UEFA Euro 24

[Count Steer]

I watched some of it. Lots of pretty triangles in their own half, pull the opposition around a bit, put the ball forward eventually - and get swamped by a packed defence.

(Don't remember seeing much of the opposition, with the ball, in the England half).

Tournament football innit? Instead of 'win at all costs' it's 'don't lose at all costs'. I confidently predict many penalty shoot-outs after 0-0 and 1-1 scorelines.

PS Haven't checked but didn't England top their group? If so, job jobbed.

[Taipan]

Yes, lack lustre performance, but the job is jobbed.

[Yambo]

Fear of losing possession is massive. (Southgate)

Maybe.

The England players first instinct is to pass the ball backwards. The only player who this doesn't apply to is the goalkeeper and he just punts the ball into the opponents half and 8/10 times gives away possession.

It's shit.

[Count Steer]

Fear of losing possession is massive. (Southgate)

Maybe.

The England players first instinct is to pass the ball backwards. The only player who this doesn't apply to is the goalkeeper and he just punts the ball into the opponents half and 8/10 times gives away possession.

I don't remember seeing the England keeper hoof the ball forward at all. He seemed to play a hybrid role of keeper/extra defender most of the time. Lots of the time they played the ball to his feet and he passed it out to another player without picking it up.

[Pirahna]

Lots of the time they played the ball to his feet and he passed it out to another player without picking it up.

That's because he's not allowed to pick it up from a pass.

[Count Steer]

Lots of the time they played the ball to his feet and he passed it out to another player without picking it up.

That's because he's not allowed to pick it up from a pass.

But they seem to be allowed to tap it around a bit in their area and then pick it up (and hoof it).

There were times when he was doing the triangles thing outside his area too.

(Hoofing the ball upfield seems a reasonable approach after thwarting an attack as that seems to be the only time a defensive team has less than 11 players in their own half!).

[Yambo]

Fear of losing possession is massive. (Southgate)

Maybe.

The England players first instinct is to pass the ball backwards. The only player who this doesn't apply to is the goalkeeper and he just punts the ball into the opponents half and 8/10 times gives away possession.

I don't remember seeing the England keeper hoof the ball forward at all. He seemed to play a hybrid role of keeper/extra defender most of the time. Lots of the time they played the ball to his feet and he passed it out to another player without picking it up.

I haven't based my observations and comments on just one game.

The keeper can pick up the ball it it comes off an opposition player or if one of his own team heads the ball back to him.

[DefTrap]

I think some people need to watch more football before being over-critical.

'My' club team has had one of the most exciting season that I can remember for a long time. They've been on the wrong end of some real thrashings and been involved in numerous high-scoring nailbiters with winning and losing goals being scored in the last few minutes. Overall though it's been a poor season, forgettable in terms of results, some players and the manager have not fulfillled their promise, their wages, have often been accused of being clueless. Other teams that have been steadier and less chaotic have done better.

Winning the group and looking reasonably comfortable, avoiding the trickier half of the draw and without any sendings off, really dodgy decisions or terrible injuries is pretty much bang on.

[Dodgy69]

That's one way of looking at it and some might say, the important way. Personally, I think the group's should be a random pick, if all the best play each other in a group, so be it, might have some different winners.

[weeksy]

I think some people need to watch more football before being over-critical.

'My' club team has had one of the most exciting season that I can remember for a long time. They've been on the wrong end of some real thrashings and been involved in numerous high-scoring nailbiters with winning and losing goals being scored in the last few minutes. Overall though it's been a poor season, forgettable in terms of results, some players and the manager have not fulfillled their promise, their wages, have often been accused of being clueless. Other teams that have been steadier and less chaotic have done better.

Winning the group and looking reasonably comfortable, avoiding the trickier half of the draw and without any sendings off, really dodgy decisions or terrible injuries is pretty much bang on.

I'd rather they go out losing 6-5 than a 0-0,0-0,0-0 and win it on penalties.

Football (and all sports) is as much about entertainment as it is results, this football team are not entertaining in any way shape or form. It's dull beyond words, lacking in passion, pace, effort. It just looks like a disjointed bunch of people who have no idea what the sport is.

[Yorick]

I think some people need to watch more football before being over-critical.

Experts without knowing simple rules of the game

[Whysub]

Winning the group and looking reasonably comfortable, avoiding the trickier half of the draw and without any sendings off, really dodgy decisions or terrible injuries is pretty much bang on.

It's not the first time England have gone through the first round and avoided the trickier half at the knockout stage.

I do wonder if this was part of Southgates plan, as playing decent football hasn't been evident.

And no red cards for any team (yet).

[DefTrap]

I'd rather they go out losing 6-5 than a 0-0,0-0,0-0 and win it on penalties.

Football (and all sports) is as much about entertainment as it is results, this football team are not entertaining in any way shape or form. It's dull beyond words, lacking in passion, pace, effort. It just looks like a disjointed bunch of people who have no idea what the sport is.

True, but continued loss albeit in an exciting manner is not sustainable under the scrutiny of the media. A 6-5 loss and out of the competition would likely be the end of the road for the manager and potentially some of the squad.

[Count Steer]

It'd be interesting to ask the Geordies whether the entertainment under Kevin Keegan outweighed the ultimate demise of their bid for glory.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I do wonder if this was part of Southgates plan, as playing decent football hasn't been evident.

"Let's play terrible football, it's the last thing they'll be expecting!"

'cept this in England, so they probably expect that

[Bustaspoke]

I think some people need to watch more football before being over-critical.

Experts without knowing simple rules of the game

After watching that dirge of a match between France & Netherlands the other night up to the point were the goal got disallowed I concluded that I don't know the rules anymore & stopped watching

[Dodgy69]

I'd rather they go out losing 6-5 than a 0-0,0-0,0-0 and win it on penalties.

Football (and all sports) is as much about entertainment as it is results, this football team are not entertaining in any way shape or form. It's dull beyond words, lacking in passion, pace, effort. It just looks like a disjointed bunch of people who have no idea what the sport is.

True, but continued loss albeit in an exciting manner is not sustainable under the scrutiny of the media. A 6-5 loss and out of the competition would likely be the end of the road for the manager and potentially some of the squad.

I bloody hope so.

[Yorick]

Group E was bloody close

Screenshot_20240626_193254_Samsung Internet.jpg (177.34 KiB) Viewed 128 times

[Pirahna]

Group E was bloody close

I watched Belgium/Ukraine this evening whilst waiting for wifey, for a 0-0 draw it was entertaining.

[KungFooBob]

This Georgia vs Portugal game is great!

I'm only watching it because I've got Georgia in the sweepstake. I can't believe they're winning, Portugal have all the possession and a million shots on goal.