EURO 2020 Thread!
- Thread starter Jax
- Start date
Yep, once again we made it to the final of a major championship and took it to the death... oh.... wait...
To be honest, having seen some of the trouble that's been caused by English supporters, some of the racist abuse that's started on the black players and remembering the booing of the Danish national anthem last week I'm happy Italy won.
Footballs coming home? It probably took a quick look at the place and thought "no thanks!"
The guys that missed penalties can always expect some stick, especially Rashford, who's shot was just awful, but the knuckle dragging racist shit happening today is appalling.
I get that Rashford in particular attracts it by being such an absolutely fantastic human being and outspoken activist, but let's be honest, Southgate, not the players was at fault.
His continuing to pick Kane was one issue, with him not being fast or agile enough to play with some of the youngsters, and probably more crucially, his game management was poor. Substitutions in the second half could have turned the match around then, and putting players on in the closing minutes to take penalties "cold" looks to have backfired.
Having said that, Southgate continues to take us further than we've been for many years, he's intelligent and he's respected - I'm sure he'll learn lessons for next time. England are serious challengers now and an awful lot of that is down to him.
I get that Rashford in particular attracts it by being such an absolutely fantastic human being and outspoken activist, but let's be honest, Southgate, not the players was at fault.
His continuing to pick Kane was one issue, with him not being fast or agile enough to play with some of the youngsters, and probably more crucially, his game management was poor. Substitutions in the second half could have turned the match around then, and putting players on in the closing minutes to take penalties "cold" looks to have backfired.
Having said that, Southgate continues to take us further than we've been for many years, he's intelligent and he's respected - I'm sure he'll learn lessons for next time. England are serious challengers now and an awful lot of that is down to him.
Just despicable. As if any of the pathetic racist filth could have done any better - never mind when aged 23, 21 or 19. But people who lie down with slave traders and Nazis and other white supremacist arseholes will never see it that way. They've been too carefully taught.
It was great to see the England players immediately get around Saka, and Rashford will always be better than any of his detractors (not that that would be difficult, but still). Pity some of their own countrymen can't get on board.
Absolutely.
It comes from the top. Our so-called PM has suggested the people responsible for the abuse "should be ashamed of themselves" which is the sort of line your Mam would say after you got into a fight at school.
But, then, he doesn't want to upset these people as they all vote for him.
But, then, he doesn't want to upset these people as they all vote for him.
He only criticised the booing of taking the knee when he had no choice - he wouldn't earlier in the competition.
Then again, what can you expect from a festering piece of shit ?
Not that I'm in a country that's any better where racism is concerned.
There's a narrative that it's an English issue, but sadly we're hardly outliers. Football support is a refuge for ignorant violent scum wherever you go. Europe, Russia, South America...
I was talking about Pens and you knew that.
I'm guessing you don't know much about Italian football. Italy's domestic league is festering with open racism. There fans regularly chant Monkey noises at their own players and then when asked to stop they claim monkey noises aren't racist in Italy.
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Kiss goodbye to any chance of the UK/Ireland 2030 World Cup bid. The scenes last night and the fan behaviour from the Semi Final to the final has been nothing short of disgusting. This Country needs structural social change and we need to be honest about our unhealthy relationship with Alcohol, Drugs, Racism and Xenophobia.
Some of the so called 'fans' were disgusting. There is no place for racism. And I didn't like to hear that some English fans made fun of a crying German girl in the Internet (didn't want to look up that kind of hater-comments).
On the other hand: I didn't like how the Germans celebrated the 2014 World Cup title by making fun of Gauchos (the Gaucho-Dance-Song) either.
Losers of this tournament:
1. UEFA - 60.000 in a stadium without masks in a pandemic situation. A crying shame.
2. Haters, racists - 'nuff said'.
3. Eriksen's collapse and the team being forced to play later that day.
Congratulations to Italy!
On the other hand: I didn't like how the Germans celebrated the 2014 World Cup title by making fun of Gauchos (the Gaucho-Dance-Song) either.
Losers of this tournament:
1. UEFA - 60.000 in a stadium without masks in a pandemic situation. A crying shame.
2. Haters, racists - 'nuff said'.
3. Eriksen's collapse and the team being forced to play later that day.
Congratulations to Italy!
Pretty good game from a neutral's persepctive (although I must say I'm not at all unhappy about the result). On the whole Italy were the better team and deserved the win. Rough from Southgate, bringing Rashford and Sancho on at the death just to take penalties, but England can take a lot out of this event.
Good on you, Italy.
England definitely provided a lot of great memories and it's hard to say the tournament wasn't a success - but I'm not sure that I share the optimism for the future. I think if there was any tournament England were going to win, this was it. They benefited from home advantage and a fairly favourable route - this will not be the case in future tournaments. It's a crushing loss, and who knows how long it'll be before they're back at this stage? Unfortunately, progress isn't always linear.
I'll remember their run with fondness and I feel a greater sense of connection to the players on the squad (which is more than I can say about past teams), but I fear this was merely the ultimate "oh so near."
And the racism targeted at Rashford, Sancho, and Saka is, sadly, entirely predictable.
The England squad is the strongest on the planet bar none - it really is. However we need to learn a system for our best 11 because you can only play with 11 and not 23 in a match.
Pickford
Maguire
Stones
Trent
Walker
Trippier
James
Shaw
Chilwell
Rice
Bellingham
Foden
Mount
Sancho
Grealish
Sterling
Saka
Rashford
Kane
Greenwood
+ more youngsters in the pipeline.
Belgium will need to rebuild now
Spain & Germany are still rebuilding
Brazil and Argentina despite reaching the very poor Copa Tournament final are weaker than they have been in years
No major African or Asian force still
Italy, France & Portugal to an extent like England have young teams who will get better.
This decade is put up or shut up for England.
Pickford
Maguire
Stones
Trent
Walker
Trippier
James
Shaw
Chilwell
Rice
Bellingham
Foden
Mount
Sancho
Grealish
Sterling
Saka
Rashford
Kane
Greenwood
+ more youngsters in the pipeline.
Belgium will need to rebuild now
Spain & Germany are still rebuilding
Brazil and Argentina despite reaching the very poor Copa Tournament final are weaker than they have been in years
No major African or Asian force still
Italy, France & Portugal to an extent like England have young teams who will get better.
This decade is put up or shut up for England.
I hope you're right but the final really showed the gap in quality between England and the elite. Italy defended them with ease after the second minute. Bodies were constantly in the way of their attacks and they could never get that final ball through for a quality chance. This was uninspiring to see. The World Cup is only a year and a half away - let's hope they can continue to progress.
That's tactics and the fact we left ball playing players on the bench. Italy did little in the 1st half but the 2nd it was too much long ball from England. We can't play a 2 CM Pivot that cannot carry the ball/ Someone like Bellingham needs to be paired with one of Rice/Phillips and Foden/Mount need to share the CAM role. I also don't see why at times we can't go 4-3-3 with Foden, Mount and a CDM all playing together.
Sancho & Grealish are far more comfortable bringing the ball and Sterling is more adept at goal scoring than our other wingers.
Sancho & Grealish are far more comfortable bringing the ball and Sterling is more adept at goal scoring than our other wingers.