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Thread: The Euros 2020

  1. #1
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    The Euros 2020

    We don’t appear to have a general discussion thread fir the competition so I’ll start one by saying Germany looked dangerous today!

    I know they’re in a very difficult group but I think they’ll be going through.

  2. #2
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    Germany looked very dangerous and playing good football.
    Got a feeling for the Italians and would fancy the winner to come from France,Germany,Italy and maybe Spain.

  3. #3
    Two own goals today were a shock, although they were brought about by intense threat of Germany scoring.

    Didnt think England were very good againt Scotland.

    Wales will get a beating by Italy, to be fair though i think Italy will go far this year.

  4. #4
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    My money went on Italy pre-tournament and I've been very impressed so far. A few teams have been good so far but only Italy have been consistently good. Impossible to pick a winner at this stage.

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    italy always turn up at the big tournaments and they haven’t failed to do so again, i really fancy italy, their defensive record will get them places and they are scoring goals too, a definite threat

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    Italy still looking good despite making a lot of changes to the team, impressive so far.

  7. #7
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    Expecting England to be involved in a snooze fest tonight as normal.

    For me get Grealish, Foden, Sancho all on the pitch together and drop a DM.

    Shame Trent is injured as I would have went with him and Kyle Walker too and just went all out attack.

    We are going to get knocked by in the quarters or semis anyway so try and be entertaining until we do.

  8. #8
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    England need to draw or lose tonight in order to avoid France, Germany or Portugal.

    A win would be the worst result possible.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave+63 View Post
    England need to draw or lose tonight in order to avoid France, Germany or Portugal.

    A win would be the worst result possible.
    This is what makes me think it will be an even more ponderous performance than the Scotland game. Would be nice to think the last match would give them the kick up the backside they need, but topping the group does not seem like any kind of prize you would want to win

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by enndriz View Post
    This is what makes me think it will be an even more ponderous performance than the Scotland game. Would be nice to think the last match would give them the kick up the backside they need, but topping the group does not seem like any kind of prize you would want to win
    Even more ponderous....is the kit man and bloke that carries the water bottles on going to get a game then

  11. #11
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    I’m expecting the manager to unleash Maguire and Henderson on the Czechs tonight.

  12. #12
    Why is Sancho not playing?


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  13. #13
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    What a tedious match. This is what it must feel like to support Burnley.

    Mind you Portugal sh*thoused their way to the title last time so there is hope yet.

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    Last edited by ryanb741; 22nd June 2021 at 21:51.

  14. #14
    Grand Master RustyBin5's Avatar
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    An ultimately disappointing tournament for Scotland. Summarizing it I’d say the style of football Clarke has them playing is quite attractive and as a squad it’s a very young team. I’m actually encouraged by what I saw and the only thing missing was a touch of composure up front or a little luck. Overall though I enjoyed watching them play which has not always been the case.

    Till next time Scotland. Well done to England and in particular Wales for progressing.

    ??

  15. #15
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Be interesting to see if Foden gets back into the side ahead of Grealish and in particular Saka.

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  16. #16
    England start well but seem to just fizzle out
    The better sides (whoever out of the ones we get next now as all the options are ace) will i believe put us out

    We have some great players
    But not a great team


    Italy look awesome - the constant wish to move forwards is exciting to warmth rather than the tedious tip tap side to side and backwards motion if our own boys in white


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  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by thegreatdogwood View Post
    Even more ponderous....is the kit man and bloke that carries the water bottles on going to get a game then
    I think winning the group was marginally the better option. If we'd finished 2nd we may have had an "easier" last 16 game (remember Iceland though) but it wouldn't have been at Wembley.

    And then if we'd got to the quarters we'd have played France, Germany or Portugal anyway but not at Wembley.

    So it's preferable to win the group and have the advantage of playing France, Germany or Portugal at Wembley in the last 16 with 40000 fans behind us.


    I was at Wembley last night. Not the most inspiring game but a win is a win and not conceding any goals in the group phase is encouraging.

    Everything rides on our next game, if Southgate's tactics work against a top team he'll be considered a genius, but if we go out with a whimper his cautious approach will come under extreme scrutiny.







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    Last edited by watchcollector1; 23rd June 2021 at 08:58.

  18. #18
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    I don't like the format of the present tournament. I don't think it works well with 24 sides taking part. The problem with third-placed competitors going through from most of the groups is that some of the suspense is robbed from the group stage, and this was apparent when England and a few other sides tumbled through to the knockout stage on Monday night without a ball being kicked in their groups on the same day.

    The best solution probably is to have 16 countries (or geographical regions in the case of Wales, England etc) competing. But for 24 sides, here's the fix.

    You have an initial group stage with 6 groups of 4 like the present format, but only the first and second in each continue in the competition. These go through to a second group stage with 4 groups of 3.

    The winners of these four groups would make up the semi-finalists.

    My arithmetic tells me that a tournament of this format would consist of 51 games (assuming no runner-up playoff), which is the same as the present format.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by monogroover View Post
    I don't like the format of the present tournament. I don't think it works well with 24 sides taking part. The problem with third-placed competitors going through from most of the groups is that some of the suspense is robbed from the group stage, and this was apparent when England and a few other sides tumbled through to the knockout stage on Monday night without a ball being kicked in their groups on the same day.

    The best solution probably is to have 16 countries (or geographical regions in the case of Wales, England etc) competing. But for 24 sides, here's the fix.

    You have an initial group stage with 6 groups of 4 like the present format, but only the first and second in each continue in the competition. These go through to a second group stage with 4 groups of 3.

    The winners of these four groups would make up the semi-finalists.

    My arithmetic tells me that a tournament of this format would consist of 51 games (assuming no runner-up playoff), which is the same as the present format.
    They’ve done an initial group and then a qualify for a 2nd group in the 70 World Cup I think.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Drago View Post
    They’ve done an initial group and then a qualify for a 2nd group in the 70 World Cup I think.
    Secondary group stages have been tried before in most tournaments, they never last long. Nothing kills the excitement of qualifying from your group like realising all you have done is qualified for another group!

    Group stage is like a soup starter - not very exciting but gets you in the mood for the main course. I’d rather have straight knockout all the way than the tedium of 2 group stages

  21. #21
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    They had two group stages at Spain '82 and it was awful and turgid.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Drago View Post
    They’ve done an initial group and then a qualify for a 2nd group in the 70 World Cup I think.

  22. #22
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    Watched the game last night, first half was good with more of a structured attacking format. The second was less passable, not much to get excited about. They did enough though but need to step up a few gears against the better teams.

  23. #23
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    Seeing as we will be playing France, Germany or Portugal in the next round that makes it 90 more minutes of England banality to suffer before we are eliminated on Tuesday evening.
    F.T.F.A.

  24. #24
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    Souness nailed it last night “Scotland play football from a different era” then questioned Clarke’s inability to change things when it was clearly going wrong.
    Disaster from the start:
    Failure to pick Gilmore in the Czech game when the whole of Scotland were crying out for it, then comes across as some sort of messiah when he picks him for the England game!
    Been looking for a striker for years then when we get one he’s benched for the easiest game to win.
    Scotland’s strongest area is midfield so we bypass them and play long balls to a lone striker.
    Plays one left back at centre half to accommodate both left backs in the team
    Plays a midfielder at centre half though he never plays there for his club side.
    Plays with a defensive right back in an attacking full back system even though he has an attacking full back on the bench.
    You English think you have it bad with Southgates negative tactics but you have no idea what an innovator you have compared to Clarke.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speedyexplorer View Post
    Souness nailed it last night “Scotland play football from a different era” then questioned Clarke’s inability to change things when it was clearly going wrong.
    Disaster from the start:
    Failure to pick Gilmore in the Czech game when the whole of Scotland were crying out for it, then comes across as some sort of messiah when he picks him for the England game!
    Been looking for a striker for years then when we get one he’s benched for the easiest game to win.
    Scotland’s strongest area is midfield so we bypass them and play long balls to a lone striker.
    Plays one left back at centre half to accommodate both left backs in the team
    Plays a midfielder at centre half though he never plays there for his club side.
    Plays with a defensive right back in an attacking full back system even though he has an attacking full back on the bench.
    You English think you have it bad with Southgates negative tactics but you have no idea what an innovator you have compared to Clarke.
    What Rangers forum did you pick that pile of crap from.
    You're the type that is actually pleased when they fail so it gives you a chance to push your agenda.

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hood View Post
    What Rangers forum did you pick that pile of crap from.
    You're the type that is actually pleased when they fail so it gives you a chance to push your agenda.
    Tell me, what out of that is crap exactly?
    You might be happy to just get there but I want to compete.

  27. #27
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    That looks a full stadium in Budapest!

  28. #28
    Grand Master mart broad's Avatar
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    Just watching France v Portugal and a couple of interesting penalties
    I FEEL LIKE I'M DIAGONALLY PARKED IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE

  29. #29
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    Interesting indeed!

  30. #30
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    The French penalty was unbelievable. Like. Seriously??

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  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hood View Post
    What Rangers forum did you pick that pile of crap from.
    You're the type that is actually pleased when they fail so it gives you a chance to push your agenda.
    To be fair Gilmore gave Scotland their only positive result in the entire tournament.

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  32. #32
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    We have no chance against these two.
    Last night we played like a crab on the beach, back, back, sideways, back, back, sideways!

  33. #33
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    This is the game of the tournament (Portugal v France) with some fantastic football and a couple of unbelievable saves. We have no chance against either of these. How can it be fair that Czech Republic finish third and get Sweden yet we win our group and get France, Germany or Portugal (or Hungary).

  34. #34
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    I'm always baffled when Scots lay into Rangers. From an agnostic perspective it seems like Rangers are the good guys being bullied by ideological lunatics. The treatment of Rangers during the whole relegation situation was IMHO outrageous. Glad they are back, they deserve it and I see Rangers as the true representatives of Scottish elite football and Celtic more of a fundamentalist caricature. But YMMV.

    England v Germany will be an absolute sh*tfest of a game. Suspect England will get through though

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  35. #35
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    Scottish elite football


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  36. #36
    I don’t think we’ve seen the best from our lads, they’re all young, fit as fleas and more than capable than capable of beating the Germans. Personally I’m glad we’ve got the them next round, it’ll be a proper test which if they can win will surely put them favourites.
    Last edited by Franky Four Fingers; 23rd June 2021 at 22:13.

  37. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    I'm always baffled when Scots lay into Rangers

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    Because we are a unionist club despised by the majority that are looking for independence
    Sturgeon couldn’t wait to lay into Rangers after George square, not a peep after what went on in London last week.
    Now Scotland today has recorded their highest ever number of positive COVID results, most are men between 18 to 44. By all accounts a fair number of them were in London.
    Still nothing from Nippy, wouldn’t go down well criticising her disciples!

  38. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robsmck View Post
    To be fair Gilmore gave Scotland their only positive result in the entire tournament.

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    Gilmore played well as did Hanley,McGregor,O’Donnel and quite a few others in the England game
    Scotland has a history of heaping praise on young guys and hailing them as the new messiah after a couple of decent games.
    Let the young boy develop without all the expectancy on his shoulders.
    We have no clue whether he would have made a difference in either the opening game or the final game but the manager sees the players in training and makes the decisions and probably showed a bit of loyalty to the players that got him there and the fact that Gilmore had a good 10 mins against Luxembourg obviously wasn’t enough to sway Clarke.
    If you know Scottish football there is a narrative amongst Rangers fans that Clarke is anti Rangers and so the knives were always going to be out for him by them at the first opportunity.

  39. #39
    Grand Master RustyBin5's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speedyexplorer View Post
    Because we are a unionist club despised by the majority that are looking for independence
    Sturgeon couldn’t wait to lay into Rangers after George square, not a peep after what went on in London last week.
    Now Scotland today has recorded their highest ever number of positive COVID results, most are men between 18 to 44. By all accounts a fair number of them were in London.
    Still nothing from Nippy, wouldn’t go down well criticising her disciples!
    Plenty places to discuss your anti Sturgeon stuff. Can I suggest the George & Dragon isn’t one of them?

  40. #40
    Grand Master RustyBin5's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    I'm always baffled when Scots lay into Rangers. From an agnostic perspective it seems like Rangers are the good guys being bullied by ideological lunatics. The treatment of Rangers during the whole relegation situation was IMHO outrageous. Glad they are back, they deserve it and I see Rangers as the true representatives of Scottish elite football and Celtic more of a fundamentalist caricature. But YMMV.

    England v Germany will be an absolute sh*tfest of a game. Suspect England will get through though

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    Was going to go through this with a detailed response but honestly your post is so outrageously stupid it’s not even worth dissecting. Almost funny. Not quite but almost.

  41. #41
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    Well England came out of last night with the best possible outcome, Germany are eminently preferable to Portugal or France and then avoiding ALL the decent teams until the final

  42. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by thegreatdogwood View Post
    Well England came out of last night with the best possible outcome, Germany are eminently preferable to Portugal or France and then avoiding ALL the decent teams until the final
    They said the same at the last World Cup and then lost to Croatia!

  43. #43
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    En-route the the WC semis we played two decent teams and lost to them both. I think we've found our level and it's in that group of teams that sits just outside the top teams.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave+63 View Post
    They said the same at the last World Cup and then lost to Croatia!

  44. #44
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    En-route the the WC semis we played two decent teams and lost to them both. I think we've found our level and it's in that group of teams that sits just outside the top teams.
    It was frequently mentioned how, having got out of the group, there were no decent teams stopping us from reaching the final and that we should have walked it. Which, in truth is what they tried to do!

  45. #45
    Grand Master Andyg's Avatar
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    Wow, so much criticism and negatively towards something which is suppose to be entertainment.

    Perhaps it’s time to just enjoy the skill, athleticism and dramatic comedy on display or simply ignore.

    Personally I have opted for the latter and never enjoyed a major football tournament more.

    Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
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  46. #46
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    If a team is good enough they should be up to playing anyone on their day. All this ducking, diving, what if’s is immaterial, yes you can and have to dream but also be realistic for expectations. Goes for any sport or competition

  47. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by RustyBin5 View Post
    Was going to go through this with a detailed response but honestly your post is so outrageously stupid it’s not even worth dissecting. Almost funny. Not quite but almost.
    I thought exactly the same
    Seen him make some real thick posts and this is right up there.



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  48. #48
    Craftsman Go Big's Avatar
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    You just know its going to go to penalties!

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  49. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hood View Post
    Gilmore played well as did Hanley,McGregor,O’Donnel and quite a few others in the England game
    Scotland has a history of heaping praise on young guys and hailing them as the new messiah after a couple of decent games.
    Let the young boy develop without all the expectancy on his shoulders.
    We have no clue whether he would have made a difference in either the opening game or the final game but the manager sees the players in training and makes the decisions and probably showed a bit of loyalty to the players that got him there and the fact that Gilmore had a good 10 mins against Luxembourg obviously wasn’t enough to sway Clarke.
    If you know Scottish football there is a narrative amongst Rangers fans that Clarke is anti Rangers and so the knives were always going to be out for him by them at the first opportunity.
    Nothing to do with Clarke being seen as anti Rangers. Statistically that is the worst Scotland performance ever at a
    major event.
    Team selections have been poor and tactics have been poor, this is a manager that was given the Scotland job after 2 years of the most negative football seen in Scotland and that takes some doing.
    Against Croatia we were getting swamped in the middle of the park 2nd half, what does he do takes off a midfielder and brings on a winger! Why not bring on Turnbull, Celtics player of the season and in the running for young player of the year.
    Scotland have a good few young players coming through and for some reason we are scared of playing them, every other country gets them on. If your good enough age shouldn’t come into it.
    Strachan or Ross would be a better bet than Clarke. As Souness said this is football from a different era!

  50. #50
    Grand Master RustyBin5's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speedyexplorer View Post
    Nothing to do with Clarke being seen as anti Rangers. Statistically that is the worst Scotland performance ever at a
    major event.
    Team selections have been poor and tactics have been poor, this is a manager that was given the Scotland job after 2 years of the most negative football seen in Scotland and that takes some doing.
    Against Croatia we were getting swamped in the middle of the park 2nd half, what does he do takes off a midfielder and brings on a winger! Why not bring on Turnbull, Celtics player of the season and in the running for young player of the year.
    Scotland have a good few young players coming through and for some reason we are scared of playing them, every other country gets them on. If your good enough age shouldn’t come into it.
    Strachan or Ross would be a better bet than Clarke. As Souness said this is football from a different era!
    And yet he made us qualify for the first time in 23 years. Strachan had his chance.

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