Euro 2024

[Durhamfootman]

England guaranteed to go through even if they lose to Slovenia, as 3rd place in groups A and B are on less than 4 points.

oh crumbs..... don't even mention losing to Slovenia. The way England are playing, I wouldn't rule it out

I actually think England will win reasonably comfortably and suddenly the papers and the pundits will have them down as world beaters who can't possibly fail to win the cup, only to then watch them get knocked out 1-0 at the first time of asking by a team like Turkey, Hungary or Austria

Blimey.... it's almost as if it's happened before, many times

[bigfluffylemon]

Surely not, dfm

[sussexpob]

10 minutes of added time and Italy score at the end of it, even though 8 minutes (a lot) were supposed to be added

I have absolutely no idea why there was so much injury time at the end. There was no injuries in the game that I can remember, and while there was a VAR decision it was done quickly.

There was the same injury time added to the Hungary game where someone was seriously injured and needed urgent and lengthy medical attention.

As you say, interesting it always happens like this with certain bigger sides.

Either way, the equalising goal was

[mikesiva]

Austria 3-2 Netherlands
France 1-1 Poland

Austria top
France second
Netherlands third with four points.

[sussexpob]

Sack Southgate and just make the manager an AI droid who created tactics and team talks on Chat GPT

[bigfluffylemon]

That was predictably crap.

[Gingerfinch]

Some positives

Mainoo looked good and will start on Sunday
Palmer was impressive when he came on. Looks to try something different and what he did do, generally worked.
I thought Foden looked lively and for me has to come into the middle. For Bellingham?

[mikesiva]

England 0-0 Slovenia
Denmark 0-0 Serbia

Is there a goal drought going on in this group?

[Durhamfootman]

I think (only think) that this was the first group at the Euro's which ended with 5 draws from 6 matches. The first time a Euro's group has ended with no team scoring more than one goal in a match

I'm glad I didn't watch it and I'm not remotely surprised that it was another hopeless England performance

They have avoided Germany, France, Spain and Portugal and can only meet them in a final, but that is small comfort, because England couldn't beat the South Pelaw under 11's the way things are going

As it stands, it looks like a last 16 match against the Netherlands, but that could change tonight if (I think) the Czech Republic beat Turkey

[Durhamfootman]

All the signs are that Sir G is going to tackle his completely unbalanced system by keeping it, blaming TAA for its failings and replacing him with Gallagher

and next match he's going to keep it, blame TAA and Gallagher and replace them both with Mainoo

[Durhamfootman]

then hook Mainoo early in the second half and replace him with Wharton

[Gingerfinch]

All the signs are that Sir G is going to tackle his completely unbalanced system by keeping it, blaming TAA for its failings and replacing him with Gallagher

and next match he's going to keep it, blame TAA and Gallagher and replace them both with Mainoo

Gallagher was shocking and Mainoo looked comfortable in possession, unlike Gallagher and Bellingham, who was arguably our worst player last night.

[Durhamfootman]

Belgium are playing like a team that remembered what happened 6 years ago when they beat England in a game neither side wanted to win and ended up on the rock hard half of the KO draw

If they beat Ukraine tonight they'll almost certainly top their group and end up facing France in the last 16 with Spain, Germany and Portugal waiting. A draw should put them in England's easy half.

Some of these attempts on goal have looked very half hearted to me although I've only been watching for 20 mins, so perhaps I'm being unfair. Lose, of course, and they could finish bottom

[Durhamfootman]

Belgium, Slovakia and Romania know that as things stand they're all going through. They have no incentive to do anything other than see their games out

If Ukraine score against Belgium, they'll all suddenly sh1t themselves and start playing furiously

[Durhamfootman]

Belgium get a corner and play it all the way back to the keeper, Ukraine attack, Belgium break 3 on 2, Lukaku deliberately runs into an offside position so that he doesn't have a decision to make and the bloke with the ball fires wide from outside the box. Then Ukraine nearly score. Belgium are playing a very dangerous game.

I suppose Slovakia and Romania know that they are through regardless, because if Ukraine score it'll be Belgium who crash out