Euro 2024 chat & predictions

[lejackal]

Have you watched him play? By which I mean bumble about the pitch.

 

[Hod10]

I've seen him score goals. Kane is not a quick player, he never has been. He's a more predatory type of player.

 

[theforceuk]

My great, great, great, great, great, great, great Grandad has been more of a goal threat than Harry Kane in the Euros. He's been appalling.

 

[Cazza]

Agree he's been woeful and although he's scored three, he still doesn't seem to have had an upturn in form. Very strange. I think I would still start him, but sub him earlier if it's not working. I know I've said it before, but the fast, run in behind players have been bizarrely underused in this tournament, even when we've been crying out for it (e.g. extra time). Glad Watkins really proved the point yesterday.

 

[weasel]

I can't understand why people want Harry Kane dropped. European Golden Shoe winner with Bayern in 2023/24. Currently joint top goalscorer at Euro 2024. Captain. In Gareth we must trust. #nufc #england

Ehhh have you watched a single Engerlund game? Do your eyes work?
The guy has been ****ing shite in his best game so far, the rest of the time he was worse.
It's no coincidence that two minutes after he goes off is the FIRST time in the tournament Engerlund stretched the oppositions' defence by running in behind. Harry didn't even break sweat, he just strolled about the pitch like it was a testimonial FFS.

 

[Hod10]

Ehhh have you watched a single Engerlund game? Do your eyes work?
The guy has been ****ing shite in his best game so far, the rest of the time he was worse.
It's no coincidence that two minutes after he goes off is the FIRST time in the tournament Engerlund stretched the oppositions' defence by running in behind. Harry didn't even break sweat, he just strolled about the pitch like it was a testimonial FFS.

Who will start again against Spain and why?

 

[weasel]

Harry Kane, cos Southgate is a moron.

He should have been dropped in the group stage.

 

[lejackal]

Kane should be the elder statesman, set an example, share experience and come on to close games out

 

[Hod10]

Kane is the only world class striker we've got. He can be quite creative too and link up play. I know he hasn't been at his best but he is still joint top goalscorer. To drop him would give Spain a huge lift. We have quality strikers on the bench to mix things up late on if needs be.

 

[lejackal]

We don't need him to link play, we've got midfielders for that, we've wide forwards and we've got two other good strikers. Saying he's joint top scorer when there are about 10 joint top scorers is not a selling point

 

[theforceuk]

England are on the brink of doing something very special and although many will have you believe Spain are the better team, England have by far the better players and that's a matter of fact. If Spain win and Kane starts, many including myself will say I told you so.

This England team should be favourites for the final, the reason they're not is down to Southgate and his continued picking of favourites and 2005 tactics.

That said if they win I will explode with happiness.

 

[Hod10]

The thoughts of Gary Neville on the Kane debate... https://www.skysports.com/football/...ro-2024-final-against-spain-says-gary-neville

 

[lejackal]

Kane isn't even in the top ten greatest

 

[weasel]

Kane has been brilliant for England, for years, but in every single game in this tournament he las looked miles off the pace. I disagree dropping him is a boost to Spain. If I was a Spanish CB I know Kane isn't going to run so I just need to keep an eye on him when the ball is near the box. With Toney or Watkins in particular there are runs left right and centre and the CB's need to be switched on the whole time.
Kane might be a better finisher, although Watkins took his goal bloody well so he can argue that point, but he offers nothing, at the minute. His link up play is non existent. He is a black hole. The ball goes towards him and 5 minutes later you get it back off the opposition.

He will still bag a shed load more goals for England, but right now he does not warrant his place in the team.

I agree England are a better team/squad…….on paper. But Spain look like a team. England are less than the sum of their parts. For which I blame Southgate, but other reasons are available and probably arguably correct/partly to blame.

 

[theforceuk]

Gary Neville? He was a half decent Man Utd and England right back who showed his lack of football intelligence when he went into management. He was paid about £50k a week for 10 years and now we're told he's a great business man and football analyst. I stopped listening to him about 5 years ago.

I would rather crap in my hands and clap 10 times than watch 5 minutes of Gary Neville telling me what he thinks of Kane. Who he probably has on speed dial.

 

[edd_jedi]

that is one of the worst decisions I have seen since the pen Pool got against Spuds in the CL final

And that still pisses me off five years later

I agree Kane has been pretty invisible all tournament, but he's only one of many vastly under-performing players so far. And no way that should have been a penalty, but I'll take it. I had forgotten just how much bad luck England have had before reading this article, when you look through them and the players we have had over the years since 19 f**king 66 it really is ridiculous that we haven't won anything since (this is why I always compare England's luck to Spurs.)

But I agree, start him and if he's still just jogging around like Messi after 60 minutes, get Watkins on. I don't think Kane is quite in Ronaldo territory yet, top scorer in the Bundesliga is no fluke, but he's definitely past his best and on the decline. I really hope he gets the trophy he deserves on Sunday, even the most anti-Kane person must admit such a prolific scorer has earned at least one.

Roll on Sunday!

 

[weasel]

It's always going to piss you off @edd_jedi. In real time I was disappointed they gave it and I'm a Liverpool fan. It just shouldnt be a penalty. England's one the other day was the same. Only some jobsworth pedantic ****er in a UEFA white tower thinks those should be given. No fan does. Albeit you lot were probably delighted to see it given.

I agree Kane isn't Ronaldo level yet. He is still playing top level footy and is just going through a bad patch/carrying an injury. Ronaldo is just done. Plus Kane doesn't insist on taking EVERY SINGLE free kick within 30yards of the other teams goal when he hasn't scored one since the dinosaurs were around.

If before the tournament had started you had offered any manger or fan a front three of Ronaldo, Mbappe and Kane (ignoring the fact two play in broadly the same position) they would have bitten your hand off. Yet you would have ended up with the three biggest disappointments of the tournament. It's bizarre. Albeit slightly less so in the case of the walking ego man-baby who plays in a glorified semi pro league which definitely isn't just about money!

 

[Cazza]

I'd definitely start Kane in the final, but be prepared to bring on Watkins/Toney earlier, if it's not working out. He's been awful, but agree with @Hod10 that he is the only World class striker we have and he simply has to start a final. Rumour has it (not really difficult to predict) that it will be the same line up. If this is the case, Foden has got to be down the middle like the semi. Got a weird feeling that we might skank a win a la Portugal or Greece.

 

[theforceuk]

I would start Watkins and Palmer instead of Foden and Kane. Last time England won anything the greatest english striker ever was dropped and the other striker scored a hat-trick in the final. The fact England aren't favourites for this final is down to Southgate and his team selection and out of date tactics.

This is a time to be positive though and I'm fully behind Southgate and whoever he picks tomorrow. COME ON ENGLAND!!!

 

[weasel]

By the sounds of it, the FA want Southgate to stick around for another two years. You have to wonder what they are smoking if they think he is doing well with what he has to work with.
International football is fairly mediocre at the minute, there are no teams of the likes of the Dutch/German/Italian sides of the late 90's and early 00's, or the Spanish side from 10 yrs ago, but surely no one (bar an FA big wig) can think Southgate is getting that squad to play to it's level!? A good manager takes an average player and makes him good, or takes a good player and makes him great. Southgate has not done that with a single player in that squad.

Cue England winning and Southgate being given a Knighthood, a life time contract, the rights to Buckingham Palace and them even bringing back 'Prima Nocta' for him.

You might need to Google Prima Nocta…..or watch Braveheart. It's the right to have sexual relations with any female subject, particularly on her wedding night.