Semi-finals | Spain vs France | Netherlands vs England

Gareth really needs to have words with Harry about staying where he's needed or get him swapped for someone that will. Shaw for Trippier wouldn't hurt either. Can't see him changing it though, unfortunately.
 
where the feck has this England team been for most of the tournament?

Dutch can work the ball well at times but they're struggling badly in the midfield. Best they can hope for is to nick a goal and hang on for dear life. They're not winning this in extra time or penalties.
I'd argue this is actually the worst opponent of the ones they have faced because they don't play as compact as they should be given their relative lack of world beaters. No wonder LvG had almost the same team close up a lot more during the WC than Koeman does. He acts like he still has a Dutch team with half of them being WC.
 
Veerman, Schouten and Tijani have no business being starting midfielders in a European cup semifinals.

Well yeah, all their actual decent midfielders (De Jong, Koopmeiners, De Roon) are injured.
 
There were some fools on twitter saying Mainoo was just a sideways passing merchant. Almost as if they didn’t watch him for us.

Best England half in a while. The Dutch midfield and attack is so poor.
 
If England were a bit more solid at the back, this game wouldnt be a contest. As is, they look like conceding a chance every time the Dutch manage to enter their half
 
Could someone explain what Bellingham is good at? Not seeing anything from him this tournament.
 
That’s just as much as a foul on aKe and should be a pen going by the earlier decision
. Pushed him after he’d played the ball

Holland should have had 2 penalties going by standard set by the Kane decision.
 
Dominant performance from the best international team in Europe. Netherlands lucky not to see a red for the studs up challenge in the box.
 
This is the most over reactionary place in history, for the last couple of games it was Foden, now Bellingham and Kane. They've been fine ffs... can't win every game 4or 5-0. Foden and Mainoo have been excellent, Saka good and Belligham and Kane alright. Not everything is a 1/10 or a 10/10. Tactically England have been very good. Missing a left footed left wingback (Shaw would be nice). Unlucky not to have at least a 2-1 lead.
 
This system gets the 2 10s and Mainoo on the ball in good positions, very good so far.
 
He’s looked fine - growing in confidence with the Dutch giving him all the space in the world - but he’s being purred about like he’s putting on some unreal, would class performance.

The ITV commentators are way over the top with him but he's finding the space well enough; it's not a gift.
 
My dislike for Southgate and England's national team being seriously challenged by my love for Mainoo here
 
Holland should have had 2 penalties going by standard set by the Kane decision.

And this is the issue with giving such a daft pen. Every decision looks worse after it.

England deserve to win this so far but that pen was atrocious
 
Best we’ve played so far, therefore we’ll no doubt lose after using up all our luck to get here.
 
This is the most over reactionary place in history, for the last couple of games it was Foden, now Bellingham and Kane. They've been fine ffs... can't win every game 4or 5-0. Foden and Mainoo have been excellent, Saka good and Belligham and Kane alright. Not everything is a 1/10 or a 10/10. Tactically England have been very good. Missing a left footed left wingback (Shaw would be nice). Unlucky not to have at least a 2-1 lead.
Kane has been terrible. He's clearly carrying an injury because he's lethargic as feck.
 
Absolutely loving watching Mainoo and Foden linking up. (Stockport lads). But I’ve been fixated on Mainoo, just watch his positional awareness and movement. His passing is hard, low, controlled to feet, my god we have a superstar on our hands. He’s so enjoyable to watch.
 
England the more dominant side yet I think Holland have more of a goal in them. Their attacks are more direct.
 
Actually, credit where it’s due, that was a good 1st half from the team against strong opposition. Foden and Mainoo are having great games today, best players on the pitch.

The penalty was a harsh one. I imagine they have looked at the high foot and studs up and felt that it was an inappropriate challenge for the ball.
 
England have been generally quite shit at this tournament but I think they’ve been pretty good tonight