Football - Euro 2020 Championship

Bidley

I think to suggest Saka was left to take the last penalty to spare other players, like he was forced into it is unfair on Saka - he would've wanted to take that penalty and he showed huge courage and stepped up. You have to wonder why Sterling didn't take one though, being our top scorer in the tournament.

It hurts even more knowing that Pickers did so well in saving two - 9 out of 10 times if you save two out of five, you win the shootout.

WiresDreamDisasters

WiresDreamDisasters

yocky

Heartfeltdawn said:

If that was the case, one wonders if this is a case of training field-derived stats being used to formulate decisions ie. Saka looked fucking good in practice doing it so let's get him doing it for real. It has a similar feel to Ed Smith's time with England cricket and some of the leftfield choices that he'd be responsible for (Jason Roy opening in Tests being a prime example). 

This seems to be the most likely explanation. Almost as if they very carefully modelled the situation but forgot to have the enormity of the occasion as one of the inputs.

FarleyUK

Creed_Clicks said:

@viz come on, common assault really? You should check out Australian rules football, rugby, Gaelic football, hurling, where you would see far worse within the rules. (Apologies for the ffs part)

On another note. Looks like the Italians are on the wind up now.

"Football has come home"

Pretty sure that’s what the Italian goal scorer screamed into the camera just after he scored (or might have been after the winning penalty). 

DefaultM

The PM has said that those racially abusing players should be ashamed of themselves. What, is that the extent of it? They should look in the mirror and feel silly? I think it needs a harsher condemnation than that.

Fretwired

FarleyUK said:

Creed_Clicks said:

@viz come on, common assault really? You should check out Australian rules football, rugby, Gaelic football, hurling, where you would see far worse within the rules. (Apologies for the ffs part)

On another note. Looks like the Italians are on the wind up now.

"Football has come home"

Pretty sure that’s what the Italian goal scorer screamed into the camera just after he scored (or might have been after the winning penalty). 

I think it was 'Football is coming to Rome" ..

Kittyfrisk

Creed_Clicks

Fretwired said:

FarleyUK said:

Creed_Clicks said:

@viz come on, common assault really? You should check out Australian rules football, rugby, Gaelic football, hurling, where you would see far worse within the rules. (Apologies for the ffs part)

On another note. Looks like the Italians are on the wind up now.

"Football has come home"

Pretty sure that’s what the Italian goal scorer screamed into the camera just after he scored (or might have been after the winning penalty). 

I think it was 'Football is coming to Rome" ..

The headline in the pic reads as "Football has come home", but yeah he was shouting "it's coming to Rome"

MagicPigDetective

England should drop this Coming Home business. It sounds ridiculous to other nations even galvanizes them. From the Guardian: Bonucci said on Sunday night that the chant had galvanized the team. “We heard it day in, day out ever since Wednesday night, since the Denmark game, that the cup would be coming home to London. Sorry for them but actually the cup will be taking a nice flight to Rome.”

Kittyfrisk

Interesting viewing  

https://twitter.com/mikegalsworthy/status/1414510321096658947

mudslide73

MagicPigDetective said:

England should drop this Coming Home business. It sounds ridiculous to other nations even galvanizes them. From the Guardian: Bonucci said on Sunday night that the chant had galvanized the team. “We heard it day in, day out ever since Wednesday night, since the Denmark game, that the cup would be coming home to London. Sorry for them but actually the cup will be taking a nice flight to Rome.”

I think the subtlety of our self depreciating humour eludes them. It's about being a hopeful fan knowing how it will end.. it's the hope that kills you. 

Fretwired

Hattigol said:

Are people thinking it's acceptable that we didn't have a shot for he last 118 minutes of the 120? At Wembley, in front of our own crowd?

Or thinking that a system in which the second time Kane touched the ball in the opposition penalty area was when he took his penalty was one that worked well?

Or happy that we brought on the country's most exciting prospect, Grealish, after 98 minutes, by which time the Italians were utterly dominating?

That's all from me.

I can't argue with that .. the German press was shocked that Jadon Sancho wasn't used much during the competition and when he came on he wasn't used in his best position. England has an abundance of young talent .. the question is whether Southgate is the right man to get the best of the squad. IMHO England had the talent to win last night's game.

Italy hit rock bottom a few years ago and failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. Mancini turned up and turned things around with basically the same set of players. Italy was on the back foot in the first half but some canny substitutions and a change of formation and Italy got back in the game. Southgate didn't react - too much indecision.

Sancho playing for Dortmund .. he could have partnered Kane upfront.

Dopesick

We didn’t win the tournament but we can be safe with the knowledge that the majority of these players will not even have reached their peak, yet they have already been involved in the pressure cooker environment of a major tournament final. This will place them in good stead for future tournaments when they will be more prepared. Yes, even with penalty taking. You can score a hundred perfect penalties on the training ground but I think that counts for nothing when you have millions of eyes fixed on you in a major final. Saka, Sancho and Rashford will walk out of this stronger in the long run. Also with Pickford it looks like we have a number one we can rely on for years to come.

On a personal level, this tournament has been a major success. Over the last couple of years I had fell out of love with the sport I used to love in the 90s and 2000s. Like, in a HUGE way. I showed zero interest and would scoff every time my friends brought it up in conversation. Not sure what it is, but I have been compelled to watch nearly every game and it felt great to get emotionally involved. It’s like welcoming an old friend back after a hasty disagreement. I can’t wait for the new season to start now and it’s such a good feeling to have once again.

Lev

yocky said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

If that was the case, one wonders if this is a case of training field-derived stats being used to formulate decisions ie. Saka looked fucking good in practice doing it so let's get him doing it for real. It has a similar feel to Ed Smith's time with England cricket and some of the leftfield choices that he'd be responsible for (Jason Roy opening in Tests being a prime example). 

This seems to be the most likely explanation. Almost as if they very carefully modelled the situation but forgot to have the enormity of the occasion as one of the inputs.

You would have to think that as part of tournament preparation the penalty takers and order was pre-defined weeks ago based on their performance in training. However of all people I would have thought that Southgate would recognize that taking penalties in a high pressure situation is far more about psychology than skill. I would always opt for the most experienced players rather than the most skillful to take pens - this was evident by  the quality of Kane and Maguire's penalties.

In the game itself I thought the midfield combination for Italy were much better. Veratti and Jorginho were able to keep the ball and dictate the game. Rice and Phillips have their strengths but they can't dictate a game, progress the ball or keep the pressure away from their defense. 

UnclePsychosis

mudslide73 said:

MagicPigDetective said:

England should drop this Coming Home business. It sounds ridiculous to other nations even galvanizes them. From the Guardian: Bonucci said on Sunday night that the chant had galvanized the team. “We heard it day in, day out ever since Wednesday night, since the Denmark game, that the cup would be coming home to London. Sorry for them but actually the cup will be taking a nice flight to Rome.”

I think the subtlety of our self depreciating humour eludes them. It's about being a hopeful fan knowing how it will end.. it's the hope that kills you. 

That's how it started, but as usual a bunch of twats decided to spoil it for everyone - there's a vocal element of support and media that actually seem to have begun meaning it literally.

Kasper Schmeichel's response to being asked about it was quite funny but it glossed over the fact that it was a mental question. Why on earth are journalists asking supposedly serious questions based on the back of what is, really, just a fun song that supporters sing? 

Grumpyrocker

Dopesick said:

On a personal level, this tournament has been a major success. Over the last couple of years I had fell out of love with the sport I used to love in the 90s and 2000s. Like, in a HUGE way. I showed zero interest and would scoff every time my friends brought it up in conversation. Not sure what it is, but I have been compelled to watch nearly every game and it felt great to get emotionally involved. It’s like welcoming an old friend back after a hasty disagreement. I can’t wait for the new season to start now and it’s such a good feeling to have once again.

Of my three kids the one who watched the most games was my 14yo daughter. It's been really lovely sitting and watching loads of the group matches with her. And for there to be an England team she admires. 

I've fallen out of love with club football in the last year or two. Fed up of the stupid financial shenanigans and super league skullduggery. But I've really enjoyed Euro 2020 immensely. I particularly enjoy the group stages of these tournaments because you get so immersed in game after game, often with teams you've not seen much of before.  

Hattigol

One more thing - Sancho and Rashford coming on to take penalties at the last minute.

Imagine this in another sport - say a fictional Ryder Cup in golf. You've drawn the match and there's a 'nearest the flag' competition to decide the winner. 

You don't pick the members of the team who have just played a round of golf and been on the course for the last few hours - instead you call across to one of the subs who hasn't played and say 'get your 7 iron out, we want you to do this'.

That would be bonkers, wouldn't it? But apparently fine in football.

Creed_Clicks

I'm no expert on football tactics, but Southgate was only a few kicks away from being Sir Gareth. I fear the tabloid press will go to town on them now. Again. Maybe the lesson learned once and for all in England is to not let a game get to penalties ever again! Sh*t or bust in normal/extra time.

p90fool

MagicPigDetective said:

England should drop this Coming Home business. It sounds ridiculous to other nations even galvanizes them.

Definitely. As a non English person I just find it annoying that a country who've fluked a single win in a century or so have such a sense of entitlement about where the trophy(s) belongs. 

Just as the 55 years of hurt thing implies that a second tier sporting nation have somehow been robbed of their rightful place on the podium for generations rather than just being an average team, these things must sound even more pathetic to countries who have won the European Championship or the World Cup many, many times.  

If Greece banged on about football coming home or seven years of hurt English fans would laugh in their faces, but their winning record is identical, except it was 48 years more recent and was even filmed in colour.