Hard to care, football is dying a slow death. This tournament has been a disgrace as a spectacle
Semi-finals | Spain vs France | Netherlands vs England
- Thread starter top1whoisman
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They haven't come up against Sir Gareth yet. They had a good run but unfortunately it's over now.
They weren't unlucky , they basically chose it. Had they lost against Swiss they would have beaten England today.
Not exactly optimistic with Southgate but England got past a better side than the Netherlands today. As a United fan, it’s hard to take seriously a team that fields Depay and Weghorst.
Beaten or soundly knocked out on penalties?!
England will beat us I think. 70-30 England.
Hey, what happened the last time we met them in the Euros?
Is that how it was in real time? Was their group not the first to be decided ?
Both of their attacks have to improve a lot to get that scoreline.
Some of the crosses from Çalhanoğlu (aka one of the best in the world at this) and Güler were fantastic. I doubt England are going to be close to replicating that as 1) you're relying a lot on Saka/Trippier on getting space beyond Ake and Dumfries 2) it means England playing higher tempo football, which would mean they will be susceptible to counters and 4) it will be Kane and probably Bellingham against VVD and de Vrij.
Turkey were successful because they pushed to the hilt when given space and played with speed and determination between the boxes on top of having a world class crosser. England have shown they've done that maybe a total of 30 mins all tournament.
Stranger things have happened but I will be very surprised if England open up Netherlands via good crossing.
Spain-France 1-1 Dembele to win it in ET
England-Netherlands 1-5 VVD with a hattrick
England-Netherlands 1-5 VVD with a hattrick
It will be 0-0 and go to pens with the theme of the tournament
Sir Gareth the Horrible.
I'm not I was praying Turkey would beat them,was gutted when they turned it around as fear they have now found their mojo.
If "that blonde man" persists with Depay as main striker then England win.
Extra time or penalties.
Extra time or penalties.
If England do another extra-time they'll have played 360 minutes in the knockouts which is basically like playing a whole extra game. Doesn't bode well for the final if they get there but if France make it over Spain, England stand a chance since France are even more goal-shy.
Spain would kill this static and tired England team with Yamal and Nico running between the lines.
Spain would kill this static and tired England team with Yamal and Nico running between the lines.
These Euro's started off so well with a lot of goals then, with the knock-outs, everybody went into park the bus mode. Just terrible.
Well no… France are not innate, defensive geniuses as a collective… what they are, however, is a bunch of supreme athletes with a level of collective athleticism I can’t recall seeing in another NT, who will drain and stifle a game and can turn it on its head in a moment.Indeed. I find this France team extremely unappealing and a representation of most of what is wrong about football today. They're like what Mayweather is to boxing.
OTOH, they have the only players in the tournament that are campaigning against the far right so maybe it's good they win. I don't know anymore.
Spain are going into the game having played the most aesthetically pleasing football of the tournament and they are going to have to play their absolute best football of the entire tournament to not only get ahead, but stay ahead of France once they intensify in the 2nd half. Yamal won’t last a full game; they don’t have Pedri and Williams is going to fade in the latter stages because of the physical exertion and sheer effort of tackling so many hard runners. In other words, Spain need a couple of goals early, or France will drain and suffocate them systematically and reap dividends later in the game if Spain don’t have a goal buffer to try and see out the game with.
Since you used a boxing analogy, I’d say it’s like a skilled lighter fighter vs a clumsier fighter who is 3 weight classes up; the light fighter will look great with the pitter patter and skill, but the heavier one won’t be as perturbed or bothered by the blows and will club that pretty boy a few times and take the life out of him deeper into the fight. With Morata up top, David’s proverbial slingshot will be firing feathers at Goliath, even if the latter is getting smacked squarely in between the eyes.
It’ll take an incredible performance from Spain to triumph over this shithouse French side, imo. They’re against the clock to get the job done with two wingers playing against the clock and a rubbish striker in between them. On one hand they have to be considered regarding energy management, but on the other, to really affect the game, they need a couple of goals to render the vast athletic disparity redundant… should be a fascinating game to watch, given the factors.
Good analogy that.
If England do make the final i’d fancy them more against Spain than France as I think there would be more space for the counter. France would out England England.
Not that I think they’d beat either, but they’d have more chance against Spain.
Can see them having a good game against the Dutch too as they are more open. Braindead, cautious England can’t handle teams that sit in and haven’t ever been able to.
I’d rather France than Spain should we get to the final, tbh. France’s shithouse football is our wheelhouse, whilst that technical, fast paced possession football is befuddling to Southgate and English sides in general - I can see England being a lot more comfortable and familiar vs this France than this Spain, personally.
Having said that, Walker and Shaw are very good bets vs wingers, and at least Spain would have to be more centralised, going through the middle of the pitch. They may well be able to work the ball towards goal through the heart of the pitch, but their potency once there is dulled via their striking options, so… and their defence really isn’t all that, so who knows? But instinctively, I think France, for all their athleticism, have very little creativity or incisiveness, which is the better fit for England. England are also by far the better matchup to France in terms of athletic prowess, so I don’t think they can win through via that avenue alone vs England as opposed to Spain.
Oh, and the Rodri X-factor is to be avoided at all costs, as he can turn the game through the heart of midfield by himself.
Regarding sitting. You can easily envisage Southgate playing to nick both games or play for penalties. If the opposition sit, so too will England. Gladly.
We'll smash England 4-0 then bring on Nigel de Jong in the final against Spain and they'll collectively run off the pitch in terror.
I think with the sitting France would be more likely to nick one than England, not based on much, but just a feeling I have. The English defence are far more likely to make a mistake.
Agree on Spain, I think if shaw and walker play they match up well against the biggest threats from Spain and even Rice is made for this game with the space he occupies. If Spain come central they lose a lot, especially if Morata doesn’t play.
Genuinely think France might beat Spain though, the Carvajal shaped hole at right back looks a massive opportunity for Mbappe.
I’ve been writing you off all tournament
So I should wish you well….That’s true, but it’s unavoidable. You also have the Mbappé factor; even if he’s been poor this tournament, in a one off game, you wouldn’t bet against him pulling something out of his bag.
I think France beat Spain.
Now I kinda want him to score the winner in the last second of the match.
I said earlier in the tournament that it is written in the stars that Weghorst plays like a god against England and puts us to the sword. Probably in the “easy half of the draw” thread. It’s obvious what’s going to happen now; loads of chat about Weghorst being a donkey and he’ll score the winner.
Shaw being back should be huge for England. You'd imagine he'll come off the bench against the Netherlands, but should be fine to start the final if we do make it.
Fair, agree with that.
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The dutch saved us from the turks hopefully they can save us from the brits too.
France finished second, behind Austria.
That’s why they have such a hard way until the final.
I am dreading at the prospect of an Anglofrench final. I am going to order some eye drops just in case.
All England have to do is make it past extra time and win it on penalties. It’s our specialty now.
France will bore Spain to death, win on penalties without having one decent chance in 120 minutes. England will bore the Dutch to death and win after 120 with a Bellingham header in the 118th minute. We will then go and witness the worst final of all times with both teams not breaking the 10 goal shots combined in 90 minutes. Of course it will go to over time and either France or England will win on penalties but at this point no one but their own fans are actually going to be watching anymore because the rest of us is going to be asleep or passed out drunk by then.
England has the better individual players. But they underperform as a team.
I think Holland has played the slightly better football thus far. Will be an interested game!
I think Holland has played the slightly better football thus far. Will be an interested game!
Holland are comfortably the more cohesive side, with and without the ball, compared to England.
England still look incoherent in comparison. Too many confusing and frustrating elements in thier game.
The balance in the side still looks way off and that's not really a surprise when you see the personnel in the midfield and forward positions.
I don’t think Rice, Mainoo and Jude works. I think individually their talent is doing just enough to get them through but the spaces between the 3 are evident. They're not air tight. They all want to do thier own thing.
I think a real lack of communication is hurting England here, also uptop too.
Then you have that odd left side set up with Trippier and Foden that is clunky as hell. I have sympathy with both. Neither are left sided players but they've been shoehorned over there due to reputation and piss poor management. And Foden has been given licence to roam at times and he invariably ends up centrally or wide right, congesting both areas which makes literally no sense.
Shaws introduction gave us some much needed balance though. Hooray.
Saka has been England's consistent bright spark. His game is simple.
Southgate has, as of yet, managed to leave the right side attack untouched. Brilliant.
Though the RB spot needs to be given back to Trippier or TAA. Walker has been severely underwhelming.
But, going back to one of England's midfield issues, communication is lacking throughout the side at times.
Due to the unbalanced nature of the team, that's hardly surprising.
The fans and players alike seem equally frustrated and equally confused.
England still look incoherent in comparison. Too many confusing and frustrating elements in thier game.
The balance in the side still looks way off and that's not really a surprise when you see the personnel in the midfield and forward positions.
I don’t think Rice, Mainoo and Jude works. I think individually their talent is doing just enough to get them through but the spaces between the 3 are evident. They're not air tight. They all want to do thier own thing.
I think a real lack of communication is hurting England here, also uptop too.
Then you have that odd left side set up with Trippier and Foden that is clunky as hell. I have sympathy with both. Neither are left sided players but they've been shoehorned over there due to reputation and piss poor management. And Foden has been given licence to roam at times and he invariably ends up centrally or wide right, congesting both areas which makes literally no sense.
Shaws introduction gave us some much needed balance though. Hooray.
Saka has been England's consistent bright spark. His game is simple.
Southgate has, as of yet, managed to leave the right side attack untouched. Brilliant.
Though the RB spot needs to be given back to Trippier or TAA. Walker has been severely underwhelming.
But, going back to one of England's midfield issues, communication is lacking throughout the side at times.
Due to the unbalanced nature of the team, that's hardly surprising.
The fans and players alike seem equally frustrated and equally confused.
Just looking at this, for Group A the scheduled matches for 1st and 2nd were:
1st: R16 - 2nd Group C, QF - 1st Group B
2nd: R16 - 2nd Group B, QF - 1st Group C
So no advantage to finishing 1st at all in terms of level of scheduled opponents. Contrast that with England’s group:
1st: R16 - 3rd Group E, QF - 2nd Group A/B
2nd: R16 - 1st Group A, QF - 1st Group B
Another reason I’d say why the 24 team format is problematic.
I don't know, I think people have overrated Switzerland slightly. They're a well organised side but they're still plucky underdogs against the big boys of international football. I always thought England would scrape past them in extra time or penalties. Southgate is an expert at getting unconvincing wins against teams with worse players.
Netherlands are a far more difficult prospect in my opinion. Unlike Switzerland they have players who are better than their English counterparts and they're in good form.
I agree. Switzerland are a tournament 'form' side, a bit like Denmark or Cameroon in 1990.
The Dutch should prove more difficult but are hardly a ripe vintage themselves. Their contingency plans consist of 'lump Weghorst on' and they are missing three key midfielders. Outplayed by Austria.
England should be overwhelming favourites in these circumstances but Southgate being Southgate, it's all up in the air.
Hope to good gosh Spain beat France, also, as it would mean an end to Deschamps and his negative nonsense. Whereas England have excelled in an easier side of the draw, France have been downright fortunate.
Their game versus Portugal put me off the sport.
As a neutral I really hope Holland and Spain get to final. England and France games have been just the worst to watch, if they meet in a final a black hole will open up and swallow the sport.
I just don’t get England at all. So many quality players , probably similar to France who have looked very poor. I thought Portuguese were better team in that tie, France offered little but quick counter to fast lads and hope there’s a moment.
With England, I mean they’ve a vast amount of talent, attacking talent in particular and they completely waste it. I’d drop Kane and have a more fluid frontline , ala pool or City (when they didn’t have a decent striker).
I think the Kane type CF stifles quality and team play when you have such an array of attacking quality in so many other areas.
Ironic if Southgate wins a trophy. Only in the job cause the first choice of the morons in the FA got caught in a sting operation. He also comes across as a very humble manager, none of the annoying brash English undeserving confidence and as such I’ve a bit of a soft spot for him. He’s made England team a not really dislikable bunch, which in itself is a miracle.
I also remember the abuse he got from the usual toxic w*nkstain English tabloids when he missed the peno against the Germans in 1996. England really is one of the worst for tearing down players/managers, treating them like sh*t and then forgetting it as soon as the wind changes.