The Euro 2024 Thread

[Jimmy_D]

Well, we’ve done what we needed to, just about.

Knock out games always play out differently, we won’t be facing all out defence again like we did tonight.

[Southner]

Just now, egg said:

It was worse than that. 

Was talking about my opinion of the game. 

[Sheaf Saint]

Kane thinks we played much better tonight.

Hmmmmmm. 

[badgerx16]

1 minute ago, Colinjb said:

Have Denmark beaten Slovenia into 2nd place on Alphabetical difference?

Either tournament yellow card count, or if that is level it is because they had a better head to head over Slovenia in qualifying.

[Badger]

45 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

This is why Southgate ….  

Bellingham is top level, elite class. No one can look good in a Southgate team. We don't have a problem with the players in the final third of the team, they are all good enough without question. They are being strangled by a manager who has swallowed a book on how to defend a 0-0.

Haven’t we said the same about every underachieving England manager since 1974 ?

 

[Colinjb]

Just now, badgerx16 said:

Either tournament yellow card count, or if that is level it is because they had a better head to head over Slovenia in qualifying.

Seems it is yellow cards, even then only one yellow in it.

[aintforever]

Bellingham has been garbage the last two games, I would start with Palmer next game.

[S-Clarke]

Holland are a little dodgy defensively, but we won't cause them enough problems to make them worry. Not expecting anything other than a comfortable Dutch win on Sunday, putting an end to this miserable attempt. At this stage we might as well have stayed at home, although it feels like we have.

[skintsaint]

Better 2nd half but still feel there is more to get out this team.

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Southner said:

Was talking about my opinion of the game. 

Ditto! 

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, Jimmy_D said:

Well, we’ve done what we needed to, just about.

Knock out games always play out differently, we won’t be facing all out defence again like we did tonight.

Opportunity to find out how shit our defence is to go with our blunt attack. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

So glad I was there for that great closing moment. England getting a shot.

Slovenia's defensive line remained solid. England utterly failed to get past it, preceding a risk free passing it back and forth in front of it.

Mainoo was mobile to start with, popping up to get things going. But there wasn't much else going on around him.

Foden and Bellingham faded more and more. Palmer livelier. But not really until Gordon, did we get someone willing to run and stretch their full back. Foden's cutting in, just made no difference up until then.

Better sides are going to be a bit more expansive, which may well suit England, giving them more space, while keeping that risk averse set up.

But if they concede first against anyone capable of putting up a decent block, they are in trouble.

The player with the best eye for a forward pass was Pickford tonight, urging the team forward.

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Kane thinks we played much better tonight.

Hmmmmmm. 

compared to the absolute shit show of the last game he's right. One or two passes actually went to a team mate tonight. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

56 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Grudgingly.

Had to bring on TAA at some point. 🙂

[Baird of the land]

Gallagher so abysmally bad, even worse than a right back out of position. A team with more attacking threat would have punished all those mistakes in the 1st half.

Thought england were somewhat better in 2nd half. Mainoo was at least competent. I'm sure JWP is at home thinking, if i played for Chelsea or man u i'd be in this england squad though.

Fortunate that Denmark also are poor otherwise they would have got Germany and then their tournament would have been over imo.

Likely to make at least the quarters now you'd think.

[Toadhall Saint]

8 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Kane thinks we played much better tonight.

Hmmmmmm. 

According to Stones we created more chances? 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

57 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

The wrong change at this stage though, we need more width on the left and someone to commit their defenders, it's only bloody Slovenia.. We didn't need another CM to pass it backwards at this stage.

I was hoping that it would allow Rice more freedom. That between them, they then be able to string some passes together.

It was actually Mainoo who got that freedom, but England did nothing with it.

And yes, it was crying out for Gordon for most of the game.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Had to bring on TAA at some point. 🙂

to be fair Walker offered zero going forward and we weren't exactly being tested at the back. Part of Englands problem is we get nothing from either fullback. One decent cross apart, Trippier gave us nothing. Walker is limited, which is OK, but we cant have that on both sides. 

[Southner]

6 minutes ago, egg said:

Ditto! 

Your opinion wasn't dreadful. Mine was.

Lols. 

[SNSUN]

If we win the Euros I will shave my pubes off and get a tattoo of Russ hugging Gareth on my beanbag.

[egg]

Neville, "basic in the first half is being kind". Good lad. 

[The Kraken]

2 hours ago, The Kraken said:

Right let’s jinx it.
 

I don’t think Gallagher is any better than ‘Trent’ at CM. Much prefer Mainoo there, Gallagher is a passenger.

I mean, it was a bit obvious wasn’t it.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

14 minutes ago, Chez said:

to be fair Walker offered zero going forward and we weren't exactly being tested at the back. Part of Englands problem is we get nothing from either fullback. One decent cross apart, Trippier gave us nothing. Walker is limited, which is OK, but we cant have that on both sides. 

Tactical, by the looks of it. Cautious back line, always able to get back. Relying on those further up to unlock a defensive team.

But it also had a lack of passing and/or penetration to push through the middle, even with Foden moving in to give more numbers.

No pace in passing out wide to allow Saka to move into space (so deep a lot of the time as was Kane) and no one there at all in Foden's case, when he cut in.

Trippier out left limits him as well.

[SNSUN]

I finally got to the pub to watch England,.I finally got to cheer an England goal...

 

...only it was miles offside and the rest of the game was a snorefest. I'm Phil Jupitus from Mike Bassett. If we win the Euros I will jack my job in and become a binman.

[hypochondriac]

27 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Gallagher so abysmally bad, even worse than a right back out of position. A team with more attacking threat would have punished all those mistakes in the 1st half.

Thought england were somewhat better in 2nd half. Mainoo was at least competent. I'm sure JWP is at home thinking, if i played for Chelsea or man u i'd be in this england squad though.

Fortunate that Denmark also are poor otherwise they would have got Germany and then their tournament would have been over imo.

Likely to make at least the quarters now you'd think.

Really? I'd say it would be very much in the balance that we beat the Netherlands. 

[Patches O Houlihan]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Really? I'd say it would be very much in the balance that we beat the Netherlands. 

There are four other teams we might play - its not guaranteed to be the cloggists

[angelman]

Just woken up and seen we drew.....

[LGTL]

What a dour group. 1 win and every other game a draw 😂 

Denmark finished above Slovenia on FIFA ranking FFS! 
 

The Dutch will come at us which may suit us a bit more but my god we are going to need to improve. The draw has opened up for us but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if we’re out by Sunday night. 

[SaintsBarry74]

England topped Group C despite not scoring a single goal in the second half and only winning one match. They've recorded a lower xG (2,26) than any other side that has qualified for the knockout stages at the EUROs,

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 minutes ago, LGTL said:

The Dutch will come at us which may suit us a bit more but my god we are going to need to improve. The draw has opened up for us but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if we’re out by Sunday night. 

We could be playing Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, Ukraine or Netherlands. 

[SaintsBarry74]

Not a bad showing from Southgates' £1.4B squad.

[LGTL]

1 minute ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

We could be playing Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, Ukraine or Netherlands. 

It will be Netherlands unless Georgia (very unlikely) or Czech Republic win tomorrow, according to the tele. Here’s hoping 

Edited 25 June, 2024 by LGTL

[Teamsaint1]

4 minutes ago, SaintsBarry74 said:

Not a bad showing from Southgates' £1.4B squad.

And thats £1.4 Bn without Grealish. Who  Southgate thinks would make us less good than his current selections.

[saintant]

35 minutes ago, SaintsBarry74 said:

England topped Group C despite not scoring a single goal in the second half and only winning one match. They've recorded a lower xG (2,26) than any other side that has qualified for the knockout stages at the EUROs,

This is the crux of our problem and what you get from a Gareth Southgate team in a tournament. He will be over the moon that we have conceded just one goal in three games and kept two clean sheets. Unfortunately he sets us up to be so hard to score against that he squeezes the life out of any creativity and the players are clearly drilled not to take any risks. It's mind-numbingly dull and i'm convinced we'd do far better by going gung-ho and attacking teams at pace from the first whistle. Palmer and Mainoo both staked good claims to start the next match but will likely be back on bench-warming duties while the plodders plod around and stick to Southgate's game plan.

[sadoldgit]

I agree with Kane that this was a better performance than against Denmark, but that was so appallingly bad that even this depressing performance was better. Not much to get excited about apart from Cole Palmer’s cameo. You have to wonder why he left it so long to bring Gordon on too. The team that finished actually showed some gumption so I am expecting the same starting line up on Sunday as tonight ☹️

 

[maysie]

1 hour ago, LGTL said:

It will be Netherlands unless Georgia (very unlikely) or Czech Republic win tomorrow, according to the tele. Here’s hoping 

That’s wrong from what I heard. We can play Netherlands or any of the teams from Group E (Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, Ukraine) - basically which ever one finishes 3rd and they are all on 3 points.

Edited 25 June, 2024 by maysie

[maysie]

4 minutes ago, maysie said:

That’s wrong from what I heard. We can play Netherlands or any of the teams from Group E (Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, Ukraine) - basically which ever one finishes 3rd and they are all on 3 points.

Actually @LGTL you’re right I think. From BBC:

Who could England play in the last 16?

By winning the group, England have avoided a last-16 game against Germany and will instead face the Netherlands or whoever finishes third in Group E at 17:00 BST on Sunday.

As it stands, Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine are all locked on three points each in Group E so it could yet end up being any one of those four.

Confusingly, however, it's actually the results in Group F on Wednesday which will decide who the Three Lions face next. Stay with us for the next bit.

Southgate's men will face the Dutch, who finished third in Group D, unless the Czech Republic beat Turkey or Georgia are victorious against Portugal in Group F.

That's because Turkey, Czech Republic and Georgia can all finish third in Group F - and, if they do so while ending up with three points or more, they would take Hungary's place in the third-placed standings.

The knock-on impact of that will leave England with a tie against someone in Group E.

[AlexLaw76]

5 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

I agree with Kane that this was a better performance than against Denmark, but that was so appallingly bad that even this depressing performance was better. Not much to get excited about apart from Cole Palmer’s cameo. You have to wonder why he left it so long to bring Gordon on too. The team that finished actually showed some gumption so I am expecting the same starting line up on Sunday as tonight ☹️

 

I ageee. Palmer looked very good when he came on. However, how the hell does Southgate fit him in, as Saka, Bellingham seem undroppable 

 

[east-stand-nic]

I figure GS is trying to get sacked after the tournament so he can go and be the new Man Utd Manager. Nice pay off from the FA for a job well done blah blah blah and then a nice 67-9 months being useless at Man Utd and another huge pay off.

[Give it to Ron]

So out here and at the game last night and ‘every’ fan here I spoke to before game would pick the same team . Bellingham deeper alongside Rice, Foden 10, Gordon and Saka wide.

Gallagher was terrible and should never start again, Mainoo movement made us better , Palmer was good apart from finish at end, Gordon should have been brought on 15 minutes earlier but safety first Southgate.

Didnt like fans throwing things at him but brave of him to go round and clap fans. Definition of mentality is doing same things over and over and expecting something different he will not change.

He did what had to do and topped the group.

Bellingham looked knackered, Kane abysmal for this shape , Trent played 3 of first passes 10 yards away from target. Saka never got going shut him down not much else.

Foden better last night.

England fans songs boring and repetitive only sang about 4 songs . Slovenia fans great and despite what any press will invent there wasn’t any trouble. My lad spent game with their ultras as we had different tickets in ballot in our group.

I think the female German police are recruited from a model agency!

[Fabrice29]

Enjoying the clamour for Gordon, Mainoo and Palmer to start without anyone mentioning the Iceland game just over 2 weeks ago.

[Challenger]

A message to all pubs and supermarkets.

Flog your beer and burgers as quick as you can, can't see this lot lasting much longer.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Nothing less than a tactical shambles considering the supposed squad quality on offer. And that’s across the whole side not just in attack…we were lucky not to have faced a more attack-minded and clinical team in the group. If we concede first I think we’ll crumble.

[Midfield_General]

3 hours ago, east-stand-nic said:

I figure GS is trying to get sacked after the tournament so he can go and be the new Man Utd Manager. Nice pay off from the FA for a job well done blah blah blah and then a nice 67-9 months being useless at Man Utd and another huge pay off.

Wouldn’t have thought so

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c511vlg7jvno.amp

[mickn]

2 hours ago, Give it to Ron said:

So out here and at the game last night and ‘every’ fan here I spoke to before game would pick the same team . Bellingham deeper alongside Rice, Foden 10, Gordon and Saka wide.

Gallagher was terrible and should never start again, Mainoo movement made us better , Palmer was good apart from finish at end, Gordon should have been brought on 15 minutes earlier but safety first Southgate.

Didnt like fans throwing things at him but brave of him to go round and clap fans. Definition of mentality is doing same things over and over and expecting something different he will not change.

He did what had to do and topped the group.

Bellingham looked knackered, Kane abysmal for this shape , Trent played 3 of first passes 10 yards away from target. Saka never got going shut him down not much else.

Foden better last night.

England fans songs boring and repetitive only sang about 4 songs . Slovenia fans great and despite what any press will invent there wasn’t any trouble. My lad spent game with their ultras as we had different tickets in ballot in our group.

I think the female German police are recruited from a model agency!

Rule 1

[Give it to Ron]

38 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Enjoying the clamour for Gordon, Mainoo and Palmer to start without anyone mentioning the Iceland game just over 2 weeks ago.

Thats was a friendly a game that had players trying not to get injured you do know that? The two other games were so good and great performances.

We need pace and width playing Trippier and Walker not overlapping means it’s all narrow and players who can commit and go past players that’s why the clamour

Edited 26 June, 2024 by Give it to Ron

[Charlie Wayman]

10 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Holland are a little dodgy defensively, but we won't cause them enough problems to make them worry. Not expecting anything other than a comfortable Dutch win on Sunday, putting an end to this miserable attempt. At this stage we might as well have stayed at home, although it feels like we have.

The Netherlands. Keep the respect.

We'll contrive to beat them somehow and stumble on.

[Baird of the land]

48 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Enjoying the clamour for Gordon, Mainoo and Palmer to start without anyone mentioning the Iceland game just over 2 weeks ago.

i did enjoy seeing gordon's first touch being a horrible miscontrol out of play. 

[suewhistle]

I dashed all sweaty from training to watch in my local pub. Why did I bother?! Well, at least I had a few pints of Gooden's Gold and moaning about the game is so much better in company..

Pedestrian, unimaginative, poor passing, unambitious; very few positives to take from the game. Mainoo perhaps? And why Gordon with only a couple of minutes to go, that's just a time wasting exercise, surely?

 

[rallyboy]

I had a terrible dream last night, I was forced to watch a Claude Puel backwards and sideways masterclass on a loop - it was so dull I just couldn't wake up.