Euro 2012 Tournament.

I couldn't understand why Young wasn't taken off. He was terrible, in fact he has been terrible all tournament. Then it dawned on me... he was to take a penalty.......he missed!

Rooney was shit as well and should have come off when they brought on Carroll, not Welbeck who was the one forward looking capable of anything. However, Rooney was due to take a penalty as well. This summed up the extent of Hodgson's ambitions. I fear we are in for one of the real low periods in England's history akin to Taylor and McLaren.

For the first time ever I feel no pain in England's defeat on penalties, only the pain of watching a disgraceful and embarrassing performance from a team who can't actually play football

Well I guess you can't win the Euros only playing 10 men against 12 (the ref could obviously do with a trip to Specsavers missing the most blatant shirt pull of the tournament [worse than the incident that cost Denmark a place in the quarter finals] .... and I don't count Ashley Young as player; apparently Roy didn't substitute him because he forgot Young was out there). Had the ref given us the spot kick then we'd have gone through and probably won the thing. 

Still as nobody gave us a hope of getting out the group then going home undefeated is not so bad; when EUFA find a better way to decide games than penalties then I'm all for it ... personally I think the side with the least bookings in the match should go through in the interests of fair play.  

Nonetheless congratulations to Italy; strongly recommend they ask for the same ref again for the semi-finals so they'll be through to the final. 

Personally I'd like to see Spain win it as they have the best players, but don't really care. as it is back to the Championship now for the new season ... another tournament over. perhaps we shall win the world cup with Roy - at least we were better than we were with the clown who was manager before. 

Oddly, it ended up 

England = Played 4 Won 2 Drawn 2 = 8 points

Italy = Played 4 Won 1 Drawn 3 = 6 points 

Strange game football and perhaps throws some doubt on the view that the team with most points wins. I hope they apply the same logic to the Championship next year and we could find ourselves in the Premier League. 

All the best, Guy  

>  I fear we are in for one of the real low periods in England's history akin to Taylor and McLaren.

Surely the lowest point in English football history was Revie ... followed by Capello. 

Fear not things can only get better ... Roy won't pick Young again, surely? 

I'd sooner not 

I feel for England. Every time a big tournament comes up I want you guys to do well. There were even times when I wanted England to win ahead of Germany. These were the days when Germany played some pretty boring football, good tournament team, yes, successful, yes, but horrible to watch, safe and defensive. I wanted them to lose so badly, none of my mates could believe I was cheering for a different country. It all changed for me with the 2006 world cup in Germany, we were playing some beautiful football. Bundle that with the euphoria of having the cup being played in your home country and the great atmosphere that really surprised a lot of folks, it was simply impossible not to cheer for your home team. Nowadays plenty of people agree that Germany plays some of the most attractive football in Europe. You wouldn't have seen that 10 or 15 years ago, no way. Respect maybe but not appreciation. So how did Germany get there? It was a long an arduous road. The DFB went back to basics, set up new structures, training and youth development programmes, which not only included an increased training of youngsters' technical abilities but also football theory. Most of the young players coming through the system nowadays have been training according to a cohesive philosophy and they have internalised the type of play the national team envisages and wants them to play, bringing with them a strong tactical understanding already.

I don't know what is or is not done in England but unless the FA implements a proper development programme and develops football at grass root level, including having enough coaches to properly train young guys and girls, England will face the same dilemma tournament after tournament. It seems a little unfair to simply blame it on the players. It's the FA or whoever is responsible for the development of football across England that really should bear most of the blame. 

I for one would like to see England win the Euros or even another world cup. I think it would be good for European football and England certainly deserve it with the Premier League still being the best league in Europe and probably the world. 

To better days

tp

> It's the FA or whoever is responsible for the development of football across England that really should bear most of the blame. 

Agreed - and Ashley Young what was he thinking of trying to take a penalty. 

Also agree Germany and Spain are the two most attractive European sides to watch. 

I regularly photograph U8 games for the paper I work for. In general, hard tackles are praised more than keeping the ball. Players are regularly denigrated by coaches. There are frequently tears as well a triumphs. Fun often appears to be in fairly short supply.

Congratulations to Italy on playing the better football.

Chris

Your views of Young are at Lawrenson muppet level.

Hodgson asked too much of Gerrard and Parker all tournament; 60 minutes, if not earlier, they are done as a pair - the opposition get more ball and the midfield and defence are pushed back, the wide men have to beat 3 or 4 to get to the front men, and so on. It's a waste playing Milner wide.

Rooney isn't match fit. Why?

Using Carroll to flick on just gave the ball away.

OW

I hate it when teams rely on sneaky foreign tricks tricks like passing and shooting.

A team of limited ability (and fitness) has been eliminated. In four games have we ever really looked in control? We've been outplayed in 3 1/2 of them. Organised and hard-working is not enough when you cannot do the basics.

I keep hearing how good we were 'without the ball' as if that is an acheivement.

Now please tell me that Hodgson and the FA will get hold of some young footballers and teach them to control, pass and move.

I'd like to see a really fresh young team for the next stage of England's development (no disrespect to Gerrard etc).

Bruce 

As somebody who has no understanding of, or interest in, football the scoreline is of much less interest to me than the surrounding attitude to defeat or victory.

Hearing about last night's match on the radio, a glance at the press and reading this column, I am thoroughly heartened by the humility and thoughtfulness with which the current rout is being faced.

A great day for English football and character.

Don, overcast downtown York

Yes Don, you are right we took being knocked out of the competition without losing a single game extremely well ... and if it is only for the want of being able to take good penalties that we are in the semi-final - no other reason really if Young and Cole had scored we'd have gone through, they didn't so we didn't ... simple really. There was nothing to choose between us and Italy as was reflected by the score line 0-0 (except of course for the aforementioned penalty kicks).

It's a funny old game.  

> Your views of Young are at Lawrenson muppet level.

Agreed, but if Young had have been substituted for Leighton Baines then he would have taken and scored the penalty; think you'd have to agree Young was our worst player in every game (Roy needs to select a better player next time - possibly Marc Albrighton from the Villa) - Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott all played really well and Carroll did well enough when he came on. It certainly wasn't gloom and doom. 

Guido Fawkes,

Baines is a fine striker of a dead ball. No guarantee, but I'd have been more confident seeing him walk to the spot.

Young:

I don't agree he was the worst player in every game; from the match last night I put Johnson, Lescott, Walcott, Carroll, Milner and Rooney as worse.

The players you mention:

Hart - misjudged a few but escaped, and his kicking remains abysmal.

Johnson - one very good block, but walkies again - Milner wasted to cover him.

Terry -  good around the penalty area, though he sold himself a few times. Farther out?

Lescott - again, blocks; Balotelli had fun getting between him and Cole.

Carroll - gave away the ball and stupid fouls.

At least Young and Cole worked as a pair in the end.

It isn't all doom and gloom; there are some defenders coming through who can defend, pass, and bring the ball out, and young midfielders who look more comfortable - if they can stay fit. The worry is players who can pass and retain the ball will be overlooked because they are perceived as not having a good engine.

Cheers,

OW

Loving tonights game.

They don't like it upem sir.

The final will be bloody boring though.

Stu.

Foursprung pork technique?

Germans had no real plan it seems to me, well done Italy.

Not expecting much from the final though.

Well done to Italy, they were the better team on the day. Balotelli, Pirlo and Buffon were world class. Shame we didn't manage to convert our chances, some cracking shots but it wasn't meant to be. It seems Italy is to Germany what penalty shoot out is to England. Looking forward to the world cup in two years' time, Brasil should be special for any team that makes the cut.

I hope Italy go on and win it now, they managed to gradually up their game and are playing a beautiful style of football now, much preferred to the head spinning tiqui-taca of the Spanish, which can get a bit boring. 

You cannot be serious. Italy were in a different class from England, as was agreed by every single commentator, analyst and reporter I've heard or read.

totemphile you and I seem to agree on football.  I think Germany and Italy have been the two best teams in the tournament.  Both have shown a willingness to attack and, tacticalIy, Italy have been better than anyone else - using different formations, and making them work, playing to their strengths, exploiting other opponents weaknesses etc.  Plus they have three absolute world class players in Buffon, Pirlo and (sometimes) Balotelli.  It's no suprise then that for me at least, they have been the most enjoyable team to watch and I too will be backing them against Spain.

Tom you can't fight the facts 0-0 means there was nothing between the teams except for those wretched Ashleys penalties, if we'd have been able to take penalties we'd now be looking at playing Spain in the final.  Spain are the best team in the tournament for me; however the only things that count are goals and penalties at the end ... that's the rules .... if results were simply down to aesthetics, Ipswich Town would be playing Champions League football next year, but it don't work like that. If Roy can teach 'em to score from the spot then we could win the world cup in a couple of years time. 

Still well done Italy, lets see what happens on Sunday

I thought Italy were good against Spain in the group stages and generally they seem to have improved. I sense a good team spirit, combative and also positive football. Spain look wearier every game.

The increasingly hit and miss drollery of Mark Lawrenson provided my favourite moment of last night though. When Ballotelli removed his shirt to show us his muscles the match commentator said, 'well he seems to be sending us some sort of message' to which Lawro replied 'Yeah, that he's an idiot'.

Italy to win the final for me.

Bruce

(Guido-you are being wilfully perverse. Presumably if Italy win it you will say England are just as good because they could only draw 0:0 with us? Yeah, right. If we played Italy twenty times in a row just now we'd maybe draw once more, and lose the rest.)

A boo-boo by Low. The warning signs were there in the Greece game - how easy it was for their opponents to get through their defence when around the halfway line, and Schweinsteiger giving the ball away - and in Balotelli's runs against England. Why leave out Klose and Reus when it was confirmed they link with the team and penetrate well?

May the best team with forwards win.

Cheers,

OW

> if Italy win it you will say England are just as good because they could only draw 0:0 with us? Yeah, right.

Yes that is right Bruce, on that we agree, but I still think Spain are the best team in the tournament and they know how to take a good penalty. 

Guido

Hang on, I just remembered, we beat Spain 1:0 last year. We are the best of the lot!

Fabulous, I'll break out the champagne.

Bruce

Good point Bruce .. though in fairness I don't think Spain were at full strength and, as you know, I'm not one for claiming we are better than we are. And on the world stage much as I like James Milner, I still link Lionel Messi is a better player.  Let's not carried away with the champagne just yet. 

Still England beat Australia today to add to our series win against India and with Andy Murray set to win Wimbledon things are on the way up ...  

You are taking the piss surely. Sorry if I'm taking you too literally but I see no smileys to indicate otherwise. I have other stuff to consider (like just having been made redundant) so I have other things on my mind at the moment.

If you're serious then dream on.