Euros 2016

Got myself the high res version..

I don’t think fleeting success in a couple of fringe sports is anything to get too excited about.

 With regards to Englands prospects in the euros. I don’t think it’s a matter of will they fail, but, to what extent they’ll fail.

 Although, the Euros may mirror last seasons premiership, given the big hitters (Germany, Spain and Italy) aren’t playing that well at the moment. Who knows, maybe one of the outsiders (England) might win it.

If these England 'young guns' are given the freedom to attack using the intensity they are used to in the Premier League I think they will shock a few teams and could go far in the competition.  But I fear they will be constrained by the usual conservative tactics of the manager and we will suffer the regular disappointment of under-achievement.

Must say Payet has already set a very high bar for the goal-of-the-tournament competition. 

I am sure the Dutch team will win....

Bert Schurink posted:

I am sure the Dutch team will win....

...at least on a PlayStation ...

Thought that England played well and it was Hodgson's awful decisions with the subs that cost us. Typical of him to bring on Milner. We had a tiring, tactically inept, and possession-poor Russian side on the ropes but instead of going for the kill Hodgson went for caution which sucked the impetus out of the team. 

Agreed

Made for Vardy

MDS posted:

... -poor Russian side on the ropes but instead of going for the kill Hodgson went for caution which sucked the impetus out of the team. 

Subs sucked and the equalising goal was scruffy 'sucker' too. Pleased with the game otherwise. Russia may have looked poor but they would have beaten Albania/Romania/Switzerland I'm sure. French commentators (M6) had zero bad comments on England team!

England’s performance was a surprise, everybody played very well, apart from Sterling.

The equaliser wasn’t a surprise, as an Everton supporter, I’d say a headed goal in injury time, after a Hail Mary punt into the box is the norm rather than a rarity. 

fatcat posted:

 

The equaliser wasn’t a surprise, as an Everton supporter, I’d say a headed goal in injury time, after a Hail Mary punt into the box is the norm rather than a rarity. 

I recognise that as a Pompey fan, too!

fatcat posted:

The equaliser wasn’t a surprise, as an Everton supporter, I’d say a headed goal in injury time, after a Hail Mary punt into the box is the norm rather than a rarity. 

Don't worry, that's all behind you now. Koeman will organise your defence.

C.

MDS posted:

Must say Payet has already set a very high bar for the goal-of-the-tournament competition. 

I thyink you understand.

Tournament is going well by all accounts....

Disqualify the two national teams now. Let them see a suffer a real consequence of their actions-and all the decent and well-behaved fans will turn against the idiots too.

The behaviour outside the ground from Engerland fans has been disgusting as well as that on the night by the Russians inside the stadium.

Bruce

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Disqualify the two national teams now. Let them see a suffer a real consequence of their actions-and all the decent and well-behaved fans will turn against the idiots too.

But why should the very great majority be penalised for the actions of the minority? I'm certain that the 'well behaved' fans don't need turning, they are already against them.

However repulsive these people on all sides may be, should everyone else really suffer consequences for their actions?

There's plenty of video showing those responsible. Identify them. Put them through legal system. If guilty, imprison them and fine them and/or seize their goods to help pay for the damage caused. Take away their passports for 5 years and tag them for 2. Failing that, chop their legs off so the silly b*stards can't run around creating havoc again.

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Disqualify the two national teams now. Let them see a suffer a real consequence of their actions

 

No that would not work. I did not see England supporter in the ground doing anything other than trying to get themselves and their friends/family to safety. Neither did I see a team player  or staff member involved in charging the Russian supporters. Getting "well behaved supporters" to do anything, ... what did you have in mind 'letter to MP' or another battle in Marseilles? You might as well send England's cricket team home, as neither their paying public nor players did anything either. And when Alastair Cook gets angry, then those yobs will think twice, won't they!

If I had been at that match and at that end and unable to get my wife or nephew to safety, I would have done my best to protect them. And I don't mean by sitting down writing a letter.

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Disqualify the two national teams now. Let them see a suffer a real consequence of their actions-and all the decent and well-behaved fans will turn against the idiots too.

The behaviour outside the ground from Engerland fans has been disgusting as well as that on the night by the Russians inside the stadium.

Bruce

So should we ban driving because a small number of drivers speed and drink-drive? Should ban eating in public places because some people litter the pavement? Should ban dogs because some owners do not pick up their dogs pooh?

The guilty culprits should be identified and the law should deal with them. Do not punish the vast majority of decent and well behaved football fans.

This is hardly an isolated incident of football related thuggery either home or abroad. In the stadium the England fans appeared blameless but on the previous 3 nights England fans have been teargassed and effectively rioting. Witness also the behaviours of Liverpool fans at their Euro final, West Ham v Man Utd and goodness knows how many more. the hooligans are drifting back. Did they ever go away?

These people claim to be supporting a football team, the 'national game' that generates so much hype and money for advertisers and broadcasters. So to stop them remove the product. When racist and offensive chants are used make clubs play behind closed doors and deny them TV coverage. When they riot abroad then withdraw the national team.

The boys with the money like Sky TV and the big club owners will soon be clamouring for real action and change if you do this, and the football authorities and sport politicians will be pressured to make it happen.

As for the 'real' fans, is it me or have they actually tolerated this boorish and unacceptable behaviour in their midst for too long? If the overwhelming majority suffer some of the effects then they too will put pressure on clubs and associations to really clamp down on the unacceptable behaviour.

Prison sentences and travel bans change nothing, they just park the problem. Cultural shifts really make changes.

I'm not limiting this to England, others clearly have bigger problems.

Disclaimer. I'm not a footie fan. I have also attended incredibly partisan and passionate inter-national sporting events where not a single person has been arrested, nobody threw bottles or tore up seats and people allowed opposing fans to mingle freely without problem. It can be done, why should football be different?

Bruce

If 300 or so England supporters not looking for a fight ie. drinking a lot and singing out of tune is worth tear-gassing (they ought to try that with the tyre burning Farmers!), what should the authorities do with 150 Russian and French 'Ultras', motivated, sober, tooled up and looking for easy targets?

Tomorrow is another 'jour de greve' and I need to get 40km to my dentist in Montebourg. I look forward to the usual 'carte blanche' disruption by protestors and inaction by the Poule, and cannot quite work out how England fans singing in a language the French cannot understand could cause the the Poule to get off their lazy backsides.

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Disclaimer. I'm not a footie fan. I have also attended incredibly partisan and passionate inter-national sporting events where not a single person has been arrested, nobody threw bottles or tore up seats and people allowed opposing fans to mingle freely without problem. It can be done, why should football be different?

 

I agree with that. These are not Sports fans per se.

These are neanderthals who have chosen to attend football matches to camouflage their own agendas. It doesn't happen at other sports events. Can't see many Sri Lankans on the rampage after being stuffed in the Tests. The Barmy Army get completely blitzed but still don't savage the locals. Australian fans didn't tear up the seats going down to England in the rugby.

So why punish the sport of football in the greater sense? It seems to me that national politicians and police have done plenty in recent years. The French seemed to have dropped the ball on this one though. However I can't the 'BBC Police' arriving any time soon...

I'm being a bit provocative I accept but when does it change for this sport? What makes that happen? A few more arrests and travel bans won't alter the fact that hooliganism and football seem to be joined somehow. With all the wealth swilling around the sport there is surely the means but is there the will to work the problem?

Will those UK fans who travel to the Olympics this summer need police in riot gear? I think not.

Bruce

Superb Bonucci,forza ragazzi! 

Fabio 1 posted:

Superb Bonucci,forza ragazzi! 

Congrats Fabio!  Your side totally outplayed a sluggish Belgium squad.  It was fun to see Italy continue to go forward after getting the first goal (as opposed to going into a defensive shell).

Thank you Hook.It was a good Belgium team but I would have expected a better one.