Euro 2016

[gaggle64]

Finished up Zelda: Link Between Worlds during the match. What an absolute stunner, a mesmerizing game, great play up and down the field, a terrific example of team passion & management achieving the incredible.

 

The football match on the other hand was a bloody trainwreck. Yeeesh.

 

I kinda stopped watching after half time and started playing Tropico 5... time better spent than watching this game. Felt England had already lost it, and I was right. :P

 

You can all just support Belgium now, they have some decent English football league players I've been told.

 

Which reminds me, dare I ask how the Wales v Belgium game will be supported in your household? :p

[Clownferret]

The most frustrating thing about last night was Hodgson "resigning" like it was his decision. It took away from the us the pleasure in at least seeing the twat get fired.

 

From top to bottom it was an horrific tournament.

 

The FA should never have given him a third tournament having failed to get out of the groups in the previous two.

 

Hodgson himself looked like somebody's grandad with alzheimers who didn't know where he was every time the camera was on him. How on earth can sitting there with your head in your hands inspire or motivate your players.

 

What's happened to Gary Neville? The supposed super tactician seems a broken man since his abject failure at Valencia, I was hoping he was going to take the situation by the scruff of the neck, but he just sat back either clueless or racked with a lack of self belief.

 

Trying to shoehorn Rooney into midfield was stupid. You should always play people in their best position. We were desperate to score and yet our leading goal scorer of all time was playing in a withdrawn midfield position. Kane was so bad all tournament it was embarrassing, he did literally nothing. I can't even recall him making a pass to a teammate. In front of goal I have never seen such inept finishing from everybody. They all looked terrified to shoot and there was no composure, everybody just seemed to try and hit it as hard as possible which invariably resulted in a scuffed shot.

[Charlie]

Hence the U.

 

I know you're joking but you can play for the U21s up until the age of 23. As long as you're U21 when qualifying begins you can play in a major tournament for the team.

[Charlie]

Trying to shoehorn Rooney into midfield was stupid. You should always play people in their best position. We were desperate to score and yet our leading goal scorer of all time was playing in a withdrawn midfield position.

 

I thought ROoney was one of your top performers across the 4 games.

[Phube]

 

I don't understand how these players play well for their respective premier league clubs but can't manage it for England

 

Really?

 

Hart: crap most of the season (compared with Forster)

Cahill: crap season

Walker, Dier, Alli, Kane and Clyne: good middle, crap end to season

Rooney: abysmal season

Sterling: not even picked for most of the season

Wiltshire:

Sturridge: okay 1/3 season.

 

Form players:

 

Townsend

Noble

Cresswell

Defoe

 

And of course:

Drinkwater

Albrighton

Simpson

 

 

 

I thought ROoney was one of your top performers across the 4 games.

 

Yay Rooney played mediocre to poor in midfield, imagine if we had real midfielders in there, you know who play there week in week out for I don't know, premier league winners?!? Or even Noble!

[Fierce_LiNk]

Which reminds me, dare I ask how the Wales v Belgium game will be supported in your household? :p

 

Well...

 

We'll both be supporting our respective teams, but we've both got a soft spot for the other. There won't be any tears at full-time, unless one team does get absolutely hammered!

 

England...

 

The problem with England is that there is no distinctive style to their play. It's not really possession based, it's not about getting crosses into the box, it's not counter attacking or defensive football. It's all a bit nothing really. They've not impressed in any of their games. Add to that a manager who seemed clueless at times, picking players in somewhat dubious ways (leaving Drinkwater, taking Barkley and not playing him, taking Wilshere, leaving Townsend) and making insufficient changes at optimum times and you've got plenty of reasons why England are just as far away now from winning a tournament as they were at the start of this one.

 

England need a big shakeup and it has to start right from the bottom all the way to the top. There needs to be some true management over how England play football, whether it's slower, more patient possession based football, or counter-attacking, or total football, or whatever. That needs to start from the bottom and it needs to be ingrained into the psyche of all of the youngsters who are coming through the ranks. The emphasis for that should be around building teams and units that are not just 11 men who happens to wear the same shirt, but around a collection of men who work and function as one machine. Until that is done, it doesn't matter who actually players for the country, we're always going to fall short.

 

On top of that, we also need men in charge who will manage the players in the right way. We need to coach our coaches in a better way than what we're currently doing. That way we can avoid certain cock-ups that have been evident in this tournament. It should help build the resilience, resolve and strength of not only the players, but the manager. We didn't have a strong manager at this tournament. Had the manager been stronger, maybe the right changes would have been made at better times in order to avoid that terrible result yesterday? Yesterday wasn't just down to a singular bad performance, but as a warning that we are falling further behind. I heard today that we've only won one game in the last two tournaments. That cannot be acceptable.

[Charlie]

 

The problem with England is that there is no distinctive style to their play. It's not really possession based, it's not about getting crosses into the box, it's not counter attacking or defensive football. It's all a bit nothing really.

 

Completely agree. Lee Dixon said the same thing after the match. How can you come through 10 qualifying games, winning them all but still not have a recogniseable system? Look at the top teams, you know exactly the system that Italy, Germany and Spain are going to come out and play.

[Rummy]

The problem with England is that there is no distinctive style to their play. It's not really possession based, it's not about getting crosses into the box, it's not counter attacking or defensive football. It's all a bit nothing really.

 

The problem with England is, they always try and walk it in.

 

(soz, couldn't help myself)

 

 

I do agree though. As a non-regular football fan, I struggle to see any sort of shape or tactics to their game so far in the Euros. I don't know if it's because I'm not particularly football focused, but a lot of it just seems a bit unpredictable really, and I think it really showed with some of the Iceland match.

[Ramar]

Roy's the ultimate bottle job. Didn't know his system, didn't know his best team. Played and selected players on reputation and played many out of position.

 

Then the cheek of resigning when your contract was up... And refusing to face questions. At least give us the reasons why your shower of shit side let us down.

 

Rob Green made one international mistake and never got the chance to make amends. How come Joe Hart was allowed to make 3 mistakes in one tournament?

[drahkon]

Quarterfinals starting today

 

Predicting the results will be difficult...still can't decide what I will choose for the game tonight.

 

Poland 1 - 2 Portugal

Poland 2 - 1 Portugal

Poland 6 - 5 Portugal on penalties)

 

One of these...

[killthenet]

I've got a feeling that Portugal might just click tonight and nick the win. Poland have looked the better of the two teams so far in the tournament, but Portugal seem like they might have luck on their side a bit more. This is the only quarter final that I'm torn on the outcome of, with the other games I'm pretty sure of who is going to win but this seems far more open.

[Aperson]

This Portugal side might well be the worst semi finalists ever. They've gone through the entire tournament without winning a single game in 90 minutes, only finished 3rd in their qualifying group and benefitted from the new format of the competition and then needed a late goal and then penalties to reach this stage.

 

Hopefully Wales or Belgium can beat them in the semis.

[bob]

They've managed to be part of the most boring and the second most boring games in the tournament, as well.

[Jonnas]

Had to miss the game, but apparently we played competently, aside from the first few minutes. We also had yet another uncalled penalty kick, from what I've heard.

 

Belgium's gonna be tough, but I'm glad we got this far, at least.

 

They've gone through the entire tournament without...

 

...losing a game. It's all a matter of perspective

 

#DrawingOurWayToVictory

[drahkon]

You know what's the worst about Portugal advancing to the semifinals? They played exactly the way Ronaldo was complaining about after their match against Iceland.

They really don't deserve to have come this far...

 

 

In order for me to have a realistic chance in the betting games I'm in Wales has to win so my opponents won't bonus points for Belgium advancing to the semi finals

 

That's why I'm going for Wales 2 - 1 Belgium. : peace:

[killthenet]

Belgium's gonna be tough, but I'm glad we got this far, at least.

 

Hang on a minute Jonnas, they've still got to play Wales who won't give them anywhere near as much room as they got against Hungary. And they're missing two of their defenders. And Hazard has been recovering from a knock so might not be fully fit.

 

I really hope Wales can do it.

[Eenuh]

Hang on a minute Jonnas, they've still got to play Wales who won't give them anywhere near as much room as they got against Hungary. And they're missing two of their defenders. And Hazard has been recovering from a knock so might not be fully fit.

 

I really hope Wales can do it.

 

And I really hope Belgium can do it. :P

 

Really want them to go through, but to be honest I think it's going to be Wales that will win tonight's game... Our defence (or lack of it) is going to be our downfall I think.

[bob]

I want Wales to win (10 years living in Wales) but I think Belgium have a better chance of beating Portugal. I don't want Drawtugal in the final.

[Jonnas]

Hang on a minute Jonnas, they've still got to play Wales who won't give them anywhere near as much room as they got against Hungary. And they're missing two of their defenders. And Hazard has been recovering from a knock so might not be fully fit.

 

I really hope Wales can do it.

 

Fair points.

 

I've predicted that Belgium would take this one, as they've been performing consistently well (see: vs. Hungary), whereas Wales has had a couple of hiccups along the way. I'm all for seeing smaller teams pulling off unlikely wins, though, so best of luck to Wales.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Wales vs. Belgium.

 

Jim vs. Ine.

 

God vs. Man.

 

Day vs. Night.

[Hero-of-Time]

That was a hell of a strike!

[Fierce_LiNk]

That goal was about 3 miles offside.

 

Can't believe Wales aren't 6-0 up already.

[Ramar]

Brilliant game so far. Hope Wales can get the win.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Brilliant game so far. Hope Wales can get the win.

 

We're both enjoying it, although @Eenuh was getting more annoyed as the half went on.

 

Hazard and De Bruyne need to get into the game more.

 

Wales are bossing it in midfield.

[Hero-of-Time]

I loved Shearers rant about England at half time. Well said.