18 minutes ago, bluedave said:

It just demonstrates a total lack of class, and I don't remember this booing of every national anthem as being normal in the past. I also didn't like it when they booed Chiesa when he limped off injured. The England fans were a massive embarrassment on the whole, but that's nothing new.

I thought Chiesa was a contender for player of the tournament.

I don't like the booing of anthems either.

How could anybody boo the Italian National anthem, it’s an absolute belter. 

3 hours ago, reparto corse said:

Why? Who gives a sh*t about a second place medal in football right after losing the final in a penalty shoot out. 

I can't think of any other sport where this is considered acceptable. I could never imagine a silver medalist in the Olympics doing this. They should be proud of their efforts, they have achieved something no other English player has achieved in a very long time. They should be looking at that runners up medal as inspiration to push themselves one step further, not sulk and be brattish. It's no wonder there are so many players in that squad that are building up a career of being nearly men.

5 hours ago, Valerie said:

Agreed, I can't stand it when players do that. The disappointment must be huge, but by taking off the medal they also take away the accomplishments and the hard work they can be proud of. I can understand it when the players who didn't get any minutes do it in these circumstances though. 

In football all that matters is the title, in a sense it's a positive thing that these young players like Mount, James, Sancho, Rice, Rashford are all so competitive. England really has a bright future so I'm hoping that Southgate doesn't ruin it, just in case I hope England finds a better manager.

I don't think I can ever forgive Rashford for that penalty, it's going to haunt me for a long time. I really don't understand what makes a footballer take a penalty like that, all it does is make you look like a massive tit. There is nothing about it that gives you a better chance of scoring, if anything, it just enhances your chances of missing it because it's not a natural way to approach kicking a ball......so why do it? It just comes across as arrogant and disrespecful. It makes you look like an even bigger tit when you try it with so much fear on your face.

Sancho and Saka's penalties are much easier to forgive because it was just a case of the keeper guessing the right way.

38 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

I don't think I can ever forgive Rashford for that penalty, it's going to haunt me for a long time. I really don't understand what makes a footballer take a penalty like that, all it does is make you look like a massive tit. There is nothing about it that gives you a better chance of scoring, if anything, it just enhances your chances of missing it because it's not a natural way to approach kicking a ball......so why do it? It just comes across as arrogant and disrespecful. It makes you look like an even bigger tit when you try it with so much fear on your face.

Sancho and Saka's penalties are much easier to forgive because it was just a case of the keeper guessing the right way.

Know where you are coming from yet if he has done this penalty in training and it has worked you can understand why he attempted it.

Though a poor attempt on the night. 

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

I can't think of any other sport where this is considered acceptable. I could never imagine a silver medalist in the Olympics doing this. They should be proud of their efforts, they have achieved something no other English player has achieved in a very long time. They should be looking at that runners up medal as inspiration to push themselves one step further, not sulk and be brattish. It's no wonder there are so many players in that squad that are building up a career of being nearly men.

I disagree, I think being happy in runners up/further down is a dangerous game mentally. Although not exactly the same look at what has happened to Arsenal ever since they got into the mindset of treating 4th like a trophy. 

37 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Know where you are coming from yet if he has done this penalty in training and it has worked you can understand why he attempted it.

Though a poor attempt on the night. 

Too many players overthink with their penalties. You either smash it in, or you aim for one of the bottom corners. All of these stupid run ups and waiting for the keeper to move is just adding more risk and pressure to your penalty. 

11 minutes ago, Argo said:

I disagree, I think being happy in runners up/further down is a dangerous game mentally. Although not exactly the same look at what has happened to Arsenal ever since they got into the mindset of treating 4th like a trophy. 

It's not about being happy about finishing runners up, it's about using it as inspiration to keep pushing yourself to achieve something better. Taking your medal off and throwing it away somewhere just comes across like a child sulking because he didn't get his way.

Edited July 12, 20215 yr by Scott Harris

9 hours ago, ashwin said:

Southgate is a likeable person and deserves some credit for taking England to heights they haven't reached for a long time with a very young team.

But while he is a decent 'manager', he is not a good coach, and does not know how to get a team to play offensively as a complex force. And that is where proven world class offensive managers like Mancini make a difference. Guardiola, Klopp, Tuchel all have teams playing complex attacking football.

And I haven't seen a manager use a squad more poorly than Southgate during this Euros (or ever). Only one plan from the start to the end of a match, no addition of complexity with players of different profiles like DCL, etc. Such limited use of substitutions which shows absolute tactical ineptness. Did any team make fewer substitutions?

Simply put, Southgate is too limited a coach and tactician. The only reason England got so far is that several favourable factors aligned through a combination of determination and luck rather than skillful football.

 

 

Indeed. I’ve noted it before but last night was just baffling. Italy had an obvious weakness (old, slow defenders) and Southgate apparently hadnt given a second’s thought to how to exploit it. To not bring on the likes of Rashford / Sancho / Foden earlier to seek to exploit that weakness was criminal. And then to bring them on 1 minute before the end and throw them in at the deep end… no words. It’s almost as if he wanted to offload  his own penalty hell onto someone else.

1 minute ago, Dean said:

Indeed. I’ve noted it before but last night was just baffling. Italy had an obvious weakness (old, slow defenders) and Southgate apparently hadnt given a second’s thought to how to exploit it. To not bring on the likes of Rashford / Sancho / Foden earlier to seek to exploit that weakness was criminal. And then to bring them on 1 minute before the end and throw them in at the deep end… no words. It’s almost as if he wanted to offload  his own penalty hell onto someone else.

Probably should have sub Mount out sooner. The plan clearly for Kane to drop deep and for player to run behind him. Probably Rashford or saka should have come in sooner

 

 

I'm pretty sure I've seen the medal thing the first time it happened but can't remember who started the trend, it was probably a Ronaldo type player/RM type team where a bunch of hardcore winners genuinely didn't want a loser medal around their neck. Nowadays players are just doing it as a copycat thing even though they aren't that type of character.

It's like the Ronaldo coke bottle thing and then Pogba etc. wanting to copy him.

17 hours ago, axman2526 said:

So who does Cheisa play for and how much will he cost Roman?

I didn't know a lot about Cheisa before this tournament but wow, he was best player on the pitch by a mile last night and our players couldn't live with him. Rice was probably our pick, but that bit where Cheisa turned him inside out and got a shot away that went just pass the post was quality. Would love to see him in Chelsea blue but isn't he at Juventus and unlikely to move from there?

 

17 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Southgate reveals he was the one who decided the penalty kick takers. That is terrible management. You can't plan ahead when it comes to penalty kicks. You never know how the player will feel at that moment. 

That decision will haunt Southgate as much as that miss back in 96 and rightly so. Shocking decision. Penalties are always a lottery and any player can miss but two players who barely played a minute and then a 19 year old to take the all important 5th penalty is unfathomable. Not sure how Rashford made the squad let alone get on the pitch to take a penalty and that stupid slanted, stuttered run-up got exactly the result it deserved. 

So f**king depressing, but on the balance of play, Italy 100% deserved it and I'm just glad that no Chelsea players missed a penalty for England, although I think Mount will still be disappointed with his own contribution last night as it just didn't happen and I think Grealish should have been introduced earlier.

Sooner we ditch ‘three lions’ the better. As mentioned before I know it wasn’t originally intended to be an arrogant song but not sure the new yob generation see it that way and it seems to only galvanise the opposition, as we saw with italy players mocking us last night with ‘it’s coming to rome’.

I was disappointed with Kane, penalty was good and his pass to Trippier for the opening goal was good too.

Yet the vast majority of the match he wasn't closing down well, more shuffling and just standing in front of their defenders.  For me he was making it too easy for them. 

I felt sorry for Grealish he did not have enough time and was a out on the left waiting for passes that never came.

Saka for long periods look liked a right back yet at least made a few runs and tried to get forward creating something. 

 

1 hour ago, Nibs said:

I didn't know a lot about Cheisa before this tournament but wow, he was best player on the pitch by a mile last night and our players couldn't live with him. Rice was probably our pick, but that bit where Cheisa turned him inside out and got a shot away that went just pass the post was quality. Would love to see him in Chelsea blue but isn't he at Juventus and unlikely to move from there?

 

That decision will haunt Southgate as much as that miss back in 96 and rightly so. Shocking decision. Penalties are always a lottery and any player can miss but two players who barely played a minute and then a 19 year old to take the all important 5th penalty is unfathomable. Not sure how Rashford made the squad let alone get on the pitch to take a penalty and that stupid slanted, stuttered run-up got exactly the result it deserved. 

So f**king depressing, but on the balance of play, Italy 100% deserved it and I'm just glad that no Chelsea players missed a penalty for England, although I think Mount will still be disappointed with his own contribution last night as it just didn't happen and I think Grealish should have been introduced earlier.

I agree Mount didn’t have his best game but how much were the tactics and what his instructions were okay a part? Seemed to be like he was being used how Lampard used him a lot, as a defensive, pressing blocker rather than to get him on the ball.

Just now, Strider6003 said:

I was disappointed with Kane, penalty was good and his pass to Trippier for the opening goal was good too.

Yet the vast majority of the match he wasn't closing down well, more shuffling and just standing in front of their defenders.  For me he was making it too easy for them. 

I felt sorry for Grealish he did not have enough time and was a out on the left waiting for passes that never came.

Saka for long periods look liked a right back yet at least made a few runs and tried to get forward creating something. 

 

Kane was dropping so deep we had no-one to pass up top when we did get possession. 
As for saka, I thought he actually had a bit of a mare. Nothing he tried came off, which made his appointment as fifth penalty taker all the more bizarre. Was not surprised he missed it as his confidence must have been low. 
not blaming him or being a dick about it like some arseholes are. He’s 19 FFs

3 minutes ago, The Brit said:

Kane was dropping so deep we had no-one to pass up top when we did get possession. 
As for saka, I thought he actually had a bit of a mare. Nothing he tried came off, which made his appointment as fifth penalty taker all the more bizarre. Was not surprised he missed it as his confidence must have been low. 
not blaming him or being a dick about it like some arseholes are. He’s 19 FFs

If Kane drops deep in theory we have Sterling, who again was disappointing some great runs on the ball yet he always messed it up.

Saka was trying to do something and at least link up with other players, agree it did not come off. At times in those moments Grealish was in space on the left and no-one could hit the cross ball to him. Noticed the few times Grealish had the ball the Italians stood off him. 

2 hours ago, Argo said:

I disagree, I think being happy in runners up/further down is a dangerous game mentally. Although not exactly the same look at what has happened to Arsenal ever since they got into the mindset of treating 4th like a trophy. 

I'm with Scott on this, it is about respect to the competition, if you don't want if fair enough yet at least wait until you are in the dressing room or away from the presenters and throw it to the crowd.

It's just appalling, all the racist abuse that Saka and co are getting online.

And some people feel that they take the knee because they align with some abstract movement in another continent? Racist abuse is part of every non-white person's life in white majority countries even today and this will hopefully help some people get out of their bubbles and see why athletes and institutions must continue to take a stance. People who boo an anti racism gesture must simply be banned from attending matches.

And this is likely the same fan base that's been such an embarrassment to England throughout this tournament.

Best penalty of the Euro:

 

5 hours ago, Gol15 said:

In football all that matters is the title, in a sense it's a positive thing that these young players like Mount, James, Sancho, Rice, Rashford are all so competitive. England really has a bright future so I'm hoping that Southgate doesn't ruin it, just in case I hope England finds a better manager.

@Scott Harris said it much better than I can.

About England's bright future: they are probably more Belgium than France, especially if Southgate stays on 

19 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

Best penalty of the Euro:

 

Gotta give it to Maguire, that was an incredible penalty. Shocked. David Luiz esque!

It is very annoying seeing friends on Facebook who don’t watch football suddenly giving their view on the game. Suddenly they’re experts on it all

My take on the final:

110% Southgates fault!!! Forget all this rubbisj about we done well to get this far blah blah. Lets be brutally honest, we played almost every game at Wembley, we had an easy draw on paper and got very lucky in a couple games, especially vs Germany.

People saying this squad is more together than our 2006-2010 golden era. Our golden era wouldve certainly won this tournament not being up against greater sides like Brazil, Spain and Germany in those years.

What i saw from England in Euro 2020 was painful football that i saw at times under Sarri, Lamps and even Tuchel on a few occasions. The thing is when you set up defensive, it better pay off as most fans would rather lose to excitement.

Subs were so late and he set up Rashford and Sancho to fail. Who the hell saves that amount of attacking talent just to take pens?

The conspiracy theory tells me Southgate planned this so it now overshadows his 1996 penalty miss. Now it will be about Saka now and in the future.