Euro 2016

[Fierce_LiNk]

The Croatia/Portugal match was one of the worst games I've seen all season and I've watched United play under LVG, so I've seen many bad or boring performances. This was up there.

 

Football should abolish the 0-0. It's the worst kind of result going. In the league system, a 0-0 should be 0 points to both sides. We had two sides that were scared to attack yesterday.

[Emerald Emblem]

I never came as close to falling asleep during a football game than Croatia v Portugal. I mean no shots on target til the 117th minute winner tells the whole story.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Come the fuck ON Ireland!

 

I've changed my prediction for this so many times. I went with 1-1, then 2-1 Ireland, then 3-1 France and settled on 2-1 France eventually.

 

Can't see Ireland holding on for 90 minutes without conceding. This France team have goals in them and they can score from anywhere. Wouldn't bet against a Pogba or Payet equaliser with a screamer from outside the box on 89 minutes, for example.

 

Still think France will win. But fuark, I want Ireland to do it!

[Hero-of-Time]

Ireland have looked the better team in the first half. Even if France do beat them, they are picking up cards left and right and a few players will miss the next stage.

[killthenet]

I agree with Flink in that I would expect France to score at some point, but Ireland look more than capable of scoring another. The French defence really don't seem to like set pieces and I can see Ireland getting another attempt on target at least.

 

The fact that they have a lead to defend will give them so much of a lift too, and Ireland are well known for their excellent last ditch defending.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I never understand it when teams get to 1-0, look good and then suddenly decide to change their gameplan. Ireland were sat waaaay too deep at the start of the second half and are now 2-1 down. They've allowed France to take control of the game and I can't see them coming back now.

[killthenet]

Ireland were so disappointing in that second half. They didn't take the initiative that the first half gave them, they let France completely dominate play and gave them far too much space. France never really looked that good but the equaliser pumped them up and rocked Ireland and they didn't look like losing it from then on. They kept making chances simply because Ireland had lost all sense at the back.

 

The press reports will say Ireland fought valiantly, but the real story should be that they disappointed in the second half after looking the better team in the first 45mins.

[Mokong]

Man what a rollercoaster of emotion I've just been through.

 

Wreck of nerves (but still hopeful) before the game.

Early goal...OVER THE FUCKING MOON.

Then bouncing back and forth between hype and nerves, screaming and holding breath.

Then finally France rang the alarm clock and the dream was over

 

Great performance from the lads, especially since they were expected lose easily.

 

When we got the first goal I was jumping around all over the place couldnt believe it, was like it was gonna be 1990 all over again.

 

Then after I calmed down a bit and remembered there was still 87mins left to play I got worried. We don't have the best record in going up early and still winning. Have a habit of trying to sit on the 1-0 and eventually conceed. But in teh first half they still brought the game to France. France rallied a bit after the goal but died down afterwards and we got back into the game. Real shame we didnt get a 2nd in the first half, a couple of moments that could have pulled it off. But even getting to half time with the lead intact was great.

 

I thought if we could survive the first 15mins of the 2nd half without conceeding a goal the FRench might start to get desperate and make a mistake, just after that period though was when the French came to life. Couple of defensive errors and we were punished. We didnt start the 2nd half like we ended the 1st and played too deep, maybe the players were feeling the heat and tiring I dont know.

 

The red card is what killed us, I think if we had kept 11 men on teh field to the end we might have been able to make a better go at finding a 2nd.

 

Still though, very proud of what our lads achieved, before a ball was kicked we weren't expected to get out of teh group or cause anyone any trouble. But that we did and pulled off some great moments doing it.

 

Plus our fans of course have just been amazing!

[Hero-of-Time]

I see the paper talk this morning is saying that Sterling and Kane are set to start tonight, with Lallana being benched. Great. Lets bench the player that has shown the most passion and creativity out of all the squad and replace him with a guy that has zero confidence and looks like child every time he gets the ball.

[Pestneb]

I see the paper talk this morning is saying that Sterling and Kane are set to start tonight, with Lallana being benched. Great. Lets bench the player that has shown the most passion and creativity out of all the squad and replace him with a guy that has zero confidence and looks like child every time he gets the ball.

 

hopefully he's been told that if he doesn't shoot when he gets near the goal he's out of the squad. Remember one particular incident he ran up pretty well... then went wide... turned to pass to the centre to give someone else a shot on goal.. realised there was no one there and let the opposing defender take the ball since there obviously was nothing he could do.. like say have a punt at the goal, or at least kick the ball at the defender sending it off for a corner...

 

aside from the confidence I see potential.. hopefully he's had a talking to and will perform better? or is that just too optimistic...

[bob]

Who are we talking about? Kane or Sterling?

[killthenet]

I can understand starting Kane, but dropping Lallana for Sterling is just mental. Sterling has shown absolutely nothing this season and even less in the two starts he has made at the tournament. Kane on the other hand had a great season so I think he should be given the opportunity to show that he can do it for England, in the first two games he didn't get any clear cut opportunities which I think was due to the way England were playing rather than his performances, with Sturridge in the team I think Kane will be more effective.

 

For me it's worth the risk to put Kane back in because if he gets chances in the 6 yard box he will more than likely put them away, but if he doesn't then Vardy can come off the bench and we can alter the way we play. Putting Sterling in is just a waste of time though, he hasn't been putting in great crosses, stretching the opposition or putting away goal scoring opportunities so it seems an absolutely mental decision to give him another chance.

 

Lionel Messi has retired from international duty though so I guess absolutely mental is the default setting for football right now.

[nekunando]

Italy have impressed me so far against Spain and have a deserved lead. It does, however, make me feel a little old and disconnected by the fact that I barely recognise most of their team.. but then this is becoming true for a number of countries. Ultimately, the players we grow up with, like Del Piero and Maldini, seem far superior to what we see in 2016!

[Fierce_LiNk]

Belgium were great yesterday. They looked fantastic in the first half and should have been four or five up by then. They went through a lull in the second half but the goals that they scored were all wonderfully worked and taken. Hazard and De Bruyne are awesome players. The only shame was that Lukaku was playing with his back to goal so often, probably to play others in, but it stopped him getting on the scoresheet.

 

Italy look great here. I had them down to win 2-1 but changed it to Spain 2-1. I figured Italy looked progressively worse in each game but this game has bucked that trend. Fuck sake.

[Hero-of-Time]

Italy should be about 4-0 up. De Gea is in God mode and has been all game.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Italy should be about 4-0 up. De Gea is in God mode and has been all game.

 

That's just how he normally plays, tbh. One of the best goalkeepers I've ever seen. He's the reason we didn't get relegated last season and why we got top four year before.

 

So disappointed in Spain. This is a very England-esque performance.

[killthenet]

Italy deserve to be 2 or 3 up but unfortunately I can see Spain getting back into it thanks to De Gea's numerous saves. Spain seem to be getting the benefit of most of the refereeing decisions too but Conte is so much more passionate than Del Bosque so I hope they hold out for the win.

[Hero-of-Time]

Italy deserve to be 2 or 3 up but unfortunately I can see Spain getting back into it thanks to De Gea's numerous saves. Spain seem to be getting the benefit of most of the refereeing decisions too but Conte is so much more passionate than Del Bosque so I hope they hold out for the win.

 

Indeed. The ref may as well be wearing a Spain top.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Italy looked great and they performed better than I expected. I thought Spain were pretty poor throughout and they didn't seem to create an awful lot. Something about their setup seemed off. It wasn't the usual passing game or control that you'd expect from them.

[Emerald Emblem]

Boom, my £5 bet blown up in fantastic style.

[killthenet]

So happy that Italy won, hope they go on and beat Germany too. Buffon deserves to win another tournament.

 

As far as tonight goes Bjarnason to open the scoring for Iceland, Sterling to be a spectacular flop and Vardy to come on and score 2 late goals.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Am I fucking high right now?

 

I changed my prediction from 2-0 to 3-0 England because I thought they'd be in the mood tonight and would find space after maybe getting an early goal.

 

England get the early goal and are now 2-1 down after 19 minutes.

 

This is England.

[killthenet]

Just pathetic from England, there was no pressure on the Iceland attack at all. England look so slow and out of ideas already and this plays into Iceland's hands completely. England only look capable of scoring from a set piece, Iceland so direct when they go forward that I'd be really worried for England if the score stays the same until the latter stages. I knew that Iceland would score, but I hoped that England would play a quick attacking game and be able to out score them but we aren't getting in behind the Iceland defence at all and they're really happy for us to just pass it about between the midfield.

 

Absolutely mental.

[Hero-of-Time]

Standard England. It doesn't even surprise me.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Joe Hart should have done better with the second goal, imo. More uncertainty around him.

 

Even if England do get through (I still think they will), I can't see them beating any of the remaining teams with this kind of performance.