Euro 2020

[Sanguine]

I see the commentary has already changed from 'England doing well and progressing in the tournament' to 'we should make the (only second major) final in our history.'

It's relentless.

[NathStPaul]

Well we should given the sides in our half of the draw, not sure why saying we are heavy favourites to make the final is an issue?

[Sanguine]

Although, lol @ Belgium's draw - caused by their group being matched with the group of death, and Spain's second place finish in their group, Belgium's potential run to the tournament win is Portugal, Italy, Spain, England. C'est la vie!

[Sanguine]

Well we should given the sides in our half of the draw, not sure why saying we are heavy favourites to make the final is an issue?

Not an issue, although I'd disagree with 'heavy' - just that tournament football is unpredictable, and tough. We've made one major tournament final in our entire history, and suddenly we 'should' be making a second. One game at a time. If Ukraine beat us I'm sure they'll have earned it.

[NewCorkSeth]

Although, lol @ Belgium's draw - caused by their group being matched with the group of death, and Spain's second place finish in their group, Belgium's potential run to the tournament win is Portugal, Italy, Spain, England. C'est la vie!

Jesus. Imagine if they win it.

[NathStPaul]

Well we should given the sides in our half of the draw, not sure why saying we are heavy favourites to make the final is an issue?

Not an issue, although I'd disagree with 'heavy' - just that tournament football is unpredictable, and tough. We've made one major tournament final in our entire history, and suddenly we 'should' be making a second. One game at a time. If Ukraine beat us I'm sure they'll have earned it.

The thing that encourages me is that we are winning ugly, we are a bit like the Portugal team of 2016. Just doing enough to get through. No wasted energy, no 100mph football. This is going to help us a hell of a lot on Saturday imo, we should be fresh. Ukraine on the other hand looked tired even before the extra time last night. I think the nation can be confident of a fairly straightforward victory this weekend.

Should we end up with Denmark in the semis I will be far less confident, they are very dangerous and have so much momentum. I hope the semi isn't treated by supporters and media and a walkover. Will be easily the hardest game we have played.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Well we should given the sides in our half of the draw, not sure why saying we are heavy favourites to make the final is an issue?

Not an issue, although I'd disagree with 'heavy' - just that tournament football is unpredictable, and tough. We've made one major tournament final in our entire history, and suddenly we 'should' be making a second. One game at a time. If Ukraine beat us I'm sure they'll have earned it.

The thing that encourages me is that we are winning ugly, we are a bit like the Portugal team of 2016. Just doing enough to get through. No wasted energy, no 100mph football. This is going to help us a hell of a lot on Saturday imo, we should be fresh. Ukraine on the other hand looked tired even before the extra time last night. I think the nation can be confident of a fairly straightforward victory this weekend.

Should we end up with Denmark in the semis I will be far less confident, they are very dangerous and have so much momentum. I hope the semi isn't treated by supporters and media and a walkover. Will be easily the hardest game we have played.

We seem to be very in control of everything. We look solid and pick moments to step it up and score a goal. We also have the strongest England bench I've ever seen.

We've only given away a couple of big chances all tournament. Werner's chance yesterday is the only moment all tournament I can think of where we've been carved open. Then Muller's chance was a freak stray pass and an absolute sitter. Those sort of mistakes can cost you big time, but he missed and maybe our luck is just in. Generally speaking though, we're hard to score against and we have plenty of players who can provide the moment of quality to make the difference.

[Sanguine]

Not an issue, although I'd disagree with 'heavy' - just that tournament football is unpredictable, and tough. We've made one major tournament final in our entire history, and suddenly we 'should' be making a second. One game at a time. If Ukraine beat us I'm sure they'll have earned it.

The thing that encourages me is that we are winning ugly, we are a bit like the Portugal team of 2016. Just doing enough to get through. No wasted energy, no 100mph football. This is going to help us a hell of a lot on Saturday imo, we should be fresh. Ukraine on the other hand looked tired even before the extra time last night. I think the nation can be confident of a fairly straightforward victory this weekend.

Should we end up with Denmark in the semis I will be far less confident, they are very dangerous and have so much momentum. I hope the semi isn't treated by supporters and media and a walkover. Will be easily the hardest game we have played.

We seem to be very in control of everything. We look solid and pick moments to step it up and score a goal. We also have the strongest England bench I've ever seen.

We've only given away a couple of big chances all tournament. Werner's chance yesterday is the only moment all tournament I can think of where we've been carved open. Then Muller's chance was a freak stray pass and an absolute sitter. Those sort of mistakes can cost you big time, but he missed and maybe our luck is just in. Generally speaking though, we're hard to score against and we have plenty of players who can provide the moment of quality to make the difference.

Conceded one goal (to Poland) in our last 10 games.

[PieEater]

Been looking at the ticket site and some for the semi are coming up for sale, but they are CAT1 and priced at 595Euro Final tickets are 945Euro

The UEFA approach to limiting capacity is to stop selling "cheaper" CAT3 tickets, even if they come up for the semi I'm not sure I'd pay 195E to sit in the top tier at Wembley.

[genome]

Buzzing this morning.

By the way, shout out to Pickford. He's been immense this tournament. What the hell happens to him when he puts on an England shirt?

[NathStPaul]

Buzzing this morning.

By the way, shout out to Pickford. He's been immense this tournament. What the hell happens to him when he puts on an England shirt?

He must get a lot of confidence from playing in front of a decent defence, he is very overworked at Everton. I could see him getting a big move soon, potentially to one of Europes top sides.

[Winston Biscuit]

yeah Pickford was great last night. For me I was most surprised & impressed with Shaw, maybe as I am someone who has knocked him a lot at times. For the 2nd goal he suddenly pops up in the centre 25 yards from goal, I go 'oh god, wtf is he doing there!', 5 seconds later the ball is in the back of the net.

[Winston Biscuit]

Thomas Mueller has never scored a goal in the European Championships

[RG30]

What a day. Feel very smug I was in attendance. Great atmosphere and rarely did it look England were in any great danger of getting beat.

[LUX]

yeah Pickford was great last night. For me I was most surprised & impressed with Shaw, maybe as I am someone who has knocked him a lot at times. For the 2nd goal he suddenly pops up in the centre 25 yards from goal, I go 'oh god, wtf is he doing there!', 5 seconds later the ball is in the back of the net.

+1 on Shaw, hardly mentioned but did not put a foot wrong. Ditto Walker, prolly my favourite player.

[LUX]

on the Pickford save from Havertz, where he acrobatically tipped it over the bar................was it going in?


His reaction time on that one was magnificent.

[LUX]

What a day. Feel very smug I was in attendance. Great atmosphere and rarely did it look England were in any great danger of getting beat.

did you boo the German national anthem? Or the knee?

[WestYorksRoyal]

Buzzing this morning.

By the way, shout out to Pickford. He's been immense this tournament. What the hell happens to him when he puts on an England shirt?

Not just Pickford. Maguire and Sterling both looking better in an England shirt than their clubs, while players like Phillips, Rice and Grealish with no Champions League or tournament experience are stepping up with no problems. Southgate has created an environment that gets the best out of everybody.

[NathStPaul]

on the Pickford save from Havertz, where he acrobatically tipped it over the bar................was it going in?


His reaction time on that one was magnificent.

Certainly would have hit the bar, could easily have gone in off Pickford had he not saved it. He was unsighted on that save too, very impressive.

[Brum Royal]

on the Pickford save from Havertz, where he acrobatically tipped it over the bar................was it going in?


His reaction time on that one was magnificent.

Certainly would have hit the bar, could easily have gone in off Pickford had he not saved it. He was unsighted on that save too, very impressive.

I'd actually go the other way on that one, it's in his arc so would be expecting to save that, even seeing it late. His first save (v Werner) was the more difficult imo.

I'm a keeper myself, so that's my reference point on it. It's still a good save though, obviously.