[Football] EURO 2024 - Official Thread

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

All this positivity will drift away when we start the tournament with a central midfiled of Henderson and Phillips, with Maguire in defence.

 

[Nibbler]

England could make the final. However the best chance we had to win a tournament was the last Euros and we bottled it despite being 1-0 up and playing at home.

If Bellingham is in form perhaps he could make the difference, but I don't think the waistcoated wonder has the tactical acumen to get us over the line.

 

[Commander]

So question then.

Are we odds on to win the tournament?

No. Why? Well I guess because there are a number of other teams who are equally good as us.

There is one, France, who are manifestly better than us. There are at least 10 teams who would be competitive with us and could easily down us in a knockout game and probably another 10 who, yes we should beat, but hey in knockout football, shit happens. someone is sent off, someone scores a worldy etc etc.

We're a long way off being nailed on to win this tournament. And actually whether we're more or less likely to win than in previous tournaments isn't relevant.

We are not odds on to win it because that isn't the way odds work. If you ran the tournament 50 times, we wouldn't win it more often than not, would we? We are joint favourites for it though.

I wasn't saying we are by far the best team, I said anything less than a win is a failure, which it is, based on our record in the last few tournaments with this England setup. I really don't think France are manifestly better than us either. They have one stand out, world class player (as do we) and a lot of excellent players (as do we). Plenty of England players would get in that France team, and vice versa.

 

[Mellotron]

This playoffs draw is beautifully convoluted.

Steffen Freund with the balls. We're not at the level of a Klinsmann or Matthaus just yet

 

[Mellotron]

12 teams for the final 3 spots. Wales to face Finland and then Poland or Estonia, should they beat the Finns.

Meanwhile on Path C, what a chance for some real minnows, a Kazakhstan or Luxembourg in Euro 2024 would be pretty great.​

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

I actually got three tickets in the lottery for a last 16 game in Berlin on Saturday 29th June. Tried for multiple games but only got lucky for that one. I have never been to a finals match before so am proper excited whoever is playing.

Congratulations on that, likewise I applied for multiple matches but was unsuccessful, the last couple of tournaments in Europe I’ve usually ended up with one match.

I’m a Scotland fan so obviously I’m looking forward to it, at least until the first ball is kicked anyway!

 

[HCxUK]

View attachment 170171

12 teams for the final 3 spots. Wales to face Finland and then Poland or Estonia, should they beat the Finns.

Meanwhile on Path C, what a chance for some real minnows, a Kazakhstan or Luxembourg in Euro 2024 would be pretty great.​

Poland, Ukraine & Greece from these lot, surely

 

[stewart12]

View attachment 170171

12 teams for the final 3 spots. Wales to face Finland and then Poland or Estonia, should they beat the Finns.

Meanwhile on Path C, what a chance for some real minnows, a Kazakhstan or Luxembourg in Euro 2024 would be pretty great.​

I just love new teams at tournaments so hoping for Estonia, Israel and any of the path c lot apart from Greece (although we may be forgetting that they're currently managed by a certain Mr Poyet)

 

[Austrian Gull]

Very jealous - seeing a match (hopefully England) at a major tournament is definitely a bucket list item for me.

It's quite a long way to go from here between two school/working weeks - my wife was not best pleased when I announced the good news

 

[Mellotron]

I just love new teams at tournaments so hoping for Estonia, Israel and any of the path c lot apart from Greece (although we may be forgetting that they're currently managed by a certain Mr Poyet)

Oh BLIMEY. In that case I'm happy with all 4 outcomes.

 

[Austrian Gull]

I just love new teams at tournaments so hoping for Estonia, Israel and any of the path c lot apart from Greece (although we may be forgetting that they're currently managed by a certain Mr Poyet)

Who knows how long Gus will stay with Greece. He's been making eyes at the Irish job - we all know that feeling from his time with us...

 

[stewart12]

Who knows how long Gus will stay with Greece. He's been making eyes at the Irish job - we all know that feeling from his time with us...

surely he wouldn't turn down the chance to milk the limelight in a major competition though?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

We are not odds on to win it because that isn't the way odds work. If you ran the tournament 50 times, we wouldn't win it more often than not, would we? We are joint favourites for it though.

I wasn't saying we are by far the best team, I said anything less than a win is a failure, which it is, based on our record in the last few tournaments with this England setup. I really don't think France are manifestly better than us either. They have one stand out, world class player (as do we) and a lot of excellent players (as do we). Plenty of England players would get in that France team, and vice versa.

Well yes.

So that being the case, how can you regard us not winning it as a failure? We probably won't win it

 

[Commander]

Well yes.

So that being the case, how can you regard us not winning it as a failure? We probably won't win it

Because we have done everything but win it in the last 3 tournaments. A quarter final losing to the best team, a semi final and a final. How can anything other than a win be seen as success? I absolutely guarantee that Southgate would agree with me.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

How are Luxembourg in the play offs? Surely they didn't finish third in their group?

 

[stewart12]

How are Luxembourg in the play offs? Surely they didn't finish third in their group?

they finished third in their group

 

[Greg Bobkin]

This draw could be tournament-defining.

We're DEFIANTLY loose.

 

[Guinness Boy]

they finished third in their group

I noticed that the other day. Astonishing, given it's basically a city that everyone leaves at the weekend.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

How are Luxembourg in the play offs? Surely they didn't finish third in their group?

they finished third in their group

Luxembourg may have finished 3rd in their group, but qualification for the playoffs was based on Nations League positioning not where you finished in the Euro groups. In Luxembourg's group Iceland and Bosnia & Herzegovina who finished 4th and 5th have also qualified for the play offs.

 

[Simster]

I noticed that the other day. Astonishing, given it's basically a city that everyone leaves at the weekend.

Tbf it has getting on for twice the population of Iceland, and they actually qualified not that long ago (and beat our useless twats).