Euro 2020/21 (more football, sorry Brian)

seanoconn

What are your predictions?

Germany seem to be getting themselves together with ominously good timing, lack of a world class striker might hinder their chances.

Have France gone off the boil?

Ronaldo is surely too old to shine again?

Hopeful of a good display from England if they can click early. No idea what their best team might be.

Kevin Lasagna playing for Italy tonight, what a brilliant name! 😃

briantrumpet

elbowloh

I think France are definitely favourites and think Italy also have a very good chance, they seem to have come in under the radar, but are actually in really good form at the moment.

Spain could also be in with a shout, they have so many good players, but no one seems to be mentioning them when it comes to winning the tournament.

The recent friendlies against Austria and Romania showed that England can't defend. They could easily have lost those games if the oppo had some finishers and we'll face better teams than them in the group, let alone the knockout rounds. If we can outscore the opposition, then fine, but outside of Kane and maybe Rashford, we actually don't have many players who have scored goals at international level.

We'll undoubtedly take the lead in a game, then have virtually no possession as we can't keep the ball, then concede an equaliser and then a winner.

seanoconn

I like Rashford as a person and he has speed and ability but I’ve no confidence in him scoring under pressure. He looked scared to death in the Europa league final for manu.

elbowloh

seanoconn said:

I like Rashford as a person and he has speed and ability but I’ve no confidence in him scoring under pressure. He looked scared to death in the Europa league final for manu.

I think he's a good player and can finish, but not consistent enough. I think he'll be good for us in the Euros.

elbowloh

skyblueamateur

elbowloh said:

I think France are definitely favourites and think Italy also have a very good chance, they seem to have come in under the radar, but are actually in really good form at the moment.

Spain could also be in with a shout, they have so many good players, but no one seems to be mentioning them when it comes to winning the tournament.

The recent friendlies against Austria and Romania showed that England can't defend. They could easily have lost those games if the oppo had some finishers and we'll face better teams than them in the group, let alone the knockout rounds. If we can outscore the opposition, then fine, but outside of Kane and maybe Rashford, we actually don't have many players who have scored goals at international level.

We'll undoubtedly take the lead in a game, then have virtually no possession as we can't keep the ball, then concede an equaliser and then a winner.

Make you right with Italy. They would be my tip.

rick_chasey

If we take odds (and exclude england as everyone gets over excited and pile into them so the odds are shortened)

France are heavy favourites at 9/2
England at 11/2*
Belgium 6/1
Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain 8/1

capt_slog

When does it finish?

elbowloh

capt_slog said:

When does it finish?

When someone wins it.

seanoconn

rick_chasey said:

If we take odds (and exclude england as everyone gets over excited and pile into them so the odds are shortened)

France are heavy favourites at 9/2
England at 11/2*
Belgium 6/1
Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain 8/1

@rick_chasey What kind of shape are the Dutch in? Used to always have a decent team (serious question, not a football dig) Patrick Kluivert’s son is in the team now? I didn’t even know they’d qualified they were so low key.

I’ll miss Arjen Robben at the tournament, absolutely brilliant player.

seanoconn

capt_slog said:

When does it finish?

Boo, you’re probably wanted on the caption comp.

Pross

seanoconn said:

What are your predictions?

Germany seem to be getting themselves together with ominously good timing, lack of a world class striker might hinder their chances.

Have France gone off the boil?

Ronaldo is surely too old to shine again?

Hopeful of a good display from England if they can click early. No idea what their best team might be.

Kevin Lasagna playing for Italy tonight, what a brilliant name! 😃

Shame Maccarone doesn't get called up too.

Pross

I haven't really paid much attention to international results for a few years other than when the home nations have played so went for Germany in the office competition (which is more like PTP than a sweepstake this time). Almost chose France but had no idea they are currently the big favourites. Germany just feel like a safe bet.

Ben6899

If everything goes according to form then France will walk it. If not - and it rarely does - then 8/1 on Germany is worth a score.

rick_chasey

There was talk of him getting back into the team.

The best player is Virgil van Dijk and he is of course injured.

A bit like the England team there's a lot of potential with youngsters but compared to England not that many of them are doing it at the highest level.

Ironically they don't have many wide players like they used to.

They'll be pleased to get to the knockout and just see how they do. It's nice to be back in a tournament tbh.

Tactically I don't know that much as they have a fairly new coach, De Boer. Dutch love getting into that sh!t and everyone wants a 3-5-2 but he's fairly old school so wouldn't be surprised for a more straightforward 4-3-3, not least with van Dijk injured.

Memphis Depay is the "maveric"

elbowloh

Pross said:

seanoconn said:

What are your predictions?

Germany seem to be getting themselves together with ominously good timing, lack of a world class striker might hinder their chances.

Have France gone off the boil?

Ronaldo is surely too old to shine again?

Hopeful of a good display from England if they can click early. No idea what their best team might be.

Kevin Lasagna playing for Italy tonight, what a brilliant name! 😃

Shame Maccarone doesn't get called up too.

Benito Garlic Bread has made the squad though.

Dorset_Boy

Scotland drew 2-2 last week with the Dutch and Scotland were unhappy not to have won. Read into that what you will.

Staggering to think FIFA have England as the 4th ranked team in the world, with Belguim first, France second and Brazil third (IIRC).

Italy have only lost twice under their manager in 23 games, and play all their group games at home.

I'd suggest France (as reigning world cup winners) and Italy as favourites.

I do wonder if Southgate can get his players to gel - why has he picked 4 right backs and taken two players who are broken (Maguire & Henderson), neither of whom is guaranteed to be fit at all?

If England want to play keep ball, then he needs to pick as many of his Chelsea and Man City players as possible as those two teams are the best in the business at that.

elbowloh

Where is England's 17 year-old great new thing who's hardly played at national level, but got into the squad as a wildcard kind of pick (think Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott)?

Is it Jude Bellingham?

elbowloh

elbowloh said:

Where is England's 17 year-old great new thing who's hardly played at national level, but got into the squad as a wildcard kind of pick (think Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott)?

Is it Jude Bellingham?

Gutted. Just realised I missed an opportunity to use the word "tyro" to describe this player.

And there's pretty much no other context in which you can use it.

rick_chasey

Yup.

skyblueamateur

elbowloh said:

Where is England's 17 year-old great new thing who's hardly played at national level, but got into the squad as a wildcard kind of pick (think Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott)?

Is it Jude Bellingham?

I wouldn't necessarily call him a 'wildcard'. He had a great season at Borussia Dortmund.

rick_chasey

I would say I think this England team are (at the moment anyway) just really likeable and after the 2010s where they were really unpleasant to watch, like trying to pass kidney stones and not succeeding, I'm really looking forward to watching them.

it's also good that this England team has more players playing outside England than ever (I think). Bit more perspective is always a good thing.

skyblueamateur

rick_chasey said:

I would say I think this England team are (at the moment anyway) just really likeable and after the 2010s where they were really unpleasant to watch, like trying to pass kidney stones and not succeeding, I'm really looking forward to watching them.

it's also good that this England team has more players playing outside England than ever (I think). Bit more perspective is always a good thing.

In a nutshell.

laurentian

France massive favourites - Mbappe, Kante, Benzema, Griezman, Pogba, Lloris, Sissoko, Dembele, Giroud and so it goes on - all great players in their prime (if not in form!)

If England win their round of 16 game, all bets are off but, in all likelihood, they will have to play either France or Portugal - Portugal have to be one of the other favourites and Ronaldo is certainly not too old to grab any game by the scruff of its neck and drag his team through it.

I can't bloody wait!

Dorset_Boy

Lloris is at best an average goalkeeper, and very difficult to say that Giroud is in his prime! However they do have a very strong squad who have experience of winning big at tournaments.

surrey_commuter

rick_chasey said:

I would say I think this England team are (at the moment anyway) just really likeable and after the 2010s where they were really unpleasant to watch, like trying to pass kidney stones and not succeeding, I'm really looking forward to watching them.

it's also good that this England team has more players playing outside England than ever (I think). Bit more perspective is always a good thing.

I think you are forgetting how functional (dour) we were in Russia when we played for set pieces. Can't believe we will see much different and will see little of the like of Grealish

Dorset_Boy

Ahh Grealish, the greatest diver of the current era. He should be heading to the Olympics.

elbowloh

Dorset_Boy said:

Ahh Grealish, the greatest diver of the current era. He should be heading to the Olympics.

Really? Every time I've seen him play, he's been absolutely clattered loads of times. He likes to take people on and goes for tight spaces, so does get fouled often (most fouled player in the PL I think).

surrey_commuter

elbowloh said:

Dorset_Boy said:

Ahh Grealish, the greatest diver of the current era. He should be heading to the Olympics.

Really? Every time I've seen him play, he's been absolutely clattered loads of times. He likes to take people on and goes for tight spaces, so does get fouled often (most fouled player in the PL I think).

English player do not dive - the are "clever" and "draw fouls" Harry Kane is our best exponent

seanoconn

Dorset_Boy said:

Ahh Grealish, the greatest diver of the current era. He should be heading to the Olympics.

Think the pundits use the word ‘clever’ for cheating and diving these days.

Good player Grealish, doesn’t give the ball away much but has too much of the ball if anything without causing any serious threat.