UEFA Euro 2024

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.

Right old sh**house of a game. Czechs unfairly denied a draw, because they should have had a FK just before the goal. Portugal look like a bunch of ugly scrappers, but they might go a little way with how the draw is laid out for them.

A game worthy of Danny Murphy on commentary

Croatia Albania up first. Probably needs to be 3 points for Croatia else they likely need to beat Italy in their last game

Yeah, a must win for Croatia and one they should win as well.

Scotland's game tonight will be the most interesting of the day, I think. A point against Switzerland would be OK and keep them in the hunt. A win and they can think about the KO stages for the first time. A loss and they're almost certainly out, as a win against Hungary would almost definitely not be enough to be one of the best third placed teams with that horrendous GD.

Well Albania have roundly outplayed Croatia and deservedly lead. Really should be further ahead, Croatia are hanging onto this tournament

Croatia are just old, bit like Belgium.

Phenomenal entertainment at the end. Albania getting a deserved point in extra time then end to end to stuff. Both sides probably need to win their final game to stay in now

Duty281 wrote:Croatia are just old, bit like Belgium.

Thought they were old two tournaments ago

Does look like one too many though

Hungary had done alright but give Germany a gift (maybe a slight assist via VAR)

Scotland..... See how long that lasts lol

That's a magnificent finish

Shaqiri and Ricardo Rodriguez have been playing for Switzerland longer than I've been alive

GSC wrote:That's a magnificent finish

Yeah was a lovely goal

A shocking error led to Switzerland's equaliser, nice strike though it was. Scotland's defending in their own third has been abysmal, but when they've pushed higher they've forced numerous errors. Technically, Scotland are woeful and need to work a lot harder.

Grant Hanley makes this team over Scott McKenna?

Decent point and performance, pushed Switzerland higher up the pitch but didn't really have enough to open them up regularly

Yeah, decent point. Switzerland were happy to settle and that's understandable. A loss to Germany should still see them finish second.

Scotland will most probably advance if they beat Hungary...but it's must win and the pressure will be on. Improvement still needed, they barely created anything tonight, but the Hungarians are the weakest team in the group.

No changes apparently. Big test for TAA against a better technical outfit than Serbia.

Should be a good test this one. Denmark have some quality names. After the draw in the first game, they'll likely be targeting a win here. A loss or a draw against England would still leave them needing to beat Serbia (most likely) to be sure of advancing, so they shouldn't be sitting back.

Which might work to England's advantage.

Doesn't bode well that we made this Serbian team look decent

Did he book a player for having rubbish thrown at him from the stands

Actually quite enjoyed the Scotland v Switzerland game - fairly open, end to end stuff. Scotland desperately lack a quality finisher - can we give them Toney or Watkins (even Cole Palmer) and take Andy Robertson (since we even moe desperately need a left back who can both defend and get forward). The Scottish workrate through midfield in particular was night and day compared with the Germany game.

Anyway, England tonight. With the draw I was thinking Denmark might be the team that suits us best - will probably try to play a bit and so not just rely on packing the defence, so might give our attacking players a bit more room. I just want to see a bit more of a positive mindset - I think Kyle Walker made one forward pass in the final third on Sunday, and that was the one through to Saka that led to the goal. Similarly, all throw ins seem to go back to our defenders.

Serbia get out of jail from a corner in the last minute. Will have to beat Denmark to stay in the competition though.

Wouldn't be best impressed if I were Slovenia having to defend the end of the pitch covered in cups thrown on by Serbian fans. See if Uefa actually do anything after they got fined for doing it against England too

Means a win will secure England 1st place already and a tantalising match up versus '3rd place in Group D, E or F'.

A loss and the Slovenia match becomes VERY interesting.

Walker got the wrong studs on

Pitch = disgrace. Players slipping over like Gerrard in his prime.

Yeah big bobble before fodens shot there too

Laziness from Kristiansen. Saw off Saka but had no idea Walker was charging. More than a bit of fortune about the cross, but Kane doesn't miss from there.

Denmark weirdly passive after Serbia had a lot of joy pressing high.

Another deflected cross goal

Spidercam keeps making me think there's a fly on my TV lol

Holbjerg pretty lucky var didn't have a look at that one

Terrible stuff from England since the goal. Dropping deep, not pressing, exactly the same as against Serbia.

Deserved equaliser. England utter gash since the goal. No energy, no pressing, no life.

Concede possession, concede territory and just hope to hold out. Dreadful stuff

Walker goes past halfway once and we scored, then spends the rest of the game standing still and passing backwards.

Get pressed high because we move at a glacial pace

Christ, this is frustrating. A team containing Kane, Bellingham, Saka, Foden, Trent, Walker, and a bench full of quality, is reduced to clinging on for dear life after getting one goal.

And some wonder why I criticise Southgate?! This is painful to watch, has been for the last few tournaments, and yet it should be the best days of your life as an England fan with this squad.

Positives. Guehi is looked assured in defence. Rice has broken up a few attacks well. Walker and Saka are a dangerous combination down the right, with all that pace and trickery. Foden is looking brighter, but has no end product yet to speak of, and decision making has been poor. Kane's off the mark.

Negatives. The pitch is a disgrace and someone could end up seriously hurt. Stones is clearly lacking sharpness. Trippier is offering nothing. I'm surprised the Danes aren't targeting him more with Maehle down that flank. Trent is anonymous. Completely ballooned a cross just before half time. Bellingham isn't in the game and is getting frustrated. Kane's positioning is wild and not in a good way, meaning England are lacking an outball.

England need to narrow it up in possession when the Danes are pressing. Keep their defensive line high. Most importantly, press. It's been horrendous since the first goal. Kane needs to remain central to allow England an out.

Have liked watching the Danes. Some very neat one/two touch stuff with lovely triangles. Hojbjerg is briiliant. Wind and Rasmus looking dangerous up front. But they've been allowed into the game.

Too many misdirected passes...keep giving the ball away like this and you're just inviting trouble. HT came as a relief to England...let us see how they come back out.

Trent gets taken off after 53 minutes...why not do it straight away at half time?

Trent had actually shown some improvement going forward in the second half.

Can't pick Trent in cm again surely. Not even really his fault

Better from Foden, doesn't need to stick to the left touchline

They look like they have no clue what there supposed to be doing half the time. Then they're getting frustrated.

Danes are just a lot sharper and first to the punch.

Southgate has had six years with England and this is where they are.

Shearer appears to be confusing Kane with prime Michael Owen, asking him consistently to run in behind. I don't think Denmark would mind if Kane did that.

Interesting changes from Southgate. I wouldn't have taken Kane or Foden off.

To be fair to Shearer he called Watkins impact about 60 minutes ago

Denmark somehow not ahead, but they could have easily had three or four by now. Five minutes left.

Southgate has a lot to answer for but these are PL footballers that can't complete a pass

Absolutely dreadful to a man. As bad as any Southgate group fare. Can't continue like this. No urgency, no tempo, no life

Absolutely dreadful. Tactically wrong, team selection wrong, everything wrong.

The worst thing to ever happen to English football was beating Colombia in that shootout. If that doesn't happen, Southgate doesn't lead England through three tournaments of dirge. Southgate - the India job has come up, please take it, it's your level.

Very lucky to get a point. Outclassed for three quarters by Denmark. Bellingham anonymous. Trent, completely wrong to play him in centre mid when there's actual centre mids in the squad. And it's not as if this is the first game. Everyone could see it v Serbia. Yet Southgate couldn't. Why? Just like everyone could see the Danish equaliser coming...except Southgate.

Rice a mixed game. Some good defensive play, but equally a lot of errors. Stones, I'm starting to wonder whether he should start. He's so out of sharpness and so error strewn it's concerning. Guehi has been England's best player in these two games, but he was far too casual towards the end and nearly gifted the Danes a winner, though he just recovered. Hopefully that experience focuses him for further games. Trippier shouldn't be playing at LB. He offers nothing going forward, which isolates the wide midfielder, and his positional sense at LB is woeful. Sure, Shaw might not be fit, but there were other LBs to take. Why is Southgate obsessed with Tripper at LB?

Saka and Walker good, but faded. I think Walker's fitness was damaged just after the goal. Subs made little impact. Gallagher ran around like an idiot and nearly got himself sent off. Eze ineffectual. Watkins made one run which sent Shearer into heights of delirium, so I suppose there was that.

Overall, just slow, lethargic, no energy, no confidence. This is where Southgate has taken the best England squad of the century so far.

Danes much the better and should handle Serbia in the last game. Hojbjerg the MOTM for me, though Christensen was also strong in defence.

The only player in this team who doesn't receive the ball, stand still then pass backwards is pickford

Hopefully that is the "bad game" out of the way !

Heard of "winning ugly" but that is "drawing (very) ugly" . Still : 4 points with one to play and surely they can't play that badly again ?

Anyway that will give everyone with access to a laptop plenty of scope to produce their list of the essential changes required before the third match