All things Football (soccer) related

[warspite1]

Well I guess that played out as expected....

Scotland did what Scotland do in tournament football and fail to get out of the group stage.

England, after a vaguely hopeful first half, then proceeded to stink the place out in the second.

Appalling....

So Scotland join North Macedonia, Turkey and Russia on the plane home.

Croatia become the 12th team to be certain of a place in the last 16.

[shunwick]

Group D:-

Czech Republic 0 England 1
Croatia 3 Scotland 1

I was hoping all three British qualifiers got through to the knockout rounds. Not to be though two out three is not bad, I suppose.

I watched the England game. England were better than they were against Scotland but still not firing on all four cylinders. Anyone had eyeballs on the Scotland game?

England, Croatia, and Czech Republic all go through to the next round.

Best wishes,
Steve

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Group D:-

Czech Republic 0 England 1
Croatia 3 Scotland 1

...

I watched the England game. England were better than they were against Scotland but still not firing on all four cylinders. Anyone had eyeballs on the Scotland game?

...

Best wishes,
Steve

aye, Croatia are still a very good team and Modric can do quite incredible things given half a chance. We actually played our best football of the 3 matches but they decided to remember that they were in the last WC final and it showed.

edit - and one of the banners their fans had was very funny ... (but given the ban on politics I'll leave it at that)

[IslandInland]

Shame the Scottish are out.

[:D]

[warspite1]

...and so to the final round of fixtures for the last two groups.

This is the table for the third place finishers. Only a miracle set of results in both groups will see Finland progress, while Ukraine are also likely to miss out.

After last nights results we still only know the two definite last 16 pairings detailed previously, but all will become clear tonight.

My money is on England facing Germany in the last 16....[:(] But let's face it, the alternatives - France and Portugal - are probably just as, if not more, unpalatable.

[shunwick]

Euro 2021 games today.

Group E

Slovakia v Spain
Sweden v Poland

Group F

Germany v Hungary
Portugal v France

Spain need a win. Sweden need to not mess up in the sense that a loss to Poland will a huge dent in their morale. Germany need a win for the same reason as Sweden. Portugal need a win for their mental wellbeing. France need a win for the same reason as Portugal.

Portugal v France is probably the pick of the games today.

Best wishes,
Steve

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: IslandInland

Shame the Scottish are out.

[:D]

ah, but we do leave something behind, in this case a banner from an earlier 'glorious defeat' (tm applied for)

[RFalvo69]

ORIGINAL: loki100

I was being facetious .. please don't turn this into a Covid thread - that leads to a quick lock by the moderators on past experience

The problem is that, at least for a while, will be impossible to talk about most things without mentioning COVID (not even a football tournament, as we saw). And, sadly, mentioning COVID leads to politics. It is not a happy state of affairs, but it is the one we live in [:(]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: loki100

in the meantime this gets embarrassing ... how long before Levy is scouring Hackney Marshes for up and coming managerial talent?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ch-goes-on

warspite1

'gets embarrassing'? Sadly I think that ship sailed some weeks ago.

We had the chance of Conte. He walked away because he didn't believe in the project. Regardless of what you think of Conte, here is a man who knows what is needed to win.

So if that is not within Spurs capability then fine. Accept it and go for Parker, Howe or Potter and accept that its a long term project.

I think the Spurs board are in total denial about how rubbish and/or old the bulk of the squad is. I mean truly rubbish. They have two choices but they can't adequately decide on their route until they understand that. Levy seems to think someone is going to get this squad into the CL next season with minimal investment and a dedication to bringing through the kids..... Delusional.

warspite1

....and another manager doesn't want to be associated with Tottenham.

Sevilla's manager has apparently received a big offer from Spurs - but would rather stay in Spain.

Very wise. Spurs sadly are the gift that keeps on giving at present....

[warspite1]

I'll be watching Spain vs Slovakia tonight. Come on Slovakia you can do it!! [:)]

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

England actually have some really promising young players available for this tournament. Sadly, historically our tactics seem to be the same regardless of who is available or who is picked.

I have absolutely no doubt England will remain true to form and for this tournament I see one of two outcomes:

Scenario 1

We lose or draw to Croatia, then under pressure, we lose or draw against Scotland (we won't lose both) and then finish off with a scraped victory or draw against Czech. Maximum points = 4. Result: exit at group stage.

Scenario 2

We beat Croatia, fall over ourselves with ridiculously mis-placed optimism and draw or lose with Scotland. We manage to do enough against Czech to qualify. Result: we make it to last 16 but fail to top the group and so lose home advantage and tamely lose to Spain, Poland or Sweden in the round of the last 16.

Nah. England will win their group. [:)]

Told ya. [:)]

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: loki100

in the meantime this gets embarrassing ... how long before Levy is scouring Hackney Marshes for up and coming managerial talent?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ch-goes-on

warspite1

'gets embarrassing'? Sadly I think that ship sailed some weeks ago.

We had the chance of Conte. He walked away because he didn't believe in the project. Regardless of what you think of Conte, here is a man who knows what is needed to win.

So if that is not within Spurs capability then fine. Accept it and go for Parker, Howe or Potter and accept that its a long term project.

I think the Spurs board are in total denial about how rubbish and/or old the bulk of the squad is. I mean truly rubbish. They have two choices but they can't adequately decide on their route until they understand that. Levy seems to think someone is going to get this squad into the CL next season with minimal investment and a dedication to bringing through the kids..... Delusional.

warspite1

....and another manager doesn't want to be associated with Tottenham.

Sevilla's manager has apparently received a big offer from Spurs - but would rather stay in Spain.

Very wise. Spurs sadly are the gift that keeps on giving at present....

Can you snag Graham Potter from Brighton? He seems like an interesting manager.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I'll be watching Spain vs Slovakia tonight. Come on Slovakia you can do it!! [:)]

I doubt that they can do it. But I do cheer for them. [:)]

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I'll be watching Spain vs Slovakia tonight. Come on Slovakia you can do it!! [:)]

that was a spectacular own goal ...

[warspite1]

...it's a funny old game innit Saint?

Ukraine were as good as out with 3 points and a -1 GD. But with a p-poor Slovakia and a limp Poland doing nothing, it looks like they will go through... amazing.

It would all change again if Poland turn the tables on Sweden. I'll switch to this game for the second half, Slovakia are too rubbish for words.

[warspite1]

Wow, I made the right choice to watch Sweden - Poland. I thought as soon as Sweden scored their second that it was made for a Polish 3-goal comeback.... I was right about the score, but wrong about the result [:D]

Sweden 3-2 Poland
Slovakia 0-5 Spain

So Ukraine are saved and Poland and Slovakia are on their way home.

Finland need France to batter Portugal and Hungary not to beat Germany or they will be joining the two eastern Europeans.

And its Croatia vs Spain as our third confirmed round of last 16 pairing. That will be worth watching.

The fourth confirmed pairing is:
Netherlands vs Czech Republic

[warspite1]

And so to the final group matches in the final group to be decided. Who will make it through and who is heading home? It's two (or almost certainly three) of:

France, Portugal, Germany and Hungary.

My calculation is that France need to win by 3 goals to put Ronaldo and co. out.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: warspite1


warspite1

'gets embarrassing'? Sadly I think that ship sailed some weeks ago.

We had the chance of Conte. He walked away because he didn't believe in the project. Regardless of what you think of Conte, here is a man who knows what is needed to win.

So if that is not within Spurs capability then fine. Accept it and go for Parker, Howe or Potter and accept that its a long term project.

I think the Spurs board are in total denial about how rubbish and/or old the bulk of the squad is. I mean truly rubbish. They have two choices but they can't adequately decide on their route until they understand that. Levy seems to think someone is going to get this squad into the CL next season with minimal investment and a dedication to bringing through the kids..... Delusional.

warspite1

....and another manager doesn't want to be associated with Tottenham.

Sevilla's manager has apparently received a big offer from Spurs - but would rather stay in Spain.

Very wise. Spurs sadly are the gift that keeps on giving at present....

Can you snag Graham Potter from Brighton? He seems like an interesting manager.

warspite1

I don't think, at this stage in his career, Mr Potter wants to take a backward step....

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

England actually have some really promising young players available for this tournament. Sadly, historically our tactics seem to be the same regardless of who is available or who is picked.

I have absolutely no doubt England will remain true to form and for this tournament I see one of two outcomes:

Scenario 1

We lose or draw to Croatia, then under pressure, we lose or draw against Scotland (we won't lose both) and then finish off with a scraped victory or draw against Czech. Maximum points = 4. Result: exit at group stage.

Scenario 2

We beat Croatia, fall over ourselves with ridiculously mis-placed optimism and draw or lose with Scotland. We manage to do enough against Czech to qualify. Result: we make it to last 16 but fail to top the group and so lose home advantage and tamely lose to Spain, Poland or Sweden in the round of the last 16.

Nah. England will win their group. [:)]

Told ya. [:)]

warspite1

....and we were so impressive in topping the group too [;)]. Three home games and.... 2 goals. Oh dear [:(].

[warspite1]

Tactics..tactics..tactics....

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -2020.html