UEFA Euro 2024

by Lee Mon 10 Jun 2024, 10:56 am

First topic message reminder :

It's coming up. Who are you supporting? Who do you think will win? Who gets the golden boot?

How you feeling for your teams chances? I'm not massively into international footy but a tournament is always a laugh.

I have France winning the lot. Maybeee Kane for golden boot. Yeah that'll do. I'll be supporting The Netherlands I reckon.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 7:06 pm

Team as expected then.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:08 pm

Corker of a strike there.

Rice loses a soft 50-50, really poor, and Simons rifles in a banger. Lee Dixon humiliated.

England's early press has been lethargic and the Dutch have passed through it easily enough.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:19 pm

Kane equalises with a penalty. VAR lady for ITV proving to be useless. Clear pen.

Good response since the goal. The Dutch have allowed Bellingham and Kane too much space. Trippier's been pushing up a lot more as well.

by Soul Requiem Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:19 pm

No idea what the comms team were going on about, blatant penalty.

by Mind the windows Tino. Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:27 pm

Has Kyle Walker completed a pass yet?

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:32 pm

Foden's arrived for England. Drifting into these little pockets. One effort cleared off the line and that one shaving the outside of the post. Dumfries hitting the bar at the other end.

by GSC Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:51 pm

Dutch have shown glimpses of what they can do but by far England's best 45 mins at this tournament. Looked like we had an extra player for a lot of the half (until Koeman subbed the missing man off).

Not wholly convinced by the penalty but you run the risk going studs up

by alfie Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:55 pm

That's a bit more like it , eh ? Really good half to watch.

England might feel disappointed not to be leading after all those very promising attacks ; but it is still level and the Dutch have looked dangerous on the counter. All to play for second half...

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 8:56 pm

Best 45 minutes for England at this Euros by miles. Maybe the best 45 of the tournament as a whole?

England have won the midfield battle and controlled the game. Foden is playing tremendously, drifting into spaces and dictating proceedings. Somehow hasn't scored. Bellingham's working well down the left, Kane has more energy and Saka is a constant menace. Good tempo in possession also. Trippier and Walker are so high up the pitch.

Shaw does need to come on for Trippier as soon as is possible. Trippier's spurned a few good crossing opportunities because he has no left foot. Rice has been poor defensively, losing possession twice - the first led to a goal, the second led to the corner where Dumfries hit the bar.

The Dutch did show us towards the end of the half what they can do in possession, however, and they controlled that last three minutes. They've played through England's half hearted high press easily enough a few times, and they can comfortably keep possession while in England's half. They look very dangerous on the counter also, a brief 3 v 2 emerged in one instance before Walker dived in.

Overall, very good half from England and they've got a real chance. Foden's running it and the Dutch aren't closing the space successfully on any of England's attackers. But England are not ahead and it's only going to get tenser the later it gets.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:04 pm

Shaw on for Trippier. Good call, Southgate.

Weghorst coming on for the Dutch for Malen. Think that's a good call as well.

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:05 pm

Credit where credit is due....

Southgate stuck with the system and it sure has paid dividends in the 1st half. Best we have looked in some yime. Fluidity to the attack. Actually getting a game out of Foden. Mainoo & Sake looking sharp.

We do look a little creaky at the back & it wouldnt shock me to see the dutch just sit in another 5 yards and play on the counter. Its where they look the most dangerous & its also when England struggle with speed of ball.

Trippier has to come off, 2 offsides he had are criminal when your playing across the line and its so easy to defend against him. Even when he did get time and space to cross he couldnt put a good ball in because its his weak foot. Literally my only complaint in an otherwise great showing.

Going in 1-1 after a half like that is the big concern. Hopefully we keep our foot on the gas next half

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:10 pm

That was so frustrating. Saka making the run, putting in a good cross...Kane not within 20 yards of proceedings.

Saw the same against the Swiss.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:19 pm

Kane probably needs to be hauled off now. First touch letting him down again.

Dutch have responded well since the break. Suffocated Foden's space.

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:23 pm

England losing the midfield battle.....lets hope Southgate doesnt do the usual and wait till the impact has been felt before making a change.

I'd be taking Kane off for Toney to start with.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:27 pm

Dutch getting a LOT closer now.

It's time for changes, England are on the backfoot.

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:29 pm

Problem is losing midfield battle....who do you bring on to counter it?

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:34 pm

I'd be getting Palmer, Toney and Gallagher on for Saka, Kane and Mainoo.

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:35 pm

Toney would the big one for me. Gives an outlet and can hold the ball up well. At the moment losing it every time it goes up top.

Such a contrast to the 1st half. Look lethargic... slow...out of ideas.

Kane is hopeless at this point.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:40 pm

Ahhhhhhhh, that's so tight.

Kane off now for Watkins. He's got the pace to trouble the Dutch, but can he hold it up? Wouldn't have taken Foden off to be honest.

by Mind the windows Tino. Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:50 pm

Credit to Southgate for those subs.

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:51 pm

WATKINS! What an outrageous finish!

by **Pal Joey** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:51 pm

Super strike!

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:54 pm

Yep...first to slag him off. Only fair to give him due credit...Toney would have been the shout from most and was (me included). Went for a man who had no minutes until now.

Big call and spot on. Credit Mr Southgate.

by Mind the windows Tino. Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:55 pm

owen10ozzy wrote:Yep...first to slag him off. Only fair to give him due credit...Toney would have been the shout from most and was (me included). Went for a man who had no minutes until now.

Big call and spot on. Credit Mr Southgate.

Pretty sure he played a bit against Serbia? Seems like a long time ago to be fair.

by alfie Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:56 pm

Yes !

by Soul Requiem Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:57 pm

Ollie Watkins, you absolute beauty!

by GSC Wed 10 Jul 2024, 9:57 pm

Ollie Frak Watkins

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:03 pm

Tremendous! England's best performance, overall, since their narrow loss to France two years ago, only this time they come out on the right side. Biggest win under Southgate's management, and biggest tournament win since 2002.

I didn't think it was going to be England's night. Foden getting a brilliant effort off the line, scraping the post, and England later denied by such a narrow offside. It seemed to be building up towards one of those narrow KO defeats that are hallmarks for England in their footballing history. But Watkins' world-class finish altered that. World-class.

Well done to Southgate for those substitutions, which were timely, and Palmer and Watkins (obviously!) both played a part in the winner.

This performance was fantastic to watch, especially in the first half. Moving the ball at a good tempo, more attacking movement, the wingbacks getting up the field. Everything we've wanted. Raising the game for a bigger nation again. Foden was a revelation tonight. The Foden of Man City showed up and ran the game in the first half. A marvel.

Revenge on Koeman, too. I'm sure Graham Taylor would have loved that.

by GSC Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:03 pm

Can't really argue on the balance they didn't earn that win. Dutch packed the midfield to force a stalemate and threw on the big lad to hold it up but really werent up to much more than trying to nick a set piece.

Spain several levels higher but we'll worry about that tomorrow

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:07 pm

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:
owen10ozzy wrote:Yep...first to slag him off. Only fair to give him due credit...Toney would have been the shout from most and was (me included). Went for a man who had no minutes until now.

Big call and spot on. Credit Mr Southgate.

Really lol!? Was that one of his 90 min subs.

Pretty sure he played a bit against Serbia? Seems like a long time ago to be fair.

by GSC Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:09 pm

He was on for the last 15(?) against Denmark

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:18 pm

I'm just wondering if Southgate has the balls to make the biggest decision of his career and *not* pick Kane for the final. Because he really doesn't deserve to start. Toney and Watkins are ahead of him in a just pecking order now.

Hopefully Shaw can do 90 minutes, or at least 75.

by alfie Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:21 pm

That was a wonderful strike from Watkins - after only his second appearance in the tournament . Apart from being rather timely Smile

Don't think anyone can complain about Southgate's substitutions today . Think most thought Toney would come on ; but hey , Watkins the man for the time...guess that is why you have a squad of 26...

TBH I was always fairly hopeful that England would score even though the Dutch were dominating possession in that second half - just had to keep them out : and we shouldn't forget Pickford's work to make one really brilliant save earlier on.

Will be debate about the penalty of course. I see different "experts" have different views so will just say - look at the scoreboard. I think on balance England deserve to be in the final : brought their A game at the right time. Now we hope they can lift again for the Big One...

by westisbest Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:22 pm

Ollie Watkins puts England into the final.

Your welcome Wink

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:31 pm

Yeah, was a great save from Pickford on around 65 minutes. Thought the penalty was pretty clear. High foot, studs into Kane's boot, no contact with the ball.

Everest on Sunday.

by **owen10ozzy** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:34 pm

Genuinely thought he hadnt seen any minutes. Still not many minutes up till now and grabbed his chance.

Absolutely no way Kane doesnt start; but im in agreement with duty that it would be the 'right' call on the balance of what we have seen thus far. Apart from his lack of goals....he really hasnt brought much to the party if anything at all.

Toney would be a great shout if you plan on sitting in and want an outlet to get the ball too and have them hold up for support to join...

Watkins will stretch the play, which is what you need you dont want those little triangles forming in the center of the park - also feel he will press much better than Kane which again helps possibly wrestle little more control of a game.

Think with a large degree of certainity we can say it will be the same starting XI as today with the exception of possibly Shaw in place or Trippier.

I wonder if he may revert to 4 at the back given the way Spain set out.

by alfie Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:34 pm

And I wonder if there is an omen in 1996 ? Last time England played first Switzerland - then Netherlands (OK there was a little game with Scotland in between Smile

) ... then they played ...Spain.

And of course won - on penalties. Lost to Germany later of course but I don't see any Germans around this time...

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:45 pm

The f*cking boys. What a joy it is to watch a team who can bounce back from setbacks and just know how to play tournament football.

Bring it home on Sunday boys!

by Duty281 Wed 10 Jul 2024, 10:53 pm

owen10ozzy wrote:Genuinely thought he hadnt seen any minutes. Still not many minutes up till now and grabbed his chance.

Absolutely no way Kane doesnt start; but im in agreement with duty that it would be the 'right' call on the balance of what we have seen thus far. Apart from his lack of goals....he really hasnt brought much to the party if anything at all.

Toney would be a great shout if you plan on sitting in and want an outlet to get the ball too and have them hold up for support to join...

Watkins will stretch the play, which is what you need you dont want those little triangles forming in the center of the park - also feel he will press much better than Kane which again helps possibly wrestle little more control of a game.

Think with a large degree of certainity we can say it will be the same starting XI as today with the exception of possibly Shaw in place or Trippier.

I wonder if he may revert to 4 at the back given the way Spain set out.

Can certainly see arguments for either one starting, but it really shouldn't be Kane, who is nowhere near fit enough. So frustrating when Saka put that great cross in and Kane wasn't within 20 yards of it. And not the first time it's happened this tournament.

But I agree that Kane will almost certainly start.

by No name Bertie Wed 10 Jul 2024, 11:42 pm

Memories
R16: Jude Bellingham's 90'+5' injury time overhead kick to equalise against Slovakia.

QF: Saka's 80' shot from outside the penalty area in off the far post to equalise against Switzerland.

SF: > Kanes slide rule penalty to equalise against the Netherlands. Goalkeeper guessed right and looked to have it covered but the shot was too powerful and buried into the corner of the goal.
> Watkins 90'+1' injury time 180 degree turn and shot into the far corner of the goal from an acute angle to win against the Netherlands.

by GSC Wed 10 Jul 2024, 11:57 pm

These all occured in the last 10 days lad, we don't need to reminisce about the good old days just yet

by mountain man Thu 11 Jul 2024, 9:23 am

All the Southgate out mob must be feeling a bit silly this morning as they should.

by dummy_half Thu 11 Jul 2024, 9:43 am

I thought the penalty was soft (Dumfires went across rather than towards Kane in an attempt to block and was very close to getting it), but we've generally not had many decisions go our way in knock out games over the years (Maradona, Lampard, I still don't know why Sol Campbell's header in ?2002 was disallowed). Well finished penalty from Kane.

Of course it came during a spell when England were very much on the front foot (for almost the first time in the tournament), and the game would have played out differently if it wasn't given, but if we'd gone in 1 down at half time it would have been a travesty. Amazing what a difference it makes having players running forward off the ball.

2nd half Netherlands adjusted well to nullify England's advantage in midfield, but didn't really create that much themselves. Saka's disallowed goal was very tight with the Dutch central defender being deeper than the fullback marking Walker (did they ever show the VAR AI? ). And then a great goalscorers finish from Watkins.

On balance, England's best performance of the tournament and a deserved win, just took a bit of luck with the penalty decision.

by dummy_half Thu 11 Jul 2024, 9:43 am

mountain man wrote:All the Southgate out mob must be feeling a bit silly this morning as they should.

Better to be lucky than good...

by **owen10ozzy** Thu 11 Jul 2024, 9:47 am

mountain man wrote:All the Southgate out mob must be feeling a bit silly this morning as they should.

No more or less silly than club fans who want managers out but see no uptick in fortune or do but get relegated anyway etc.

I'm still of the opinion that he cant lead us to a major trophy; think we will come up short against the Spanish. That said I thought we wouldnt get past the dutch based on showings up to that point.....i was absolutely over the moon to be proved wrong & would be incredibly pleased if that was the case on Sunday too.

My beliefs/opinion on Southgate still stand; I dont think he is brilliant tactically & I think he is guilty of often letting games get away from us where being proactive rather than reactive would have altered things.
I think he is an absolutely briliant man manager. He has shown an ability to unite an England team in a manner that hasnt been seen in 40 years; both things that i have said in the past. He was absolutely the right appointment at the right time given where England were at.

Do i think his tactical naivity & negative outlook cost us at the last Euros. Absolutely.

Do i think it could cost us again on sunday - absolutely.

Would I love to be made too eat my words - absolutely.

by Marky Thu 11 Jul 2024, 9:52 am

mountain man wrote:All the Southgate out mob must be feeling a bit silly this morning as they should.

Not at all. Southgate was useless earlier in the tournament, and spot on last night. He would have been rightly out of a job had Bellingham not pulled a rabbit out of a hat against Slovakia, and faultless when it mattered against the Dutch.

Legitimate criticisms keep being deliberately mistaken for "being a hater" by so many people, every England fan wants Southgate to succeed but he was awful earlier in this tournament and was rightly criticised IMO.

by Duty281 Thu 11 Jul 2024, 9:56 am

mountain man wrote:All the Southgate out mob must be feeling a bit silly this morning as they should.

Why? Because England finally put in a decent performance, for the first time in six games? It seems a pretty low bar.

Yesterday, he finally made some subs at a half-decent time, and England looked on the field as though they'd been working on attacking shape and movement for the first time, moving the ball quicker, but let's not go overboard in our praise. He was still rather slow to respond to the Dutch improvement in the second half.

by Duty281 Thu 11 Jul 2024, 10:07 am

owen10ozzy wrote:
mountain man wrote:All the Southgate out mob must be feeling a bit silly this morning as they should.

No more or less silly than club fans who want managers out but see no uptick in fortune or do but get relegated anyway etc.

I'm still of the opinion that he cant lead us to a major trophy; think we will come up short against the Spanish. That said I thought we wouldnt get past the dutch based on showings up to that point.....i was absolutely over the moon to be proved wrong & would be incredibly pleased if that was the case on Sunday too.

My beliefs/opinion on Southgate still stand; I dont think he is brilliant tactically & I think he is guilty of often letting games get away from us where being proactive rather than reactive would have altered things.
I think he is an absolutely briliant man manager. He has shown an ability to unite an England team in a manner that hasnt been seen in 40 years; both things that i have said in the past. He was absolutely the right appointment at the right time given where England were at.

Do i think his tactical naivity & negative outlook cost us at the last Euros. Absolutely.

Do i think it could cost us again on sunday - absolutely.

Would I love to be made too eat my words - absolutely.

Yep, Spain are another couple of levels up from the Dutch. Would be phenomenal if England could pull if off. Would happily knight Southgate myself if he managed it. Very Happy

Just hope England give it a decent go. The last Euros final was one of the worst England performances I've ever seen.

by mountain man Thu 11 Jul 2024, 10:12 am

Except maybe, just maybe he knows what he's doing? I agree performances have been poor to awful BUT we are in final. That is all that matters.
Would someone else have got us there? Maybe but maybe not. All we do know is Southgate did and for 2nd consecutive Euros.

So yes, you can say lucky but wasn't it Greg Norman who said the more I practise the luckier I get.

For what it's worth I cannot see England beating Spain but have to be in it to win it.

by GSC Thu 11 Jul 2024, 10:19 am

Tough but doable. Spain are very good going forward but pretty open, like the Dutch were yesterday. Georgia in particular had a lot of joy with their ball carriers running directly at the heart of the Spanish defense, which should suit Foden, Saka and Bellingham. In general this may play to Southgate ball

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