All things Football (soccer) related

[Orm]

Really happy to be wrong about Italy. Very disappointing performance from them. I thought that Italy would get their act together now that the knockout stage begun. Even towards the end they didn't look like a team that wanted to win. Seemed like several Italian players feared to get the ball, and were afraid to enter the Swiss penalty box.

[warspite1]

I love the BBC pundits……. Micah Richards has just woken up to the fact that Switzerland are a more than decent team and that England (if they get through) will have work to do. Nice to know he was paying attention to the group matches…. Good grief

[shunwick]

Switzerland 2 Italy 0

The Swiss dominated the game from the start to the finish. As I have said before, this Swiss team is competent, organized and somewhat workmanlike. Congratulations for getting through to the quarter finals. Italy were disappointing: lethargic,
and surprisingly casual. I have seen Italy have poor games before but I don't ever remember seeing an Italian team just lay down and roll over.

Best wishes,
Steve

[warspite1]

Half time

Germany 0-0 Denmark

Mmmm…. I thought this would be easy for the Germans - and if they had taken their chances perhaps it would be.

But Denmark have had a couple of chances themselves as they began to come back into the game.

Could the Germans come to rue those missed chances or will they be more clinical in the second half?

As the home nation its possible the Germans will become more nervy and anxious the longer this goes on.

Difficult to call now - but I think the Germans will get through.

[gamer78]

It has left the USA dreaming of beating second favourites Uruguay in their final game in group and praying that Bolivia (the worst team in the competition) can beat Panama. Getting eliminated from the group stage as the host nation would be a disaster for football in the United States. But, as evidenced by the comments (or rather lack of them), it seems that support for their national team is non-existent in the national consciousness. Sad really.

Best wishes,
Steve

As I've said before Georgia, Serbia. Croatia, Denmark and some more only national teams without much immigrants entegrated. Not only for USA also for India, China and Japan if they contribute to football it would be better sport and better pool for players without these extreme wages. Croat Coach have said after Turkish match. 'You critize Modric about age but we've this population'

[gamer78]

Denmark was playing equally well before the "Noah's flood" in Dortmund. But Germany was already favorite.

[warspite1]

Full time

Germany 2-0 Denmark

Football is a cruel game and games turn on the smallest of things. But ultimately, the fact was the Danish goal was offside and I don’t think the German penalty was overly contentious (I’ve seen plenty worse). So the Danes may feel hard done by - but I think a fair result.

[shunwick]

Coming up...

Euro 2024

England vs Slovakia
Spain vs Georgia

Copa America 2024

Jamaica vs Venezuela
Mexico vs Ecuador

.......


Copa America 2024 Results

Argentina 2 Peru 0
Canada 0 Chile 0

Those results put Argentina and Canada through to the quarter-finals. Congratulations to Canada. For their first appearance in the Copa America, the Canadians have done very well in the tournament so far. This is huge for the Canadians.

They will play the winner of Group B in the quarter-finals which, at the moment, looks like being Venezuela. Argentina will play the 2nd placed team in Group B probably either Mexico or Ecuador. The assumption here is that Venezuela at least draws with Jamaica.

Best wishes,
Steve

[shunwick]

Full time

Germany 2-0 Denmark

Football is a cruel game and games turn on the smallest of things. But ultimately, the fact was the Danish goal was offside and I don’t think the German penalty was overly contentious (I’ve seen plenty worse). So the Danes may feel hard done by - but I think a fair result.

A cruel game indeed. Very watchable to boot.

Best wishes,
Steve

[ElvisJJonesRambo]

Speaking of kicks, Alex Pereira the Light Middleweight Champ used one early in the 2nd round.

Swiss/Italy game had some great action.

[warspite1]

So what is going to happen in the Euros today - Part 2?

England vs Slovakia

Another difficult one to call. With the greatest respect to Slovakia - who have reached this stage on merit - it depends which England turns up.

Having said that, Slovakia is a footballing country. Under the old Czechoslovakia, they twice finished runners up in the World Cup. Indeed there is also the little known fact that when Czechoslovakia won the European Championships in 1976, no less than 16 of the 22 man squad were Slovak (6 Czechs). 9 of the 13 players that beat the Dutch and Germans in those finals were Slovak, and 8 of the winning 11 were Slovak.

Anyway, end of the history lesson, and a look on paper at the current squads for each country (where each player plays, honours won etc) suggests there can only be one winner.

But this is England and, things are never that simple for England even when you have a team of superstars - Kane top goalscorer in the Bundesliga, Foden and Bellingham best players in the Premier League and La Liga this season. Stones and Walker (champions from Man City) Rice and Saka (runners up from Arsenal) Mainoo (Cup winner from Man Utd)

For all the individual quality on show, this is a team that simply hasn't been able to put together more than about 15 minutes of actual quality across three games and 270 minutes.

Where will this end up? If England continue to play the way they did in the groups, then I can see a surprise in store. But I would like to think and hope that England can at lease scrape through to the next round - either with a hugely unconvincing 2-1 or a seemingly comfortable 3-0 (at which point everyone will be over the top in their rush to say everything is sorted..... before we get soundly beaten by the Swiss).

Spain vs Georgia

For the neutral this is the one where an upset would be the most special. Little Georgia,with St George on their shirt, in their first major tournament, slaying the mighty Spanish giant er...dragon!

Nice, but ultimately I suspect Georgia will fall short against a very strong and skilful Spain side. And although I expect Georgia to give a very good account of themselves, I believe that Spain will win by at least a 2-goal margin.

But who knows, maybe unlike yesterday, this is the day of shocks at the Euros????

[gamer78]

Yes in USSR Ukraine talents were dominant. But England playing only Czechoslovakia not Austrian-Hungarian team (They will be pobably see semi final). So it is the problem for Southgate. England has the lowest XG ratings during group stage between 24 teams. France was also playing defensive football in World Cup (When they've won) but not like this. Honoring opponent good and well but...

I respect Georgia I think they are already surprise team.

[gamer78]

And for a question for shunwick. If football would be popular in USA how could any league in Europe survive. Including Pro UK and Commonwealth nations perspective. Even in British game Football Manager; Quatar and Saudi money needed a patch about transfers.

[RFalvo69]

Everyone around me is surprised by how bad Italy was. I'am not. Italy did play in this tournament for about 20 minutes, when we scored twice against Albania. Then we stopped playing. Literally stopped playing.

I can't remember a single moment when Italy did... dunno... something. Against Spain we were listless. Spain scored? We "played" (quote/unquote) like if nothing had happened. Against Croatia we were lucky at the last minute, nothing more than that.

Actually, this goal against Croatia let me a bit down. First: we didn't deserve the draw. Second: I didn't really want to watch another 90 minutes of agony.

Which is what Switzerland-Italy was. The Swiss scored two times - deservedly. Italy did nothing. In Italy there is that moment, when you are under, that we call "All'arrembaggio!" ("Crew, to boarding!") - which means "Just attack, even mindlessly!" Italy didn't show even desperation.

Watching a game with your friends should be fun no matter what. These four games were a chore - something we did almost out of duty. When your friends agree that "Now we have two more free hours in the week!" you just understand how bad Euro 2024 was for us.

Two side notes.

First: Switzerland-Croatia would have given a better spectacle.

Second: I'm not into conspiracy theories. However, Italy was "too much" bad. A team can try and play badly. Italy never tried. This is, simply, not realistic. There are rumbles that "politics" were behind this debacle. For once, paint me curious.

[gamer78]

There is conspiracy theories about Georgia (Pro-Europe players against Pro-Rus regime) about Portugal match. It seems European Union will make them a full member soon with 5 cross in the flag.. But because of Italy has choose right wing Not sure.

[RangerJoe]

Too bad about England.

In other news about football, that is American football concerning the NFL:

https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sunday-t ... 138e54528b

[warspite1]

There is conspiracy theories about Georgia.

warspite1

Erm, who seriously believes such rubbish?

Put it this way.

Team who have already qualified uses the 3rd game to rest players and give squad players an outing.

Opponents - who showed great fight and no little skill in earlier matches - beats them thanks to a defender making a mistake and giving away a contentious penalty.

Moving along, nothing to see here……

[warspite1]

Full time

England 2-1 Slovakia

Can’t comment on this now - emotionally drained from watching such turgid dross for 120 minutes (except 10 minutes when we actually tried to score).

Bad luck Slovakia, who will be gutted having thought they’d done enough and were almost home and hosed…..

Let’s be clear - Switzerland will not exactly be quaking in their boots at the thought of facing us.

[shunwick]

And for a question for shunwick. If football would be popular in USA how could any league in Europe survive. Including Pro UK and Commonwealth nations perspective. Even in British game Football Manager; Quatar and Saudi money needed a patch about transfers.

No idea what you have been smoking but do you seriously think that if football increased its popularity in the USA that football in Europe would collapse?

And what has Football Manager got to do with anything? The SI winter update had many changes (as is usual) one of which was to rebalance the transfers to Saudi Arabian clubs. They made that change because it was way too easy to offload unwanted deadwood to Saudi clubs for mega millions.

Best wishes,
Steve

[shunwick]

There is conspiracy theories about Georgia.

warspite1

Erm, who seriously believes such rubbish?

He has been consistently trying to inject politics into the discussion about football. Even more worrying, has been his obsession with racial purity in football in several of his posts. I get that he is anti-UK. It is not uncommon. But several of his posts are wackier than that of the most rabid Flat Earthers.

Best wishes,
Steve