Euro 2016 Discussion

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sat 07 May 2016, 8:32 pm

First topic message reminder :

With so many different nations it'll take so many different threads to put all the news on the site. So, here's this thread.

Kompany to miss Euro 2016

by Guest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 6:21 pm

Austria were hyped, but look awful. Great build up for that Hungary goal

by Guest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 6:45 pm

Hungary 2-0 Austria. Great, composed finish

by monty junior Tue 14 Jun 2016, 6:48 pm

LiamB wrote:
Marky wrote:
GSC wrote:Belgium have the best front 3 in this tournament. But if they play Germany or Spain I can't see them having a kick of the ball with that midfield.

Expect them to beat a fairly poor Italy side though. Think they'll really struggle for goals.

This is why nobody takes you seriously

Stating Italy are a fairly poor side, is just showcasing limited knowledge of their players & system, that works for them as a team & in tournament football. As the pundits stated last night, the back three & Buffon is the best defensive unit in the entire tournament, as they all play for Juventus & understand each & everyone's roles. De Rossi is one of the best leaders & protectors in the world, Candreva has been one of the best Serie A players for a few years now & the duo of Pelle & Eder compliment each other's game. We didn't even see players like Florenzi, Insigne or the highly rated Bernadeschi.

Why on earth Belgium were fancied is beyond me. Lukaku is average, has no first touch & never delivered for Belgium, hence he's a one in four man for them. Hazard is coming off one of the worst seasons he's ever had. Witsel, Naiggolan & Fellaini are emphatically awful, Vermaelen has barely played all season, Vertonghan is an awful full back & Courtois was pretty ordinary this season for Chelsea. This result was no real surprise, given the season's some of these players were coming off & given the fact Conte is a top class manager heading to Chelsea & Wilmots is a clueless individual, who's CV is terrible.

Agree with what you said about Italy, most people just don't watch serie A so as they don't watch the players every week presume they are rubbish. Not a great Italian side by any means but a decent one, Insigne and El Sharaawy are better than the guys starting but they don't fit the system.

Naingolan though is not an awful player, he's an excellent player who's out of form, Fellaini is a donkey and Witsel ruined his career by moving to Russia. Sad.

Don't get me started on Hazard, never rated him, most overrated player in my lifetime. De Bruyne is easily their best player but had a bad night.

by **Hero** Tue 14 Jun 2016, 7:26 pm

Agree with above, people heaping praise on the Italians yet Nainggolan was in many Serie A teams of the year, people have bad nights.

by LivinginItaly Tue 14 Jun 2016, 7:34 pm

Most Italians were not very optimistic about their chances in the build up to the tournament, saying the team was poor and would struggle to qualify from the group. However, this is very common for Italians who in general are very superstitious and never want to tempt fate. The reality is that this team is by no means a strong side but should be good for a quarter final berth.

by westisbest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 7:34 pm

Lets go Iceland, c'mon.

Fk Ronaldo.

by whocares Tue 14 Jun 2016, 8:28 pm

Giroud would have already scored a couple of goals for Portugal. That's how bad they are in need of a half decent forward.

by Guest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 8:31 pm

by westisbest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 8:46 pm

Get the fk up Nani.

Pathetic

by whocares Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:01 pm

Any beef towards Porrtuguese players Westi ? Smile

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:05 pm

Trouble started already in Lille, some Russians now attacking a bunch of English and Welsh fans drinking together in a bar.

by Guest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:05 pm

1-1 Iceland

by whocares Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:06 pm

Ouch. Poor. Defending !

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:10 pm

The ..... Icelandians equalise!

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:13 pm

It amazes me sometimes that Pepes lasted so long at a top club like Real.

by Fernando Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:14 pm

Compared to some of the sides here Iceland look pretty decent.

by westisbest Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:16 pm

whocares wrote:Any beef towards Porrtuguese players Westi ?

Ha, i dont mind Portugal on the whole, judt not a fan of Ronaldo.

Nani was doing some play acting, not good to see.

Would love to see Iceland win this though.

by whocares Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:36 pm

Looks like its gonna be another 1-1 draw... Unless Ronaldo do a Payet.

by whocares Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:47 pm

Around 5% of the total Iceland population is in the stadium tonight ... Crazy stat.

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:50 pm

Ball hitting Ronaldo on the back of the head after the final whistle the highlight of this game.

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:51 pm

First round of games done, no 0-0s, lovely stuff

by Ent Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:58 pm

Watch mighty Iceland roar.

Beware all, we will destroy you like our banks destroyed our economy in the late 2000s.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Tue 14 Jun 2016, 9:59 pm

Iceland looked a well organised outfit, and created a couple of decent opportunities. Impressive qualifying campaign (beating Holland in Holland in particular), and this performance, certainly not a side to be underestimated

by Duty281 Tue 14 Jun 2016, 10:00 pm

Good to see a day of upsets. Very Happy

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 10:21 pm

Been a tight tournament up to now, hopefully it opens up a bit now every team has played their opening game.

by whocares Tue 14 Jun 2016, 10:23 pm

Ent wrote:Watch mighty Iceland roar.

Beware all, we will destroy you like our banks destroyed our economy in the late 2000s.

... And their volcanos created havoc in most of the Northern Hemisphere airspace! Certainly not be underestimated.

by Ent Tue 14 Jun 2016, 10:25 pm

Lewandowski couldn't fly in to sign for Blackburn rovers because of that ash cloud.

Or so the story goes!

by GSC Tue 14 Jun 2016, 11:29 pm

Sounds like rubbish Ent, if anything it'd be a bonus if the cloud obscured parts of Blackburn.

by Ent Tue 14 Jun 2016, 11:32 pm

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/story/772358/blackburn-target-lewandowski-cancels-trip-to-uk

Bit of an urban legend but some small grains of truth there.

by Stella Wed 15 Jun 2016, 8:27 am

So they lost Lewandowski because of an ash cloud and Zidane because they had Tim Sherwood.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 1:37 pm

The joys of being Slovakian for a day. **** the Russians.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 1:55 pm

Surprisingly Keown and Kompany are a good punditry duo.

by Duty281 Wed 15 Jun 2016, 1:55 pm

GSC wrote:The joys of being Slovakian for a day. **** the Russians.

Bit difficult to have a preference as Slovakia have the despicable Skrtel in their team!

by Guest Wed 15 Jun 2016, 1:56 pm

Think a draw would be best for England here. Can't really afford either side winning, given our opening draw.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 1:56 pm

Fair few empty seats for this one.

by Duty281 Wed 15 Jun 2016, 1:59 pm

LiamB wrote:Think a draw would be best for England here. Can't really afford either side winning, given our opening draw.

Think it will be a draw, maybe a narrow Slovakian win.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:03 pm

Slovakia didn't look awful against Wales, were slightly unlikely not to grab a point given the fortuitous nature of Wales' goals. But they have to create more.

Russia need to get higher up the pitch than they did vs England, they got penned in the first half.

by **Crimey** Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:15 pm

GSC wrote:Fair few empty seats for this one.

Probably in prison.

by **Crimey** Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:16 pm

Not sure either of these teams are any good to be honest. I'd expect both/either to be knocked out at the R16 stage.

by Duty281 Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:18 pm

Russia are just woeful - how England didn't dispatch this rubbish by three or four is a mystery.

The only thing keeping my attention is Lawro. Laugh

by **Crimey** Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:20 pm

Considering the size of Russia, the fact that it has a fair few decent football teams, and has a government that does actually pay close attention to sport - you'd expect them to be able to produce a much better football team than they have.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:27 pm

We weren't clinical Duty, we really should've done.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:30 pm

Russia beginning to work up a head of steam here, done more already than they did in the entire game against us.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:31 pm

Expected more from Hamsik in this tournament, hasn't done a thing since his dummy against Wales

by westisbest Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:32 pm

Good goal.

Christ Lawro is poor on the commentary.

by Duty281 Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:33 pm

Excellent composure on the finish, beautiful pass from Hamsik.

Lawro's favourite right-back at fault.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:33 pm

Jinxed him Very Happy

by Guest Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:34 pm

Crimey wrote:Considering the size of Russia, the fact that it has a fair few decent football teams, and has a government that does actually pay close attention to sport - you'd expect them to be able to produce a much better football team than they have.

They're missing Alan Dzagoev, Denisov, Denis Cheryshev, Yuri Zhirkov & Oleg Kuzmin, who all would of probably started

by **Crimey** Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:34 pm

Yeah really good goal. Genuinely think Russia might be the poorest team I've seen in the competition. At least some of the smaller countries have shown great desire and hard work. Russia lack quality and drive.

by GSC Wed 15 Jun 2016, 2:34 pm

The only person more tired of Lawro than you Westi is the man himself. He hasn't been arsed for about 6 years now.

by Sponsored content