EURO 2020 ('21) THREAD

[Gerrumonside ref]

9 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Im concentrating on what happens from now . Are we gonna play a different style? That’s the point . We’ll see , but I think this bloke is a conservative boring type who is risk averse . That’ll be a shame but as I say we’ll see

I think it’ll be a similar set up against Germany with essentially two holding players in midfield to screen the defence when we don’t have the ball.

I believe those wanting two attacking players in midfield are going to be disappointed and to be honest I think we’d get easily beaten trying to play that way too.

That doesn’t mean we won’t try to hit teams quickly on the break or bring the ball forward like we did in the first half against the Czechs.

 

[Maximus Decimus]

2 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Be amazed if Southgate gives up on his strategy in our toughest test yet.

For what’s it worth I think he’s doing exactly the right thing in order to put us in a position to win a tournament.

I know there’s something deep rooted in the English psyche to see crash, bang, wallop direct football based on power and pace, but it’s outdated in the modern era.

I would say people desire a fast and direct game like we often see in the PL. If I was to mention a team that do it quite well it's the Netherlands. I've also seen other poorer quality teams who play in this style. I remember watching Australia of all teams in the WC and wishing we gave it a go like they were. 

Playing slow and patient just doesn't seem to work for us especially when we try it and get out done by other more technical sides. 

[Maximus Decimus]

2 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Not think we’re just conserving our energy for the later stages of the tournament?

Even Roberto Mancini the Italian national team coach said the tournament starts now.

The group stage is just a means to an end.

I’d rather we peak at the right time and preserve our energy for the knockouts.

I'd love to think this was the case but you could make the same argument about 2016, were we trying to peak at the right time or were we just not in good form? 

[Gerrumonside ref]

2 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I would say people desire a fast and direct game like we often see in the PL. If I was to mention a team that do it quite well it's the Netherlands. I've also seen other poorer quality teams who play in this style. I remember watching Australia of all teams in the WC and wishing we gave it a go like they were. 

Playing slow and patient just doesn't seem to work for us especially when we try it and get out done by other more technical sides. 

It’s a tournament though which requires playing a lot of games in a short space of time.

We could run ourselves ragged in the group stage as you suggest, but there’s little evidence it would end in a championship won at the end.

We’ve not really exerted ourselves, won the group with ease, avoided injuries and not conceded a goal.

You’re saying it’s not working, but it’s not really borne out by results on the pitch.

 

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 minute ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I'd love to think this was the case but you could make the same argument about 2016, were we trying to peak at the right time or were we just not in good form? 

I think this is Southgate’s plan to try and have success.

The players appear heavily bought into it too.

It might not be as entertaining as an error strewn Premier League match, but technically speaking it’s probably the correct way to approach tournament play.

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I think this is Southgate’s plan to try and have success.

The players appear heavily bought into it too.

It might not be as entertaining as an error strewn Premier League match, but technically speaking it’s probably the correct way to approach tournament play.

As I said earlier, the exact same could be said of many earlier tournaments where we haven't come good. In 2016 we qualified pretty easily with a game to spare but ended up being rubbish. 

That's the problem with peaking at the right time. It can be hard to differentiate from bad form. 

My gut says it's bad form rather than a good plan. The Scotland game didn't look like a team trying to manage their way out of the groups. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

36 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

As I said earlier, the exact same could be said of many earlier tournaments where we haven't come good. In 2016 we qualified pretty easily with a game to spare but ended up being rubbish. 

That's the problem with peaking at the right time. It can be hard to differentiate from bad form. 

My gut says it's bad form rather than a good plan. The Scotland game didn't look like a team trying to manage their way out of the groups. 

I think the problem we’ve always had is running out of steam and eventually against better teams more able to control the game.

I believe what has never helped has been our previous style of play (that you’re hoping to revert to) in the group stages i.e. a method based on power and pace.

I think the fact we’ve adjusted somewhat for the tournament proper does show an aspect of maturity in Southgate’s management.

[Maximus Decimus]

27 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I think the problem we’ve always had is running out of steam and eventually against better teams more able to control the game.

I believe what has never helped has been our previous style of play (that you’re hoping to revert to) in the group stages i.e. a method based on power and pace.

I think the fact we’ve adjusted somewhat for the tournament proper does show an aspect of maturity in Southgate’s management.

I'm unsure whether we've been watching the same England! We haven't played the power and pace style since about 1998!

I suppose we'll find out who's right on!

In other news, Italy aren't looking so great tonight and just escaped a major scare with a disallowed goal. 

[Maximus Decimus]

I feel sorry for Wembley, having seen a whopping 2 goals in 350 odd minutes. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

6 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I'm unsure whether we've been watching the same England! We haven't played the power and pace style since about 1998!

I suppose we'll find out who's right on!

In other news, Italy aren't looking so great tonight and just escaped a major scare with a disallowed goal. 

I don’t believe we’re describing the same thing to be honest when we talk about a game based on power and pace rather than control.

You’ll have to describe in more detail how you believe we should be playing, why and who you’re modelling this on?

Perhaps give me an example of a club side?

[Gerrumonside ref]

43 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I feel sorry for Wembley, having seen a whopping 2 goals in 350 odd minutes. 

You were right about Italy struggling, but it looks good for them now.

Personally I’d like to see them tested against Belgium or Portugal.

Been impressed though by Austria - think few were predicting they’d be so positive and press so hard (maybe Jurgen Klinsmann the exception).

[Futtocks]

5 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I would say people desire a fast and direct game like we often see in the PL. If I was to mention a team that do it quite well it's the Netherlands. I've also seen other poorer quality teams who play in this style. I remember watching Australia of all teams in the WC and wishing we gave it a go like they were. 

Playing slow and patient just doesn't seem to work for us especially when we try it and get out done by other more technical sides. 

The Netherlands do it quite well, but not well enough to actually win any major trophies at all. Ever.

 

What would interest me about Southgate is if he (and the team) is capable of changing their style when it is necessary.

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 minute ago, Futtocks said:

The Netherlands do it quite well, but not well enough to actually win any major trophies at all. Ever.

 

What would interest me about Southgate is if he (and the team) is capable of changing their style when it is necessary.

Except in 1988!  But the exception to the rule probably.

 

[Futtocks]

2 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Except in 1988!  But the exception to the rule probably.

 

Oops, forgot 1988. But the general rule for the Netherlands is that as soon as they assemble a really good group of players, half of them decide they hate the other half's guts and the whole thing falls apart.

But that's no more cups than England have won since the sport was invented.

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 minute ago, Futtocks said:

Oops, forgot 1988. But the general rule for the Netherlands is that as soon as they assemble a really good group of players, half of them decide they hate the other half's guts and the whole thing falls apart.

Yes and ironically pre tournament they were coming under fire for abandoning traditional Dutch methods around 4-3-3 and use of space.

They’d instead started to use 5-3-2 and had generally developed a reputation for playing a cagey counter attacking game.

I do think they’ve been in some of the more exciting games so far, but it will be interesting if they go deeper in the tournament to see what exactly they do when they don’t have possession of the ball.

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Tuned into the Euros and hear the Beeb kicking my team while we're down

 

[Futtocks]

I see the Netherlands have made their usual exit in the knock-out stage.

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

Belgium v Portugal Next . I think Belgium could well be the Caroline Wozniacki of the football world .

[Futtocks]

28 minutes ago, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

Belgium v Portugal Next . I think Belgium could well be the Caroline Wozniacki of the football world .

Well, we're on hour 8 of ITV's build-up, so this match had better live up to the hype.

[DavidM]

Portuguese manager looks like one of those blokes whos drunkenly wandering home from the pub and shouting to himself 

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

Belgium v Portugal Next . I think Belgium could well be the Caroline Wozniacki of the football world .

They've slept with Rory McIlroy?

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

6 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

They've slept with Rory McIlroy?

Not all of them .

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

Was it just me or did Pepe lead with his elbow , the incident where he got a yellow card .

[Maximus Decimus]

The Netherlands were a disappointment. The manner of defeat reminded me of England in 2016, in that when the chips were down they just looked lost and had no answer even against weaker (although much less weak compared to England) opposition. 

 

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Did anyone else laugh at the Spanish goalkeeper?