The Official *England to Euro 2016 Glory* Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

And this time, even I don't believe it will happen!

Instead, in a pish-poor tournament devoid of serious quality, I'm backing the Welsh to do the business at a healthy 80/1.

Anyway, England's first warm-up is against Turkey in about an hour and a half. Make sure you enjoy Kane and Vardy playing up front together, because it won't be replicated at any other point this summer!

[Duty281]

No, no, my lad, England aren't going to do it!

They scuppered whatever meagre chance they had by finishing second in the group.

Or maybe, Roy can shock us all...

To be fair finishing second might end up giving England an easier R16, after that you're going to have to face a top side at some point anyway.

Well, if England had won the group, a route to the final of Albania/Hungary/Croatia wasn't entirely out of the question (and isn't for Wales, provided Hungary win/draw v Portugal and Croatia 'shock' Spain tonight).

Instead, it's probably Iceland/France/Germany, which is infinitely harder.

Yes, I put the word 'shock' in quotations because I wasn't overly convinced that Croatia beating Spain would be a shock.

And so there we are.

The team I backed pre-tournament to win, Wales, now have a route to the final that is free of major obstruction - (most likely) Turkey, Hungary, Croatia and then the final. Wales can do this.

Oh Roy, England have p!ssed away the best chance they've had in a long while of making the final. Whilst Wales get a Germany-2002-esque run, England get a marathon struggle in the difficult lop-sided end of the draw - (most likely) Iceland, France, Germany and then the final.

[Guest]

Roy will be gone for this, no question.

[GSC]

For not consulting his psychic before this round of games

[Guest]

For not consulting his psychic before this round of games

Not sure why you defend him, nobody else is. He's a definite goner, should be ashamed for not winning that group. I see the media are going to town on him, pretty much inevitable he's gone, post euro's. Just a shame it's two years too late.

[Duty281]

For not consulting his psychic before this round of games

He should have made winning the group a priority; instead, he decided to rest players before it was even sown up.

And now England have little chance of making it beyond the Quarters.

[MIG]

I'm not going to defend Hodgson on the resting 6 players issue, even though no one knows whether we would have won without doing so...

But. Everyone wrote England off before the tournament started. Said they're not good enough, not up to it. Then when they get a draw instead of a win they get slated. Why? Everyone said they would be rubbish or more to the point they ARE rubbish so why are you slating them for then being what everyone predicted?

Now all of a sudden we are out because we have all the big teams on our side of the draw. Yeah cause if we were on the other side we'd smash it. Russia and Slovakia anyone?

Football fans really baffle me sometimes.

[Guest]

Russia and Slovakia anyone?

Both drawn, because of an inept manager. 1-0, you bring on Vardy & counter. He didn't do & we drew. We didn't beat Slovakia, as he dropped six players. Again, as a result of the actions of our manager.

England might not be great, but we were expected to win that group.WE WERE WRITTEN OFF TO WIN THE WHOLE THING, NOT THE P*** EASY GROUP. We've conceded winning the group to a one-man side, who's first major tournament it is for god knows how long. Russia are an atrocious outfit, with four or five players missing & Slovakia are world ranked behind Romania.

No excuses.

[MIG]

Its all too easy to say this and that would or wouldn't have worked. Maybe yes, maybe not.

Lets just blame the manager. And when we do, what is he? Underperforming manager? No, he has to be complete Poopie or inept.

Say all you like about Hodgson but he's a well respected, very experienced professional football manager. Who exactly are you to say you can do better? Why aren't you managing England. We'd be winning every tournament apparently!

[Scottrf]

For not consulting his psychic before this round of games

He should have made winning the group a priority; instead, he decided to rest players before it was even sown up.

And now England have little chance of making it beyond the Quarters.

If we'd won, it's looking like Belgium in the quarters.

France have been scraping by bang average sides, I'm not sure that's a harder prospect.

[Duty281]

For not consulting his psychic before this round of games

He should have made winning the group a priority; instead, he decided to rest players before it was even sown up.

And now England have little chance of making it beyond the Quarters.

If we'd won, it's looking like Belgium in the quarters.

France have been scraping by bang average sides, I'm not sure that's a harder prospect.

I imagine England would have a better chance against vastly overrated Belgium, than the dangerous home side.

[Scottrf]

'Dangerous'.

Last minute winner vs Romania.
0-0 vs Switzerland.
Last minute goals vs Albania.

Frightening stuff.

[Duty281]

'Dangerous'.

Last minute winner vs Romania.
0-0 vs Switzerland.
Last minute goals vs Albania.

Frightening stuff.

But their potential - if they live up to it - is far greater than what England can amass.

[GSC]

Belgium's potential is probably higher than Frances and they don't have remotely the pressure the French do.

[alfie]

A few people on here just want Roy gone and it doesn't matter much what happens if it isn't good it will be All His Fault...
The six changes (or was it really four ? Did anyone not want Sturridge and Vardy to start against Slovakia?) may or may not have made a difference ...but I'm not sure Rose would have scored a vital goal or having Rooney on the pitch from the start would have automatically ensured a way through the White Wall. And had a couple of quite good chances been put away by players who normally would be expected to do so we wouldn't be having this conversation at all. But let that pass.
The main problem now is The Draw , apparently. The good teams - actually The Big Teams -have all ended up on the same side...as GSC says , Roy should have consulted a psychic : had the surprise results happened in different groups the converse might have been true ; would it then have been foolish to win the group?
In any case it may not be automatic that the big names are the ones to avoid . It may be that Croatia or Belgium are going to prove more dangerous than some of the usual suspects this time around. Lets see if England can get the job done against Iceland and then worry about what comes next : certainly it means they can only face two at most out of Germany, France , Spain, Italy on the way to the final ; and if by some miracle they get past them they won't have to see any of them lining up as the final barrier to glory

[LivinginItaly]

After all the moaning about the difficulty of the draw it's possible that we could play Ireland in the quarter final if they manage to overcome a misfiring France.

[Duty281]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/683216/euro-2016-england-brexit-referendum-denmark

It's on for England or Wales!

[Duty281]

The last time England won a game of knock-out football was...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4991536.stm

Just over ten years ago, Since then:

England 0-0 Portugal (lost on penalties)
Germany 4-1 England
England 0-0 Italy (lost on penalties)

Will it change tomorrow? Or will a confident Iceland finish off Hodgson's career?

[whocares]

Well am sure England will play better than what they did against Ecuador 10 years ago (can't be that difficult mind). Result might still be a narrow victory although I fancy England strikers to have a field day against tired Icelanders.

[Geordie]

England 0-0 Portugal (lost on penalties)
Germany 4-1 England
England 0-0 Italy (lost on penalties)
England 1 - 2 Iceland

[Rugby Fan]

England 0-0 Portugal (lost on penalties)
Germany 4-1 England
England 0-0 Italy (lost on penalties)
England 1 - 2 Iceland

I'm trying to decide if

England 2 - 2 Iceland (lost on penalties)

would have been worse.

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