Euro 2024

[Maximus Decimus]

Fair play that they actually went for it at the end. I hope England will do that if we're behind in the knockout stages.

[Gerrumonside ref]

25 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Fair play that they actually went for it at the end. I hope England will do that if we're behind in the knockout stages.

Sounds like at one point tonight we were on course for Germany in the last 16.

Then they equalised.

Now everything being equal there’s a good chance England will play Switzerland.

Edited June 23 by Gerrumonside ref

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

3 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Sounds like at one point tonight we were on course for Germany in the last 16.

Then they equalised.

Now everything being equal there’s a good chance England will play Switzerland.

England will play a 3rd placed team in the last 16, probably Slovakia or Austria, then probably Italy in the Q/F

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

Just now, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

England will play a 3rd placed team in the last 16, probably Slovakia or Austria, then probably Italy in the Q/F

Thats providing we top the group which isn't a given

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

3 minutes ago, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

Thats providing we top the group which isn't a given

If we finish 2nd we'll play Germany, if we finish 3rd, then take your pick

[Gerrumonside ref]

12 minutes ago, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

England will play a 3rd placed team in the last 16, probably Slovakia or Austria, then probably Italy in the Q/F

If we win the group is that?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

The Hungarian FA have confirmed that Barnabas Varga is in hospital in Stuttgart and is now conscious and in a stable condition.

[Maximus Decimus]

18 minutes ago, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

England will play a 3rd placed team in the last 16, probably Slovakia or Austria, then probably Italy in the Q/F

I looked at it the other night, it's basically a bit of a free for all. All that's guaranteed is that we play Germany if we come second. 

Other than that it very much depends on which groups teams finish 3rd from. It could be any team from DEF if we finish top. At the moment that's Austria, Slovakia and Czechia.

If we come 3rd, Portugal is looking likely, but it could be the top of Belgium's group. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

Thanks all I was misled by a mischievous Welshmen on the permutations! Haha

Edited June 24 by Gerrumonside ref

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

2 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I looked at it the other night, it's basically a bit of a free for all. All that's guaranteed is that we play Germany if we come second. 

Other than that it very much depends on which groups teams finish 3rd from. It could be any team from DEF if we finish top. At the moment that's Austria, Slovakia and Czechia.

If we come 3rd, Portugal is looking likely, but it could be the top of Belgium's group. 

I didn't even attempt to look at the permutations if we finished third, though I knew it would be a stinker of a draw.

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

1 minute ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Thanks all I was misled by a mischevious Welshmen on the permutations! Haha

It wasn't that Gareth Bale bloke, was it ?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

20 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

The Hungarian FA have confirmed that Barnabas Varga is in hospital in Stuttgart and is now conscious and in a stable condition.

We've had an update on Barnabas Varga. He has undergone surgery for multiple broken bones and fractures to his skull. That was one horrible collision to cause injuries like that.

[Tommygilf]

Massive save of a penalty there from Italy, but can't save moments later!

[JohnM]

Another last minute goal sees Italy through in 2nd place.

Meanwhile, we've qualified for the knock out stage too. 

[Tommygilf]

The messages out of the England Camp have suddenly gotten very defensive.

This is going to end in tears.

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

The messages out of the England Camp have suddenly gotten very defensive.

This is going to end in tears.

Word is that they're only going to switch Trent for Gallagher.

If that's the level if change they think is necessary, then it definitely is.

One good performance could switch it all around, but it isn't going to happen magically. If as expected we play the same tonight, what then? Go into a knockout game trying to change the system?

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Word is that they're only going to switch Trent for Gallagher.

If that's the level if change they think is necessary, then it definitely is.

One good performance could switch it all around, but it isn't going to happen magically. If as expected we play the same tonight, what then? Go into a knockout game trying to change the system?

I think the only other change they could make is Watkins for Kane. TAA has made some good passes, but otherwise has been a total passenger in midfield as the games have passed him by.

I just think above anything the performance needs to be better and have more energy and impetus. We can't scrape by Slovenia.

Worryingly, as it stands we could be heading for an on paper pretty good run to the (semi) final... 

[Maximus Decimus]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I think the only other change they could make is Watkins for Kane. TAA has made some good passes, but otherwise has been a total passenger in midfield as the games have passed him by.

I just think above anything the performance needs to be better and have more energy and impetus. We can't scrape by Slovenia.

Worryingly, as it stands we could be heading for an on paper pretty good run to the (semi) final... 

Based on the Denmark game, there's no such thing..

We'll know more tonight, but I wouldn't be confident of putting anyone to the sword, and probably ending up on penalties.

Nearly every pundit I've heard has been saying that we need to move Foden into the middle and Bellingham back with Gordon on the left. We brought Gallagher on against Denmark and it changed next to nothing. The issues seem far more fundamental than a one-in, one-out.

I'm hoping we see a reaction tonight, but what we gonna do if it's not working again? Stubbornly persist, or change it in the knockouts?

[Tommygilf]

23 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Based on the Denmark game, there's no such thing..

We'll know more tonight, but I wouldn't be confident of putting anyone to the sword, and probably ending up on penalties.

Nearly every pundit I've heard has been saying that we need to move Foden into the middle and Bellingham back with Gordon on the left. We brought Gallagher on against Denmark and it changed next to nothing. The issues seem far more fundamental than a one-in, one-out.

I'm hoping we see a reaction tonight, but what we gonna do if it's not working again? Stubbornly persist, or change it in the knockouts?

I don't see him changing anything too much. 

Part of me is also wary of changing the team system to fit Foden in a bit better, especially when Bellingham has been so good this season.

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

I don't see him changing anything too much. 

Part of me is also wary of changing the team system to fit Foden in a bit better, especially when Bellingham has been so good this season.

One thing has been clear, Foden-Kane-Saka hasn't worked and is still likely to be a problem tonight.

It comes back to the old do you find a place for your best players, or build around one or two in the correct position. The latter seems obvious but I can understand how Southgate is scared of leaving Foden out, and scared of moving Bellingham out of his best position.

The result however has been a disjointed and confused looking England.

[Tommygilf]

11 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

One thing has been clear, Foden-Kane-Saka hasn't worked and is still likely to be a problem tonight.

It comes back to the old do you find a place for your best players, or build around one or two in the correct position. The latter seems obvious but I can understand how Southgate is scared of leaving Foden out, and scared of moving Bellingham out of his best position.

The result however has been a disjointed and confused looking England.

I'd drop Foden, TAA and Kane, I don't think Southgate will though!

As you say he's trying to get his best players all on the pitch but it's not working. Kane doesn't have the legs to either stretch teams or press them, Foden looks lost and TAA has not stepped up at all given the opportunity to play midfield.

I could see an argument for dropping Bellingham back a bit more to allow Foden to play centrally and bring in a Gordon or similar to play out wide. That still wouldn't solve the pressing problem as our man leading the line just isn't playing on the shoulder of defenders, nor is he particularly holding the ball up in their half for others to take advantage of.

[Tommygilf]

France being really slack against Poland and Austria turning over the Dutch as it stands!

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Well done Austria! Incredible achievement topping a group with France and Netherlands in it!

[GeordieSaint]

8 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

The messages out of the England Camp have suddenly gotten very defensive.

This is going to end in tears.

England’s fundamental problem is Rice - Gallagher - Bellingham can’t string a pass together. None of them are ball players. You then have a front three who are way off - though Foden is trying tonight. 

I’d be dragging Rice and Gallagher off; bring Wharton and Mainoo on. I’d drag Bellingham off too, play Foden central with Gordon out left. I’d then bin Walker for TAA. Someone needs to do something different, as this is absolutely awful.

[Tommygilf]

7 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

England’s fundamental problem is Rice - Gallagher - Bellingham can’t string a pass together. None of them are ball players. You then have a front three who are way off - though Foden is trying tonight. 

I’d be dragging Rice and Gallagher off; bring Wharton and Mainoo on. I’d drag Bellingham off too, play Foden central with Gordon out left. I’d then bin Walker for TAA. Someone needs to do something different, as this is absolutely awful.

It's really dire. To say it's been a fairly settled squad and style for nearly 8 years now, nobody looks like they have trained together at all. 

I don't know what he can do tbh, this is the bed he's made they'll now lie in it.