Euro 2016

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Awful from England. Absolutely awful. You are winning 1-0 until the end in a game that should've been won a very long time ago, switch off completely out of arrogance, thinking that the game was over. The commentators in England thought the same. But that is stupid arrogance. You know that in a tournament every chance you create counts, and England had so many but converted one. Russia played terribly, England dominated throughout and yet it finishes 1-1. This is not a team that will win a tournament. Teams that win tournaments win these matches . They win them comfortably. Hypetrain: derailed.

I know that by the bolded you mean 'matches that you dominate', but the fact is that in these matches - that is the group stages - making every chance count really doesn't matter that much. Most good teams warm up as the tournament progresses; England are still overwhelmingly likely to make it out of the group, and (especially if they win on Thursday) those dropped two points won't matter very much. Some examples:

2014 World Cup: Germany impress against Portugal, but are limp in drawing with Ghana and struggle to close the game down against the USA. Argentina are not especially good across the group stages, requiring Messi's brilliance to break an interminable deadlock against Bosnia, dominating against Iran, wasting many, many chances until the 92nd minute, and then playing a fairly evenly matched game against Nigeria.

Euro 2012: Spain and Italy draw 1-1: Italy go on to 1-1 draw against Croatia. Spain otherwise impressive in group stages, to be fair.

2010 World Cup: Spain famously get beaten 1-0 by Switzerland in their opening match.

In summary, it's absurd to suggest that England's chances of doing well are over because Adam Lallana was terminally incapable of FINDING THE GOAL in one 90-minute game. England are unlikely to do well, but today's performance was very positive, not negative.

It was a good performance, but against a very poor team, who struggled to string more than 5 possess together, maybe due to England's pressing but also to just a bad performance.

There is a big difference in drawing to the eventual finalists, or Croatia a very good team, or even Ghana or Switzerland to Russia, or at least that Russia. My problem is partly the lack of ability in the final moments, but also focus. They assumed the game was over, something that England when in the lead often do. They don't close it out, they lose focus. However, when losing, they fight to the last minute. They need to bring the same mentality to when they are winning. Italy of 2006 would've had a solid 1-0 or 2-0, not allowing after they scored Russia to have any shots. Germany would've won that, France of 1998 would've easily won that and Spain of 2008 would've out 3 or 4 past them. Had this been against a good side I wouldn't have been so negative. But it wasn't. If it were Italy playing I'd have had exactly the same reaction.

I don't think that England are in as much trouble as you suggest, simply because sides tend to grow in cohesion and confidence over the course of a tournament, but I'm absolutely with you that England need to bring that mentality to every game, and especially that Russia were atrocious; they were unbelievably poor.

I'm being overly harsh, but else I agree completely. Drawing might be good for them. The immense media hype back home might've killed them otherwise. They just need to make sue that this draw doesn't harm them.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Poland 1-0 Northern Ireland.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

GK error was the cause of England's only goal. Poor lineup too IMO. But they will improve.

Joe Hart was not to blame. He was positioned correctly as he didn't know how that header would turn out. It could have been tense aimed at the nearest goal post and he would have saved it, but unfortunately for England it was boxed perfectly on the far side. Bit of a gamble for the goalie in this situations, really. If anything, the ones to blame are England's midfield for allowing that second ball to happen and Berezutski himself for scoring such a great goal.

Wilshere was at fault, completely left Berezutski run off him for the header.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear here. England's only goal, scored by Dier, was the fault of the Russian keeper who couldn't protect his half of the goal. The shot was nearly straight at him. Diabolical. He was even in the air jumping as the ball was struck.

No, you made yourself clear. My bad for misreading.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

What happened in Marseille anyway? Just saw a video of a guy being hit with a chair sucker-style but there was no story attached.

A really sad state of affairs featuring drunken English yobs, Russian yobs and local yobs in close proximity. 3 days of trouble.

Apparently Vardys wife was caught up in the mayhem inside the stadium when Russian fans charged on the England fans (which included women and children) at the full time whistle.

I have friends who have gone to Marseille for the match and are not trouble makers in the slightest, they are extremely critical of local police and how they've dealt with the incidents.

Deplorable. Thanks for explaining.

In the news now that a British fan who was severely injured just passed away. Awful, awful.

 

[Brullnux]

I missed most the game but that last goal was fantastic. Textbook counterattack. Really glad that there has been a game with more than just a goal difference, because I was sure that Belgium vs Italy was gonna be the first .

None of the favourites have had a really easy run yet, though, and no team looks head and shoulders above the rest. Bodes well.

 

[BullsFan22]

Some more hooligan trouble:

Norhtern Ireland vs Poland

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/violence-nice-northern-ireland-poland-8171259

Germany vs Ukraine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzLt4M-lV5s

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

I missed most the game but that last goal was fantastic. Textbook counterattack. Really glad that there has been a game with more than just a goal difference, because I was sure that Belgium vs Italy was gonna be the first .

None of the favourites have had a really easy run yet, though, and no team looks head and shoulders above the rest. Bodes well.

Every tournament the gap between the 'top' teams and everyone else closes in a little bit. You saw it at the WC and we see it again at the Euros. The Copa America is no different. Germany was the better team, as you'd expect, but one never felt that they had it in the bag until the Schweinsteiger goal. Neuer also had to come up with some massive saves, so did the Ukrainian goalkeeper.

 

[jsem94]

Özil with another assist... haha.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

What happened in Marseille anyway? Just saw a video of a guy being hit with a chair sucker-style but there was no story attached.

A really sad state of affairs featuring drunken English yobs, Russian yobs and local yobs in close proximity. 3 days of trouble.

Apparently Vardys wife was caught up in the mayhem inside the stadium when Russian fans charged on the England fans (which included women and children) at the full time whistle.

I have friends who have gone to Marseille for the match and are not trouble makers in the slightest, they are extremely critical of local police and how they've dealt with the incidents.

Deplorable. Thanks for explaining.

In the news now that a British fan who was severely injured just passed away. Awful, awful.

Terrible news,

A further update from my friend who is spending his last night in Marseille. Apparently Russian 'ultras' wore England shirts to blend in with English fans, then when they were in the back streets away from police they started attacking any Englishman they could find.

When fighting spilled out on to the square police were slow to react and help victims, an English fan was lying unconscious on the floor, obviously in a lot of trouble but police wouldn't let anyone help him. Any fans that approached injured people were then Tear gassed. It looked to him like CSKA Moscow fans and Marsielle fans were singing and dancing together and were in cohesion, the police would not do anything against local Marseille fans.

From the messages I recieved off my friend, The place sounds like an absolute war zone.

To top it all off it appears there was lots of trouble before the Germany v Ukraine game between rival fans too. This tournament is going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Let's go!

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Why people see Portugal as favourites is beyond me.

 

[Brullnux]

CSKA fans and Marseille ultras together? Didn't think I'd ever see that. They're effectively the opposites.

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

CSKA fans and Marseille ultras together? Didn't think I'd ever see that. They're effectively the opposites.

Was it CSKA or Lokomotiv?

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

CSKA fans and Marseille ultras together? Didn't think I'd ever see that. They're effectively the opposites.

Was it CSKA or Lokomotiv?

A mixture I imagine. But Marseille ultras are known for being one of the few left wing groups, close to Livorno for example. So to see them with some CSKA ultras, and there would've been some, known for exactly the opposite views is quite weird. I imagine the chants of 'You'd be krauts if it wasn't for us' in the days leading up to the match from a nationalist section of the English fans probably angered the French.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/11/old-enemy-rears-its-ugly-head-as-england-fans-clash-with-police
Article that says about the chants.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

One of the few left wing groups? Roma, Besiktas, Celtic, Sankt Pauli, Standard de Liege, ... I think every country has some left wing ultras,...

edit: well, Roma was in the past, but I've heard they completely turned...

 

[BigMac]

Doesn't really matter if they're left or right wing. In the end, all hooligans have the brain of a peacock.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

One of the few left wing groups? Roma, Besiktas, Celtic, Sankt Pauli, Standard de Liege, ... I think every country has some left wing ultras,...

edit: well, Roma was in the past, but I've heard they completely turned...

Well, compared to amount of right-wing groups like Juve, Lazio, Inter, Atalanta, Hellas Verona, a few in Germany, Millwall, CSKA, Al Ahly, APOEL off the top of my head, there less. But yes, 'few' was the wrong word.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

On to football i wish them czech would nick a goal first.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Piqué scores 1-0 for Spain.

 

[BigMac]

Iniesta is too good.

Nolito played a nice match as well.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

And it's over, Spain wins it.

 

[BullsFan22]

The Czechs were completely outplayed. This was the Spain 2008-2012, possession football and attacking the defense at will. Too bad the Czechs couldn't surprise them with the few chances they had, I would have loved to see them steal one from Spain, but the better team won.

 

[hrotha]

The Czechs barely tried. I get that they are inferior on paper but come on.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Re: Re:

EUro not worth the coin. Or the play.

Coppa America. Way better than the Franc vs. the romania.

Chile v Bolivia was good just there but only really a couple of decent games outside of that. Can't say I have been a fan of it so far. Will have a look now Glenn at that blockbuster of a game Argentina v Panama.

I know the Euro Championships are FAR better than what the Copa has. Especially this watered down version of the Copa America. Usually USA / PANAMA / COSTA RICA / JAMAICA /HATI and even MEXICO are not participants. Not 100 percent on the rules but usually they will invite a team from North America or Middle America. This is a special event "money grab" but it has been fun in some ways.

I went to the game in Houston between Colombia and Costa Rica - Crowd was great and respectful. I have some friends who are Colombian and they were not happy at all. Costa Rica surprised them.

Last nights match between Peru and Brasil was embarrassing, on many levels. The play from Brasil lacked finishing and the hand ball for the goal was pathetic. Peru probably should have had a PK in the first half so maybe the karma got it right in the end. Very surprised Peru won the match.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Re:

Awful from England. Absolutely awful. You are winning 1-0 until the end in a game that should've been won a very long time ago, switch off completely out of arrogance, thinking that the game was over. The commentators in England thought the same. But that is stupid arrogance. You know that in a tournament every chance you create counts, and England had so many but converted one. Russia played terribly, England dominated throughout and yet it finishes 1-1. This is not a team that will win a tournament. Teams that win tournaments win these matches. They win them comfortably. Hypetrain: derailed.

I was disappointed by the finish for England. The score should have been more like 3 to 1. But to shut it down in the last minute is poor management. The old man should be fired.

Also what in the H--- was Kane doing taking corner kicks? Anyone for the Media in England ask that question? Here in the USA we get crap coverage of the games so no way to here any after the match interviews.

I have to say that the England team looks really good if they can figure out how to finish. Vardy and Kane ,,,, I wish we had one talent like that on the USA team.