Maybe, but we had home advantage against Germany then. We've a reasonable record at beating decent footballing nations at home, away it's non-existent with Denmark and Sweden being the biggest scalps IIRC.Originally Posted by Waffdon
Definitely! All hail Sir Waistcoat.
England have a good chance of winning.
Not predicting it will, but wouldn't be too surprising.
They'll go out in the quarters / semis once they play somebody good.
Not. A. Chance. Dunno when they'll go out, but they'll go out.
It's been too long. A group stage calamity beckons.
Drunk turtle with a flare sticking out of its bum.
Maybe, but we had home advantage against Germany then. We've a reasonable record at beating decent footballing nations at home, away it's non-existent with Denmark and Sweden being the biggest scalps IIRC.
No easy games, 2 clean sheets, massive performance improvement, tournament football, step in the right direction, game of two halves, jumpers for goalposts . . .
Netherlands vs England has 0-0 until some fluke goal in stoppage written all over it. Or a good old PK exit, to keep it traditional.
Genuinely made me want to gouge my own eyes out.
The thing that grates about this is that Southgate is clearly doing it deliberately because he and/or the FA are obsessed with copying the 'top of the market' as Sean Dyche would say, and that is, in his eyes, Deschamps and France.
We have absolutely zero chance of winning the tournament playing this way and whoever takes over after Southgate - hopefully someone like Potter or someone who has ever played attacking football ever - will have the easiest job in the world and have us enthralled as we rifle through Nations League B (so funny btw that we're in that) in the autumn playing exciting stuff with a new set of players.
It'll be Eddie Howe won't it who is basically Southgate mk 2.
Mainoo incisive, Gordon electric, Palmer menacing, Trent the new Gerrard. The subs changed the game for us tonight.
Bodes well for the last two minutes of the next match.
Unchanged team on Sunday.
Why does Wikipedia not having down as playing Holland and 3rd in D or E instead? What has to happen in group E for us not to play Holland?
We could play 3E if 3A (Hungary) are eliminated, and that would involved 3E having a better record than Hungary - so 2 draws would sort it, maybe other combos I don't know.
Then 3F would also have to have a better record than Hungary, and that will need Georgia to beat Portugal. So it's not happening.
As far as I can see, one of Belgium, Slovenia, Austria or Turkey will be in the semis
Exact same group record as in 1990, which was similarly a festival of swashbuckling football.
What are the odds on Gareth saying Slovenia came out looking for a the draw, which made it difficult in his comments?
Kane has already said words to that affect. The script was written and memorised before kick off.
What does Sir Gareth mean by "it's a strange environment we're playing in"? Sounded suspiciously like a dig at something/somebody.
Yeah, he means it's outrageous that we aren't all lapping it up and we don't know how good we've got it.
Second place in this group is fucked having to play Germany on such a relatively shorter turnaround.
As in he thinks they are playing marvellously successful football but he and the team are getting heaps of criticism anyway and he doesn't understand it.
Oh, I thought he wasn't listening to what anyone was saying. That's what he told me earlier.
He probably isn't, which is why they are absolutely flabbergasted to be asked by journalists about how shit they are and receive jeers from the fans.
Oh he's opened up about it on Talksport, he does genuinely think it's unwarranted.
And he's basically gaslighting, the disingenuous fuck. It's been the deal with England since time immemorial that if they play like cunts they get stick and if we play even remotely well they get heaped with praise. Look at the last World Cup for all the evidence you need for the latter.
Bellingham has been a right let down.
Or are we just blaming Southgate for everything?
I'm a twit
Literally every player bar none looks complete shit compared to how they perform for their clubs. It is the manager.
Shame Serbia didn’t score against England. Everyone would have been on same points and GF/GA. Presume England would have still managed to final top though, the weapons
They are playing with no confidence. It affects different players differently. Kyle Walker, no difference, he barely thinks anyway. Alexander-Arnold may as well not be there, he looks terrified, and the difference is at his club he had a coach who had total confidence in him, whereas, as Walker said, here you are worried about making a mistake. Bellingham just looks pissed off most of the time and seems to be edging towards getting sent off for nothing at a crucial moment if he keeps leaving bits on opponents.
They have to be taking the piss surely.England defender John Stones, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "Super pleased to top the group, it is what we came here to do in the first phase of the tournament. Super proud of the team for getting another clean sheet which is always important in tournament football.
When is it Bellingham's turn to talk to the media? Are they deliberately keeping him away from them in line with Niko's comments, which I agree with.
The quotes coming out of Southgate's press conference sound like Jim Jones just days before the big cauldron comes out.
But guys this is tournament FOOTBALL and there are TOUGH GAMES ahead of us.
There does seem to be a pathological level of delusion about their own accomplishments. I'd always assumed that they'd have been just as disappointed as I was with the meek exit in the last World Cup, but put a brave face on in front of the media which I could hardly blame. But no, it seems that they genuinely count that as "having been there before" and it seemingly being evidence of what it takes to win (a tournament).
It's bonkers.
It is all a bit People Like Us/Brass Eye.
It's all the more bewildering when many of them have won the biggest competitions going with their clubs.
Didn't watch the game but I see England are now clear outright favs with the bookies, good stuff.
The bookies are never wrong, isn't that right @DS
I dunno about the environment, which is incidentally clearly being trailed as some sort of excuse for failure, but these are strange times indeed.
I think if anything it's a good example of the modern footballer being completely cut off from the real world, one in which people want to enjoy watching their national team at a major tournament.
What'll be really strange is if it works.Our Greece moment.
As far as I can see, one of Belgium, Slovenia, Austria or Turkey will be in the semisNow watch us get trounced by Turkey.
FoOtBaLl Is A rEsUlTs BuSiNeSs!
My nan died last night. Seems unlikely to have been a coincidence.
Sorry to hear RL.
The difference is that Greece played well and as a result any comparison is disingenuous. Sure they were boring as fuck to watch for the most part, but they had a plan and all of the players knew what their roles were and they executed it very well.What'll be really strange is if it works.
That is not what we are doing, not by a long shot.
In other news, it's also clear as day to me now that we won't be getting Holland in the next round as that would be some sort of spectacle and therefore not going to happen.
Condolences RL.
Got it off reddit, so take it with a pinch of salt but apparently that's Bellingham's stats from yesterday:
0 shots
0 chances created
0 successful tackles
0 passes completed into attacking third
12% of his passes went forward
22% duels won (worst on the team)
16 times lost possession (most on the team)
One shot and one chance created over 3 euro games.
Yeah, that sucks. Sorry to hear RL.
In altogether different news, things are looking up for Trent as he and his partner [?] who is the daughter of Jude Law/Sadie Frost [!] have been named at number 5 on Britain's society couple power rankings by Tatler.
The magazine said: “There’s a new It couple on the London scene: she’s a bleach-blonde, tooth-gemmed model and he’s a striking Liverpool footballer. Forget Victoria Beckham in the Noughties and hold steady for the WAG energy Iris will bring to the sidelines this summer.”
My point is that those with a lot of skin in the game think that ease of path to the final > ease on the eye
Thanks all.Yeah, that sucks. Sorry to hear RL.
In altogether different news, things are looking up for Trent as he and his partner [?] who is the daughter of Jude Law/Sadie Frost [!] have been named at number 5 on Britain's society couple power rankings by Tatler.
She had end-stage dementia so it was very much the right time, but it's still sad obviously.
Wouldn’t be surprised at all if this is true. He mostly passes backwards and when he does pass forward, we lose possession. Aside from his goal, I don’t think I’ve seen him make one meaningful run or dribble attempt. It’s a horror show.
Away from the actual football, god who want to think about that, I am particularly enjoying all the trash mag wag stuff that I'm being clickbaited with today. I see Walker's had both his wife and kids and mistress and kids at the games, sort of.All going a bit Baden Baden. Probably why Gareth is cutting such a chippy figure in the media, that's the real seethe inducer. Not the terrible football, but straying from the wholesome Team England we're all mates having a good time brand.
His first ~30 minutes in the tournament were quite good. He was working hard, scored a nice goal, and had that good looking volley long-pass. After that? Nothing.
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