Euro 2016 Thread

[edd_jedi]

Phew well that was the definition of a scrape through! I knew Bale was going to score that free kick, he is just pure class. Shame England don't have anybody in his league. I reckon we'll make the knock out stages (no doubt with a boring draw with Slovakia) but as usual England are showing absolutely no threat of being world class.

Credit for the substitutions but seriously what the hell was he doing starting with the same three up front again. He has to have faith in the stats - Kane top PL scorer, Vardy second. Lallana and Stirling, no matter how good they can be on occasion, do not have those records under their belt, so should not be starting.

 

[mumbo]

I'm getting too old for this :lol:

 

[Ian_C]

I was unable to see the game, but obviously happy with the result. Kinda ironic they give up the tying goal to Russia two minutes into extra time, then score their own winner today at the same moment.

Oh well, can't comment on the performance this time, but England and Wales #1 and #2 is all going to plan. IF both can win their last game of the group, I'll be very happy.

Oh, and I see Northern Ireland beat Ukraine as well, putting them right back in contention too. Excellent.

Ian

 

[Section 8]

Kane **** and rooney the man of the match again.

In fairness to Kane the style of play and opposition has not suited him. And he's a bit ****. Good to see the others get a run and show how much better they are. Despite the goal tally of Kane and Vardy I'd start the next with Sturridge or Rashford. A player that can create or take on player would suit the style better.

Congrats to Nrn Irn but sad to hear of another death of a fan. Hopefully all the British Isles nations can qualify for next round.

 

[Richard_H]

For me Rose was the man of the match.

Sterling was woeful. Didn't see enough to comment much on the others.

 

[edd_jedi]

Kane **** and rooney the man of the match again.

In fairness to Kane the style of play and opposition has not suited him. And he's a bit ****. Good to see the others get a run and show how much better they are. Despite the goal tally of Kane and Vardy I'd start the next with Sturridge or Rashford.

Assume you're trolling, but just in case you're serious, you can't really say the top scorer this season and second top scorer last season is ****. He's had a couple of crap games for England, sure. But he's officially the best striker in the PL, you can't argue with that fact no matter what your personal opinion of him is. So he has to start every game IMO, above Vardy.

 

[weasel]

You boys seem to have forgotten the big result from last night, Norn Iron beating Ukraine!
Sod the England Wales borefest. :lol:

The Norn Iron bame was actually a good game, ok, i may not be impartial here, and we're now in with a shout of making the knock out stages. Not bad for a country of 1.8 million (half of whom automatically elect to play for the ROI). You wanna see pride, passion and commitment, watch Norn Iron. It's a team made up of Journey-men and never quite gonna-be's. The closest we have to a superstar is steven Davis, and he's ehhh not quite a superstar. We have a championship midfield a keepr without a club, a RB in Aarron Hughes who hasn't played a competitive game since Jan, and that was in the Australian league, ohh and the guy we brought on up front with 10 to go, he was goal keeper until a few years ago.

It's proper David and Golliath stuff. But all the media wanna talk about is England grinding out a dull, and hardly deserved, win against Wales. ****ing typical. :roll:


Ohh and I agree with Ed, Sterling and Lallanna shudn't have started. Sterling in particular has been woeful. But then Woy is a poor manager, safety first, tactical acumen of a gooseberry.
You'll make the knock out stages and lose to the first quarter decent side you play. Woy will be hounded out and then Tim, proper football man, Sherwood will take over (and make Graham Taylor look successful).

 

[Section 8]

Kane **** and rooney the man of the match again.

In fairness to Kane the style of play and opposition has not suited him. And he's a bit ****. Good to see the others get a run and show how much better they are. Despite the goal tally of Kane and Vardy I'd start the next with Sturridge or Rashford.

Assume you're trolling

Not trolling at all. Kane can disappear if the system doesn't suit him. He doesn't create many goals for himself as he's a more a turn and shoot on sight type of player. Rashford and Sturridge can take players on to make things happen which England have needed, rather than relying on others to set them up in a good position. Also England don't play like Leicester so do not suit Vardy either who likes to run in behind defences.

This is England and the players chosen should be those who suit Hodgsons formation and style. Goal records are kinda irrelevant.

 

[theforceuk]

Northern Ireland what a great result. :shock:

Wayne Rooney man of the match again. I'm gonna change my name to Wayne Rooney and turn up at England training, see if I get picked.

Lothar Matthaus cracks me up, best pundit ever! Hardly says anything and when he does I have no idea what he's said. :lol:

 

[Ian_C]

You boys seem to have forgotten the big result from last night, Norn Iron beating Ukraine!

Hey hey, I gave them credit!

Damn Italians won again today though. :twisted:

Ian

 

[edd_jedi]

Well that was riveting :lol: so much for Vardy saving the day. I can't believe he made so many changes, it's a competition Roy not a testimonial!

 

[Ian_C]

Well, we're through, so mission accomplished in that regard. No disrespect to the other nations in our group, but I can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed with results though.

I worry about how they'll be going forward now, as the competition gets much more challenging.

Congrats to Wales - never expected them to win any group, so good job on them!

Ian

 

[yoda]

I've only managed to see about 25 mins in total of the tournament so far just relying on newspapers and on here
Who's looking the strongest at this stage so far?

 

[Cazza]

Well done Wales- played really well last night, although Russia were poor.

England were poor. Wilshere and Henderson were terrible, especially Wilshere. They should not have even travelled. Henderson had a poor, disjointed season and Wilshere didn't even have a season. Only in the squad because of who they play for and previous reputation.Drinkwater and Noble must be wondering WTF is going on in the old owl's head...

 

[peekaygee73]

Well done Wales- played really well last night, although Russia were poor.

England were poor. Wilshere and Henderson were terrible, especially Wilshere. They should not have even travelled. Henderson had a poor, disjointed season and Wilshere didn't even have a season. Only in the squad because of who they play for and previous reputation.Drinkwater and Noble must be wondering WTF is going on in the old owl's head...

Completely agree. Wilshere vanished after 5 minutes and Henderson looked awful. His delivery of corners was woeful. Once Slovakia parked the bus England never looked like scoring.

 

[weasel]

England pretty much summed this tournament (so far) up. Slow, dull, predictable and hardly worth watching. Ohh and the pitches have been dreadful as has the French security. Wee hint France, if fans smuggle in flares, which are banned, and reasonably easy to spot, it's not beyond imagination that some wanker will smuggle in a bomb. Although thankfully, there is no history of any IS related troubles in France...........
Genuinely one of the worst organised/run tournaments I can remember.

Personally, I've no issue with the changes woy made. He wanted to try Vardy and Sturridge, they did improve the performance in the Wales game and Kane hasn't been brilliant so far. He swapped his full back, no big issue there, there is very little between the 4 of them and giving Walker and Rose a game off will do no harm. Bringing in Henderson and Wilshire was a bit of a gamble, but again he wanted to keep the midfielders fresh and even that 'weakened' England side should have had enough to beat Slovakia. Although, why anyone was surprised when Wilshire faded after 15 minutes is beyond me. It was almost as if he'd only had a 1 game season as a build up..........oohhh, wait, he did! He shouldn't have been picked and he proved last night that he's not in any state to play. He may well be good enough, but he's not fit enough or match sharp. Should have been left at home. Woy deserves to kop some flack for that. I also thought Henderson was dung, but then he's only coming back from injury as well.
Where I do think Woy deserves a lot of abuse is the general tempo, or complete lack there of, in England's play and ehhh what is England's game plan? I mean beyond "win". Do they have a plan? Serious question. I haven't seen one yet and we're three games in. Wales showed you just how good Russia are.
At one point I think it was Lallanna picked the ball up on the centre circle and looked to run at Slovakia, he was faced with 6 Slovaks and 2 England players, both out wide. He looked up, no one moved, he turned round passed it to Eric Dier, who was one of SEVEN England players stood unmarked in England's half. Great shape, it must be said, back 4 in a lovely straight line, three midfielders in a nice three in front of them, but ehhh no Slovakian players in England's half. They had all run back into their own half while Lallanna waited for someone to move. This was deep into the second half, so not as if England had plenty of time.
No urgency, no movement, no one demanding the ball, no real idea of how to break down Slovakia or how to win the game. Just turn round and pass it back to your DCM, who then passed it to a full back.

Was anyone surprised Slovakia didn't come out all gun-ho!? You're going to have to break down a defensive side Woy, that means either you need clever players or to use some speed on the counter attack. Slow ponderous build up play and banking on pure luck doesn't work.

Saying that, I've never rated Woy as a manager and he's showing himself to be little more than journeyman who was in the right place at the right time.

PS, I was actually cheering for England, as were all Norn Iron fans, had they won (and well) Slovakia would have had fewer points and worse GD. As it stands, we're just going to have to go and beat Germany now. Wee buns.

 

[weasel]

I've only managed to see about 25 mins in total of the tournament so far just relying on newspapers and on here
Who's looking the strongest at this stage so far?

You're not missing much mate. It's been a very underwhelming tournament so far. I'm not sure the four best third placed teams qualifying has helped the tournament as a spectacle. It has allowed more sides to take part, but it removes some of the need for sides to chase a game. Why push on if you're 1-0 down and risk losing 2-0, or 3-0, when you have two more games. Hence sides sit tight and we get low scoring games. If only two sides were going through the pressure is on.

No one has looked good so far. I missed Spain humping Turkey 3-0, so maybe Spain looked good there. Other than that France and Germany have both been poor, relative to what we've seen from them before. Belgium have been a massive let down. Ditto Portugal and England. Italy are going to try and grind out 1-0 wins and that's fine, although not so good to watch.

The only real highlights, bar Ronaldo missing his penalty, have been the performances of Iceland, Norn Iron, Albania and the likes. Even those three are really just making up the numbers as any decent side (if there was one in tournament) will beat them comfortably.

 

[yoda]

I've only managed to see about 25 mins in total of the tournament so far just relying on newspapers and on here
Who's looking the strongest at this stage so far?

You're not missing much mate. It's been a very underwhelming tournament so far. I'm not sure the four best third placed teams qualifying has helped the tournament as a spectacle. It has allowed more sides to take part, but it removes some of the need for sides to chase a game. Why push on if you're 1-0 down and risk losing 2-0, or 3-0, when you have two more games. Hence sides sit tight and we get low scoring games. If only two sides were going through the pressure is on.

No one has looked good so far. I missed Spain humping Turkey 3-0, so maybe Spain looked good there. Other than that France and Germany have both been poor, relative to what we've seen from them before. Belgium have been a massive let down. Ditto Portugal and England. Italy are going to try and grind out 1-0 wins and that's fine, although not so good to watch.

The only real highlights, bar Ronaldo missing his penalty, have been the performances of Iceland, Norn Iron, Albania and the likes. Even those three are really just making up the numbers as any decent side (if there was one in tournament) will beat them comfortably.

Ok thanks for replying weasel cheers.
It's not a problem but the reason I don't get to see the games is because I have just finished a house. There is also a little guy a few months old now. Anyone who's in that position will know where all your free time goes :lol: I wouldn't change it for the world though!
I should have got my figure out and bought a box for the tv or got a arial fitted before now :roll:
Only got to see a bit of the Germany vs Poland game it was on in mums when visiting.
I will make an effort though to see some of the knockout stages and the final.
This place is better than the papers for updates anyway more honest opinions from everyone on the teams and player's

 

[edd_jedi]

Having watched nearly every game, I actually think the lack of goals rather than being down to the top teams being poor has really been because all smaller teams have been pretty damned good. There have been no 9-0 San Marino whalloppings that we're all used to seeing. It's been a bit like the PL these days - there is no such thing as an easy game. Sure some teams have "parked the bus" and why wouldn't they when a point will do. It's nigh on impossible to score against a team with all 11 players in their own penalty box, unless you have a magician like Bale who can score from pretty much anywhere.

But I agree, from what I've seen so far I don't really get Roy's approach. Every game is like watching a different team.

 

[weasel]

From what I have seen Bale's approach, certainly with free kicks, is to boot them straight down the middle of the goal and watch the keeper **** up and let it in. :lol:

Great results for Norn Iron last night. Not entirely sure how that game finished 1-0. 4/5/6-0 would have been a fairer reflection of the score line. Well played Michael McGovern. Out of contract at the mighty Hamilton Academicals and I dare say his agent is getting a few calls from (with respect to the Accies) bigger clubs today. Looks like Wales or France for Norn Iron now. Both are better than us, and it cold well be a repeat of the Germany game, but TBH no one over here gives a **** lol. We were delighted at qualifying for the Euro's getting anything other than 3 hidings in the groups has been brilliant, a knock out game against anyone is so much more than we hoped for when qualifying started. FFS we were ranked 126 in the world 2 years ago.

Fantastic result for Croatia last night. Good to see my mate Ramos missing a penalty and generally being shite. He's a thoroughly dislikeable bastard. Bar Ronaldo, him and Pepe are probably the two players I hate the most. That's non UK based players. There's a certain **** who plays on the wing for WBA who has a special place in hell waiting for him. It was nice seeing him aimlessly giving the ball away in the build up to Belgium's goal. Well done James! Keep up the good work son! :wink: