The general Euro2024 chit chat thread

[Snowflake Royal]

The players really need to take blame, at least as much as Southgate.

I refuse to believe any manager tells his team to drop deep, play long ball and keep making shit passes, when the setup from the start is to play slow tedious possession football around their box and wait for an error.

They got cocky, and failed to respond to Serbia improving in anyway. That's on the players too.

Foden had a bad game, but equally, he was one of a few trying to make runs into space and behind, and every single time he was ignored in favour of a sideways pass. We so rarely look to make something happen. Only really Saka did it.

Give me the Germans every time.

But someone must be instilling in them to look for the safe pass and to keep possession rather than adding the caveat "only when a forward pass isn't on". If they're never going to look for a forward pass then it makes it easy for any half decent opposition to fill midfield and push their lines up and this is what we see over and over again.

Hoping to be proved wrong, but this is why GS is a poor man's Jurgen Klopp and will never win anything. Ideally he should be an assistant that drives the morale and "social side" of the squad, which is obviously something at which he excels, while someone else takes the responsibility for the matchday formation, tactics and team selections.

That's the bit that actually worked. As much as I loathed it. It was the sitting deep and launching it that didn't.

[Brum Royal]

Isn’t it very rare for England to win their opening game?

Seems like it was an ok but boring result.

I think people are too worried.

Traditionally I think so, yes. But I saw a tweet this morning from the England team Twitter handle (iirc) stating Southgate has now won 4 out of 4 for his opening matches in tournaments

[Mr Angry]

Isn’t it very rare for England to win their opening game?

Seems like it was an ok but boring result.

I think people are too worried.

Traditionally I think so, yes. But I saw a tweet this morning from the England team Twitter handle (iirc) stating Southgate has now won 4 out of 4 for his opening matches in tournaments

Yesterday was only the second time England had won their opening game in the Euro's; the first time was in the previous Euro Finals......even in 1996 they drew their first game (1-1 v Switzerland)

[Royal Rother]

Isn’t it very rare for England to win their opening game?

Seems like it was an ok but boring result.

I think people are too worried.

Traditionally I think so, yes. But I saw a tweet this morning from the England team Twitter handle (iirc) stating Southgate has now won 4 out of 4 for his opening matches in tournaments

I think BBC said we had failed to win any of the 8 opening games in Euros before Southgate came along. He has won both.

In the grand scheme of things it means sod all really. We know what we saw was the same old failings and it'll need a change in approach to trouble the best teams when it gets proper tough.

[Hendo]

Horrible mistake by Ukraine in the build-up, but what a hit from Stanciu to put Romania 1-0

[Sutekh]

Romania thoroughly decent on the breakaway, Ukraine having loads of possession but unable to create anything of any value and generally don't look much good.

Class strikes for both Romanian goals.

[Hendo]

Another great strike.

[Sutekh]

Good thing is that a Romanian win moves them on from the "only 1 win in 15 Euro finals games" factoid (no surprises for guessing who that 1 win was against).

3-0 now

Did Chelsea really pay money for Mudryk?

[Hendo]

Would this be the first big shock of the tournament?

[Sutekh]

Would this be the first big shock of the tournament?

Technically yes (22 v 46 in the rankings), however Romania look a much classier outfit than what seems to be an awful Ukraine.

[Brum Royal]

Isn’t it very rare for England to win their opening game?

Seems like it was an ok but boring result.

I think people are too worried.

Traditionally I think so, yes. But I saw a tweet this morning from the England team Twitter handle (iirc) stating Southgate has now won 4 out of 4 for his opening matches in tournaments

Yesterday was only the second time England had won their opening game in the Euro's; the first time was in the previous Euro Finals......even in 1996 they drew their first game (1-1 v Switzerland)

Yeah the England stat was across World Cups and Euros

[Sutekh]

Reading namecheck which means George has come on.

[Sanguine]

Isn’t it very rare for England to win their opening game?

Seems like it was an ok but boring result.

I think people are too worried.

Traditionally I think so, yes. But I saw a tweet this morning from the England team Twitter handle (iirc) stating Southgate has now won 4 out of 4 for his opening matches in tournaments

I think BBC said we had failed to win any of the 8 opening games in Euros before Southgate came along. He has won both.

In the grand scheme of things it means sod all really. We know what we saw was the same old failings and it'll need a change in approach to trouble the best teams when it gets proper tough.

The most important thing to remember is that if we somehow do beat Italy or Spain in the quarters (or at least, if we get there, we will likely play one of them), then our opponents will immediately become 'shit', or 'past it', or 'not at their best'.

[Hendo]

Traditionally I think so, yes. But I saw a tweet this morning from the England team Twitter handle (iirc) stating Southgate has now won 4 out of 4 for his opening matches in tournaments

I think BBC said we had failed to win any of the 8 opening games in Euros before Southgate came along. He has won both.

In the grand scheme of things it means sod all really. We know what we saw was the same old failings and it'll need a change in approach to trouble the best teams when it gets proper tough.

The most important thing to remember is that if we somehow do beat Italy or Spain in the quarters (or at least, if we get there, we will likely play one of them), then our opponents will immediately become 'shit', or 'past it', or 'not at their best'.

100% - see Germany at the last Euros.

[Hendo]

Horrible mix-up for Belgium and Slovakia take an early lead!

[South Coast Royal]

I read a bit on facebook under comments on the England game.
Most of it was saying how bad Southgate is but more interesting was how obviously biased towards or against club teams posters were.

With RTGs I guess I thought that Trent played ok but was caught a couple of times in possession deep which could have led to something.
Also I admit with RTGs I have a strong dislike of Trippier not just because of his tattoos, his pointing (a la Gunter) poor tackling ability and forever passing square but because he kept Trent out of the side at right-back for a number of Internationals.

I have posted a number of times about preferring a natural left-back ( like Chilwell or Mitchell) to a supposedly superior right-footed left-back in Trippier or Gomez-the shape becomes all wrong and Trippier offered nothing going forward last night.
"Experts " tended to agree last night.

I expect Trent to be the scapegoat after last night despite still being the best passer in the side and Foden and Saka (missing after a couple of crosses in the first half that had Shearer creaming himself despite one of them being deflected) will keep their places despite 4/10 performances.
It was admittedly one poor team performance apart from the player who was everywhere Bellingham but it was the first game (which didn't seem to affect Germany or Spain) and , although I would prefer Bowen or Palmer wide right, I don't expect too many changes.

BTW Souness on the radio could hardly contain himself after Southgate's comments about the players being tired in the second half-Serbia didn't look tired after chasing shadows for the first 30 minutes-and he said that either players are said to be tired after playing too much football or are under-prepared after having a couple of weeks off.
Players don't become unfit after a two week break.

At least we have a break of a few days from the enjoyment/agony of watching England and listening to those dreadful commentators and pundits (apart from Fabregas last night).

[Snowflake Royal]

I think BBC said we had failed to win any of the 8 opening games in Euros before Southgate came along. He has won both.

In the grand scheme of things it means sod all really. We know what we saw was the same old failings and it'll need a change in approach to trouble the best teams when it gets proper tough.

The most important thing to remember is that if we somehow do beat Italy or Spain in the quarters (or at least, if we get there, we will likely play one of them), then our opponents will immediately become 'shit', or 'past it', or 'not at their best'.

100% - see Germany at the last Euros.

It is always an achievement beating the mighty Germans, even if not at their best.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think BBC said we had failed to win any of the 8 opening games in Euros before Southgate came along. He has won both.

In the grand scheme of things it means sod all really. We know what we saw was the same old failings and it'll need a change in approach to trouble the best teams when it gets proper tough.

The most important thing to remember is that if we somehow do beat Italy or Spain in the quarters (or at least, if we get there, we will likely play one of them), then our opponents will immediately become 'shit', or 'past it', or 'not at their best'.

100% - see Germany at the last Euros.

It is always an achievement beating the mighty Germans, even if not at their best. Especially for England who fall flat on their face most times they face a major nation.

[Snowflake Royal]

I read a bit on facebook under comments on the England game.
Most of it was saying how bad Southgate is but more interesting was how obviously biased towards or against club teams posters were.

With RTGs I guess I thought that Trent played ok but was caught a couple of times in possession deep which could have led to something.
Also I admit with RTGs I have a strong dislike of Trippier not just because of his tattoos, his pointing (a la Gunter) poor tackling ability and forever passing square but because he kept Trent out of the side at right-back for a number of Internationals.

I have posted a number of times about preferring a natural left-back ( like Chilwell or Mitchell) to a supposedly superior right-footed left-back in Trippier or Gomez-the shape becomes all wrong and Trippier offered nothing going forward last night.
"Experts " tended to agree last night.

I expect Trent to be the scapegoat after last night despite still being the best passer in the side and Foden and Saka (missing after a couple of crosses in the first half that had Shearer creaming himself despite one of them being deflected) will keep their places despite 4/10 performances.
It was admittedly one poor team performance apart from the player who was everywhere Bellingham but it was the first game (which didn't seem to affect Germany or Spain) and , although I would prefer Bowen or Palmer wide right, I don't expect too many changes.

BTW Souness on the radio could hardly contain himself after Southgate's comments about the players being tired in the second half-Serbia didn't look tired after chasing shadows for the first 30 minutes-and he said that either players are said to be tired after playing too much football or are under-prepared after having a couple of weeks off.
Players don't become unfit after a two week break.

At least we have a break of a few days from the enjoyment/agony of watching England and listening to those dreadful commentators and pundits (apart from Fabregas last night).

No skin in the TAA game and I thought he was our weakest player.

How were the players tired? They barely broke above walking pace first half!

[LUX]

Lukaku was offside twice there in his disallowed goal