Off Topic Euro “2020” Discussion Thread

[Rich]

Don’t think I’ve ever been so gutted after a half of football 😂

[FuddledFox]

Who would have thought that England couldn’t defend a 1 nil lead for 85 minutes 🙄

[Antonie]

I thought he would go get the 2nd goal after they guys the bus🧐

[broodje kip]

On 08/07/2021 at 14:23, broodje kip said:

Brilliant one @Rob but I have to say one thing unfortunately,

IT’S COMING TO ROME!!

Predicted this before.

Pickford and Maguire were good today. Shame with those shit penalties 

[Dai_]

Seriously can't imagine how sick you English must be feeling. Unlucky.

This might be a debate for when it's settled down a bit but I think Southgate got it wrong tonight.

[Woody]

Gutted but proud of the lads.

Just abit short in the end. Penalties werent great....cant stand those stupid run ups.

But why oh why wasn't Jorginho sent off....fucking dirty tackle on Grealish!!

[Ashez]

Southgate has done well but his cautiousness caught up with us tonight. Way too slow to react, Henderson should have been on the second Italy got in control in the second half, we shouldn't have tried to see it out, we shouldn't have dropped off in the first half when we were in control and those final subs should of happened earlier. 

However.....Those penalties? Now that's absolutely pathetic. Yet again senior pros are nowhere to be seen as we send teenagers and players that have hardly kicked a ball up for a penalty while experienced pros get to hide! I wasn't comfortable with Maguire but he took the best of the lot, but Saka never looked comfortable and the others the second you stop the run you're fucked. 

I didn't want Hendo to take a penalty for selfish LFC reasons but if he wasn't injured and that was a tactical sub for a penalty questions have to be asked. As Hendo should be taking one, as should Grealish. Tbf I don't think Kane should have been on the pitch as long as he was but fair play to him for stepping up and taking the first. If Sterling wasn't taking one he should have been off at the end of FT too. I love Saka, I think he's brilliant and I really wanted us to sign him last year but what's the crack with Sancho and Grealish this tournament?

Massive shout-out to Pickford as well, I don't really rate him but this tournament he's been extremely mature, less rash and looked solid with a quality shootout showing. 

[Plimmerz92]

Sorry I'm saying what I feel is true. Even Roy Keane said it. Why is Sterling or grealish not stepping up before saka and sancho???? Finger goes to one man and one man alone. Gareth. Well done to the lads they done us proud tho. But Southgate seriously made an error that cost us this euro. I feel real bad for saka he should never of been given that type of responsibility at his age! Well done tho lads done us proud!!!

[Plimmerz92]

46 minutes ago, Dai_ said:

Seriously can't imagine how sick you English must be feeling. Unlucky.

This might be a debate for when it's settled down a bit but I think Southgate got it wrong tonight.

Southgate may aswel of stood on podium and handed them the cup. A REALLY dick move making youngsters take your pens above seniors and experience. He made alot of bad moves tonight ALOT.

[Ashez]

Saka's already been swamped with racial abuse. The fact it's Sako that's trending on twitter and not Saka says it all. Absolutely disgusting, and while the fans are obviously to blame management and senior pros who bottled it put this on him. 

England fans as expected have let us down today! The trouble in the afternoon, raiding Wembley and now attacking players. 

Just now, Plimmerz92 said:

Southgate may aswel of stood on podium and handed them the cup. A REALLY dick move making youngsters take your pens above seniors and experience. He made alot of bad moves tonight ALOT.

I don't think he should be sacked but he has to learn from this. As I said above he got alot wrong and didn't take advantage of the wonderful opportunity the first half and ET gave us. 

[Ian]

England not good enough in truth. Don’t get he wrong, they could’ve won so it’s not like they’re miles away but ultimately there can be no complaints as Italy were by far the better team especially considering they were the away team.

Lots of talk now about how this team will be there or thereabouts for the next decade but I’m not seeing that personally.

Not beating on Gareth though as the decisions regarding the late subs and penalty takers could easily have gone the other way so it’s just how it goes.

Ultimately the team just isn’t quite good enough as i said at the start so you’re relying on that little bit of luck.

[Plimmerz92]

2 minutes ago, Ian said:

England not good enough in truth. Don’t get he wrong, they could’ve won so it’s not like they’re miles away but ultimately there can be no complaints as Italy were by far the better team especially considering they were the away team.

Lots of talk now about how this team will be there or thereabouts for the next decade but I’m not seeing that personally.

Not beating on Gareth though as the decisions regarding the late subs and penalty takers could easily have gone the other way so it’s just how it goes.

Ultimately the team just isn’t quite good enough as i said at the start so you’re relying on that little bit of luck.

Agreed there is a little bit of luck. But flip the coin. Mancini seen it wasn't working for Italy immediately switched things up. And got it working like a gem. Italy deserved the win. Gareth just sat there itching his head wondering what non earth he should do next? England team did everything they could fair play to the lads. I don't think I've ever said this before so this Deffo a first lol. Manager bottled it.

[samhardy]

Well done to Italy. Best team in the tournament from start to finish, fully deserved winners.

People who stutter in their run up, do the conga and then just pass the ball to the keeper trying to “send him the wrong way” when taking a penalty do my head in though and deserve everything they get when they miss. Just fucking wallop it.

[Plimmerz92]

1 minute ago, samhardy said:

Well done to Italy. Best team in the tournament from start to finish, fully deserved winners.

People who stutter in their run up, do the conga and then just pass the ball to the keeper trying to “send him the wrong way” when taking a penalty do my head in though and deserve everything they get when they miss. Just fucking wallop it.

A geordie and a mackam agree on something!! Lol wallop it!!!

[Scratch]

With the penalty takers, surely it wasn't Southgate saying to the more senior players "sorry, you're not going to take one" and more those players saying "sorry, not feeling it guv"... 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Scratch

[Scratch]

Oh, I'm just watching Southgate say that it was his call and his call alone who took the pens...

Edit - unless he's just protecting the lads...

Edited July 11, 2021 by Scratch

[Rob]

7 hours ago, Plimmerz92 said:

Sorry I'm saying what I feel is true. Even Roy Keane said it. Why is Sterling or grealish not stepping up before saka and sancho???? Finger goes to one man and one man alone. Gareth. Well done to the lads they done us proud tho. But Southgate seriously made an error that cost us this euro. I feel real bad for saka he should never of been given that type of responsibility at his age! Well done tho lads done us proud!!!

Southgate helped get us to the final. If he made an error, it was his error that he earnt the right to make. Besides, we all have opinions on players and tactics that we think are right - that’s the beauty of football. 

Italy are just a better team. Sometimes we have to accept that in football.

[Ashez]

6 hours ago, Scratch said:

Oh, I'm just watching Southgate say that it was his call and his call alone who took the pens...

Edit - unless he's just protecting the lads...

Tad late to start protecting them now.

28 minutes ago, Rob said:

Italy are just a better team. Sometimes we have to accept that in football.

We were the better team for the first half but we dropped off. We should have killed the game then but we had what one shot being the goal? Second half it was clear Italy were getting a foothold but he doesn't make a sub until they've got the goal back. We were looking tired yet he takes hours to make a sub? Sterling, Mount and Kane especially looked knackard and were on too long, obviously I get keeping Kane for pens but Italy took control by basically changing their front line and it's not like we don't have quality in reserve. 

[Scratch]

2 minutes ago, Ashez said:

Tad late to start protecting them now.

I meant as in IF Raheem said "I'm too scared to take it boss" and Southgate said "Okay, who wants to take a shot" and Saka said "I'll do it!", then Southgate might be saying it was his call alone to protect Raheem. He's not the sort to say "oh yeah, Raheem chickened out". Mourinho probably would, but not Southgate. 

Of course it might not have been that scenario. I just personally find it really hard to believe he would have told Raheem he couldn't take one if Raheem wanted to. I feel like Raheem must have said he'd prefer not to at some point in the last day or two. 

[YungGaffer]

It's so sad to hear people call them Heroes when they do the nation proud but 💩 when they make mistakes.

WIN, LOSE OR DRAW, STAND BEHIND THEM

[Ashez]

2 minutes ago, Scratch said:

I meant as in IF Raheem said "I'm too scared to take it boss" and Southgate said "Okay, who wants to take a shot" and Saka said "I'll do it!", then Southgate might be saying it was his call alone to protect Raheem. He's not the sort to say "oh yeah, Raheem chickened out". Mourinho probably would, but not Southgate. 

Of course it might not have been that scenario. I just personally find it really hard to believe he would have told Raheem he couldn't take one if Raheem wanted to. I feel like Raheem must have said he'd prefer not to at some point in the last day or two. 

Don't get me wrong none of these players we think should have took one actually have a penalty record of note, I think Sterling has took a handful and only scored one or something, similar with Grealish. But they're experienced pros and not the two youngest players in the squad FFS. Even if Sterling didn't want it there are other options, in theory you only need 5, 4 after Kane and in that entire squad only the two kids had the bollocks? The Hendo sub still completely baffles me. He's the most experienced player there, the only one to keep his medal on and respect it. The one doing the team talk in every huddle you see but sub him for kids? I dunno if that was planned or what and Hendo couldn't refuse the sub but it's a baffling look. Especially when Phillips could have easily been replaced as he obviously wasn't in the penalty plans either. 

[Ashez]

[Woody]

If you have the bottle to step on to a pitch and play for England then have the balls to take a penalty. Do you think a 19year old Rooney would of taken one? Course he would of. Just shit bad luck at the end of the day.

Football is game of opinions and we all have them. Some right some wrong and we learn from them. We have a good squad but we need to capitalise more on the good work and stop this sitting on the 18 yard box crap because it was like watching Newcastle in that 2nd half!!

[samhardy]

7 minutes ago, Woody said:

If you have the bottle to step on to a pitch and play for England then have the balls to take a penalty. Do you think a 19year old Rooney would of taken one? Course he would of. Just shit bad luck at the end of the day.

Agreed with this. Age or tournament experience has absolutely nothing to do with it, if age was an issue then he wouldn’t be in the squad in the first place.

What is more of an issue (on Saka) is that he’s never taken a penalty before and was allowed to take one whoever’s decision it was over other players who have taken and scored pens in their career previously.