Euro 2016 thread

scrumhalf

Rooney has been a revelation in his current role, probably a good deal more effective than if he played up front.

England haven't been maginificent, they haven't been awful. It takes time to get going in a tournament, especially with a team that has had little or no competitive experience of playing together.

Teams change, players come in and out. The England team that wone in 1966 wasn't the team that played in the group stages.

So far, so good.

joeyowen

No one is discrediting Rooney, he is a very good midfielder

But he would simply not make the Tournament 11 (maybe the bench )

I'm a United fan, I love Rooney as a player but bloody hell there is better across Europe.

menamestom

Rooney has settled into his midfield role really well. He's surprised most pundit's who thought Roy was trying to force him into the team on name alone. However, the criticism has so far gone away because Rooney has played well (which is good as a Man U fan as I would like to see him there for us next season). But you don't become a top European midfielder in 2 games by paying against Russia and Wales. You've just proven you're not shit and it might work.

lloyd

BigLicks67 said:

lloyd said:

BigLicks67 said:

lloyd said:

So you put Rooney in central midfield in your tournament XI before a game kicks off? 

Come on.

Maybe not before but I will do now : >

Jesus.

So you're claiming Rooney as one of the best midfielders in Europe?

He's played against Russia, who are fairly shit, and Wales who gave him all the time in the world to pick passes we sat that deep with zero press....

Toni Kroos was praised to the high heavens for playing well against Ukraine, who as Northern Ireland proved are pretty shit.

Why can't you accept that an English player can be as talented as his foreign counterparts?

I can accept it when it's true, in the past,  Owen, Beckham, Ferdinand, Gazza, etc have all been one of the top players in their position in the world.

I'm just not sure that (as my argument is) I'd put Rooney in my Euro 2016 XI in central midfield, especially (as my statement was) before a ball was kicked.

Has he played well? Yeah he has, he's a class player. 

Would I pick him over Iniesta, Ozil, Modric, Bale, Payet or Pogba? No chance.

Jalapeno

Thought England were ok, bit laboured regarding finishing. Lalanna was good in first half especially.

Wales held their own in the first half, but tried to park the bus in the 2nd and it was their downfall.

lloyd

Jalapeno;1114011" said:

Thought England were ok, bit laboured regarding finishing. Lalanna was good in first half especially.



Wales held their own in the first half, but tried to park the bus in the 2nd and it was their downfall.

You equalised too early for us to hold on, backs against the wall for much of the first half, but saying that we were a few seconds away from the plan working.

joneve

Hopefully Woy has learned from his mistakes and starts with a more positive 11 against Slovakia, rather than just trying not to lose. 

Also, why the fuck are we playing so narrow? 

menamestom

Wales are a better team than Russia.  I hope to see them not be afraid to use Bale a bit more against them and go for the win. They need the cross ball's that switched play so effectively against Slovakia and some attacking intent.  They way they set up against England was understandable but to have a chance in the next round only a win will do.  I think the third place in Group B will be a stay of execution for any team that get it as they play the winner of group D, Spain's group. 

Snap

I think so far the only team in the competition that could definitely cause England problems are Italy. Everyone else is either pretty poor or average.

Germany have been ropey, but you are foolish to discount them in any tournament.

Portugal are rubbish, Spain are struggling. France are another who could perhaps give us trouble, but I think the rest are all more or less the same, including us.

Wales are not very good, and England are maybe a bit better. Perhaps we should stick with this more agressive formation and focus on jsut scoring as many as possible, cos we are rough in defence. Hopefully this nonsense about Vardy and Rooney not being able to play together has been put to bed, cos I think Rooney has been our best player so far, and second half last night we were much better, if a little all over the place. I like Vardy, he's fearless.

I think Sterling has sealed his fate now, he really isn't upto it.

Keepers - when haven't we had a keeper that was a bit iffy? I think you'd have to go back to Shilton maybe. Hart should have had that free kick though. Poor.

joneve

Snap said:

I think so far the only team in the competition that could definitely cause England problems are Italy. Everyone else is either pretty poor or average.

Germany have been ropey, but you are foolish to discount them in any tournament.

Portugal are rubbish, Spain are struggling. France are another who could perhaps give us trouble, but I think the rest are all more or less the same, including us.

Wales are not very good, and England are maybe a bit better. Perhaps we should stick with this more agressive formation and focus on jsut scoring as many as possible, cos we are rough in defence. Hopefully this nonsense about Vardy and Rooney not being able to play together has been put to bed, cos I think Rooney has been our best player so far, and second half last night we were much better, if a little all over the place. I like Vardy, he's fearless.

I think Sterling has sealed his fate now, he really isn't upto it.

Keepers - when haven't we had a keeper that was a bit iffy? I think you'd have to go back to Shilton maybe. Hart should have had that free kick though. Poor.

I think because of the history we've had, that any "error" is magnified. Hart is a VERY good goal keeper and has passion in spades. If that had been Buffon or another world class keeper, it would be waved off "he should have saved it, but it was a mistake, it happens"

(but I agree he should have saved it). 

We could do a lot worse I think! 

lloyd

Hart is a fantastic 'keeper. He made a mistake, it happens. It luckily didn't cost you.

England love a scapegoat though, some of the rants I've read about him on FB are ace.

Who's English that is better than him? He's the best you've got so you pick him.

joneve

lloyd said:

Hart is a fantastic 'keeper. He made a mistake, it happens. It luckily didn't cost you.

England love a scapegoat though, some of the rants I've read about him on FB are ace.

Who's English that is better than him? He's the best you've got so you pick him.

Precisely! 

Goalkeeping is a thankless fucking task I tell thee. 

I'm apathetic to English football as it's been so bad for so long, but this team seems to have passion and fire like no team has for the last 10 years - like they actually want to play for their country again. Which is refreshing and also bodes well for the future and has made me more interested again, which is great. I still have fond memories of Euro 96, and the World Cups in 98 and 2002 and getting emotional...that's not happened for ages, and hopefully these lads can re-kindle my love of World football. 

Clarky

joneve said:

lloyd said:

Hart is a fantastic 'keeper. He made a mistake, it happens. It luckily didn't cost you.

England love a scapegoat though, some of the rants I've read about him on FB are ace.

Who's English that is better than him? He's the best you've got so you pick him.

Precisely! 

Goalkeeping is a thankless fucking task I tell thee. 

I'm apathetic to English football as it's been so bad for so long, but this team seems to have passion and fire like no team has for the last 10 years - like they actually want to play for their country again. Which is refreshing and also bodes well for the future and has made me more interested again, which is great. I still have fond memories of Euro 96, and the World Cups in 98 and 2002 and getting emotional...that's not happened for ages, and hopefully these lads can re-kindle my love of World football. 

I agree about Hart.. he is superb.. 

in this case I think he made an error choosing to use a wall for a free kick at that range because it influences your choices on where to position yourself.. from that range, without a wall you'd be aligned with the position of the ball and the centre of the goal and he'd have plenty of time to see it coming..

watching Hart [when he's at his best] is like watching a text book on how to be a goalie.. wonderful stuff..

my only criticism of him is his distribution on occasion.. I know he often tries to feed the ball to the best available winger, but to often he hoofs it out for a throw in around the halfway line.. it just puts you back under pressure..

the prob is… when goalies make mistakes the whole team is often punished..

hero to zero and back in a heartbeat.. and a bull's eye for the finger pointing..

joeyowen

Not to sound overly Welsh here, but I don't think Hart or the Slovak keeper need too much blame

They both look bad on tv, so will get the blame.  But it's Bale, he is one of the best free kick takers in the world.  The ball is travelling at light speed and swerving like a mofo.  Although they are the best keepers in their countries, so should do better

I just gone done contradicted maaself

lloyd

joeyowen said:

Not to sound overly Welsh here, but I don't think Hart or the Slovak keeper need too much blame

They both look bad on tv, so will get the blame.  But it's Bale, he is one of the best free kick takers in the world.  The ball is travelling at light speed and swerving like a mofo.  Although they are the best keepers in their countries, so should do better

I just gone done contradicted maaself

The first one the Slovak just shits himself as it's Bale and he tries to get an advantage, if he doesn't take a couple steps he saves it easily-it's not tight into a corner.

The second one-yeah it swerves but again it's not in the corner, should save it.

They're good powerful kicks like you say but saveable. Both 'keepers will be rightly disappointed.

Snap

I don't get all this Hart bashing at all tbh.

Paul Robinson - brilliant keeper, but pilloried for one gaff. After that he went on to have a load of good seasons at Blackburn and if it wasn't for his fall out with that plank Mclaren, I think he'd have been recalled.

Carson, Green...

As has been said, one mistake, sometimes huge effect.

To be fair to Hart, maybe, yes he should have stopped the kick, but the wall didn't help.

Monday-  I reckon it could be a rough game, grind out a draw.

quarky

joneve said:

Also, why the fuck are we playing so narrow? 

I didn't think we were narrow at all actually, well, certainly not later. All the attacks seems to come from a ball out to the right (mainly) and a cross/pass into the box. I think that had to be the way to attack at that point because Wales were so compact, but I was wanting England to sit back a bit more, draw Wales out, and try a fast counter attack, especially with Vardy on. They did counter-attack, but generally it wasn't fast enough so Wales had plenty of time to get back to a defensive position.

That seems to be the way a few games have gone though. The "favourites" for the game have had to nick a messy goal, the opposition need to come out and try for an equaliser, and the favourites hit them with a late sucker punch.

Despite the expansion of the competition, the "poorer" teams who you wouldn't expect to see at a competition like this have done themselves proud in the way that they have played. Some games haven't been that exciting, but I think I have found this much more enjoyable so far than the last World Cup anyway.

lloyd

Well there's apparently a crowdfunding page been set up to bring Sterling home, it's these kinds of things that piss me off about so called supporters, really going to help your team that isn't it.

No wonder Rooney got pissed off at the boos at Wembley that time and no wonder they get accused of not giving a shit.

joneve

quarky said:

joneve said:

Also, why the fuck are we playing so narrow? 

I didn't think we were narrow at all actually, well, certainly not later. All the attacks seems to come from a ball out to the right (mainly) and a cross/pass into the box. I think that had to be the way to attack at that point because Wales were so compact, but I was wanting England to sit back a bit more, draw Wales out, and try a fast counter attack, especially with Vardy on. They did counter-attack, but generally it wasn't fast enough so Wales had plenty of time to get back to a defensive position.

That seems to be the way a few games have gone though. The "favourites" for the game have had to nick a messy goal, the opposition need to come out and try for an equaliser, and the favourites hit them with a late sucker punch.

Despite the expansion of the competition, the "poorer" teams who you wouldn't expect to see at a competition like this have done themselves proud in the way that they have played. Some games haven't been that exciting, but I think I have found this much more enjoyable so far than the last World Cup anyway.

In fairness, I didn't "see" much of the second half, even though I put it on the projector in my office - but the first half we weren't feeding it wide at all. 

BigLicks67

My problem with Hart is that he exudes anxiety before and during the game. He's a quality keeper, no doubt, but he needs to sit down with that Steve Peters bloke and tame his inner chimp.