was a fascinating tale I picked up from that page.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

On another note, this kneeling/booing thing I find really interesting. It's a real front line in the culture war - one group think they are making a meaningful gesture against racism, one group think they are unfairly being called racist/being lectured to by rich people and are expressing their feeling of injustice about that.

---

This is such a generous interpretation of the opposition to kneeling.

Let's have a look at the intersection of clubs where the kneeling has been booed and said clubs historic alignments with racist and right wing elements. Oh it's a direct circle.

The highlights of that Mexico/USA game yesterday were incredible :D

Bahrain 0-3 Iran

Job half done :cool: Manager is still clueless but we have 2 of the top 50 strikers in the world and their class doesn't half tell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

This is such a generous interpretation of the opposition to kneeling.

Let's have a look at the intersection of clubs where the kneeling has been booed and said clubs historic alignments with racist and right wing elements. Oh it's a direct circle.

---

I think if you live on twitter or in north London, it's hard to appreciate the extent to which BLM and its signifiers are hated. It's the most effective trigger for what you might call 'gammons' that there has ever been. For every person who actually verbally boos it in a ground, there are fifty thinking they don't like the knee but aren't bothered enough to actually boo.

And as the last few elections should tell you, right wing views are not a minority. These are people who genuinely don't believe they are racist (which is the only reality that matters to them), so having rich people telling them not to be racist every time they go to the football just stirs it up more and more. Eventually there will have to be a reckoning where one side either gives up, or goes on strike over it.

Ah well as long as they don’t think they’re racists. It’s okay. They probably don’t think they’re homophobic either but Justin Fashanu didn’t hang himself cause he was weak.

These people are scum and should be treated as such but the people who think they’re better than said scum rely on those people to vote for them so they make up stories about how they’re actually just terrified of marxism. Pathetic.

It's what happens when civic society falls apart, and reinforcing the division from the top only makes it worse. Next stop, smash up the BBC. Why? God knows, but millions (not a fringe few) are desperate for it.

I'm with phonics on this one. If it's not about race, those annoyed with the protests should probably express it better than booing. Are you angry at the black fellas, the idea that they get special treatment over other minorities, are you just miffed at a slight delay to kick-off? Tell us, Middlesbrough.

Justin Fashanu should be CANCELLED for being a nonce.

The problem is that it was originally very much aligned with Black Lives Matter, but then people took a look at that lot and it all fell apart because they are mentalists [who had a go at Israel]. That would have been the ideal time to stop doing it, but there would have been too much egg on the collective boat, with all the banners already paid for, so they had to try and claim that ooo actually we just do it as a general anti-racism protest. This is even more stupid because 1) now they need to do it forever (or at least until racism stops); and 2) it turns an anti-discrimination message, which nobody ever booed before, into some weird societal issue where every football fan is to blame for iqbal_mufc calling Ashley Young a monkey on the internet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

Ah well as long as they don’t think they’re racists. It’s okay. They probably don’t think they’re homophobic either but Justin Fashanu didn’t hang himself cause he was weak.

These people are scum and should be treated as such but the people who think they’re better than said scum rely on those people to vote for them so they make up stories about how they’re actually just terrified of marxism. Pathetic.

---

Treating these people 'like scum' and trying to lecture them / dismiss their concerns out of hand is pretty much what led to Donald Trump in America. This is not the practical way forward, and will just lead to them entrenching their positions. I wish I had an actual solution, but the last ten years of experience suggests that we can at least rule out your approach.

I do think many of their views are patently racist, but treating someone like pond scum is usually not the way to effect a change of heart.

I'm just curious how Jimmy has suddenly become such a privileged interpreter of the great British masses. When are you meeting these people either?

The main problem with footballers taking a (the?) knee is that it sort of misses the symbolic significance of the original gesture. It was also something that had very real world implications, which none of this does. Unfortunately the house of cards didn't collapse when Zaha stopped doing it, which would have been the best time.

Who is going to boo it though? Key workers and local Brent residents at Wembley during the Euros? Really?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-57382945

My main problem with this article is that they only spoke to one dissenting England fan. Cast a wider net than that, BBC.

Quote:

---

Andrew, who is based in Lincoln

---

Based in Lincoln? What the fuck is that? Surely anyone who would ever say they are 'based' somewhere wouldn't be based in fucking Lincoln?

"Andrew" who's name, voice and location has been altered to protect his identity ...

He probably just said Lincoln because it's the least racist part of racist Lincolnshire.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

I'm just curious how Jimmy has suddenly become such a privileged interpreter of the great British masses. When are you meeting these people either?

---

Probably by living here for 32 years and variously using my eyes and ears during that time.

Andrew Based In Lincoln is doing some excellent mental gymnastics there.

It's gonna be great that we basically have a home tournament and our fans are going to be booing the team before every game. We should just kick in a load of own goals and bow out early.

Knife the cunts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Probably by living here for 32 years and variously using my eyes and ears during that time.

---

You’ve been doing that since Day 1 of posting here so let’s not bring the amount of years you’ve been alive as a resume.

Is it just England that will be taking the knee? Need a list of soft shite nations to cheer against.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phonics

You’ve been doing that since Day 1 of posting here so let’s not bring the amount of years you’ve been alive as a resume.

---

I'm accordingly better at it now. You get better at most things, as you get older. Except a few.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I'm accordingly better at it now. You get better at most things, as you get older. Except a few.

---

The Shite Whisperer™

View Tweet

Incredible 2003 energy there. Dr David Kelly, the left sided problem, Ms Dynamite, it all comes flooding back.

https://i.ibb.co/PT4NYt1/IMG-20210608-WA0008.jpg

:happycry:

Imagine Sven and Lembit at the clubs. A pair of absolute dogs drowning in busty women.

Proper chav

Opik probably has a big dick, but I really can't see what the attraction of Sven was/is to said busty women. Yes, he has money, but not THAT much money. It must be the same Swedish 'thing' that makes Gillian Anderson shag that bloke in Sex Education.

Foden's hair is horrific. That fringe is a hate crime

Grealish's is worse

Foden's is rancid. I'm loving the people comparing it to Gascoigne as if if it's a good omen.

"Fans are hoping he can inspire England in a similar way Gascoigne did all those years ago."

What, by being a lazy fuck and not bothering to run for a tap in in the semi?

I'm not still angry about Euro '96, you are.

The nostalgia about Euro 96 (I mistyped it as Euro 95 at first - I prefer that, like Windows 95) is based on little more than the fact that the nostalgees were younger then.

Foden is the closest thing England have had to bald-headed, drinking pints on a Friday bought, Wayne Rooney.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The nostalgia about Euro 96 (I mistyped it as Euro 95 at first - I prefer that, like Windows 95) is based on little more than the fact that the nostalgees were younger then.

---

The worst thing about watching all the ITV re-runs last summer is definitely it showing up how much I'd misremembered some stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Foden's hair is horrific. That fringe is a hate crime

---

Irish criminal profile. Declan Rice grew his hair to leave it behind.

As I've maintained since, a lot of Euro 96 was absolutely rancid.

Venables' best attributes were getting the best out of Gazza and realising that Shearer and Sheringham were amazing together. Beyond that he was pretty clueless.

Switzerland was a horrible performance, we could have drawn or worse against Scotland. Spain were robbed and Germany was par for the course. Holland was brilliant.

Terry Venables' greatest achievement could be the unifying anti-racism gesture he produced well ahead of time. But will the FA embrace it?

https://www.skysports.com/football/n...e-name-and-age

Silas Wamangituka is actually a year older and named Silas Katompa Mvumpa.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

As I've maintained since, a lot of Euro 96 was absolutely rancid.

Venables' best attributes were getting the best out of Gazza and realising that Shearer and Sheringham were amazing together. Beyond that he was pretty clueless.

Switzerland was a horrible performance, we could have drawn or worse against Scotland. Spain were robbed and Germany was par for the course. Holland was brilliant.

---

Gascoigne wasn't even up to much in '96, that one goal aside. He mostly waddled about and flattered to deceive.

Also watching those games last summer I learned to loathe Venables outright refusal to use substitutes or change his line-up at all, a trip down memory lane which watching Solskjaer teams had very much prepared me for.

I've come around to liking Foden, despite his comically shitey face. He's a dad and loves going fishing. Better than TAA stalking pregnant women on instagram. He also reminds me of Insigne emerging from the deep slums of Naples and still looking and acting like it.

And then he's a brilliant player.

Great dad.

https://www.givemesport.com/1599039-...-man-city-star

"He told me he was in the Guinness Book of Records for being the youngest player to get some trophy. I said 'yes, that's nice'. He said that he was excited for the future."

Blimey, her knickers must have flown off.

Outstanding work given the circumstances.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danny

Great dad.

https://www.givemesport.com/1599039-...-man-city-star

---

That article only confirms my impression.

View Tweet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Opik probably has a big dick, but I really can't see what the attraction of Sven was/is to said busty women. Yes, he has money, but not THAT much money. It must be the same Swedish 'thing' that makes Gillian Anderson shag that bloke in Sex Education.

---

He was hot. Sven is not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Danny

Great dad.

https://www.givemesport.com/1599039-...-man-city-star

---

Lol he was 18. I can't imagine having a kid at that age but I also can't imagine the notion of responsibility at that age being able to impinge on my opportunity to shag a random Scandinavian when I'm some goblin from Stockport.

If Grealish doesn’t start against Croatia (the bookies don’t think he will), they should just sack Gareth “Gareth Southgate” Southgate before kickoff.

It's him and Foden for one spot isn't it? I'd probably go Foden and bring JG off the bench.

Croatia are rancid. Easy victory iregardless of who starts.

Rancid, you say? Easy victory?

In that case I look forward to the Kramaric hat-trick.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

It's him and Foden for one spot isn't it? I'd probably go Foden and bring JG off the bench.

---

It should be both, although I suppose it sort of makes sense to start with your pace merchants as they are going to be fuck-all use off the bench.

Can we not go something like:

Code:

---

              Kane
Grealish                    Sancho

          Foden    Mount

              Rice

---

Probably some glaring omissions there. Are we obliged to start Rashford?

We shouldn't be.

I'd say there's next to zero chance Waistcoat tries to fit Mount, Foden and Grealish into the same team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

It should be both, although I suppose it sort of makes sense to start with your pace merchants as they are going to be fuck-all use off the bench.

Can we not go something like:

Code:

---

              Kane
Grealish                    Sancho

          Foden    Mount

              Rice

---

Probably some glaring omissions there. Are we obliged to start Rashford?

---

Thinking seems to be he will go with Raheem in that left hand spot.

Foden and Mount in a midfield 3 would get walked over.

It’ll be Phillips and Rice with Sterling/Rashford, Mount and Foden ahead

Ah yeah, Phillips, don't mind him in. Still think against the plodders (group games) we'd be better with the technically better players in attacking roles, Rashford et al can come into their own if we have to play on the break against better sides.

In more important news, Boris Johnson has just won the Euros, by wishing luck to 'Scotland, England, and any other home nations that may be competing'.

Back page of The Telegraph is the stuff of absolute nightmares.

BBC1 showed a 45 minute BLM party broadcast based around the euro anthem being done by 2 yoots who think the England flag is an indicator of racism followed by another 45 minute programme on racism in football which could well have been a panorama with its powerful use of chilling background music and short, sharp interviews. Early rumours they're showing 12 Years a Slave prior to England-Croatia to get the vibes going.

Toggle Spoiler

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3eEc-GW...jpg&name=large

Joe Root seems to agree, or perhaps he has just noticed his shorts.

Do we just like being shit? Is that it?

I'm not sure what would happen to the national psyche if England became very good for a sustained period. The fact that I can't even imagine it happening says a lot.

A Croatia victory followed by an announcement of delays to freedom day before the alcohol has even exited the sunburnt bladders of the nation :drool:

http://streamable.com/hg1aon

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I'm not sure what would happen to the national psyche if England became very good for a sustained period. The fact that I can't even imagine it happening says a lot.

---

I expect we'd just become even more insufferable.

Also if we have an centre-halves who end up not being selected because Shaw is picked ahead of them they probably ought to just retire now.

Although the post-2012 Euros format is stupid, I have to hand it to the Copa America for somehow managing to be even worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica

That is a lot of faffing around to knock out Bolivia and Venezuela. Supposedly televised on the BBC though, it could almost be 24 hour football.

Personally, on Sunday I am watching England v Croatia at 2pm, Austria v North Macedonia at 5pm, multi-screening the La Liga 2 Play-Off Final beside Holland v Ukraine at 8pm, grabbing an espresso then watching Brazil v Venezuela at 10pm before calling it a night at 3am after Colombia v Ecuador.

I hear Ian is preparing the COPA thread as we speak.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3fps9vV...jpg&name=large

He strikes me as a proper wrongun.

Definitely not Irish.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

I hear Ian is preparing the COPA thread as we speak.

---

One thread per group and a separate "Where do they go from here?" thread for each of the fifth-placed teams.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Although the post-2012 Euros format is stupid, I have to hand it to the Copa America for somehow managing to be even worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica

That is a lot of faffing around to knock out Bolivia and Venezuela. Supposedly televised on the BBC though, it could almost be 24 hour football.

---

Also love that they moved it out of Colombia and Argentina for COVID reasons, only to move it to Brazil. :cab:

That 'north' and 'south' draw is an absolute Brazil fix as well.

Well, whatever opinions I had about teams taking the knee before matches I see Darren Grimes applauding Scotland for not doing it so I'm now firmly of the opinion we should do it for five minutes per match. Maybe before the second half too.

Take the knee every time you set a wall up for a free kick.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Fantasy Football anyone?

https://gaming.uefa.com/en/uefaeuro2...61006C0066/Baz

Or get get the app (Android | Apple) create your Euro 2020 Fantasy Football team and join the league using the code 30BRTA7Z01

---

Can some people join this please?

Knob off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Knob off.

---

Is this an actual saying?

I refuse to click links from you Baz and I imagine the rest of the board is probably at that stage now.

To be fair I just don't like fantasy football, it doesn't have anything to do with a Baz link in this case.

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.imgur.com/xVwVCYd.png

80% chance of getting out of the group if you either play for three draws, or win your first game and then don't bother attempting to score after that. Fantastic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -james-

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.imgur.com/xVwVCYd.png

80% chance of getting out of the group if you either play for three draws, or win your first game and then don't bother attempting to score after that. Fantastic.

---

:D
Terrific format.

Where's the tension and/or fun to be found then?

Group F (death) should be good regardless. I'm looking forward to France v Germany on Tuesday.

I've thought for a while that if they're going to insist on 24 then they might just as well have 32.

We should do, really. But then it's not that far off the Nations League.

Really looking forward to tonight. Cracking fixture to start the tournament with.

Anyone caught any of the ‘banter’ on those Match of the Day top 10 shows between Micah Richards and Shearer-Lineker? Honestly wanted to be swallowed up by my sofa last night during the top goals episode.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Can some people join this please?

---

I've joined. No idea what I'm doing, which will hopefully be less of a problem during the Euros than my FPL season.

This being opening day of a tournament, it was only right that I revisit the wikipedia page of Paul the Octopus. He really was a don.

Quote:

---

Paul correctly predicted the outcome of the semi-final, by choosing the food in the box marked with the Spanish flag. German supporters drew hope from his incorrect choice for the Germany versus Spain match in the UEFA Euro 2008 but were disappointed. The prediction led to German fans calling for Paul to be eaten. In response, the Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero offered to send Paul official state protection, and the Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian called for Paul to be given safe haven in Spain.

Paul's notoriety attracted criticism from the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who accused him of being a symbol of Western decadence and decay.

---

Proper seethe there from the Islamic Republic, I love it.

inb4

https://i.imgur.com/foGFdVB.png

That would be quite fun, I think.

Apart from fucking France winning it. Can't be having that, no matter how good they are.

Also I think Portugal have been involved in perhaps four fun matches in the last decade.

That Spain Portugal match made up for at least half a decades worth though.

One day the Italians will get over themselves. Clearly not today.

lol at these Italian fans bigging up Jorginho.

In these VAR times, he's worth at least 7 penalties.

This opening ceremony's gone a bit Beijing.

I did like Italy putting Insigne next to Bonucci (I think) for the anthem. The smallest player next to one of their tallest.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3n4wyeXMAQ7V6x?format=jpg

:cool:

Here we fucking go, lads. :rave:

The car :cool:

Is it too late for me to change the car to my breakout star?

Product placement has gone too far

Finally, a Volkswagen that does zero emissions.

Good game so far. A player like Insigne should be doing far more with that chance.

This guy Locatelli looks like he’s never played football before. Is he only starting because he’s a unit?

Calhanoglu is a great tournament archetype. Silky, midget playmaker for a mid-tier or lesser nation. Real Aboutreika vibes to him.

Is this Italy’s first choice attacking trio? Can’t see them troubling the big sides too much if so.

I hope we get a Mert comeback at some point.

'My parents are originally from Turkey...'

Googled him. Fuck. He's like the white Luca.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

I hope we get a Mert comeback at some point.

'My parents are originally from Turkey...'

---

They have a defender in their squad called Mert Muldur. :uhoh:

There’s two of ‘em actually.

Turkey could do with some pace to threaten in behind. Under to come on and do bits.

Italy are blowing all their mamma mia seethe stocks on some stupid non-handballs in game 1, absolute amateurs. You're meant to sleep your way through this and save the histrionics for a couple of weeks' time.

Get a load of Cisps in his readers. He looks a 'prolific' paedophile.

There's no way he hasn't stirred his brothers custard in Magaluff.

Proper skinny jeans stuff.

Why do people employ Robbie Savage?

It's because he's Robbie Savage.

"and if Boris Johnson is watching..." of course he fucking isn't.

That Peter Crouch thing has James Corden's World Cup Live written all over it.

No better sight in football than Chiellini rampaging into the attacking third like Bambi on ice.

Oh dear.

That Turkish left back is going in a kebab tonight.

To my shame I laughed at "Heard Insigne drives the ball car home" :D

Turkey look knackered. This is going to be the worst tournament ever.

This has been such an easy game for Italy. For all James's point about getting 3 draws is valid, it's the teams who turn up with a negative approach like Turkey have here who will end up going out bottom.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Turkey look knackered. This is going to be the worst tournament ever.

---

Alarmingly so.

Italy will go far. :nodd:

Italy would murder Southgates 11 Rightbacks.

I don't think we'd have much joy breaking Turkey down either.

Shit game, mind.

Maybe Turkey are just wank?

Or maybe the best way to attack Italy's decrepit centre-halves isn't with an equally decrepit forward?

Italy do look quite well set to grind though, which seems to be the best modus operandi in modern international football.

'Ooooh Mert Arkan come-back...'

Turkey are basically Tony Pulis' West Brom. Practically impossible to score against... until you get one. Then the floodgates open.

Turkey are utter shite.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Italy would murder Southgates 11 Rightbacks.

---

Now, now.

Italy have been good, albeit still need to see them against a team who want the ball, I get the feeling Jorginho could get bumrushed against a high press.

I am a long term disliker of Italian football (I can't be doing with all the screeching) but every shot of Luca Vialli on the bench rolls that back 10%. What a man.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Italy have been good, albeit still need to see them against a team who want the ball, I get the feeling Jorginho could get bumrushed against a high press.

I am a long term disliker of Italian football (I can't be doing with all the screeching) but every shot of Luca Vialli on the bench rolls that back 10%. What a man.

---

I get the feeling this tournament will suit him unless players have been half arsing the season for this and are full of pressing.

Roberto Mancini always seemed like a nice man when he was at City, and there don't appear to be any pictures of him with Noel Gallagher.

I'm stunned that Turkey are getting angry and picking up yellows.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Roberto Mancini always seemed like a nice man when he was at City, and there don't appear to be any pictures of him with Noel Gallagher.

---

I think he'd be a good United manager...

Italy will get bummed against a side with quick transitions/BLMs so just enjoy them whilst you can, football played with such class is a disappearing phenomenon.

I'd prefer Liam.

Their energy was impressive but someone will get at them.

Turkey have really upset me with that display. Where was the aggression and lunacy disguised as passion? Very un-Turkish performance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

Turkey have really upset me with that display. Where was the aggression and lunacy disguised as passion? Very un-Turkish performance.

---

Indeed, it could have been a buffet of shithousing but we saw nothing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

I think he'd be a good United manager...

---

Did he start the trend for taking out newspaper adverts when he left City? No thanks. Don't need another soppy twat.

View Tweet

:|

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

That Peter Crouch thing has James Corden's World Cup Live written all over it.

---

It's worse.

Why would you watch it?

To see whether it was worse. Tony Adams enjoyed himself at least.

Mancini's entire career has been saying 'Don't you know who I am' and then managing not to fail embarrassingly in impossible to fail circumstances.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

It's worse.

---

Genuinely awful. Not even Maya Jama could save it.

I just found out Donnarumma is still only 22. He's been knocking about for about 10 years now. How is that even possible?

6 years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

To see whether it was worse. Tony Adams enjoyed himself at least.

---

Peter Crouch is the absolute worst figure in modern culture. Supporting it is up there with the worst of historic crimes..

His podcast is pretty funny

You're his target audience though.

Spreadsheet badboys? Or banter champions?

Mental Health First Aiders.

:D

On a similar theme (but probably better - I haven't seen Crouch's thing), the BBC's podcast 'Daily Euros' is pretty good. Mark Chapman presents with a load of different guests. Chris Waddle arguing with Chris Sutton was quite amusing.

I really don't like the Welsh, I hope the Swiss fuck them up.

The Swiss are such a dull footballing nation. Their strongest identity is the Albanian players going all two-headed eagle on Serbia in 2018.

It feels like Switzerland have had the exact same team for 10 years

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

His podcast is pretty funny

---

Can you post an example or two of something funny he's done? Genuinely curious.

I'm shocked Mbabu's only got 12 caps.

It felt like 90% of that first half was a Switzerland corner.

Pretty dull. It's a bad stadium (and country) to be four-fifths empty.

Get fucked Wales.

Ben Davies wearing #4 has really annoyed me

I would like to see Wales go through to make Scotland look worse.

Switzerland being content to win 1-0 has hurt them.

Wales isn't even a country so any success they have is really ours anyway.

This is the Denmark side people have been wanking over?
They don't even start Andersen, the mugs.

They have a solid spine and have someone like Eriksen who always excels at international level. Plenty pace and height on the break. Think it just comes down to whether or not Jonas Wind is as good as he’s made out to be.

Their centre half options are great though, Kjaer is their captain so he was always going to start over Vestegaard/Andersen

The Denmark squad is trash. That front three is among the worst in the tournament.

Closest you'll come to a dark horse is Ukraine I guess but none of the teams at this despicable competition really fit the bill

EDIT: Actually Macedonia

Will be keeping an eye out for suspicious needle marks on the Russian lads later

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mugbull

The Denmark squad is trash. That front three is among the worst in the tournament.

Closest you'll come to a dark horse is Ukraine I guess but none of the teams at this despicable competition really fit the bill

EDIT: Actually Macedonia

---

Only Belgium have beaten them in the last 4 years in 90 mins from what I can see. Can’t be that bad.

Why have so many teams got ‘home’ games?

Mon Finland. :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bernanke

Mon Finland. :cool:

---

Have then in my sweepstake. Where is this game being played. The stands are ram-out like it is 2018

Finland's blue polo is great.

So many players I didn't realize were Danish. Hjojberg, Christensen, Braithwaite.

Finland look like a nothing team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Have then in my sweepstake. Where is this game being played. The stands are ram-out like it is 2018

---

Copenhagen, Denmark.

Holy shit Eriksen is out cold.

Oh fuck :|

What even happened there?

It looks like they're doing CPR on him now. Fucking hell.

I fear the worst.

Fuck. Not live. Not again. :(

Nobody touched him, he just went down. Fuck

They’re definitely doing CPR. What the fuck

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

What even happened there?

---

He was just jogging towards the touchline for a throw in and then went down.

I can't watch this, jesus.

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Is he dead?

Yeah, this is pretty rough.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Is he dead?

---

He looks dead as soon as the camera zoomed in. fucking hell

I erm ... don't think this match is restarting.

I thought he looked like he was having a fit at first. Seemed to be shaking.

I can’t believe they’re showing Live Photo’s of this

:|

Fucking hell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

I can’t believe they’re showing Live Photo’s of this

---

Yeah, at least keep the camera of the CPR attempts, fucking hell.

Fuck.

Who was keeping the footage going all that time, Daniel Levy? Weirdos.

The beeb are going to get a fuck tonne of complaints for showing all that. I know they don't control the footage but they could have cut to the studio at any time.

Well that's the day ruined.

They should have cut the studio way sooner.

I hoped it might have been epilepsy or something, but when they started CPR... Fuck.

The awkward studio banter was almost as bad as probably watching a man die.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

The beeb are going to get a fuck tonne of complaints for showing all that. I know they don't control the footage but they could have cut to the studio at any time.

---

Showing CPR getting done and then his wife was truly a low point

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

The beeb are going to get a fuck tonne of complaints for showing all that. I know they don't control the footage but they could have cut to the studio at any time.

---

Crisps and Alex Scott will have been coaching Micah Richards through the delay.

'The laughing. Normally, great. Right now though...'

Muamba had cardiac arrest for 78 minutes, so if they keep shocking him there's still a chance, but I doubt he ever plays again even if he makes it.

My searches for "christian eriksen" "denmark finland" all get blocked on Twitter ("Something went wrong, try reloading.") Anyone else?

I guess they were hoping he'd be stretchered off into an ambulance. Muamba was in the tunnel within minutes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Crisps and Alex Scott will have been coaching Micah Richards through the delay.

'The laughing. Normally, great. Right now though...'

---

:D

Yeah, the medical team looked a bit slow. 4 boys holding a stretcher doing nothing for the first minute or 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

My searches for "christian eriksen" "denmark finland" all get blocked on Twitter ("Something went wrong, try reloading.") Anyone else?

---

Just wait until hydroxychloroquine gets him fit for the next game. They'll take the whole site offline.

"I was texting my mum telling her I love her."

You're not dying, Pet.

Their best/biggest hospital is literally 500 metres from the stadium, almost feels inefficient to get an ambulance around.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Crisps and Alex Scott will have been coaching Micah Richards through the delay.

'The laughing. Normally, great. Right now though...'

---

:D

Ffs

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

My searches for "christian eriksen" "denmark finland" all get blocked on Twitter ("Something went wrong, try reloading.") Anyone else?

---

Yeah, same.

Left the pitch stable and alive

Toggle Spoiler

https://i.redd.it/8hgo5vsyav471.jpg

Is that a legit pic?

Fucking hell. That was scary. Glad he's pulled through if the photo is right.

I'm sure it's legit. Still doesn't necessarily mean he's okay.

It’s the Denmark kit from today and there’s a Finnish flag behind him so must be

I mean like, his eyes were open when he collapsed too. I just dont want to celebrate yet

He’s practically sat up, with his hands on his head.

And Bein sport are reporting he’s okay.

Yeah the image is from Getty so it’s legit.

Do they play the match now if he’s confirmed stable?

No way.

View Tweet

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3-0 Finland it is then.

They will probably agree to end the match as a 0-0 and move on. The main thing is, he's alive.

Looks like me on a Monday morning hearing my alarm before work full of the fear after a weekend of binge drinking.

Denmark definitely making the finals now. :cool:

Medics donned it.

I'm not sure how you get back to playing football for a few days after that though. He looked 100% dead and they've been stood making a human shield around the body for 10 minutes. You don't just go back to focusing on an offside trap.

Wasn't there one of these cases where the guy was revived and then the guy died 2 days later? The Spanish one?

Edit: Puerta. But sounds like he wasn't actually "revived" so much as stumbling to the dressing room before keeling over completely.

He'll never play again. I also don't know how Kasper Schmeichel isn't a broken man.

EDIT: Antonio Puerta died 3 days after collapsing.

Someone page Magic, supposedly he was vaccinated yesterday. :henn0rz:

Fairly okay to their captain securing his neck before the medial team got there and starting the CPR and consoling Eriksen’s missus. Some boy

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Fairly okay to their captain securing his neck before the medial team got there and starting the CPR and consoling Eriksen’s missus. Some boy

---

Yeah, he was absolutely spot on. Proper leader of a man. Big kudos to him.

That was meant to say ‘fair play’ but apparently predictive text is a cunt

On a sidenote, the other day was the first time I noticed defibrillators being set up in old phone boxes.

Lots of ace actions around it all tbh. Taylor recognizing what was happening as quickly as he did, Delaney getting the team together to block the view, Schmeichel with the missus.

Kasper 100% firing in.

Hate this micro analysing of things to try and point out who did things better.

Danish football are saying it could restart in 30 minutes.

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All seems a bit strange. Is it normal to be okay that quickly after something like that happening?

Was there really only 5 minutes of the half left?

Less than that, happened in 43rd minute

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

All seems a bit strange. Is it normal to be okay that quickly after something like that happening?

---

Knowing that he's fine and, according to his agent, talking will have made them feel a lot better.

Man, I figured there would be more. There was a clash of heads that took a few minutes, wasn't there?

Can only be thankful that it’s happened on the pitch and not in his hotel room or something. I’m shocked the match is being restarted, though. The players can’t be in the right frame of mind surely.

With no prior knowledge, I heard the radio news begin with 'The Danish Football Association...' and thought shit, someone's dead.

Thankfully seems not.

I find that mental to want to keep playing again tonight. Am I just soft? Half of them were in tears.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spoonsky

I find that mental to want to keep playing again tonight. Am I just soft? Half of them were in tears.

---

You’re definitely soft, but I’m with you here. Maybe this has given them a vast supply of adrenaline.

They played on when Foe died, for whatever that's worth.

They are much much less squeamish then us over there. Probably explains the cameras somewhat and also starting the game back up

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

Knowing that he's fine and, according to his agent, talking will have made them feel a lot better.

---

I meant Eriksen. Him being up and talking already seems a quick turnaround.

What happened to the commentators? I’ve got some random bloke on BBC now

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Finland going full heel.

Finland gonna do a Greece and play Brexitball to win the competition.

Deary me. Kasper's had a wobble.

They all looked pretty ashamed when celebrating. Got to be a weird feeling.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7om

Finland gonna do a Greece and play Brexitball to win the competition.

---

They might as well have the same flag.

Do you know who’d have celebrated in the same situation, albeit club football, even if the opposition player had actually died? Jordan Henderson. :nod:

That's a terrible penalty.

I've never been more convinced someone would miss one, poor bloke.

He never looked like he was going to put it away.

1-0 Lukaku too.

That really is the worst rule.

How is he not gaining advantage from being stood offside, there?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

How is he not gaining advantage from being stood offside, there?

---

The defender attempting to clear it creates a new play apparently. But he only does that because Lukaku is there, so who the hell knows.

It's irrelevant because as soon as the defender 'deliberately plays the ball' (which he only does because the forward is there, gaining an advantage by being offside) the attacker is no longer offside and is free to carry on. Like I said, it's the worst rule.

It's a shit rule. It should have been ruled out as should that City goal against Villa.

Also, Zhirkov still starting for Russia is mental.

Presumably if you completely fuck the attempted clearance up, to the extent that you miss the ball, the offside rule saves you, which just shows how stupid it is.

Ruud van Nistelrooy would have broken Shearer’s record if the rule was always that.

The Danes never looked like they were comfortable after the match restarted.

Russia are going to get humped here.

They've been desperate at the back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thommo

They all looked pretty ashamed when celebrating. Got to be a weird feeling.

---

Watching it again, the goalscorer's ecstatic for a couple of seconds and then he suddenly remembers he shouldn't be celebrating so much. :D

I don't know what Denmark expected to happen there.

ITV asking people to text the word “footy” to enter their competition should see them dissolved completely from being on TV ever again.

Lukaku doesn't just look like a different player to a year and a half ago, he looks like a different human being. He must be 20kg lighter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

ITV asking people to text the word “footy” to enter their competition should see them dissolved completely from being on TV ever again.

---

Coming from an Englishman who came up with Garden "Soccer".

Soccer > footy

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

Lukaku doesn't just look like a different player to a year and a half ago, he looks like a different human being. He must be 20kg lighter.

---

The stuff about an undiscovered digestive problem strikes me as code for Antonio Conte sitting him down and telling him he made him sick.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Something will have to give at some point, which is liable to mean some sort of petulant official response.

'I love this game!'

---

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Protesting 'against discrimination, injustice, and inequality'? What the fuck? Are these people mental?

Tories.

If only people had thought of trying to reason with racists before.

Second half has been shit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by igor_balis

I've never been more convinced someone would miss one, poor bloke.

---

yeah I absolutely was thinking that too... was just such a sad state of affairs to watch Denmark for the rest of that game. Who the fuck thought that would be ok. When you get shocked like that, all your adrenaline etc comes rushing. Then imagine sitting waiting in a dressing room worried for about 1hr and all that adrenaline goes away...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

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Protesting 'against discrimination, injustice, and inequality'? What the fuck? Are these people mental?

---

Sorry I'm (for real) not getting it - what's wrong with that message?

They're doubling down to the point of appropriating actual anti-slavery imagery ('traced back as far as the 18th century') to protest generalities, which apparently didn't concern them until recently, and seemingly committing themselves to doing so forever. It's idiotic, but professional footballers pushing it is borderline obscene.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mazuuurk

yeah I absolutely was thinking that too... was just such a sad state of affairs to watch Denmark for the rest of that game. Who the fuck thought that would be ok. When you get shocked like that, all your adrenaline etc comes rushing. Then imagine sitting waiting in a dressing room worried for about 1hr and all that adrenaline goes away...

---

Eriksen told them to play on today.

Yeah, I'm sure it unfolded in a weird awkward way where they don't really want to play, but you're not exactly going to say no to the guy are you?

It's a double whammy. Without Eriksen they lose some creativity and goals and they genuinely looked shellshocked throughout that second half. Who's going to inspire them to victory? Martin Braithwaite?

The coverage of Erikson was awful. The commentator at the time didn't help. The cameras kept on showing him receive CPR and that lady who came pitchside crying. Probably his wife. They showed it all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mazuuurk

Sorry I'm (for real) not getting it - what's wrong with that message?

---

Nothing.

Eriksen at that point probably not the best judge of whether or not they should play on.

"Have one heart palpitation for play on, two for go home."

The best scumbag takes on this are the facebook betting pages posting saccharine reflections on how everyone on the pitch was a hero for reacting, whilst advertising their bet boosts for the England match :D

Am I just doing a bad job of looking or is there no daily roundup show for this, like a daily Match of the Day for the three games played each day?

On the Daily Euros podcast, there was a one minute message about Eriksen instead of a full episode - so I assume they cancelled MOTD for that reason too.

Tonight’s is at 11:15pm on BBC.

Tomorrow, ITV have highlights at 10:45pm.

Looking at Copa America which is starting tonight. Two groups of five, with the top four teams from each group going through to the next round.

Are the likes of Mostovoi and Cancelo getting COVID after being double-jabbed?

And Eriksen having only received a jab the day before is bullshit, right? They surely would have had better planning than risk that.

The leaked England XI is top banter. Trippier at LB and Raheem over Grealish :D

I don't get Kieran Trippier at all. If United throw a sizeable part of their transfer budget at him I'm following another sport.

A squad of 26 players and we’re playing a right back at left back? Will we ever learn.

Why would you take Chilwell and Shaw to a tournament if you wre then going to select Kieran Trippier at left back? Sometimes managers really overthink things.

It's like we've gone back to the days of having no left footed players... except we do.

Chilwell and Shaw have "knocks" allegedly. It's a real shame Bukayo Saka is a fictional character.

Walker, Stones, Mings, Trippier is a world class back four

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baz

Spreadsheet badboys? Or banter champions?

---

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Sancho can’t even make the bench over two goalkeepers :lol:

That Croatia defence look solid enough behind that quality midfield. The front 3 aren't up to much but should still have enough against this shambles.

Rebic will don Mings.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57460375

Cancelo is out due to Rona.

7.50 for a Croatia win does seem fairly tasty as far as odds go.

Mings starting a game for England is a national disgrace

He can't help but have at least two right-backs in the starting eleven

Mings sure does get a tough time for a decent centre half with a mistake in him :sherlock:

And we'll keep kneeling until he doesn't.

Booing the anthem :drool:

Little boo for the Croatian anthem there it's on.

Nice and in time there lads.

GSTQ has to be one of the worst national anthems going

Decent amount of booing given the crowd. They will keep the restrictions in place forever now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mellberg

Mings sure does get a tough time for a decent centre half with a mistake in him :sherlock:

---

Probably because he's a violent thug.

England look genuinely great so far.

Kalvin. :wub:

You can tell the brainless, slow, poorly coached players in this England side (Mings).

What's Kane doing standing around on the corner of the box behind Mount when he's looking to cross? Get in there mate, he's not landing it on Sterling's head is he?

Are we watching Bielsa's Leeds?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Magic

Kalvin. :wub:

You can tell the brainless, slow, poorly coached players in this England side (Mings).

---

Agree Phillips looks class.

This generation of England players don't seem to have that fear in international games that the last couple did.

There's a deserve arrogance about the team. It's not above their station just genuine belief. Nice to see. There's no real weak links.

Whatever you say about his tactics, I've enjoyed the look of his team selections. During Sven and Capello, it seemed like the team was set in stone. We've got a variety of talent coming through these days.

We've started well, but we started well in the semi final and had a goal to show for it.

Walker should be playing himself out of the team today though. Been shit. Plenty of alternatives.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mellberg

Walker should be playing himself out of the team today though. Been shit. Plenty of alternatives.

---

Yeah not sure he’s the best option anymore. I’d prefer Reece James.

I'm not totally convinced it's coming home tbh

Has Walker got his shoes on the wrong feet or something?

He's one of those who assumes that he's guaranteed to start. Must be dropped immediately.

Kyle Walker is absolutely horrendous

I missed the first twenty or so minutes, but this has been abysmal since I switched on.

Can we send Kyle Walker home? Wanker.

Phil Foden’s hair is somehow worse than Jordan Pickford’s kicking ability.

First 20 minutes were pretty good tbf. You need to turn it off

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

I missed the first twenty or so minutes, but this has been abysmal since I switched on.

---

It's your fault then. We were all over them for the first 15 minutes.

Walker is the best defender of the RBs.

And if you're gonna play Phillips as an 8, why not just play Mount there and bring in Grealish, you mong.

Scotland could do with England winning here. 2nd is the best position to finish in this group

Phillips has been absolutely fantastic.

Sadly, Phillips is a don.

I just don't understand Kane's role at all. He offers nothing whatsoever in a press. Why is Bammy not here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Walker is the best defender of the RBs.

And if you're gonna play Phillips as an 8, why not just play Mount there and bring in Grealish, you mong.

---

Classic Taz

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Walker is the best defender of the RBs.

And if you're gonna play Phillips as an 8, why not just play Mount there and bring in Grealish, you mong.

---

Clueless as per.

Has Sterling ever passed to Kane?

That kind of miss from Sterling is forgiveable now but do that in the knockout stages and he’ll be public enemy number 1.

We're such a good looking nation. :drool:

Croatia have been shit.

How Pickford is our number one is absolutely bewildering. He's not a very good keeper who you could at least understand getting picked if he fell into the trendy "good with the ball" category, but his distribution is abysmal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

We're such a good looking nation. :drool:

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Judging by the shots of the crowd, we’re a nation of fat bastards.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 7om

Judging by the shots of the crowd, we’re a nation of fat bastards.

---

Wash your mouth out. Real men, them.

It's coming home.

Great result. Now to beat the Czech’s, lose on Friday and then snatch a draw for 2nd place against Croatia. So simple.

Well done Ingerlund.

Sterling and Phillips securing their starting spots ready for a dicking courtesy of Group F :drool:

That was alright.

I've no idea who we could get in round 2, but we're basically there with that.

Fucking hell are these questions for real! I'd tell her to fuck off! Jesus wept.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

How Pickford is our number one is absolutely bewildering. He's not a very good keeper who you could at least understand getting picked if he fell into the trendy "good with the ball" category, but his distribution is abysmal.

---

Yeah, I always assumed he got picked for being good on the ball, but he really isn't.

Pretty tepid from England, but a first ever opening Euro game win against the next best side in the group isn;t to be sniffed at. Every game from now on at 8pm as well so we've even out-foxed the Great British Weather's attempts to fuck us.

Rashford is absolute shit. I understand the pace thing, but if you're looking to hold out with your 1 goal lead (would England ever doing anything else?) then just stick Grealish on so he can win a foul every time the ball comes near him. As if we'd ever score on the counter late on.

Easy work. That's Croatia done as a footballing nation.

Frank Lampard has been eating his feelings. He'll be going through three shirts a game if this weather holds.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

That was alright.

I've no idea who we could get in round 2, but we're basically there with that.

---

France/Portugal/Germany if you win the group. Sweden/Slovakia/Poland/Spain (whoever finishes 2nd) if you finish 2nd.

How in sweet buggery did France, Portugal and Germany all end up in one group?

Probably something to do with the weird hosting which gives all the home nations easier groups (are any of those three playing home games)? It does seem a bit anomalous though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Probably something to do with the weird hosting which gives all the home nations easier groups (are any of those three playing home games)? It does seem a bit anomalous though.

---

Germany are.

The other home team in the group is Hungary.

Fuck me, listening to Linekar and Shearer you’d think we’d won the World Cup.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

France/Portugal/Germany if you win the group. Sweden/Slovakia/Poland/Spain (whoever finishes 2nd) if you finish 2nd.

---

Don't rule out Hungary. I have no idea if they're any good or not, but still scarred by the ENGLAND, ITALY, URUGUAY and Costa Rica debacle.

Can we talk about Kane? Looked miles off it.

Kane seems to be developing a knack for being pretty shit in tournaments, which is quite something given he was top scorer in one of them.

ITV still preventing their dogshot app from being cast. What a disgrace.

Mon North Macedonia.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 7om

Fuck me, listening to Linekar and Shearer you’d think we’d won the World Cup.

---

Euro's. We've won the Euro's.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Yevrah

Kane seems to be developing a knack for being pretty shit in tournaments, which is quite something given he was top scorer in one of them.

---

Yeah, it wasn't happening for him. He had the header that saw him bonk the post and that was it. Not that he tends to get much from open play in tournaments but he usually gets himself in positions for it.

The worrying thing about Kane is that he’ll never be dropped. If he plays well then great but if he’s shit he’ll play regardless.

Whatever happens here, I hope we (Austria) at least try to play in a somewhat exciting fashion. Our international games are usually plodding borefests.

It's one game, Kane'll be fine. He's one of the three best strikers in the world.

That Macedonia kit is a rancid effort.

Kanes main problem is neither of his wide men pass to him. They both just shoot, even if he's in a better position. Mount also wasted an easy assist when he chose to win a free kick instead.

So he drops deep and goes looking for the ball instead... but he's the least capable of the 3 of running with the ball. It's all a bit arse about face.

Pandev :cool:

North Macedonia :cool:

I guess I did ask for entertainment. :D

Surprised the ref didn't give the goalkeeper a freekick for that though. They usually do in situations like that.

Quality little finish from Pandev. I reckon an alarmingly large number of players would fuck that up trying to take extra touches. I'm thinking mainly England players here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spikey M

Surprised the ref didn't give the goalkeeper a freekick for that though. They usually do in situations like that.

---

Yes, after seeing it again I also thought they'd usually punish this kind of challenge. Need so see it from more angles though.

I'm worried our defenders' heads might be gone now.

Doesn't the defender essentially foul the attacker into the goalkeeper?

Austria are brutal, get Marko on for that beanpole and stop playing like a Big Sam side.

Some gloriously negative posts in here considering England won. I thought it was a really competent display, Southgate got it spot on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by niko_cee

Doesn't the defender essentially foul the attacker into the goalkeeper?

---

Possibly, I haven't really seen a good angle yet. Seemed more in the realm of "you usually get a free-kick for that" rather than "it was definitely a foul". No complaints, in any case.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

Austria are brutal, get Marko on for that beanpole and stop playing like a Big Sam side.

---

Not going to happen. Even with him on the pitch it's usually a disconnected mess.

We're sort of a shitter version of England in that we don't know how to create a working system even when we have good individual parts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Some gloriously negative posts in here considering England won. I thought it was a really competent display, Southgate got it spot on.

---

50+ years of being conditioned to expect the worst.

Austria are sending some lovely crosses in.

Who is this miss piggy in the face. Teletubby in the neck, pundit who wouldnt look out of place in the shameful lustage thread

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Who is this miss piggy in the face. Teletubby in the neck, pundit who wouldnt look out of place in the shameful lustage thread

---

She's the Chelsea women's manager.

That Pandev goal is hilarious.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Who is this miss piggy in the face. Teletubby in the neck, pundit who wouldnt look out of place in the shameful lustage thread

---

https://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/...3hqX_h9-px.jpg

Honestly, she'd be one of the better candidates in that thread in a while if you committed to it.

:cool: The one thing we've been doing well today, get players in the box so we can lump the ball at them.

lol at Arnautovic immediately going after an opposition player after scoring. Class player though.

Tom Hardy and that attitude :drool:

Please tell me it was all aimed at that Alioski cunt too.

PS. Classic Taz ngngngngngng :baz:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kikó

Some gloriously negative posts in here considering England won. I thought it was a really competent display, Southgate got it spot on.

---

It was competent but people are wanking themselves dry over the 'revenge' of beating a Croatia side that had the same players 3 years ago, their star player being a 35 year old Modric. Anything other than a win against them with our squad was unacceptable.

Wijnaldum has a generic Fifa default Pro Clubs face.

Since when do the Dutchies play five at the back. I thought it was 433 4 Life.

This could be a cracking game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Since when do the Dutchies play five at the back. I thought it was 433 4 Life.

---

https://www.sportbible.com/football/...ssage-20210612

Only Frank likes the 5 ATB.

Dumfries is basically a RW at the moment.

GB News is on lads imagine watching football.

This is a lovely watch.

Hold the phone Ally McCoist is on commentary doing his nationwide voice. :cool:

Every player for Ukraine appears to be left footed. Beautiful.

No matter what Clive says, all I hear is:

View Tweet

Holland and Belgium have swapped bodies in the last 10 years, it still makes no sense to me.

Surprised Wijnaldum scored there considering how many good chances he's missed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Every player for Ukraine appears to be left footed. Beautiful.

---

We have Chernobyl to thank for that

The tournament dark horses have really flopped thus far. Turkey, Denmark and now Ukraine.

I agree, although it might be a little harsh on Denmark.

This game has been wonderful.

Zinchenko as a CM as a theory died tonight.

That's a lovely goal.

:drool:

Clive is such a parody.

Game on.

That's a stunning ball in.

Fucking hell. Amazing.

I forgot that Ake moved to Man City.

Those were two epic goals. The sweetest of left feet both. Long live tournament football.

Ukrainian keeper has had a shit second half.

Ukraine keeper (in time-honoured tradition) is utter dogshit. Threw in the first and third.

Poor Ukraine :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

I forgot that Ake moved to Man City.

---

Tragic to see Daley Blind going bald.

Which group pairs up with this lot?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Ukraine keeper (in time-honoured tradition) is utter dogshit. Threw in the first and third.

---

Did also make some stonking saves in the first half, but yeah, passing the ball out to the Dutch leftback for that third goal was mental. THE Ukraine [god bless you Ally] do seem to be heavily committed to fucking about with it at the back though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Which group pairs up with this lot?

---

1st against whoever is 3rd in Group D, E or F and 2nd should face Italy assuming they win the group

That’s why I have Denmark getting to the semis. Assuming Denmark finish 2nd they face 2nd in Group A (Swiss/wales/turkey) and then potentially Holland in the quarters. Properly easy route

Ukraine did well to get back into that but they were so bloody careless in possession.

I've really enjoyed every game I've seen so far. The format. :cool:

After consuming 270 minutes of football, Brazil v Venezuela might be a game too far.

This is some buzz. I’ve never even seen Scotland at a major tournament before. Train to Edinburgh is in 50 mins. Yes sir, I can boogie

I have. Get ready for an heroic performance in one of the games and crushing disappointment in the other two.

Should be enough to sneak through if so :cool:

Would be great if Gilmour got given the nod alongside Mctominay and mcginn but looks like the shite Mc will be playing instead

@mugbull

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

This is some buzz. I’ve never even seen Scotland at a major tournament before. Train to Edinburgh is in 50 mins. Yes sir, I can boogie

---

Hard to beat a Euros/World Cup.

Apparently Scotland played 4-3-3 v Luxembourg, with McTominay centre-back, Tierney in midfield, and McGinn left wing? Does that get the best out of any of them?

They'll play three at the back with Tierney left center back, McTominay in midfield and McGinn behind Dykes and Adams, most likely.

I think this Scotland side have the makings of a good tournament side, but it really comes down to this afternoon's game. If they win, the England game on Friday will probably be a pre agreed 0-0 draw.

I'm off to one of the Glasgow fanzones this afternoon. Seemed like a good idea when I agreed to it.

Any idea what sort of rip-off you're looking at beer-wise?

Is there a price point at which beer doesn't get chucked around in those places?

Or am I doing the Scotch a disservice as to their tightness there?

I think it was seventy quid for the table, including six pints of Tennents and a Large Loaded Nachos to share on arrival.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -james-

They'll play three at the back with Tierney left center back, McTominay in midfield and McGinn behind Dykes and Adams, most likely.

I think this Scotland side have the makings of a good tournament side, but it really comes down to this afternoon's game. If they win, the England game on Friday will probably be a pre agreed 0-0 draw.

---

Almost guaranteed to both play 3 (5) at the back and have nobody but the strikers cross the halfway line.

In fact, it's better to finish 2nd, isn't it? Own goals galore!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reg

Hard to beat a Euros/World Cup.

Apparently Scotland played 4-3-3 v Luxembourg, with McTominay centre-back, Tierney in midfield, and McGinn left wing? Does that get the best out of any of them?

---

Yeah, that didn’t happen. It’s been 3 at the back the whole way. Only positions in question are right centre half and whether it’s 2 up front with Christie/Fraser off them.

It’s the best squad in years though, only problem area is probably the 3rd centre half which isn’t really a blessed area. Right wing back will be sorted with Nathan Paterson coming through

Foden was shite yesterday eh

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ian

Any idea what sort of rip-off you're looking at beer-wise?

---

£5.50 for Heineken I think.

Apparently the service is incredibly good, which is surprising.

The Scotland side must be fairly decent if Armstrong can't get a game. He's our best attacker after Ings.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Foden was shite yesterday eh

---

His tracking back was horrendous. That right flank was wide open.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Andy

The Scotland side must be fairly decent if Armstrong can't get a game. He's our best attacker after Ings.

---

He’s my favourite player of all time, I think, but he isn’t too great for Scotland. Our midfield is our best position, full of Premier League players. McTominay/McGinn/Gilmour/Armstrong/Fleck is all decent depth.

Spain away is gonna be rough. It's either 3-0 Spain, or if we can keep a clean sheet until half-time Isak will trip over himself on a counter and somehow get it in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Yeah, that didn’t happen. It’s been 3 at the back the whole way. Only positions in question are right centre half and whether it’s 2 up front with Christie/Fraser off them.

It’s the best squad in years though, only problem area is probably the 3rd centre half which isn’t really a blessed area. Right wing back will be sorted with Nathan Paterson coming through

---

That makes more sense. The Forza app sometimes gets things wrong.

Yeah, the squad and certainly first XI looks good. I think you should be looking at getting at least a point off Croatia, but could be through by then anyway.

An arranged 0-0 draw with Scotland would be a new low for English football.

Would benefit the union though.

No Tierney feels a pretty huge loss.

Che Adams on the bench. :happycry:

I wont make an official prediction as they've been so shit thus far but I'll just say that Schick is a top lad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Che Adams on the bench. :happycry:

---

Clarke out. His loyalty to Christie gives me the fear, as does Tierney being injured

Without Adams and, to a lesser extent Fraser, that attack is utterly shite. Keep it 0-0 till the subs come in.

Yeah, this is worryingly feeling a little bit too much like a Scotland game, but the tournament isn't over win or lose today so I'll be happy to just not look shit. That dark horse spot is up for grabs, though. :o

The Czech national anthem might actually be worse than God Save The Queen.

Stuart Armstrong is the most beautiful man in football

This thing where various nations have home advantage is mickey mouse as fuck. Tournament football should be played in one (or max 2) nation(s). Why not host a whole one in Scotland/Ireland, it would be great.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

I wont make an official prediction as they've been so shit thus far but I'll just say that Schick is a top lad.

---

A top, top lad.

Today was the must win game and Clarke shat it and reverted to his usual defensive set ups.

I mean, it’s Scotland. Scraped into the tournament by some weird rule and a fortunate penalty. Just enjoy yourself.

Yeah, even accounting for the fact it's their final, we should be putting four past these chumps.

Is Tomas Kalas still the next John Terry?

Schick :drool:

What a don.

lmao

What a goal :D

Can’t believe Jack Hendry hasn’t just played it out wide though

Scotloland :harold:

What does Lyndon Dykes offer other than shit hair?

Kalas so far has had the best chances for Scotland.

Scotland to draw this, they deserve to win ffs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

What does Lyndon Dykes offer other than shit hair?

---

Nothing

How is Adams not starting?

Callum McGregor :sick:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Offshore Toon

How is Adams not starting?

---

Clarke has his favourites. Said dykes started because he played well against Czech’s last year but we were playing their reserve team

Dykes :harold:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

What does Lyndon Dykes offer other than shit hair?

---

Based on that hair, a prime example of nominative determinism

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waffdon

Clarke has his favourites. Said dykes started because he played well against Czech’s last year but we were playing their reserve team

---

So frustrating. Hopefully he fucks him off for the next couple games.

Hlozek on ladssss he’s the only thing I was looking forward to about this tournament

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DYEuicvX4AAkPmA.jpg

Again, no prediction but Lewandowski is a TOP lad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

I wont make an official prediction as they've been so shit thus far but I'll just say that Schick is a top lad.

---

Well played. Unofficially.

I thought Scotland looked pretty decent there, they were going to score at the beginning of the second half if that wild goal doesn’t go in.

Being clinical is definitely one of the single most important facets in a tournament, over the course of a league season things probably revert to average but not when you’ve only got three games to play.

It's why chumps like Pauleta used to be prized in tournaments. I can't believe how many national sides at this event basically have no pure goalscorer in their squad.

We won the Brighton XG game anyway

Didn't Pauleta disappear in the actual tournaments?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Didn't Pauleta disappear in the actual tournaments?

---

4 goals across 3 or 4 tournaments. 3 of them in one game. Proper Rooney record.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel

Who is this miss piggy in the face. Teletubby in the neck, pundit who wouldnt look out of place in the shameful lustage thread

---

She's on commentary here.

Horseshit.

This is the sort of nothing game absolutely no one needs in their life. Off to the sauna.

Poland need to get a grip here, they're all over the place as soon as someone starts running at them with the ball.

Matterface is so bad on commentary. Just dribbles inanely on about boring shit he has written down pre-match. Shut up and say what you see.

:cool:

We'll dick them in the second half.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

She's on commentary here.

---

She sounds like the woman on the minicab desk.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

She's on commentary here.

---

That's who it is? I thought it was Joe Cole or Jimmy Bullard.

Krychowiak is a fucking idiot at times.

I did not expect Skriniar to come up with that shot.

Didn't even send a message to Eriksen. Insensitive cunt.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Matterface is so bad on commentary. Just dribbles inanely on about boring shit he has written down pre-match. Shut up and say what you see.

---

That comment about the own goal. :D

We were shit and it's going to be another crap tournament.

Not a great return to competitive football for Lewandowski.

I don't exactly know what people expect from Lewandowski. He's a world class striker when in a great team, but he's never going to pull a Messi or Ronaldo and start doing it all himself from the halfway line.

He shouldn't be getting a Balon D'or if he's that shit, then.

Polish Kris Boyd.

Is the BBC One theme music Justice?

It's Gaspard from Justice, yeah.

Oh it's one of his new tracks? Cool.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

That comment about the own goal. :D

---

The worst bit was some time after my post, after the Skriniar goal, when he started going on some sentimental train about the scorer being team mates with Eriksen. Then the co-comm interjected with about 45 seconds of talking about the goal that had just been scored, and then Matterface carried on with the Eriksen guff as if she hadn't said anything.

I wish I could turn the fuckers off and just have crowd/ambient noise.

We should do a TTH watch-along like the fan channels. Bagsy Claude.

Jesus christ, nowhere near as bad as the commentary tears on those Scotland highlights. 50 yard superstrike commentated on as if the Forth Bridge had just collapsed while the Proclaimers were on it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonsky

I don't exactly know what people expect from Lewandowski. He's a world class striker.

---

Strange.

Robbie - Sincere
DT - Yevrah
Troopz - Taz
Claude - Me/Offshore on shift
Lee Judges - Floyd
Ty - Mahow
The various brass they have on reading tweets - James

'Gahahahah Southgate man yeah?'

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

Didn't Pauleta disappear in the actual tournaments?

---

Possibly the biggest fraud ever in international football.

Suspicious brown patch.

Danny Mills: "Lap-port"

Sweden early in this game remind me of when Tunisia or Iran make the World Cup, draw a decent European team, drop the two static lines of five and just pray for deliverance inshallah.

They're also kicking the shit out of Spain.

Playing like this in this heat seems like a great idea honestly.

Please fuck off, we outplayed these cunts and matched Portugal. Fucking take a look at your own band of gammon idols if you want lack of strategy and positivity.

Thiago benched for whatever the fuck a Pedri is :D

Jeez, no one bites like the ayatollahs. Just ask Salman Rushdie.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bernanke

Playing like this in this heat seems like a great idea honestly.

---

They can't have meant to play like this if they named Marcus Berg in the lineup. Are they just shit?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

They can't have meant to play like this if they named Marcus Berg in the lineup. Are they just shit?

---

It's not a great team, but the midfield should have better feet between them than to give up possession as quickly as they have so far. To be fair, the Spanish pressing game is pretty intense, but not having any breaks from this siege is not ideal.

Morata is pish.

Alvaro still waiting for that corrective surgery I see.

Morata. :lol:

If Spain win anything under him then Luis Enrique is the undisputed King of the Binmen.

This is a very ordinary Spanish team. There are no goals in their midfield, no pace in their attack, and no real creativity anywhere in the team either.

They badly need that Villarreal carthorse to hit instead of Morata.

But they've got Pedri making a career out of milking the desperation of Mes Que Un Club :happycry:

With Thiago in and that CB partnership they'll have enough to go far but they ain't winning.

This game would be made for Mark Lawrenson.

How does Morata, a player who cannot finish to save his life, continue to play regularly for top club sides and the Spanish national team? If ever there was a fraud, it's him. It's nothing to do with "the operation" Jimmy, he was like this before he went to Chelsea.

Danny Murphy's attempts at humour piss me off. Just random immature barbs aimed at any and all accompanied with his own chuckle.

"Particularly in international football, the more you control possession of the ball the more likely you are to win."

Cheers, you fucking EDL-looking mong.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randomlegend

How does Morata, a player who cannot finish to save his life, continue to play regularly for top club sides and the Spanish national team? If ever there was a fraud, it's him. It's nothing to do with "the operation" Jimmy, he was like this before he went to Chelsea.

---

He's 408 (124) in his top flight career at a pretty constant rate, yeah. I think he should be quite good, which is why coaches stick with him, but is incredibly mentally weak.

Morata-esque from Berg after some lovely play by Isak.

Isak is s straight baller. He's got wonderful feet. He should have Berg done in for missing that.

Isak is godly. If he becomes more prolific he's a top 5 striker in the world in the making.

Blackman Ibrahimovic.

Why the fuck did they take Isak off?

What have they taken him off for? Game is there to be won and he looks like the only player on the pitch capable of doing something. Absolute bonobos.

Taking off your most dangerous looking player. :cab:

And what exactly do you mean by that?

:D

Knew someone would say that just as I hit "post".

This second half has been football at its worst. One team with no intention of attacking, and the other completely unable to do so.

A masterclass from Sweden thus far.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

This second half has been football at its worst. One team with no intention of attacking, and the other completely unable to do so.

---

But Spain have passed it a million times.

The best thing Sweden have done is take off Isak to rest him for the other two games.

Taz needs to recalibrate his models, bringing Thiago on has made Spain far worse.

Taz has been wrong in literally every single football post he's made for about 6 months.

85% possession :D

I’ll wet myself if Sweden score in injury time.

They've made 12 subs (Fabian Ruiz was also on the bench, christ) and yet Pedri is still strolling around doing his best Xavi impersonation :D

I'll take it.

Spain possibly being E2 also puts the Southgate models a bit out of kilter, we might have to try and win our remaining games rather than throwing them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_F..._Final#Details

Look at that line-up/substitutions what the fuck.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_F..._Final#Details

Look at that line-up/substitutions what the fuck.

---

The Dutch team doing their best Coldplay impression there.

Have a look at the Argie 23 currently playing:

https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/202...chile/3189333/

It's not nostalgia, is it? Human devolution is firmly underway.

France 98

Roberto Carlos
Ronaldo
Rivaldo
Salas
Maldini
Nesta
Del Piero
Baggio
Inzaghi
Vieri
Schmeichel
Laudrup x2
Vieira
Desailly
Zidane
Henry
Thuram
Djorkaeff
Stoichkov
Okocha
Chilavert
Raul
Blanco
Stam
Bergkamp
Kluivert
Seedorf
Matthäus
Kahn
Klinsmann
Mijatovic
Stankovic
Valderrama
Asprilla
Beckham
Shearer
Scholes
Owen
Hagi
Batistuta
Ortega
Crespo
Prosinecki
Boban
Suker

That's 46 players selected at a glance in terms of both quality and entertainment and I left out a shitload. Could we form a similar list today? Could we fuck. The hipsters can do one, like fuck is it nostalgia. Football was just better then, before teams started being picked for the high press.

Meanwhile Sky are nicking our material:

Toggle Spoiler

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E33hiXlW...pg&name=medium

I agree, but... was it actually better? Or are we just old men shouting at clouds?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

I agree, but... was it actually better? Or are we just old men shouting at clouds?

---

Both.

I dunno, I'm of the opinion sport doesn't regress over time but you feel things watching the old stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shindig

I dunno, I'm of the opinion sport doesn't regress over time but you feel things watching the old stuff.

---

We do, but I would probably fight someone on the basis that Zidane, Ronaldinho and Original Ronaldo were better than Nonce Ronaldo and Messi... but they weren't. :(

I’m not sure the overall quality of football has gone down but the quality of players has definitely gone down, if that makes any sense.

Or maybe it’s better to say that whereas there used to be iconic players and talismans there are now just very good players. France were brilliant in 2018 but how many of their players were really classic (remembered years down the line)? I’d argue just Kanté and Mbappe. Whereas Spain 2010 or especially Italy 2006 are chock full of them.

I don't think the quality - as measured in terms of technique etc. - has gone down, but that systems just squeeze and limit/refine (whoever you want to see it) players as individuals. Midfielders aren't running all over dominating teams single-handedly anymore or strolling about waiting to do something; defenders aren't covering massive spaces and engaging in individual battles; attackers aren't doing as they like, moving around, and playing off the cuff despite strikers being statistically more prolific these days because shots from outside the box have halved over the past decade. Mechanisation. Wank.

With that in mind, we probably witnessed the peak of the sport from the mid-nineties (full professionalism on an individual basis plus globalised recruitment/standards) through to about ten years ago.

With the likes of Brighton and Brentford on the cusp of revolutionising the administration of the sport, that mechanicisation will be going into overdrive in the next 5 years, I suspect.

Havent managed to find a podcast to listen to so far, it's either 'rar rar england' or 'england are shit and will be found out'

edit: also all the people 'tournament when i was a child was way better than this' people are thick.

like

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewis

I don't think the quality - as measured in terms of technique etc. - has gone down, but that systems just squeeze and limit/refine (whoever you want to see it) players as individuals. Midfielders aren't running all over dominating teams single-handedly anymore or strolling about waiting to do something; defenders aren't covering massive spaces and engaging in individual battles; attackers aren't doing as they like, moving around, and playing off the cuff despite strikers being statistically more prolific these days because shots from outside the box have halved over the past decade. Mechanisation. Wank.

---

You were aware of absolutely none of this tactical wank, it was blokes kicking a football around in colours.

My long term prediction would be that everyone will end up playing the same way (mad running/counterpress with no one wanting static possession) and they will end up having to make a significant rule change - liberalising offside, perhaps - to try and pull it back a bit. Every sport will face the same challenge once the boffins work it out. As ever it's instructive following baseball as they are ten years ahead in all things and the panic rule changes are starting to happen now.

Actually F1 is an even better example, as it's a sport comprised entirely of boffins and they have to change the rules every few years to stop it from being a settled procession.

My long term prediction is that much like every generation since 1883, professional football will change. Jim comparing football to a statistically predictable sport like baseball just shows that it's not actually true.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by phonics

You were aware of absolutely none of this tactical wank, it was blokes kicking a football around in colours.

---

What?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

My long term prediction would be that everyone will end up playing the same way (mad running/counterpress with no one wanting static possession) and they will end up having to make a significant rule change - liberalising offside, perhaps - to try and pull it back a bit. Every sport will face the same challenge once the boffins work it out. As ever it's instructive following baseball as they are ten years ahead in all things and the panic rule changes are starting to happen now.

Actually F1 is an even better example, as it's a sport comprised entirely of boffins and they have to change the rules every few years to stop it from being a settled procession.

---

You realise they changed the backpass rule in your life time, right?

We’ve changed the amount of games that you play in a year. Association football has gone through more change in 20 years than baseball has in its history outside of steroids.

Stick this into the next WDYTOE but Phonics' development over the last few years disturbs me. There used to be a level of coherence and rationality which has been almost completely replaced with the need for conflict, often completely separate to any thought for actual substance.

My bad. I think I just don't interact with this place on the same level so only post when I think somethings just dumb.

I remember calling out Yev for the same so I'll apologise and move on.

I think we're suffering from old men shouting at clouds syndrome. It's probably tied into the fact that the top of the game are so obviously corporate vehicles for horrible money obsessed bastards that the affinity with those we watch, has been lost.

Bruno Fernandes for example, is the first 'footballing icon' I've been able to enjoy at United for a long time (since Ronaldo or Rooney maybe?). This England team is genuinely exciting for raw talent (compare it to the dross in 2000). Football is still exciting enough to not all be Barca-mate.

Non-league football is still great fun if you can't get over your malaise.

Game's the same, just got more fierce.

I don't buy the game being homogenised into possession perpetuity. It's nothing if you can't pick the right pass and make the right movement. Much like playing from the back, some teams aren't capable of it.

Already appalled at the lack of a 2PM game.

Luckily, Royal Ascots on.

I had the Argie-Chile game on in the background yesterday and a name caught my ear ever so slightly. I now find out Chile's 'Brereton Diaz' is actually Blackburn's Ben Brereton.

https://i.ibb.co/XX7wLbx/E34-Q1k-SX0-AIs-Hon.jpg

A striker with 18 goals in 145 games at Champ level :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Baz

Already appalled at the lack of a 2PM game.

---

Indeed. First week at least shouldn't see a day with less than three games.

You'd need 32 teams for that. The next 8 teams would be: Iceland, Northern Ireland, Serbia, Georgia, Romania, Norway, Ireland, Israel

I think we could accommodate them. 32 team Euros now.

Yeah seemingly Euro 2016 also had a two game day on the first Tuesday before going back to three games a day (with one other exception) through the groups.

Still, I don't see how me being reasonable about it is going to help me wishing there was a game on just now.

I am also disgusted by this situation, especially as I've got most of the day off work.

Those teams Jim posted all sound like they'd be a match for North Macedonia and their 72-year-old Pandev.

They should do 32 teams and a straight knockout format.

View Tweet

Quote:

---

Hungary were in the same group as Portugal at Euro 2016 and ended up topping it after a thrilling 3-3 draw with the eventual tournament winners.

There is no chance Hungary will finish top of Group F and, on paper, this talented Portugal side should have too much for them - but the game is being played in Budapest, so I am going to go with a draw.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

---

You have to hand it to the man, still churning these out.

Haha. It's some ride of a prediction.

That Hungary team talk :D

The crowd. :drool:

A bit late to the party, but football was definitely better before (fuck off phonics). What I loved about my man Cuauhtemoc was how he got to move all over the pitch doing whatever the fuck he wanted, just putting lobbed through balls into the box over and over. You don't get to do that shit anymore. You had a ton of players like that. The big lumps who would just stand around waiting for a cross. The wingers that could do nothing but cross the ball. Midfielders only there to break legs. And on and on. You could tell how a team would play based on who their star player was. Players today might be even better technically, but they spend 95% of their efforts pressing, tracking back, etc. Tactical discipline is king.

Fwiw, it was probably even better in the 70s/80s. A few gifted players running circles around a bunch of hacks.

Then again, I don't watch football anymore, so what do I know.

Who was the last luxury player? Pirlo?

Charlie Adam.

Commentator calling Pepe 'Pep.' It might be technically correct in Portugese; but he's been called Pepe in English for the last decade, why suddenly change now?

Whoa, those Hungarians behind the goal are packed. Has Hungary eradicated COVID? Should they have just hosted the whole thing in Budapest?

Jota having a shocker.

Iraq-Iran is about to kick off lads and I don't just mean geopolitically :drool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Jota having a shocker.

---

Possibly one of the worst performances I've ever seen.

Absolute sitter for Ronaldo.

Hungary are so turgid.

I love Ronaldo immediately looking to the linesman after skying that sitter, desperately hoping for a flag.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Manc

Possibly one of the worst performances I've ever seen.

---

Did you miss that O’Donnell character Scotland blessed us with yesterday? Never seen someone so out their depth.

Morata-esque from Ronaldo.

That's three times Danilo has flung himself to the deck. Pathetic. Such an unlikable side.

Also a big fan of that Hungarian lad being hit in the mouth/nose and clasping his eyes/forehead.

Portugal have been proper bad in the second half.

Yep, and Hungary are actually growing into it.

They need to bring on the boy Joao Felix.

Lolled at ITV commentator referring to Viktor Orban as "somewhat controversial" there.

Hartson claiming "I don't know if that actually hit his hand" :lol:

It's not a penalty but it clearly did.

Why the fuck is he that far offside?

I haven't been that disappointed by an offside in quite some time.

Patricio showing some soft hands there.

Disgusting.

Fucking bullshit.

What a shit goal. :D

That must be a red card if it's a penalty, no?

Imagine celebrating that hard. Italy has made him so small time.

That rule has changed I believe. You can't give a penalty and a red for denying a clear chance, unless the player doesn't make an attempt to go for the ball.
@Manc: He's now the first scorer in Euro history. He would celebrate that hard regardless cause it's Ronaldo, but here it's at least justified.

VAR isn't going to look at that?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Adramelch

That rule has changed I believe. You can't give a penalty and a red for denying a clear chance, unless the player doesn't make an attempt to go for the ball.
@Manc: He's now the first scorer in Euro history. He would celebrate that hard regardless cause it's Ronaldo, but here it's at least justified.

---

The greatest there will ever be, Sir Don Ronaldo

Meanwhile Platini who was the previous record holder scored all 9 in one Euro. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry

VAR isn't going to look at that?

---

I thought it looked offside as well.

That was some collapse from Hungary having looked solid for the whole second half. Especially given that goal difference is huge in that third place table.

Why is Nigel De Jong all over ITV's coverage? I don't remember him making much of an impact in English football except for some horrific tackles.

This Ronaldo kid looks good.

I've seen a couple of people mention a possible "upset" if Germany win, yet Bet365 have them as favourites. What's the narrative here?

Germany are Germany and France are France.

Hummels is a plum.

Cracking ball by Pogba.

That was a great finish by Hummels. Morata should take some notes.

Enjoying this. Really good tempo and it's very counter vs possession.

View Tweet

:D

Got caught on some camera cables.

He's lucky he didn't kill someone. :D

He was close to taking someone out:

View Tweet

Something dropped by Deschamps too.

Pavard knocked the fuck out by Gosens.

That's MMA worthy.

That was such a sublime finish. Kinda shame it was offside.

What’s the theory behind waiting so long for the linesman’s flag there? The flag will go up eventually so why not straight away?

There's definitely an alternate universe in which Higuain isn't a bottle merchant and Low is managing Frankfurt.

Alright, Timo Time!

I reckon I could beat Hummels in a race.

I'm looking forward to Low's alternative electro-pop band donning Eurovision once he's out.

Assuming he can hold off sniffing his fingers for more than twelve-seconds, the sinister fuck.

Ref should book Rabiot for this.

STV briefly went to ads there as it went into stoppage time.

Only Belgium and Portugal capable of stopping this France side.

Germany having to really thump the Hungarians to stay in it could be fun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

Only Belgium and Portugal capable of stopping this France side.

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Well it will be good to see any other team dump them out now.

Absoutley nothing to fear in my book. Italy coming out of round one on top.

View Tweet

Top lad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bantasaurus rex

Harry Kane has been to see Christian Eriksen in hospital.
“He looks a bit confused & his speech isn’t easy to understand but it was good to see him” Eriksen commented.

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Made me laugh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baz

View Tweet

Top lad.

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https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/97...1ed89a9be4.jpg

No fixtures thread lads? Slacking.

Liverpool away to Norwich first game, similar to when they were last up. Easy win.

The new set of league fixtures is possibly the least interesting bit of football news of the year, which is some going when it's got two transfer windows for competition.

I was looking at the fixtures on the Chelsea website, and they included this helpful line:

Quote:

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The table below shows Chelsea’s potential fixtures in all competitions (excluding the FIFA Club World Cup which is due to be held in December, as well as the delated 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which is scheduled for January). These are subject to change.

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I'm not sure whether to be more surprised that the African Nations has been 'delated', or that Chelsea are apparently playing in it.

So that's why Roman wasn't into the Super League idea, he'd already got plans for Chelsea to take part in an additional competition.

Russia :harold:

Edit: Fuck sake.

Great finish, that one.

The PEDs have kicked in.

Mon the motherland.

Imagine benching Miranchuk :face:

Finland seems a bit non-existent when it comes to aerial play, in both ends of the pitch.

This has been crap.

Marko Arnautovic only getting one game smells like a UEFA plot to rattle our noncey players.

That was Morata-esque by Ramsey. Pretty good game so far with both teams basically needing a win.

Why are Wales dressed up as Australia?

BBC coverage is shot.

There must be some knowledge that Dan James is a cheating little shit. Just gets pushed into row Z and nothing.

Audio is out of sync now ffs.

It's not a BBC issue, it's useless Azeri bastards.

ffs.

Savage being on commentary makes this about a million times worse too.

Bale :drool:

There's no player in the world better at 'breaking the lines' than Ramsey. His peak was truly world class.

I see the pundits from the provincial celtic nations are allowed to say 'we'.

I enjoyed Finland being painted as cute little blonde reindeer underdogs just doing their best earlier. Barely any positivity directed at the victors. I'd say it's political but most of these cretins are too thick to point at Russia on an atlas so it must just be natural appreciation of the sauna kings.

Russian football is about as likeable as sewage tbf. The pasty white faces with lemon-sucking expressions, the freezing conditions and 5pm kickoffs, the stupid horns, the racism and useless goalkeepers. Fuck them.

Bale with one of those Ronaldo-esque "fouls".

:lol:

I want Turkey to come back and win this just to hear Robbie Savage cry. What a ghastly man.

How can a player as apparently casual and confident as Bale turn into a hyperventilating mess when taking a penalty?

He doesn't take many for Madrid.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

I want Turkey to come back and win this just to hear Robbie Savage cry. What a ghastly man.

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He's awful, isn't he? I feel like a might as well be watching it in a pub somewhere in the valleys with some local, half-cut gob shite chewing my ear off for the all the level of balance and/or insight he brings to the table.

He’s no different to any English co commentator when England are playing lol

I didn't say he wasn't.

I just read that Birmingham retired Bellinghams number when he moved to Dortmund. What on earth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alex

I didn't say he wasn't.

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:console:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waffdon

:console:

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:moop:

Fuck off. :D

If Dan James could play football he'd be amazing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

If Dan James could play football he'd be amazing.

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I just said those exact words to my wife.

Burak Yilmaz is pointless.

Good to see those cool Mediterranean heads in stoppage time again.

That was all Ben Davies. He should have walked for that.

Turkey are horseshit.

Also might need to revise quite how 'good' Italy looked against Turkey, seeing as Wales have absolutely battered the fuck out of them.

Bale being allowed to do the exact same thing twice was quite funny

These 'dark horses' ought to be sent to the Findus factory.

Turkey have just been awful. Yilmaz looks feisty but he needs bodies doing the running for him. Wales are great. I know the format allows some dross to take part but Wales deserve to be on this stage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

If Dan James could play football he'd be amazing.

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Bielsa would have sorted him right out.

Why are the Swiss not in red here and why are Italy wearing black shorts? Some of the kit decisions at this tournament have been infuriating. Stop wearing fucking all white away kits, all of you.

Granddad Giorgi :cool:

VAR is ruining the game.

I missed a few minutes of the game there, why did Chiellini go off?

Lovely.

That run by Locattelli was so good (and his pass obviously).
@7om: Injury.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7om

I missed a few minutes of the game there, why did Chiellini go off?

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Hamstring went.

Switzerland feel like the Everton of international football. Utterly pointless.

At least Everton are in a decent rivalry. Switzerland are more Reading.

The Scouse Derby is the most tinpot Derby going. Liverpool only care about the Manchester clubs.

I am going to uphold the Everton comparison.

Liverpool don't care about City. City just pretend they have a MASSIVE rivalry with them because after United their rivals are probably somebody like Oldham.

Rafa at Everton :drool:

Sam Matterface talking about what Kane is watching in the England camp and how that somehow sort of relates to this game...

Fuck me he's dire.

This Italy side is very good.

Cracking strike.

That line about a goal forever remembered in the eternal city should have seen him sacked on the spot, as in, literally on the spot, with Dixon forced to limp through the rest of the game alone.

Barella puts in some shift. The Italian Mason Mount.

Italy are the only side at this tournament (although I've missed a lot of games) that seem to resemble a proper tournament team. They have players both heralded and unheralded who all seem to know their roles well, creating a team greater than the sum of its parts. They have a distinctive 'thing' going on with their wrong-footed full backs, mad forward runs and ancient centre backs. They have a livewire (Insigne), an honest plodder (Locatelli), a sharp frontman (Immobile). The backroom staff have a mix of old stars from 25 years ago and natty jackets that perfectly reflect their national stereotype. They are, and I hate to say this, deeply likable.

It ends in a crushing 3-0 reverse in the semis ('one step too far, but how they have thrilled us') by some fun sponge like France.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Italy are the only side at this tournament (although I've missed a lot of games) that seem to resemble a proper tournament team. They have players both heralded and unheralded who all seem to know their roles well, creating a team greater than the sum of its parts. They have a distinctive 'thing' going on with their wrong-footed full backs, mad forward runs and ancient centre backs. They have a livewire (Insigne), an honest plodder (Locatelli), a sharp frontman (Immobile). The backroom staff have a mix of old stars from 25 years ago and natty jackets that perfectly reflect their national stereotype. They are, and I hate to say this, deeply likable.

It ends in a crushing 3-0 reverse in the semis ('one step too far, but how they have thrilled us') by some fun sponge like France.

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Bit harsh on France.

Vialli being there increases their likeability massively, for me. What a bloke.

Turkey and Switzerland aren't getting out of this group. Their match has draw written all over it.

How refreshing to see an international side playing football.

Big props to Mancini. You only have to look at their domestic sides and their lack of success in Europe to see how hard it is to get podgy midget Italians to succeed against humongous Africans.

But also, I thought Italy was rife with them (someone do the demographics research) so real props to the institutional racism that's keeping their game so white.

They have less than us, but it's a more recent influx of thirty year old migrants so hasn't filtered into their football other than the ones pretending to be seventeen.

Wonder how many times we will see Gascoigne’s goal against Scotland before 8pm tomorrow

I'll have a nibble on over 5.5 please.

We must be over that since the Croatia game easily.

We also must be over 15k Scotland fans in London. Should be friendly.

Oh I thought you meant from now until tomorrow night.

If we're counting those that have already been on then over 12.5.

As a Scotland fan that will be watching in Wood Green tomorrow I can assure you I'll remain friendly.

Yarenchuk's sort of dibelief at not being offside there, sums up Macedonia's defense.

Assistant ref is a scumbag.

Pandev should be allowed to play offside.

Who thought Scott Brown the Pundit was a good idea?

Why the fuck is Pandev not taking this ffs?

Alioski trying to increase the drama.

As someone with a little wager on loads of penalties being scored during the tournament, the complete fucking inability of anyone to convert one is getting on my tits. Think it's 1 scored from 5 or 6.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

As someone with a little wager on loads of penalties being scored during the tournament, the complete fucking inability of anyone to convert one is getting on my tits. Think it's 1 scored from 5 or 6.

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lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

As someone with a little wager on loads of penalties being scored during the tournament, the complete fucking inability of anyone to convert one is getting on my tits. Think it's 1 scored from 5 or 6.

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:D

That is now 1 scored from 5 (normal conversion rate is around 75%).

Euro 96 relived tomorrow :D

Spurs are an absolute mess. Gattuso closing in on signing. Lolz

Joe Jordan as assman.

What happened to Fonseca? Is Mendes shuffling his pack around?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

What happened to Fonseca? Is Mendes shuffling his pack around?

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He heard I stuck a fiver on at 1/5, thinking it was a free quid

Poulsen :cool:

Denmark have started really well.

Both teams should be eliminated for this.

The ESPN called it "unprecedented scenes". I'm fairly sure I've seen this before.

Belgium’s defence is properly honking, even more so with having Hazard tracking back down the left. Might have worked when Vertonghen and Alderweireld were decent

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lewis

Both teams should be eliminated for this.

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Aye, absolutely pointless shite. And the trauma of being behind meant the stupid Belgians forgot their part of the deal and had to have the ref intervene. No thanks. Just do it before the game.

Big Sam will be busy trying to work out the potential marginal gains of you giving all of your less healthy looking players numbers in the late 80s so any form of tokenistic adulation can coincide with and assist a backs to the wall hold out job

Belgium were mediocre at best in their first game too, they were just against a truly horrible Russia.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adramelch

Belgium were mediocre at best in their first game too, they were just against a truly horrible Russia.

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Hazard to save the day :cool:

When they were talking about Italy's unbeaten run or whatever it is last night I was wondering how have they gone that many games without losing and not won the nations league? Have they just drawn a load of matches?

Last finals were in 2019 no? I think they are top of their group currently or however that works.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Aye, absolutely pointless shite. And the trauma of being behind meant the stupid Belgians forgot their part of the deal and had to have the ref intervene. No thanks. Just do it before the game.

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What happened?

They stopped the game in the 11th minute for Eriksen, but the Belgians forgot that would be a thing and the Danes "complained" (for lack of a better word) to the ref.

These kits are all wrong as well, another team in all white, and Denmark should never have red shorts. Have UEFA put in an edict about all clothes being one colour? It's hideous.

Good to see Taz on the panel.

How does Vermaelen still get a game for 'ranked 1 in the world' (at some point) Belgium? Hasn't he been shit for about 5 years?

Having retired from international football at around age 12 due to seeing England playing in white shorts, I’ve now recently purchased a pair of white shorts. Gonna risk it when I’ve gotta dress up as a Ken doll as part of stag do shenanigans, I reckon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

How does Vermaelen still get a game for 'ranked 1 in the world' (at some point) Belgium? Hasn't he been shit for about 5 years?

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You’re asking that when Jason “that shit Sunderland defender with dreadlocks” Denayer is in the same lineup?