France v Greaseballs

[Mafiabob]

3 hours ago, McRamFan said:

There is no drug in the world that could suspend reality to make that happen.

Not all of us are stuck in the past, most know that the current players do not give a monkeys for International games.  There has to be a huge shift, that will never happen as there is an Australian in charge of football.

Why does that matter?

Take it you're not a rugby union man then?

[Mafiabob]

3 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

Alternative view could be that your mindset is typical of people who are happy to let UEFA and FIFA continue ruining the game by tinkering with things that have been fine for the last 100 years?

The sooner we get back to having decisions made for the betterment of the game, rather than financial reasons, the better.

Another alternative view is that 24 teams has made it more competitive. Not many one sided games this tournament.... Iceland, Hungary even Albania didn't exactly look out of place.... 

Smaller or so called "lesser" nations are far more competitive now.... 

Wales did wonderfully to get to semis and don't begrudge them getting a open top bus parade.... So what does us English lot do? Tweet to say how tinpot they are and mock them. We're the laughing stock not them.

[Duracell]

I wouldn't link the 24 team format with the quality of football - if anything, the weaker sides saved the tournament from killing the continent through boredom.

Hungary provided the only entertaining game involving Portugal, Wales progressed to the semis, Albania actually won a game, and Iceland were just Iceland.

None of the big sides apart from France seemed capable of - or willing to - properly turn the ratchet up and finish games off.

Part of it is that there isn't really such a thing as a "minnow" anymore. Football is incredibly developed in this continent, and even the smaller teams are made up of players playing in top flight football, with top flight fitness and even world class coaches managing them. Some of the so-called bigger nations need to go back to the drawing board and work out how to beat well-drilled, highly organised and determined sides in 90 minutes.

[Anon]

38 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

So I can count on you not to call for Pearsons head if we're are playing well but we are sitting 19th in the league come next Easter? 

Yes, although that situation is highly unlikely. If you have decent players, which we do, and encourage them to play good football you will normally find yourself competing at the right end of the table.

[eddie]

41 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

Another alternative view is that 24 teams has made it more competitive. Not many one sided games this tournament.... Iceland, Hungary even Albania didn't exactly look out of place.... 

Smaller or so called "lesser" nations are far more competitive now.... 

Wales did wonderfully to get to semis and don't begrudge them getting a open top bus parade.... So what does us English lot do? Tweet to say how tinpot they are and mock them. We're the laughing stock not them.

Much of the English fans' reaction was a combination of false entitlement and jealousy.

[McRamFan]

47 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

Why does that matter?

Take it you're not a rugby union man then?

Bit of a difference between a great coach taking a bunch of losers to become history makers and a giant cockroach hell bent on manipulating British politics and having football dance to the beat of his drum....

[G STAR RAM]

1 hour ago, Mafiabob said:

Another alternative view is that 24 teams has made it more competitive. Not many one sided games this tournament.... Iceland, Hungary even Albania didn't exactly look out of place.... 

Smaller or so called "lesser" nations are far more competitive now.... 

Wales did wonderfully to get to semis and don't begrudge them getting a open top bus parade.... So what does us English lot do? Tweet to say how tinpot they are and mock them. We're the laughing stock not them.

Competitive to the stage where 'lesser teams' will now have the mindset that the tournament can be won without actually winning games...it does not bode well for future tournaments.

You seem to think England losing are the reason people are saying the tournament was poor to watch but I don't see that as the case.

[Guest]

Depends on your outlook on football if you enjoyed this tournament or not, the mentality for a lot of teams has been adopting a defensive approach and keeping games tight.  There is nothing wrong with this, and shows the way European football has shifted to this mentality over the past few years, Leicester being a prime example.

Even France have adapted this mentality in some aspects, they approached their games with a hard workIng midfield over flair, didn't press the ball high up, and even had Podgba playing deep which weighed more to a negative approach than a positive.  Wales did well, of course they were going to take some stick for going out, I don't buy into the jealousy rubbish, football is all about banter and most fans get involved in this, the high and mighty of course sit on their superior throne of course and look down on this but hey ho :-)

I enjoyed the euros, apart from the complete failing of England, and would be more than happy if Pearson took the same approach with Derby as Portugal have done and got the same results, some won't as was evident under PCs reign, but for me football is more than who has the best players, it's about team spirit against adversity, winning mentality and of course the banter that makes football more than the 90 minutes between two teams.

[eddie]

6 minutes ago, Leeds Ram said:

Depends on your outlook on football if you enjoyed this tournament or not, the mentality for a lot of teams has been adopting a defensive approach and keeping games tight.  There is nothing wrong with this, and shows the way European football has shifted to this mentality over the past few years, Leicester being a prime example.

Even France have adapted this mentality in some aspects, they approached their games with a hard workIng midfield over flair, didn't press the ball high up, and even had Podgba playing deep which weighed more to a negative approach than a positive.  Wales did well, of course they were going to take some stick for going out, I don't buy into the jealousy rubbish, football is all about banter and most fans get involved in this, the high and mighty of course sit on their superior throne of course and look down on this but hey ho :-)

I enjoyed the euros, apart from the complete failing of England, and would be more than happy if Pearson took the same approach with Derby as Portugal have done and got the same results, some won't as was evident under PCs reign, but for me football is more than who has the best players, it's about team spirit against adversity, winning mentality and of course the banter that makes football more than the 90 minutes between two teams.

Eh?

Leicester were the third-highest goalscorers in the league and had the third-best defence. That strikes me as an excellent balance, and using them in that context detracts from your main pont.

[froggg]

14 hours ago, HantsRam said:

Seemingly a lot of anti Portugal feeling here,  but for me France have been utter plop tonight as well. 

France showed zero ambition to win their own tournament, pathetic.

[DEL]

4 hours ago, McLovin said:

Poor tournament overall but Portugal were probably the best team set up tactically and had a clear identity. Their back 5 were magnificent. Jose Fonte has to be the most underrated player currently in the prem. Goes to show that if you have a clear structure and identity then you can go on to achieve anything

Disagreed (best team bit etc) sorry. 

[Highgate]

6 hours ago, Mostyn6 said:

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa????????????

Italia 90 was epic as a tournament. I can reel off a load of things I remember about that tournament now.

- Gazza's tears

- Roger Milla

- Cameroon. Oman Biyik beating Argentina and that tackle on Cannigia that lost his boot.

-Lothar Mathaus being amazing

-Baggio's run and goal

-Pearce and Waddle missing penalties 

-Linekar equalising against Germany

-Nessun Dorma

- Mark Wright in a bandage

-Platt's swivel volley

- Des Walker tackling with his head, on the floor!

-Terry Butcher and Chris Waddle dancing

 

Lots of those have nothing to do with football.   Cameroon were a breath of fresh air alright.  But the football on show was generally negative and boring, despite wonderful players like Maradona, Baggio and Mathaus being in the tournament.  FIFA even had to change the rules to try and combat negative defensive football afterwards.  Hence no back passes to the keeper.   England (and Ireland) had good tournaments, but that doesn't mean football in general was in a good place. 

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, eddie said:

Eh?

Leicester were the third-highest goalscorers in the league and had the third-best defence. That strikes me as an excellent balance, and using them in that context detracts from your main pont.

I was basing my opinions based upon seeing them play rather than stats, however Leicester had only 43% possession -3rd lowest in league.they had the second lowest short passes pg, joint top on counter attack goals, top on penalties at 10, 5th highest in long balls but 3rd bottom for short passes, and was in the bottom half for spending the most time in the opposition third of the field but 6th highest in their own third, they all look counter attacking stats to me.  Keep it tight, hit the ball into the channels or hit them on the break.

Did you think Clement played attacking football given the goals stats when he was in charge ? (Pretty sure we were near the top, although I am willing to be corrected?)

[ramit]

Aww

 

[Mostyn6]

27 minutes ago, Highgate said:

Lots of those have nothing to do with football.   Cameroon were a breath of fresh air alright.  But the football on show was generally negative and boring, despite wonderful players like Maradona, Baggio and Mathaus being in the tournament.  FIFA even had to change the rules to try and combat negative defensive football afterwards.  Hence no back passes to the keeper.   England (and Ireland) had good tournaments, but that doesn't mean football in general was in a good place. 

wow, are you sure you even watched? Only the final was crap, but almost every other game was a ding dong battle, especially in the knock-out stages. There were plenty of 3-2s etc. Did you watch Holland v Germany? Arguably the best international game I've ever seen.

[Bris Vegas]

Don't understand the idea that Portugal were tactically brilliant. Far from it, they were terrible for large parts.

This isn't a Greece story. Greece were proper underdogs, and they advanced from a group containing Russia, Spain and Portugal before beatiing France, a very good Czech Republic and then Portugal again to win it. They were underdogs in every single game, yet tactically and as a unit they won it.

Portugal, on the other hand, were favourites to beat Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Croatia, Poland and Wales but were largely crap in each game, playing uninspiring football and let's be honest, lucked their way through.

They actually won only one game in 90 mins from six matches they should have won comfortably (OK, five as I guess Croatia were you'd say a solid opponent).

Greece was a fairytale, even Di Matteo's Chelsea had to beat Napoli, Barca and Bayern using stout defending to win the CL. Portugal were favourites to win every game en route to the final, and they scraped through.

Rubbish tournament, rubbish winners playing rubbish football.

 

 

[Mafiabob]

2 hours ago, McRamFan said:

Bit of a difference between a great coach taking a bunch of losers to become history makers and a giant cockroach hell bent on manipulating British politics and having football dance to the beat of his drum....

You've lost me

[eddie]

5 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

You've lost me

Murdoch owns football

[Mafiabob]

15 minutes ago, eddie said:

Murdoch owns football

Ah...... Think I need to go back to liking turtles again and thinking I'm funny. ?

[Mafiabob]

22 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

Don't understand the idea that Portugal were tactically brilliant. Far from it, they were terrible for large parts.

This isn't a Greece story. Greece were proper underdogs, and they advanced from a group containing Russia, Spain and Portugal before beatiing France, a very good Czech Republic and then Portugal again to win it. They were underdogs in every single game, yet tactically and as a unit they won it.

Portugal, on the other hand, were favourites to beat Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Croatia, Poland and Wales but were largely crap in each game, playing uninspiring football and let's be honest, lucked their way through.

They actually won only one game in 90 mins from six matches they should have won comfortably (OK, five as I guess Croatia were you'd say a solid opponent).

Greece was a fairytale, even Di Matteo's Chelsea had to beat Napoli, Barca and Bayern using stout defending to win the CL. Portugal were favourites to win every game en route to the final, and they scraped through.

Rubbish tournament, rubbish winners playing rubbish football.