Euro 2020 - AH Official Thread READ OP BEFORE POSTING

AllGunsBlazing · 15-07-2021 11:40am

England will never have a better chance this decade. A bit more ambition and that Italian side could have been put to the sword in the first half.

Apparently Southgate chose the penalty takers and the order they went in?

Hamsterchops · 15-07-2021 1:19pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117613386#Comment_117613386

England got the goal and dominated the 1st half looking great for a win, but then went totally flat in the 2nd half, Italy started to fizz and even thought they didn't score, they deserved the win IMO.

Did anyone else not the calf muscles on Jack Grealish? WTF unreal 😃

Hamsterchops · 15-07-2021 1:22pm

Can't find EDIT mode, so Iv'e posted the last line again!

Did anyone else notice the calf muscles on Jack Grealish? WTF unreal

Hamsterchops · 15-07-2021 1:24pm

Sorry about the big smiley face, no idea why its there either?

Arghus · 15-07-2021 2:26pm

I'm still salty that the site went offline at the crunch time for this tournament, but anyway....

I'm happy that England lost. Though I do feel for the players that missed penalties, especially Saka. It's a very cruel way for things to have finished. And I like Southgate as an individual, he does conduct himself with a lot of class. And I can imagine all the disappointment and hurt felt by lots of ordinary decent English people at the manner of the loss.

But, unfortunately, there's all the rest of it. The yobbishness, the hype, the sense of entitlement... all of that is part of it too and I was glad to see all of that get nothing.

Though when the dust settles I think this tournament will be looked back as a success for England. Okay, the hype and expectation was increasingly unhinged as the knock outs went on, but to get to the final represents progress. A semi final and a final in successive tournaments is pretty good. They'll fancy their chances for the World Cup and I think they'll genuinely have a chance too, the team will have more maturity, the squad is full of players at the right age and I'd imagine Southgate will have learned as well. On paper, they should be contenders.

Italy were deserving winners. Even if certain aspects of what they did left a bad taste on the night. I know Chiellini pulling back Saka when he was through was comedy gold, but it was a dirty cynical move as well and I thought Jorginho's tackle on Grealish was a straight red.

Bobblehats · 15-07-2021 2:39pm

Bobblehats · 15-07-2021 3:08pm

Incidentally did anyone catch wind of this?

https://youtu.be/DLDfUgZGnHs

A bit curious since the two teammates just prior scored. To follow it up with the three “black” lads missing in sequence making me very heavy on the pocket was some weird kismet man…

joseywhales · 15-07-2021 5:06pm

I get annoyed by some of the articles I've read that insinuate that an irish person getting pleasure from english failure is due to a feeling of inferiority and that we should congratulate and support our neighbors. I mean, Italians are our neighbors too no? And surely if you do feel happy you should express it instead of hiding it, hiding it would surely be a greater sign of low self confidence. So what is the argument here, feel ashamed for having a feeling of schadenfreude? No, I love it, let them lose and fail for the rest of time, they are not my friends, they don't care about me, I don't care about them. Why do I have to pretend otherwise? We are talking about sport here also, it is literally the civilized invention for dealing with tribalism in a non violent way. Here is an example of the nonsense, where revelry in another's sporting failure is equated with endangering the peace in another's country through indifference to a border that they created. Have we gone mad?

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/the-anyone-but-the-english-crowd-look-exactly-like-the-brexiteers-1.4620461

AllGunsBlazing · 15-07-2021 5:23pm

So is the official football forum still MIA?

15-07-2021 6:56pm

Curse These Metal Hands · 15-07-2021 6:59pm

Is was a cowardly performance tactically from England. They were at home and tried to defend a 1 goal lead from the 2nd minute. It just can't be done.

Italy were rattled initially but England were too afraid to take the next step. Football won in the end.

150k people have since signed a petition demanding the game to be replayed due to Italy's gamesmanship too. Almost as embarrassing as the 33rd team saga.

Bobblehats · 15-07-2021 7:33pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117616296#Comment_117616296

Something that strikes me in football the inferior side usually comes firing out the traps; get the jump on the opposition before it settles and reality kicks in and when it did there were times Italy looked like Spain, such was their possession it was the case with Denmark too before jet lag caught up and even 6 substitutions weren’t enough with them playing on with just 10. England created nothing there either, an own goal and a cheated penalty (missed)... What baffles me with the england teams, I mean I don’t even watch their qualifiers it’s boring them storm them so easy so what happens when they reach the finals?

Is it just tactical ineptitude. We know for a fact those three fear dubh were only brought on specifically to take penalty kicks; they all sequentially missed culminating in the most bitterest finalè England likely ever will suffer so what gives with this Southgate fella? Is he overrated or what.

Pat_bottom · 15-07-2021 7:36pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615710#Comment_117615710

There is a sports category of sorts with united and Liverpool threads but can't access it. Not sure what the process is going to be.

patmac · 15-07-2021 7:39pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615606#Comment_117615606

Yeah if you listened to RTE you'd swear it was 50-50, when in reality it was more like Denmark's poll of 94-6 in favour of Italy.

But then RTE are so far removed from reality it was almost making supporting England 'woke' . BTW I've no problem with people supporting England as long as people have no problem with me supporting their opponents.

AllGunsBlazing · 15-07-2021 7:44pm

It's amazing to think Italy played rings around England while in possession of the ball - but were chasing shadows against Spain in the semis. If Spain had a reliable centre forward to call upon I suspect the trophy would have been heading to Madrid.

briany · 15-07-2021 7:45pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117616296#Comment_117616296

To add some weight to that, the association of English Football Hooligans has today announced they will be beating their wives, girlfriends and children 10 percent harder for every day the demand of the petition is not met.

y0ssar1an22 · 15-07-2021 7:59pm

when does a ball interfere with play? how that penalty stood is beyond me, the dive aside.

was happy to see italy win. england went into their shell after the early goal. if they wanted, they prob could have won it in 90 mins if southgate wasn't so conservative.

frosty123 · 15-07-2021 8:10pm

It was a repeat of the WC semi v Croatia, early goal but didn't have the nuance to see it through.

jojofizzio · 15-07-2021 9:24pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117611417#Comment_117611417

I wonder if former fellow FAI bigwig Bernard O’Byrne managed to score himself a ticket????

Strumms · 15-07-2021 9:46pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117616296#Comment_117616296

It ended level but the refereeing wasn’t the defining factor ..

italy enjoyed 66% of possession, England just 34%. Italian team dominated England with the ball... wiped the floor with the English.

england pissing and moaning about the ref ? Well it had to be something... could it be though that over 120 plus minutes...., Italy dominated ? Had the lions share of possession, had 3 times the number of shots then England did ? But bu bu bu the ref ?

despite being clearly second best, the English got to penos but couldn’t win....because they missed, Italy scored more... they did everything better.

fryup · 15-07-2021 10:05pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617246#Comment_117617246

they had the THREE lions share of possession 🤩

Kermit.de.frog · 15-07-2021 10:24pm

https://twitter.com/MallowNews/status/1415059878423535618

indioblack · 15-07-2021 10:34pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615606#Comment_117615606

Your post comes across as tribalism. You don't have to support or congratulate them. If you say you don't care about them you needn't have any opinion at all about a football match. The Italians won - good for them. If England had won I'd be pleased. They didn't. Claiming a dislike for an entire nation is daft.

joseywhales · 15-07-2021 10:49pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617474#Comment_117617474

Why is it daft? You can dislike the history and legacy of any brand or label including a country. It doesn't mean you dislike the people. I don't blame someone for the sins of their ancestors but if they want to celebrate a legacy then it is also legitimate to dislike it. I don't care enough to go out their pitch capping Englishmen and raping their wives as their ancestors did here but I can enjoy their football team losing, it doesn't do anyone any harm.

ziedth · 16-07-2021 12:21am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617474#Comment_117617474

I don't think it's as straight forward as that. History between the nations aside (and I can't deny that does play a significant part). The british Media, Fan behavior over the years and "It's coming home" nonsense would be enough for me to take delight in their failure even if they were German etc.

Some parts of Scotland are have an absolute disdain for Ireland and I was still shouting for them.

In a nutshell if the media and fans behaved with an ounce of humility I get they would get less stick. Even the English team I can't say there are any players I dislike - I can't even blame Grealish and Rice.

shockframe · 16-07-2021 12:49am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617899#Comment_117617899

I quite like 'Its Coming Home'. Good quote for banter on whatsapp! and Ian Broudie is a decent sort.

There's a lot to dislike about the behaviour of several England fans but thats not one of them.

briany · 16-07-2021 12:54am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617899#Comment_117617899

Also, I didn't dislike seeing the Irish team lose at the rugby WC because they walked in with a lot of media hype and expectation, and I really didn't mind seeing Conor McGregor get beaten by Khabib and then his supporters get spanked outside the fight, so at least for me I could dislike Ireland at things, never mind England, if I find the attitudes distasteful.

I watched the final on Sunday thinking that England winning wouldn't be much different to me than Spain doing so. But now, after seeing the shameful behaviour of a section of their fans, there's no way I could stand seeing those people getting that sense of triumph.

Bobblehats · 16-07-2021 1:18am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617957#Comment_117617957

No problem with that song at all broudie's a proper music man from days of yore; tunesmith the right sort of chart fodder.... I think people have recognise the true essence of that song football's never really coming home, its just a pipe dream. Ever since 66 so better get used to it especially with nobody seemingly capable of capturing that true essence anymore I heard the rappers attempt at this year; kids at the creche make up better rhymes also musically there was just nothing there. Lump it

patmac · 16-07-2021 11:46am

I think England hate themselves more than any other nations at the moment.

https://twitter.com/The76Boy/status/1415704261325987844?s=19

indioblack · 16-07-2021 1:18pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117619185#Comment_117619185

I think not. Put all the hype aside and it's just a game. Pleased if they won, not angst-ridden because they didn't. Quite a few Italians here who are pleased with the result - for most it's over and done the next day.

indioblack · 16-07-2021 1:21pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617899#Comment_117617899

I liked the Italian fans banner - "It's coming Rome"

AllGunsBlazing · 16-07-2021 2:22pm

That Euro 96 anthem is insufferable. The New Order tune from Italia 90 is miles better. It stands on its own merits as a pop song even without the football aspect.