[Football] The football forum that couldn't be arsed to have an England v Czech official *** :shrug:

[Bodian]

We've played 3 games and Pickford hasn't had a meaningful save to make.

Pretty decent save mid-way through the first half I thought. Meaningful in that it kept us in front.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Apart from making the best save of the match? No ....

The shot from outside the box? Yes a good save but you’d be disappointed if he had not saved it.

Only shot the Czechs had on target.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Agreed, our two 'blockers' have been relatively successful v Croatia, Scotchland and Czech Rep.

Let's see when we play a quick, fluid side.

 

[Weststander]

Fair enough, it’s a game of opinions. Personally I found that an excruciating watch.

I’ve always ridden a football rollercoaster, for my sins, I’m hurt by Albion/England losses, live the highs with wins (especially deserved wins).

Unusually for me I swerved nsc during the game, so didn’t get sucked into the vortex of moaning (which I normally do as well).

It wasn’t perfect eg Shaw was naively caught out of position and destroyed on the counter about 10 times! But I enjoyed tonight. Saka was amazing, Grealish outstanding until he ran out of gas, Maguire/Stones/Pickford rock solid against a team of giants who score a stack of headed goals.

 

[Bodian]

The shot from outside the box? Yes a good save but you’d be disappointed if he had not saved it.

Only shot the Czechs had on target.

I've always wondered what the statisticians record as a 'shot on target'. The one Pickford saved obviously was, and 'felt' like the only one - but surely the goalmouth scramble included a shot towards goal that would have gone in if none of the five players in the way had been there. I wonder if there is some sort of guidance as to what and what not to include?

 

[BN41Albion]

Portugal. Greece.

Come on, we're better than that, though. Or we should be. I'd take it, of course I would, but I don't think it will happen. But other than France, there's no reason we can't take the game to other top nations.

 

[BN41Albion]

Not a great deal of evidence that Southgate knows how to get beyond 3rd gear though.

Exactly what I thought when I read that. We'll see, maybe we're wrong...

 

[Mackenzie]

Roy Keane is just willing us to fail.

He’s a giant cock.

 

[Sheebo]

Come on, we're better than that, though. Or we should be. I'd take it, of course I would, but I don't think it will happen. But other than France, there's no reason we can't take the game to other top nations.

Oh yes I wasn’t putting us down. I think we’re behind France Germany Belgium and Italy on showing. But you never know and I’ll always support. 6/10 for me so far. But always support my country…!

 

[The Fits]

Come on, we're better than that, though. Or we should be. I'd take it, of course I would, but I don't think it will happen. But other than France, there's no reason we can't take the game to other top nations.

Italy no? People are wildly underestimating them because they don't have any superstars. But that is doing huge discredit to their front line. Immobile, Insigne and Belotti are absolute warriors all in their prime. They have an outrageously competitive midfield and the best defence in Europe. Most importantly though they have a system they know and trust. They are on another level to almost every other team here and streets ahead of us.

 

[Poojah]

Come on, we're better than that, though. Or we should be. I'd take it, of course I would, but I don't think it will happen. But other than France, there's no reason we can't take the game to other top nations.

Let’s just flip this on it’s head for a second. We are (or at least we were going into the competition) the second favourites behind France - not only in the UK but also across Europe. Other than the aforementioned, only Belgium are above us in the FIFA world rankings.

We have home advantage, even more so than usual given the inability of fans to cross borders, and Wembley will be able to hold 40,000 come next Tuesday.

How many people in France, Portugal and Germany are currently scratching around and saying “fúck, we don’t want England”?

I feel like we exorcised a lot of demons by beating Colombia on penalties in 2018. Let’s go one step further and beat a top nation in a knockout game. Fear never got anyone anywhere.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

not at this stage but the criticism is way over the top. We've played 3 games and Pickford hasn't had a meaningful save to make. We weren't exciting to watch but we were very comfortable in every game.

I think we are due a big performance and can go far

Pickford pulled off two very good saves against Scotland.

 

[Randy McNob]

Oh yes I wasn’t putting us down. I think we’re behind France Germany Belgium and Italy on showing. But you never know and I’ll always support. 6/10 for me so far. But always support my country…!

here here. support your country. criticise if we lose or go out fair enough but when you won the game and the group - ridiculous !

 

[Stuart Munday]

I’ve totally lost interest in England over the last few years so completely out of touch, so how come if we get to the final virtually ever game is at Wembley, if Spain were playing every game in Madrid we would say it was fixed.

 

[BN41Albion]

Italy no? People are wildly underestimating them because they don't have any superstars. But that is doing huge discredit to their front line. Immobile, Insigne and Belotti are absolute warriors all in their prime. They have an outrageously competitive midfield and the best defence in Europe. Most importantly though they have a system they know and trust. They are on another level to almost every other team here and streets ahead of us.

OK yep, I'll definitely give you Italy!

 

[Bodian]

I’ve totally lost interest in England over the last few years so completely out of touch, so how come if we get to the final virtually ever game is at Wembley, if Spain were playing every game in Madrid we would say it was fixed.

Basically - we bid for the semis and final, and Munich pulled out, so we won that. And because of the award of the final three games, none of the group games were meant to be here - but then Belgium (I think) hadn't built there stadium - so their group games were moved here. The Dublin pulled out because of covid issues as well - so that match was switched here.

All a bit luck and fortune rather than conspiracy.

 

[BN41Albion]

Let’s just flip this on it’s head for a second. We are (or at least we were going into the competition) the second favourites behind France - not only in the UK but also across Europe. Other than the aforementioned, only Belgium are above us in the FIFA world rankings.

We have home advantage, even more so than usual given the inability of fans to cross borders, and Wembley will be able to hold 40,000 come next Tuesday.

How many people in France, Portugal and Germany are currently scratching around and saying “fúck, we don’t want England”?

I feel like we exorcised a lot of demons by beating Colombia on penalties in 2018. Let’s go one step further and beat a top nation in a knockout game. Fear never got anyone anywhere.

Id love to see it, and I'd be happily eating humble pie next Tuesday night if we do.
Just would have loved to have seen a less pragmatic approach with such a wealth of talent, like a lot of people it seems if you glance across social media, etc.
But it's got us through top, so so be it, for now.

 

[The Fits]

Yeah Belguim and Ireland possibly won us the Euros. For all my pessimism, England in the final would would ****ing brilliant. The absolute state of the country....

 

[Poojah]

Id love to see it, and I'd be happily eating humble pie next Tuesday night if we do.
Just would have loved to have seen a less pragmatic approach with such a wealth of talent, like a lot of people it seems if you glance across social media, etc.
But it's got us through top, so so be it, for now.

We’ve just played three sides that weren’t inclined to come at us - I think a pragmatic approach was probably the right one; we’re through without conceding if nothing else.

I believe this England’s team’s strength is its pace and fluidity on the break. We’ll have more chance to do that whoever we play in the next round. I’ll reserve judgement until then.

 

[Surf's Up]

I'm assuming that England have been playing this way (i.e. dull, unimaginative, defensive but just about effective) to order and are saving their best dynamic offensive game for the knockout phase of the tournament. In which case, well played and excellent tournament management by Southgate. If, on the other hand, this is as good as it gets...............................