CZE v ENG

[werthersoriginal]

As far as I can remember England have been a bit boring and disappointing in tournaments, with just the odd flash of excitement. I’m not sure it’s down to individual managers and players, seems to be something to do with our system or setup.

 

[bazzer9461]

You've forgotten the TWO friendlies behind closed doors against Peterborough, Tuesday's mega-announcement.

Never heard that

 

[m]

Disagree.

I think. Mount/Grealish/Sancho/Kane/Foden/Trent all look like they’re up there with the best in Europe, while playing at club level.

I respect your opinion on that, and hope that you are correct.

We've qualified for the 2nd round without so much as breaking a sweat - let's now test ourselves against the best of Europe.

 

[bazzer9461]

I respect your opinion on that, and hope that you are correct.

We've qualified for the 2nd round without so much as breaking a sweat - let's now test ourselves against the best of Europe.

That’s the problem we haven’t shown in any of the three matches so far that we could perform against any of our next potential opponents.

 

[m]

That’s the problem we haven’t shown in any of the three matches so far that we could perform against any of our next potential opponents.

You can only beat what's in front of you and we qualified with consumate ease.

Actually winning a Euros knockout game in open play is something that the vast majority of us have never seen anyway.

 

[horseman]

I struggle to see why some get so emotionally attached, people said we only beat a poor Croatia and if it was 3 or 4 last night we'd have got only beat a poor Czec side.

So many spend their time saying before a ball is kicked we wont beat France Germany Portugal etc so why be so pumped up when you're thought process is we wont get beyond the first Knockout game.

I said at the start of it all the clue with England is not to have expectations

 

[bazzer9461]

You can only beat what's in front of you and we qualified with consumate ease.

Actually winning a Euros knockout game in open play is something that the vast majority of us have never seen anyway.

But perform like we have done so far and we will be out in the next round

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

People also remember that Greece won it, and were dull as anything in doing so.

After not seeing an England team in a major tournament final in my lifetime, I'll take dull as long as it's coupled with winning. And in that respect it's so far, so good.

But I can't agree that footballing history only remembers function over form. It remembers both!

I’m pretty sure the Greek football fans didn’t care while they were having a party!!!

I agree with what you’re saying but I do think a team’s functionality, especially in the group stages, is quickly forgotten if they win a tournament.

 

[m]

But perform like we have done so far and we will be out in the next round

Like we always are anyway!

And, if we continue to not concede goals, we won't be beaten.

 

[holdsteady]

I think you have to win a tournament for the dull group stage to be forgotten, that ain’t likely to happen.

The current team are probably suffering from how easy it is to get out of the group stage in the euros now though, even if previous years had dull games there was always the tension of actually qualifying, we had qualified before kick off last night and the worst we could of done was second which may have led to an easier second round match anyway.

Said it before on here but the 24 team format used at the moment doesn’t work, 36 games to eliminate one third of the competition is ridiculous.

 

[bazzer9461]

Like we always are anyway!

And, if we continue to not concede goals, we won't be beaten.

But we are playing teams at least twice as better than what we’ve played and if our performance doesn’t improve at least 3 fold then it will be bye bye

 

[bashamwonderland]

I think the Daily Mail have got a little carried away, judging by their front page...
View attachment 6581

Crumpet.

Not sure about that England top though. Looks like a Wellesbourne market special.

 

[unification]

I think you have to win a tournament for the dull group stage to be forgotten, that ain’t likely to happen.

The current team are probably suffering from how easy it is to get out of the group stage in the euros now though, even if previous years had dull games there was always the tension of actually qualifying, we had qualified before kick off last night and the worst we could of done was second which may have led to an easier second round match anyway.

Said it before on here but the 24 team format used at the moment doesn’t work, 36 games to eliminate one third of the competition is ridiculous.

It's rubbish and the World Cup in 2026 will follow suit to 48 teams. That's pretty much 25% of FIFA members turning up for it. We're going to be treated to a load of crap games like Albania v El Salvador before we get into anything half decent.

If UEFA really want to give the smaller nations a leg up and find some more ways of making some moolah, don't mess around with the Euros which works well at 16 teams - expand the finals of the Nations League instead.

All of the group winners from Leagues A-D make the summer finals plus the two best performing League A sides not to finish top of their group. That gives you a 16 team mini-finals that can be straight knockout (I'd chuck some seeding in there too to at least strive for two League A sides playing each other in the final). The winning side will play no more than four matches so it fits into a neat two-week schedule well and it expands the current format which at present is like the Euros were from 1960-76 when only four teams qualified for the finals. You'd get a bit of novelty like Italy vs Faroe Islands, sure, but the later ties should be really competitive.

 

[m]

But we are playing teams at least twice as better than what we’ve played and if our performance doesn’t improve at least 3 fold then it will be bye bye

I'm sorry Bazzer but those numbers are just nonsense.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Like we always are anyway!

And, if we continue to not concede goals, we won't be beaten.

Unless we draw 0-0 and go out on penalties!

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Crumpet.

Actual squeal of amusement.

 

[m]

Unless we draw 0-0 and go out on penalties!

What, retire heroically undefeated you mean?!

 

[Paul Cannell]

Crumpet.

Not sure about that England top though. Looks like a Wellesbourne market special.

Actual squeal of amusement.

Yes, but I always think of 'totty snaps' in the Mail and at televised sports events as fruity girls, I'm sorry to be blunt but you find crumpet in the Sun and I dare say Daily Star. Poor show.

 

[horseman]

It's rubbish and the World Cup in 2026 will follow suit to 48 teams. That's pretty much 25% of FIFA members turning up for it. We're going to be treated to a load of crap games like Albania v El Salvador before we get into anything half decent.

If UEFA really want to give the smaller nations a leg up and find some more ways of making some moolah, don't mess around with the Euros which works well at 16 teams - expand the finals of the Nations League instead.

All of the group winners from Leagues A-D make the summer finals plus the two best performing League A sides not to finish top of their group. That gives you a 16 team mini-finals that can be straight knockout (I'd chuck some seeding in there too to at least strive for two League A sides playing each other in the final). The winning side will play no more than four matches so it fits into a neat two-week schedule well and it expands the current format which at present is like the Euros were from 1960-76 when only four teams qualified for the finals. You'd get a bit of novelty like Italy vs Faroe Islands, sure, but the later ties should be really competitive.

it's pretty much the way they went with the Champions league with Non event or non competitive games, the same sides pretty much always get through so it's all rather pointless. That you can "Fail" and yet still win the Europa League is a joke in itself, we all know that it's all money driven but the straight knockout that it used to be for actual Champions only at least gave merit to winning it.
International football has now gone down the same path and it's all going to turn into a borefest as they try and get more and more Minnows into the final stages, they introduced the Nations League to help produce more meaningful games instead of friendlies but are just pushing the non events into major tournaments

I personally wish they forget league format and have straight Knockout at least there's then a chance that teams might try to win and give hope of more entertainment.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Yes, but I always think of 'totty snaps' in the Mail and at televised sports events as fruity girls, I'm sorry to be blunt but you find crumpet in the Sun and I dare say Daily Star. Poor show.

I went out with a girl who did page 3 on a number of occasions, for over two years. It was dreadful in hindsight.

I often wonder what she thinks of Southgate’s reign as England manager. Would she favour the double pivot? What about Sancho?

Maybe she’s dead. I don’t know.