The Euro 2024 Thread

[sycophantia]

Obviously I am pleased that we are still in the tournament but I am not sure what is annoying me the most this morning:

1. Making no substitutions at half time
2. Deciding to bring Toney on in the 92nd minute
3. Sitting back to defend a lead for 28 minutes against Slovakia.

I can accept managers making mistakes if they learn from them and adapt but Southgate just keeps doing the same things over and over again.

I think Toney probably helped us get over the line, it was the best thing Southgate did all game (low, low bar). An assist and he held the the ball up really well a few times by 'buying a foul'

 

[leedswolf]

Beating the Italians, Paul, is very much like making love to a beautiful woman. You can expect it will be tight. But, if you’ve done your homework, you’ll know that by caressing your talents all over the field of play with some nice touches will result in you exploiting their most vulnerable holes. Eventually you will end up on top, and guarantee that they will come second.

 

[Del Woppio]

I heard Bellingham say something along the lines of "it's tournament football, if we need to play like that again in order to get the win then we'll do it".

So that was...a plan?

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I heard Bellingham say something along the lines of "it's tournament football, if we need to play like that again in order to get the win then we'll do it".

So that was...a plan?

In terms of being gritty bastards that fight to the death to win the game? Then yes he's right.

 

[Carrotdude]

We played appallingly for 120 minutes. Got some luck with our only two shots on target from set pieces and then camped in our penalty area for 30 minutes at the end. Against Slovakia. Doesn’t feel like the time to throw out an ‘I told you so’ does it? We’ll get comfortably beaten by Switzerland, I can’t see it even being close.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

I get the lack of confidence even the mindset within the camp.

Ever since Southgate came into the job there has been no negativity from the fans, we have all been in this together.

That got us
Semi Final
Final
Last 16 against a team who when we play it's a toss up who wins, and were a penalty away from winning the game.

Now the amount of abuse Southgate and the players are getting is not going to help us win games.

We need to remember what it was like before Southgate and the disconnect between the fans and team.

Was it good no
Did we win yes
Do good teams win when they play bad
Did we keep going

 

[MARKakaJIM]

In terms of being gritty bastards that fight to the death to win the game? Then yes he's right.

I'm not sure I'd go with gritty bastards fighting to the death.

More like lost souls lingering around a cinema when the lights have come up because they can't find the exit.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Depends on your outlook I guess, I'd rather enjoy the good moments than be miserable.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Depends on your outlook I guess, I'd rather enjoy the good moments than be miserable.

I watched it for 2 hours to see about 10 seconds of good stuff, it's hardly a stretch to see that in a negative light is it?

 

[Kenny]

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

I think Toney probably helped us get over the line, it was the best thing Southgate did all game (low, low bar). An assist and he held the the ball up really well a few times by 'buying a foul'

It wasn’t the fact that he brought him on that’s annoying me, it’s the fact that he decided that the 92nd minute would be the best time to do it.

 

[sycophantia]

I get the lack of confidence even the mindset within the camp.

Ever since Southgate came into the job there has been no negativity from the fans, we have all been in this together.

That got us
Semi Final
Final
Last 16 against a team who when we play it's a toss up who wins, and were a penalty away from winning the game.

Now the amount of abuse Southgate and the players are getting is not going to help us win games.

We need to remember what it was like before Southgate and the disconnect between the fans and team.

Was it good no
Did we win yes
Do good teams win when they play bad
Did we keep going

I wouldn't call it abuse, Graham Taylor got abuse.
I personally wouldn't ever boo my team but completely understand those that have. They've spent 1000s pounds and the players and coach have been cowardly, people can cope with playing poorly or out played but it's been appalling for 4 games. Pundits have been critical but fair imo. The stuff Southgate, Kane and Bellingham have come out with won't help either, makes them sound like entitled, arrogant twats.
They just need to suck it up, get on with it and ultimately play better and with more heart.

 

[sycophantia]

It wasn’t the fact that he brought him on that’s annoying me, it’s the fact that he decided that the 92nd minute would be the best time to do it.

Oh yeah, sorry, that's fair.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

If we'd watched, I don't know, Germany win the way we did last night we'd be saying - well they always find a way, that's how you win tournaments, yadda yadda, blah blah.

Now I'm not saying the performance shouldn't be analysed - but the negativity generally just seems a bit much, we're in the Quarter Finals.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

In retrospect do you look back fondly on our showing at the 2006 World Cup?

We made the QF then too, and played in a similar fashion, with a similarly talented squad and a manager who had also run out of ideas after a long time in charge.

 

[sycophantia]

If we'd watched, I don't know, Germany win the way we did last night we'd be saying - well they always find a way, that's how you win tournaments, yadda yadda, blah blah.

Now I'm not saying the performance shouldn't be analysed - but the negativity generally just seems a bit much, we're in the Quarter Finals.

I'm not sure we'd be saying "they always find a way" more like they were jammy gits who didn't deserve to go through. Has it been that negative? We've been rubbish and got away with it and need to up our game considerably going forwards.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

In retrospect do you look back fondly on our showing at the 2006 World Cup?

We made the QF then too, and played in a similar fashion, with a similarly talented squad and a manager who had also run out of ideas after a long time in charge.

It depends on the outcome doesn't it?

If we go out to the Swiss on Saturday, then absolutely I agree.

But as long as we are in the tournament and progressing, then I think it's OTT.

I can just see a situation where we win the final v Austria and people still moan - "well, we had an easy route/draw, it doesnt count.."

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Has it been that negative?

Yes!!!

 

[Sniffer]

It depends on the outcome doesn't it?

If we go out to the Swiss on Saturday, then absolutely I agree.

But as long as we are in the tournament and progressing, then I think it's OTT.

I can just see a situation where we win the final v Austria and people still moan - "well, we had an easy route/draw, it doesnt count.."

We can't play Austria in the final.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

My point remains.

We got to the final in 2021 the best we've done in my lifetime, instead of enjoying that fact it's always "it was an easy route" "Germany aren't what they were" "we should have won the final"

But generally the very obvious criticisms aren't made about 1990 or 1996? Why is Southgate's time held under so much more scrutiny despite him clearly being our most successful manager since 1966?

And all these comments may well be true to an extent (although we smashed Ukraine and hadn't beaten Germany in a tournament for decades), but it's just so bloody English to want something so much, but then moan about it when it happens.

It's like the weather, "I wanted it to get warmer, but not THIS warm"

"I want England to progress, but not like THIS"..