The Euro 2024 Thread

[ROVERT47]

When was that then?

Smart arse.

 

[Jack Regan]

With the players we have we shouldn't be getting as outplayed as we were, especially after they lost Rodri. Man for man they're no better than us, just the whole Bellingham, Saka, Foden and Kane front four (the latter being clearly unfit) never remotely looked cohesive during the whole tournament.

 

[Squeak]

Not that arsed to be honest, the loss to Watford in the Semi final was far more painful.

Oh hell yes... every Wolves semi final has been painful... way more painful than England losing two finals and a World Cup semi. I will never get over that Leeds one.

 

[jd1981]

Our tournament XG is 0.6243 apparently Croatia was higher

 

[b3h]

Well in 2 years at least the Kane question will be less of an issue, probably definitely actually past it by then.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Oh hell yes... every Wolves semi final has been painful... way more painful than England losing two finals and a World Cup semi. I will never get over that Leeds one.

And I thought Richards had equalised (cheering it at the game) as the ball hit the inside post but came out.

 

[ROVERT47]

With the players we have we shouldn't be getting as outplayed as we were, especially after they lost Rodri. Man for man they're no better than us, just the whole Bellingham, Saka, Foden and Kane front four (the latter being clearly unfit) never remotely looked cohesive during the whole tournament.

Yeah, Crystal Tips for fuck sake, he’s shit in the Premier League.

Look up Crystal Tips and Alistair for those of a certain age.

 

[AndyWolves]

By all accounts Southgate is a nice bloke and he is what was needed at the time. But now it's the time for him to go and we need a real dynamic forward thinking manager now.

Maybe that's the best way of thinking about it. Southgate walked to let the next man run.

 

[PuntsWolf]

That starting Spain team and, man for man, I’m taking Williams only. Probably Morata too as Gaz had to play some old knacker up front.

Edit - Rodri too probably

Hmmm I don’t know.

Our back 4 are better “defenders” than them, but they are infinitely better on the ball. Kyle Walker is one of, if not the best 1v1 defender in the world. But his use of the ball in rancid and Carvajal is streets ahead here and that is more useful to Spain. Same with this random version of Cucurella. He was actually good this tournament and 100% start ahead of Trippier and half fit Shaw.

Rodri obviously and Fabian Ruiz was miles clear of anyone else.

Foden was invisible tonight and has been poor all tournament bar against Netherlands. Kane was a waste of space. Saka and either winger is a toss up.

Are they overhyped or was Southgate not getting enough out of them? Definitely some of the latter but we still don’t have a central midfield capable of dictating a game against the best, our defenders don’t seem as good or as comfortable on the ball and then after that is doesn’t really matter what you’ve got up the top end if you can’t get out your own half. More so when the players up there are used to playing the entire game in the opposition half.

 

[jd1981]

It’s a regrettable thing we’ll have to look back on that in 2 finals we’ve probably played things safe and not done ourselves justice.

 

[ROVERT47]

He’ll get a Premier League gig but to be brutally honest he’s just a top of the range Mick McCarthy.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

I prefer Mick.

 

[Tredman]

Hmmm I don’t know.

Our back 4 are better “defenders” than them, but they are infinitely better on the ball. Kyle Walker is one of, if not the best 1v1 defender in the world. But his use of the ball in rancid and Carvajal is streets ahead here and that is more useful to Spain. Same with this random version of Cucurella. He was actually good this tournament and 100% start ahead of Trippier and half fit Shaw.

Rodri obviously and Fabian Ruiz was miles clear of anyone else.

Foden was invisible tonight and has been poor all tournament bar against Netherlands. Kane was a waste of space. Saka and either winger is a toss up.

Are they overhyped or was Southgate not getting enough out of them? Definitely some of the latter but we still don’t have a central midfield capable of dictating a game against the best, our defenders don’t seem as good or as comfortable on the ball and then after that is doesn’t really matter what you’ve got up the top end if you can’t get out your own half. More so when the players up there are used to playing the entire game in the opposition half.

Walker, Foden & Stones, with a decent manager, have dominated the PL and most European teams too. Bellingham went to Spain as a kid and won it all.

Saka, 1 on 1, is pretty peerless. Rice has had a superb season, as has Kane. Add Palmer and Gordon (assuming he still exists) and England can match anyone. FFS, Eze came on and was brilliant then was never seen again.

The difference is the guy in the dugout.

 

[Alan]

On the defenders, I thought Stones and Guehi both looked a bit… I don’t know, overawed by the occasion.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Walker, Foden & Stones, with a decent manager, have dominated the PL and most European teams too. Bellingham went to Spain as a kid and won it all.

Saka, 1 on 1, is pretty peerless. Rice has had a superb season, as has Kane. Add Palmer and Gordon (assuming he still exists) and England can match anyone. FFS, Eze came on and was brilliant then was never seen again.

The difference is the guy in the dugout.

I don’t deny the guy in the dugout has a role.

But Walker/Foden/Stones don’t make city tick. It’s the manager and Rodri (Bernardo/KDB also). Take those 3 out and it doesn’t make any difference, Rodri doesn’t play and they go to bits.

Rice doesn’t make Arsenal tick either. They have a ridiculously strong CB pairing as a solid foundation allowed to defend 1 v 1 and Odegaard pulls the strings. Rice has been great is role but he’s not running it.

The others are crucial members to their weaker teams but he didn’t play them, Palmer being the most crazy decision you’ll see. Most goals and assists was it for a bang average Chelsea?

 

[Lycan]

I thought it was a pretty dreadful performance to be honest. England never really got close to Spain, even in the first half they were held at arms length. Spain were excellent in the second half, created overloads in central areas and constantly found the spaces either side of Rice with Mainoo nowhere to be found and both full backs caught between moving centrally to help or stick with Williams/Yamal.

Southgate is never going to be the type of manager to be able to respond to tactical problems like that, what you can expect from him though is to consistently get the most out of players but there was a lack of fight tonight as well which really wasn't acceptable considering the occasion. England players looked intimidated by Spain's press right from the start and it never really changed until Palmer came on and started snapping into challenges. Not good enough really considering the calibre of player at England's disposal.

On the balance of play England were pretty fortunate to have only lost by one goal.

 

[Alan]

On the defenders, I thought Stones and Guehi both looked a bit… I don’t know, overawed by the occasion.

They both had really shaky moments pop up throughout, I thought. Most didn’t come to anything tbf.

For Tone and the Johnster.

 

[Tredman]

I don’t deny the guy in the dugout has a role.

But Walker/Foden/Stones don’t make city tick. It’s the manager

Kinda my point

 

[Johnny75]

They both had really shaky moments pop up throughout, I thought. Most didn’t come to anything tbf.

For Tone and the Johnster.

I thought both were excellent. Guehi in particular read the game well and used the ball effectively. The 2nd goal wasn't really on him as Oyazabal's movement was superb as was the ball in.

England scored an excellent team goal and so did Spain.

Stones was also very good, definitely not overawed, made several excellent challenges and covered the invisible Mainoo numerous times.

Both CB's suffer from Southgate's uber defensive tactics and the need to draw the Spanish press on to them.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Kinda my point

But he’s the best there’s ever been! And even he fails when he doesn’t have his key pieces