The Euro 2020 Thread

Yeah,i really think the right/best team won this.
England parked all their Dover trucks from when they left the EU and couldn't get in to France for 45 min,and most of the first extra time.

Not always the best team that wins,but today that was the case.
Obviously sad for my mates in here for losing the final.
Bit also happy that Italy won,the journey they have had since we knocked them out in 2018 (WC QF).
Grande!
 
I thought that was awful management bringing those two on so late. I don't think Sancho even touched the ball did he and then have to take a penalty? Rashford at right back for three minutes? Why not bring them on 30 minutes earlier and actually try to win the bloody game? So, so negative from Southgate. Started brilliantly then sat back and let Italy back into the game rather than go for the second and put them out of reach. By the end we didn't even deserve to win it.

I do think we need an attack minded manager for this squad, all our best young talent is attack minded and it's completely stifled by Southgate.

Congratulations to Italy and at least one team tried to win it in extra time.

Chris Davies said:
I really hope that none of the penalty missers get slagged off in the press. Why the hell would you put that pressure on Saka, he's a kid. Why wasn't Sterling taking one, for example? So cruel.
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Thing is @Chris Davies you know exactly what's going to happen to the three players who missed. The racist dickheads will be on twitter right now. I really hope not but sadly you just know it's going to happen.
 
Ok I'm out of my celebration phase..
Southgate is a terrible manager and I hope here we can all agree on that, now, other than that can we also agree England undeniably had one of the easiest runs to the final? Germany isn't exactly germany anymore.. they needed a late equalizer to get a point against Hungary.

Other than that there is no noticeable tough opponent that England faced, Italy was the real first one.

I think Italy conceded that first goal due to a lack of concentration and the pace at which england suddenly started, also no one was marking Luke shaw giving him all the time - and the space in the world to strike that goal.
But as soon as that went in, what did they do? They never looked really like trying to get another goal. They just sat in their half again. 6,7 men in their own half.

And it was obvious that at a point Italy was always going to regain control of the match and score. At least for me, since Tactically Italy are better than England and they also have more technically superior players imo.

The period of extra time was a borefest. I really am thinking how did I not fall asleep during that period and it was like time was going so slow! Felt like I'd look at the time after 10 minutes but only a minute has passed.

In the end the tactically better team won, and the one which deserved to win too.
 
Nah, you simply don't send boys to do man's job ... what, more experienced players forgot to strap-on a pair of balls? Kids that barely warmed-up have to pick stones from the fire?

Hopefully those kiddos can be strong mentally after this ... such experiences leave deep, deep and long-lasting mental scars.
Not quite the same, but does anyone remember Croatia in Euro 2008, vs Turkey? Many promising youngsters, entire team playing confident, with flair and attraction ... and than that moment (121st minute equalizer, total shellshock, loss on penalties) ... after that entire team played like scared rabbits for 2 or 3 years, coach Bilic was never the same again. One might also argue that it took almost 10 years for Modric and Rakitic to truly bounce back in NT.

TL/DR: Screw you Southgate, this is not the way to treat youngsters.


P.S. Rooted for Italy to win all along, but man ... wouldn't want anyone that kind of defeat
 
I'm conflicted on Southgate. Getting to the final was a huge achievement. We need to celebrate that, as a nation, and understand the game doesn't owe us anything (which the dickheads smashing up London before the game, and probably right now as I type this, don't get).

I don't buy that we had an "easy route to the final". You can only beat what's in front of you, and you're not telling me Germany are a rubbish team. Denmark fought like lions. We squeaked past them, yes, but we made it. If you win, you're doing it right. End of story, IMO.

If we switched manager and suddenly start playing attacking football, I honestly think we'd get beat by the likes of Iceland again. I think the balance we're playing now really works for us.

The only thing I can't get past is the subs. Why not take tiring players off? Why put on subs in the last second of extra time and expect them to be able to score a pen, without having touched the ball up to that point? They're going to be totally headfucked (especially with the pressure of playing for England and ending a 55-year trophyless run)... That really makes me angry.

I love Sterling, and he contributed a hell of a lot this tournament. But there were times like tonight, where he seemingly just kept driving the ball straight into defenders when trying to dribble.

I don't get why Foden barely played, why Sancho barely played. Grealish, whilst I don't think he's English Jesus like others do, wins vital free kicks. Why not bring them on in Mount's place occasionally, in Sterling's place occasionally?

All I can think of (based on his interviews) is that he feels like putting total faith in players and not subbing them means they will give you 100%. But you can't cancel out fatigue.
 
Really gutted for Saka, hopefully he'll come back stronger than ever..

Congrats to both team. Especially Italy 👏👏

Also thanks for all of you guys, it was a pleasure to enjoy the tournament alongside you all. See you on the next big Tournament :D

Gonna try to go back to normal sleeping schedule after this.. cause mostly Euro kickoff is around 2am here~
 
muham_istau said:
Really gutted for Saka, hopefully he'll come back stronger than ever..

Congrats to both team. Especially Italy 👏👏

Also thanks for all of you guys, it was a pleasure to enjoy the tournament alongside you all. See you on the next big Tournament :D

Gonna try to go back to normal sleeping schedule after this.. cause mostly Euro kickoff is around 2am here~
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Oouch that's rough,I'm watching the NBA playoffs,so that's 2-4 am for me.
Nice to read that you've enjoyed being here for it.
Take care
 
His use of subs has been poor all tournament I think. Putting Trippier on at LB when 4-0 up earlier in the tournament rather than giving Chilwell 30 minutes was an example of poor man management I think. Not giving players a rest earlier in the tournament when he had 5 subs at his disposal. Especially when it's not as if he's short of depth on the bench and it would weaken the team.

He just will not take Sterling off it seems. Had a decent tournament but was ineffective tonight, doing all of his poor bits and none of his positive ones. Looking for penalties instead of looking for a pass (just watch him in the box, head is always down) , running into players. Keeping the ball way too long instead of releasing it. But it seems Southgate won't take him off and as he clearly wasn't keeping him on for penalties then why not? Given that Rashford and Grealish both play on the left it was logical to bring one of them on for him instead of taking someone else off and moving Sterling.

Maybe Rice was exhausted, can't say I really noticed that but I thought he was having a cracking game and we looked worse in midfield when he came off.

Extra time why not try and win the game? Kane might as well have come off as he rarely had chance to be in the Italians half. Why not bring all our pace on let Italy have the ball and hit them on the break with Rashford and Sancho. Chiellini already on a yellow and not once did we try that after he was booked.

Southgate's a nice guy, done a good job getting to the final but it's been largely negative football with good results and for the second tournament running has failed to find an answer when it came down to it. Once it was 1-1 there was only one team that might have won it before penalties. Chiesa going off was probably why it didn't happen as he was causing all sorts of problems.

At the end of it all I'd have rather lost going for the win than like this. All that talent in the squad and we sit on a 1-0 lead and then do little to get the initiative back when the inevitable equaliser comes.
 
Man, from a South American point of view, you guys in Europe are so much better than us right now, today's final compared to yesterday's snooze-fest. It's almost like they're different sports.

Don't mean to be pessimistic from our perspective, but I don't see a South American team winning the WC for several years to come, the difference in level is just too great. A lot of it has to do with lack of investment in local leagues, players leaving too early, etc..

Two bright spots in Copa America: The emergence of Lapadula in Peru and Diaz in Colombia! Will be keeping an eye on them two.

Congratulations Italy! And Europe as a whole, gotta say you guys are on another level football-wise. :TU:
 
Really bro? I think today's final was so much better. Much more chances, more dynamic football, better quality of play. Yesterday's final was really boring for me, diving on both sides, wasting time, poor tactics, etc.. It was very disappointing to me. :LOL:

IMO, Italy, England, Spain, France, (and eventually Germany, when they get their act together) are all a cut above Argentina, Brazil, and the rest of South America.. And not just the elite. The "middle" teams too. I'd love to see my continent do better at the international stage, but I'm just being realistic.. lol..
 
There's a video going around Twitter at the moment of England fans "fighting Italian fans". Word of warning, because I was disgusted by it too - a few sources say they're actually fighting back the England fans who stormed security earlier, trying to get into the ground without tickets.

Still disgusting - there are grown men hitting what appear to be kids at one point. But I'm just glad they're not Italians (and I'm really hoping it doesn't happen later on, because, I mean, the night is young).
 
millossobek said:
Really bro?
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maybe i am biased but I've always like South American football than European; there's something about it which I can't quite put my finger on it.
is it the jogo bonito? the stadium atmosphere? their football style? their ladies supporters? i don't know, man.
and yes, I still prefer yesterday's final than today's final.
 
PotatoCouch said:
maybe i am biased but I've always like South American football than European; there's something about it which I can't quite put my finger on it.
is it the jogo bonito? the stadium atmosphere? their football style? their ladies supporters? i don't know, man.
and yes, I still prefer yesterday's final than today's final.
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Oh, bro.. Look at my signature. I am a HUGE fan of South American futbol. The atmosphere, history, clubs, are all where my first futbol loves are. "The Copa Libertadores is My Obsession". It is my favorite tournament in the whole world. :D

In terms of where my passion is, it is here. In Club South American futbol. But one thing is where my heart is, and another thing is what I think is reality. Anyway I don't root for the "best" teams, just the one that I support. But to me, European football is at another level. These are two different things, my friend. :)
 
I started this match supporting Italy, but eventually I became more neutral and I would have been fine with England taking it as well. England are mad if they get rid of Southgate right away, of course using 19-20 year olds to take a penalty under the most intense pressure possible seems mad but he still got England into the final, sometimes by doing some baller moves which could have gone either way.
But congratulations Italy, what a run and deserved champions of Europe.

I still don't get how that grab from Chiellini wasn't a red, seemed outrageous, but I am no ref
 
Ah man. Just climbed into bed, after a couple of hours of mourning. Feel absolutely sick. Really didn't expect it to hit so hard, especially when nobody really thinks England will win anything anyway.

The worst bit is, before the game, I said to friends... "You know the way they always show the replay of Gazza's toe JUST missing the ball at the end of the cross during Euro 96? What will be the moment they show from this, and say 'we would have won it, if only' etc.?"...

During the game, I couldn't help but spot those moments and shout out "THAT'S ONE". I think the biggie will be Stones' attempted header in the 17th minute of extra time, when his hair brushed the ball. If he makes contact, it's probably going in.

But there's a long list. The equaliser, for example - the ball bouncing around and JUST ABOUT weaving its way past the flailing legs of what seemed like half the team, plus Pickford's fist. Chiellini not being sent off for his foul on Saka. Same with the studs being left in Grealish. (Not even mentioning the penalties that were missed!)

The one "can we try that again" moment that actually stood out for me was when Rice dribbled out to the left wing, and had Sterling completely unmarked in the middle of the pitch and running towards the box, screaming for the ball, but Rice just couldn't bend the pass around the defender.

Man. All I keep thinking is... How the hell were those the penalty takers. How could you do that. Nobody could have thought it made sense. Even Maguire taking the second penalty... What the fuck was going on.

(Also. Can the manager please stop the stupid run-ups. They never end well. JUST HIT THE COCKING BALL. Give yourself one less thing to worry about.)

For those England fans who remember Euro 96 more vividly than I do... How long does it take to stop hurting...
 
Emroth said:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57800431.amp

That didnt take long... :/
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Doesn't surprise me in the least, I was anticipating it as soon as Saka missed.

Three footballers, all under the age of 25, all very talented, one in particular has made a mockery of Boris and the British Government to feed and benefit hungry children across the country, and that's how you treat them? Shameful in the least.

I think the events in London over the last few days has made me to believe that hooliganism was never gone, and clubs across England should really reconsider introducing safe standing, because it won't be long before scenes similar to Heysel and Lansdowne Road (against Ireland in 1995) happen again.
 
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