UEFA Euro 2024 Thread

[Srg]

3 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

How's that a penalty?

Whole thing was bizarre. If it even was a penalty, then surely it’s a red card. I know there’s double jeopardy, but isn’t that for legitimate attempts for the ball? Which this wasn’t. Then the keeper seemingly miles over the line and it doesn’t get a retake, but it does get disallowed for encroachment?

Whole sequence was all over the place. 

Edited Saturday at 17:44 by Srg

[Ram-Alf]

Penalty my ar$e, And how many times have encroachment not been punished?, VAR got out of jail free card there...🙄

[cannable]

1 hour ago, Comrade 86 said:

Feeling less confident about England's chances with every game I watch. Spain and Germany both routinely written off in recent times, but both looking decidedly useful and back to something akin to their best. Just need Italy to slam half a dozen past Albania now... 👀

I just don’t get the belief that we’re the favourites or that this is the best England squad ever.

Even if everyone were fully fit, I think we were stronger three years ago.

[Ram-Alf]

What the holy fcuk was that 

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

Last summer we were told half of Albania were illegally crossing the channel on dinghies, it looks like the other half is in Dortmund

[Comrade 86]

1 minute ago, cannable said:

I just don’t get the belief that we’re the favourites or that this is the best England squad ever.

Even if everyone were fully fit, I think we were stronger three years ago.

I agree to an extent, in that this 'vintage' remains unproven IMO and we have tended to under-perform when it matters most. We do have a young and exciting front 6, bar Kane (older, not unexciting), but I've said already that I think this squad will be a proper handful by the next WC. Before the tournament I fancied France quite strongly, but it's starting to look quite open, with a few putting in pretty impressive performances already. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Nice whilst it lasted.

C'mon Albania!

[Comrade 86]

That's a beautifully worked set piece! 😍

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

2 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said:

I agree to an extent, in that this 'vintage' remains unproven IMO and we have tended to under-perform when it matters most. We do have a young and exciting front 6, bar Kane (older, not unexciting), but I've said already that I think this squad will be a proper handful by the next WC. Before the tournament I fancied France quite strongly, but it's starting to look quite open, with a few putting in pretty impressive performances already. 

Back in March we (France) lost at home to Germany 0-2 and we did not deserve anything better.  It is very much open.

[DarkFruitsRam7]

What a start to this tournament. International tournament football is the absolute best. Feels like a throwback to the good old days.

[DarkFruitsRam7]

13 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said:

I agree to an extent, in that this 'vintage' remains unproven IMO and we have tended to under-perform when it matters most. We do have a young and exciting front 6, bar Kane (older, not unexciting), but I've said already that I think this squad will be a proper handful by the next WC. Before the tournament I fancied France quite strongly, but it's starting to look quite open, with a few putting in pretty impressive performances already. 

Agree, but we need to find a long-term Kane replacement. His body has taken an absolute beating. I'm sure he'll still be great in two years, but not much longer after that surely. 

Edited Saturday at 19:23 by DarkFruitsRam7

[Srg]

1 minute ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Agree but we need to find a Kane replacement.

Probably why I’d have looked at Solanke for this tournament over Toney with their relative ages. Same with taking Branthwaite. Couple of selections which indicates Southgate’s future. 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

1 minute ago, Srg said:

Probably why I’d have looked at Solanke for this tournament over Toney with their relative ages. Same with taking Branthwaite. Couple of selections which indicates Southgate’s future. 

Perhaps, though Toney may come good in a shoot out.

Solanke is a good player but it's hard to argue that he'd be anything other than a significant step down from Kane if he were to become our number 9.

The Branthwaite decision is baffling.

Edited Saturday at 19:21 by DarkFruitsRam7

[Comrade 86]

4 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Agree but we need to find a long-term Kane replacement. His body has taken an absolute beating. I'm sure he'll still be great in two years, but not much longer after that surely. 

I actually had to check his age as he seems to have been around forever. He's 30 so I think you're probably right that the next tourny may be his last at his current level. We have been very dependent on his goals in recent years and I don't see any other out and out 9 with his quality. That said, the emergence of players like Palmer, Mainoo, Branthwaite and co offers hope that there may yet be an as yet unnoticed bolter.

[Srg]

5 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Perhaps, though Toney may come good in a shoot out.

Solanke is a good player but it's hard to argue that he'd be anything other than a significant step down from Kane if he were to become our number 9.

The Branthwaite decision is baffling.

I think if you’re going on form, as he’s claimed to do, Solanke not even getting in the provisional was bizarre.

Solanke has 21 goals in 42 games with 3 assists this season. Toney has 4 goals in 17 games with 2 assists. Now we know why he only played 17 games, but stats still show something. 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

Just now, Comrade 86 said:

I actually had to check his age as he seems to have been around forever. He's 30 so I think you're probably right that the next tourny may be his last at his current level. We have been very dependent on his goals in recent years and I don't see any other out and out 9 with his quality. That said, the emergence of players like Palmer, Mainoo, Branthwaite and co offers hope that there may yet be an as yet unnoticed bolter.

I thought he must have been about 32 tbf, so maybe he will make the next Euros! He's an exemplary professional but I'm not sure his body will handle another four years at the top, top level. He's played through a lot of pain already.

[Comrade 86]

10 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

The Branthwaite decision is baffling.

Can't say I've seen enough of him to know but a couple of Everton supporting pals are adamant he's already the best English CB in the PL.

[Comrade 86]

6 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

He's played through a lot of pain already.

Had to Google that too. Was completely unaware. Always thought he was one of those players that freakishly never gets injured, or very rarely.

[ariotofmyown]

2 hours ago, Comrade 86 said:

I actually had to check his age as he seems to have been around forever. He's 30 so I think you're probably right that the next tourny may be his last at his current level. We have been very dependent on his goals in recent years and I don't see any other out and out 9 with his quality. That said, the emergence of players like Palmer, Mainoo, Branthwaite and co offers hope that there may yet be an as yet unnoticed bolter.

Also, you don't neccersarily need a proper centre forward in the Kane mould. 

He's a great player, so we set up to play with him in there. Then we pick people who can come in for him.

[therealhantsram]

23 minutes ago, ariotofmyown said:

Also, you don't neccersarily need a proper centre forward in the Kane mould. 

He's a great player, so we set up to play with him in there. Then we pick people who can come in for him.

Surely the obvious answer to an injured Kane would be to play Bellingham in the false 9 role he plays for Madrid.