Euro 20/21

[David McKeown]

As many suspected Italy was a bridge too far for England. The better team won and Italy were the best team in this tournament. Hard to know how England will fare in the future. They had a massive advantage here playing at home. Southgate has done a very good job getting them to the final stages of the last 2 tournaments. In the context of England's poor history at tournaments that's significant. If England ever get themselves organised right they will eventually win a major tournament.  They are too large a football nation to keep underachieving.

Has he though?

Tunisia? Panama? Ffs! They barely got past half a Colombia team, and only on penalties. A bang average Sweden team that Ireland should have beaten well 2 years previous. Ireland could have got to that semi in 2018. There was absolutely no pressure on Southgate in Russia, and he was lauded as some sort of genius for getting to a semi.

You could say they did somewhat better this time. But Muller scores that goal, and it's a different game. They cheated their way past a very good Danish team, needing a penalty again to do so. Italy dominated for a big part of the final, and made them look very very average. Only Italy's lack of a goal scorer, and that game is wrapped up in 90 minutes. They avoided all the big guns, just like in 2018. Had they met Belgium, Spain or France, they'd have got nowhere near the final. England were only beat in the end by penalties but in reality, they should never have been that close to winning it.

I think England would have beaten Spain comfortably and would have beaten Belgium but I agree France would likely have been too good for them.

That English team is incredibly hard to beat. Apart from the goal which took about 6 ricochets I can't remember a single time I thought Italy should have scored there. I don't remember too many other chances in the entire tournament against England. Being hard to beat will always take you a long way in tournaments.

[tiempo]

As many suspected Italy was a bridge too far for England. The better team won and Italy were the best team in this tournament. Hard to know how England will fare in the future. They had a massive advantage here playing at home. Southgate has done a very good job getting them to the final stages of the last 2 tournaments. In the context of England's poor history at tournaments that's significant. If England ever get themselves organised right they will eventually win a major tournament.  They are too large a football nation to keep underachieving.

Has he though?

Tunisia? Panama? Ffs! They barely got past half a Colombia team, and only on penalties. A bang average Sweden team that Ireland should have beaten well 2 years previous. Ireland could have got to that semi in 2018. There was absolutely no pressure on Southgate in Russia, and he was lauded as some sort of genius for getting to a semi.

You could say they did somewhat better this time. But Muller scores that goal, and it's a different game. They cheated their way past a very good Danish team, needing a penalty again to do so. Italy dominated for a big part of the final, and made them look very very average. Only Italy's lack of a goal scorer, and that game is wrapped up in 90 minutes. They avoided all the big guns, just like in 2018. Had they met Belgium, Spain or France, they'd have got nowhere near the final. England were only beat in the end by penalties but in reality, they should never have been that close to winning it.

I think England would have beaten Spain comfortably and would have beaten Belgium but I agree France would likely have been too good for them.

That English team is incredibly hard to beat. Apart from the goal which took about 6 ricochets I can't remember a single time I thought Italy should have scored there. I don't remember too many other chances in the entire tournament against England. Being hard to beat will always take you a long way in tournaments.

The Spain team that dominated Italy would have toyed with England.

The boy Chiesa made a great chance matched by an equally good save, but they are the most incisive overall due to lack of a leading striker, which probably suits them in other ways, they are probably better than the sum of their parts.

As for chances Muller obviously missed a gilt-edged to throw the cat amount the pigeons, and Scotland had at least 2 or 3 good chances.

Anyway, was listening to sport radio and it has been decided, England are invincibles cus no-one could beat them in normal time or extra time  they also went to the bother of clarifying the invincibles tag only applies to beaten finalists and not teams knocked out on pens elsewhere 

[yellowcard]

As many suspected Italy was a bridge too far for England. The better team won and Italy were the best team in this tournament. Hard to know how England will fare in the future. They had a massive advantage here playing at home. Southgate has done a very good job getting them to the final stages of the last 2 tournaments. In the context of England's poor history at tournaments that's significant. If England ever get themselves organised right they will eventually win a major tournament.  They are too large a football nation to keep underachieving.

Has he though?

Tunisia? Panama? Ffs! They barely got past half a Colombia team, and only on penalties. A bang average Sweden team that Ireland should have beaten well 2 years previous. Ireland could have got to that semi in 2018. There was absolutely no pressure on Southgate in Russia, and he was lauded as some sort of genius for getting to a semi.

You could say they did somewhat better this time. But Muller scores that goal, and it's a different game. They cheated their way past a very good Danish team, needing a penalty again to do so. Italy dominated for a big part of the final, and made them look very very average. Only Italy's lack of a goal scorer, and that game is wrapped up in 90 minutes. They avoided all the big guns, just like in 2018. Had they met Belgium, Spain or France, they'd have got nowhere near the final. England were only beat in the end by penalties but in reality, they should never have been that close to winning it.

I think England would have beaten Spain comfortably and would have beaten Belgium but I agree France would likely have been too good for them.

That English team is incredibly hard to beat. Apart from the goal which took about 6 ricochets I can't remember a single time I thought Italy should have scored there. I don't remember too many other chances in the entire tournament against England. Being hard to beat will always take you a long way in tournaments.

I wouldn't get sucked in by the English media hype. That Spanish team are a probably only a striker away from being a top class side. Their midfield would have schooled Rice and Phillips.

[Armamike]

As many suspected Italy was a bridge too far for England. The better team won and Italy were the best team in this tournament. Hard to know how England will fare in the future. They had a massive advantage here playing at home. Southgate has done a very good job getting them to the final stages of the last 2 tournaments. In the context of England's poor history at tournaments that's significant. If England ever get themselves organised right they will eventually win a major tournament.  They are too large a football nation to keep underachieving.

Has he though?

Tunisia? Panama? Ffs! They barely got past half a Colombia team, and only on penalties. A bang average Sweden team that Ireland should have beaten well 2 years previous. Ireland could have got to that semi in 2018. There was absolutely no pressure on Southgate in Russia, and he was lauded as some sort of genius for getting to a semi.

You could say they did somewhat better this time. But Muller scores that goal, and it's a different game. They cheated their way past a very good Danish team, needing a penalty again to do so. Italy dominated for a big part of the final, and made them look very very average. Only Italy's lack of a goal scorer, and that game is wrapped up in 90 minutes. They avoided all the big guns, just like in 2018. Had they met Belgium, Spain or France, they'd have got nowhere near the final. England were only beat in the end by penalties but in reality, they should never have been that close to winning it.

I try to look at things objectively.
We can nitpick all day about who they beat and who should could and might have beaten them. Fact is any team that gets to the latter stages of a tournament is there on merit. Southgate has England organised, able to pass the ball and are hard to beat.
Things that take teams a long way in tournaments. I'm also talking about England organising themselves better at all levels to improve their chances at national level. If they ever get this right they will win tournaments.Spain were serial losers until they rethought things and followed Cruyff's vision. Not saying England will ever get their act together but they really have underachieved over the decades.

[Dire Ear]

Englands bid to host the 2030 World Cup on the ropes before it even got off the ground due to the scum behaviour of so called supporters at the weekend. Same type of Neanderthals that broke into Old Trafford in May. The groundball fraternity can't be trusted to behave themselves, pathetic.

Wouldn't matter anyway. There's not enough oil money in Britain to swing a World Cup bid.

When you think about how Qatar got the next one, yet only had maybe one built stadium, it's madness.

It's pure corruption

Is i 700 or 7000 workers who have died building the stadia?

[shark]

As many suspected Italy was a bridge too far for England. The better team won and Italy were the best team in this tournament. Hard to know how England will fare in the future. They had a massive advantage here playing at home. Southgate has done a very good job getting them to the final stages of the last 2 tournaments. In the context of England's poor history at tournaments that's significant. If England ever get themselves organised right they will eventually win a major tournament.  They are too large a football nation to keep underachieving.

Has he though?

Tunisia? Panama? Ffs! They barely got past half a Colombia team, and only on penalties. A bang average Sweden team that Ireland should have beaten well 2 years previous. Ireland could have got to that semi in 2018. There was absolutely no pressure on Southgate in Russia, and he was lauded as some sort of genius for getting to a semi.

You could say they did somewhat better this time. But Muller scores that goal, and it's a different game. They cheated their way past a very good Danish team, needing a penalty again to do so. Italy dominated for a big part of the final, and made them look very very average. Only Italy's lack of a goal scorer, and that game is wrapped up in 90 minutes. They avoided all the big guns, just like in 2018. Had they met Belgium, Spain or France, they'd have got nowhere near the final. England were only beat in the end by penalties but in reality, they should never have been that close to winning it.

I think England would have beaten Spain comfortably and would have beaten Belgium but I agree France would likely have been too good for them.

That English team is incredibly hard to beat. Apart from the goal which took about 6 ricochets I can't remember a single time I thought Italy should have scored there. I don't remember too many other chances in the entire tournament against England. Being hard to beat will always take you a long way in tournaments.

I wouldn't get sucked in by the English media hype. That Spanish team are a probably only a striker away from being a top class side. Their midfield would have schooled Rice and Phillips.

Their backline conceded 3 goals against a team who didn't create a solitary chance against England. England are not world beaters. But you don't need to be. It's international football, not the champions league. Every team has flaws.

[Mikhail Prokhorov]

oh jesus lads are we still on this, give it up, your mother country were beaten fair and square, time to move on 

or rechristen this the england thread 

[trueblue1234]

oh jesus lads are we still on this, give it up, your mother country were beaten fair and square, time to move on 

or rechristen this the england thread 

I can hear the dummy hitting the floor again. 😂

[BennyCake]

The greatest battle of the Euros

[tiempo]

It was all so predictable. Neandertals foaming at the mouth intent on wrecking the place. Sure didn't it happen in Manchester in May when the greatest league in the world had to cancel a game due to the mindless antics of local knuckledraggers.

[Milltown Row2]

It was all so predictable. Neandertals foaming at the mouth intent on wrecking the place. Sure didn't it happen in Manchester in May when the greatest league in the world had to cancel a game due to the mindless antics of local knuckledraggers.

You've mentioned it already


Englands bid to host the 2030 World Cup on the ropes before it even got off the ground due to the scum behaviour of so called supporters at the weekend. Same type of Neanderthals that broke into Old Trafford in May. The groundball fraternity can't be trusted to behave themselves, pathetic.

[Louther]

Was chatting to someone through work who lives in England, one of the regional cities. He says he isn't surprised by what happened and that increasingly there is a growing divide and sense of lawlessness from many parts of society. There always been somewhat of a class divide in England but this is now muddied with Brexit, racism, covid all playing a part and there is very little respect in the country. He blames it on the leadership and that people, even those voting for them, don't see leadership or any morals, just people who are self serving and look down their noses at vast majority of population.

He felt the very fact they still so comfortable in power says it all. People just indifferent to their actions and will carry on as they like. Crime, anti social behaviour, poverty etc all dramatically on the rise and it's a powder keg at present. The football give a release but that in time, this will build up again and something else will trigger some wide spread trouble. It's not a happy place with itself at present and money soon run out and real social unrest will follow.

[nrico2006]

A lot of talk about Spain on here.  Their results werent overly impressive throughout the tournament.

[Sportacus]

Was chatting to someone through work who lives in England, one of the regional cities. He says he isn't surprised by what happened and that increasingly there is a growing divide and sense of lawlessness from many parts of society. There always been somewhat of a class divide in England but this is now muddied with Brexit, racism, covid all playing a part and there is very little respect in the country. He blames it on the leadership and that people, even those voting for them, don't see leadership or any morals, just people who are self serving and look down their noses at vast majority of population.

He felt the very fact they still so comfortable in power says it all. People just indifferent to their actions and will carry on as they like. Crime, anti social behaviour, poverty etc all dramatically on the rise and it's a powder keg at present. The football give a release but that in time, this will build up again and something else will trigger some wide spread trouble. It's not a happy place with itself at present and money soon run out and real social unrest will follow.

Very interesting. That would be my gut feeling as well. Political leaders who openly lie and are equivocal about racism.  Massive gap between right and left. Many have a superiority complex and as someone said an "unearned arrogance".  It's an angry country which I more than ever don't want to be hitched to.

[yellowcard]

The more staunch England supporters are more often from the smaller industrial towns and cities where supporters don't have a big club side to follow in Europe. Mostly those areas would have been Brexit leaning with a strong sense of English nationalism and all that tends to go with this ie greater propensity for racism, anti immigration etc. One thing that has struck me watching England games in recent years is the absence of Union Jacks at matches. Skip back a couple of decades and you would have seen the England section filled with Union flags whereas now its nearly all St George crosses. I think the hooligan element has subsided but not disappeared completely, there is still an undercurrent of far right supporters bubbling under the surface, just that they find it harder to travel abroad to matches due to increased security and intelligence.