UEFA Euro 2024: Mod Note Added 2/7/24

But they are not firing blanks because of a "defensive style". It's because they are playing poorly.

Not sure France have "been there done that". We all seem to make the mistake of thinking of them as all conquering but outside of 1 tournament 6 years ago their record isn't massively different to England's.

(Obviously winning a World Cup is massive before anyone points that out.)

So I presume you have the same opinion of Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia considering they've only conceded 2.

The goal differences in the group go from England +1 to Serbia -1 with the other two at 0.

I didn't see the Denmark game but there weren't put under a lot of pressure in the other two games. That'll change as the tournament progresses - especially if they wind up playing Netherlands in the next round.

Now there's a stat!! How does this even happen?

It's amazing how tournament after tournament they never seem to learn.

Trying to fit players into a system who want to play the same position or who don't complement each other.

They need to make their midfield Rice - Mainioo or Wharton and Bellingham or Foden in the 10.
Wide players need to be able to stretch the play or link up with a full back on that side to stretch teams that way.

They brought no natural fit left-back so Foden on the left is a non-starter as he wants to drift inside. So no width out on the left.
Foden is then drifting into spaces that either Bellingham or Kane are moving into. They are all in there together with no runners ahead of them to pass to.

Same for Trent. He wants runners to be able to pick a pass from the back. Without that he is pointless in the team - who is he meant to pass to?

Southgate is picking his team on names and not thinking about how those players are meant to play together. If you have someone who gets on the ball and is good on the ball then you should also be looking to get him a runner he can link up with.

Southgate wishes he had a team of solid workhorses to pick from.

He doesn't know how to fit in all these skillful forwards and would never be able to bring himself to play the kind of balls to the wall football that would be needed for them all to play.

It really is something when an international manager can't put the pieces together when he is looking at his players.

Why does he think Kane and Son worked so well together?
Why does he think Trent had so much joy with Salah and Mane to aim at?
Why does he think Bellingham has done so well at Real this season with Vini Jnr and Rodrygo ahead of him?

What do those 3 players seem to thrive on ahead of them? What does he then pick in his team?

Maybe a little unfair to directly compare France and England in the group, when you compare the FIFA seedings of the two groups

France      2     Netherlands    7    Austria     25        Poland      28

England     4     Denmark     21    Serbia      33        Slovenia    57

Also, despite that, (the statistic haters can turn away now) France also had an xG of over 6, while England's 3 matches at the tournament have produced an xG of 2.26. I don't think you can just turn it on in the knockout phase, if the underlying evidence isn't there.

How about this for a tip from the Cork Evening Echo on Tuesday (I didn't see it until late last night!): Go for something big this evening and take Austria to win and a draw between Poland and France and Slovenia and England at 100/1

that seems a big price. Has anyone checked it’s actually 100/1 because I think a 0-0 is 3/1 and a draw is actually the favourite outcome which is not normal

Thanks for this - just popped on the match and found the kit immediately jarring. Was wondering wtf they were at.

Gone now, someone didnt get the memo!

How is that a clear and obvious error? The foul was clearly outside and then there was a second touch.

The Ukrainian player should have shot across the keeper, and if the keeper saves it, the Ukrainian player following in might have got the rebound.

Surprised to see that considering the Tintin books are a little bit controversial these days.

I actually like the kit, think I'm in the minority there based on the Twitter reaction.

Commentator saying Belgium might be content with the draw.

Not sure about that, considering second in the group will play France in the top half and first in the group will likely play Slovenia in the bottom half.

Their last change was also sky blue based on the highly successful Belgian cycling team. They essentially just swapped black shorts for brown for Tintin.

I really like it but mostly because it reminds me of another cycling jersey, the AG2R cycling kit from 2020.

Imho countries should play in their normal colours unless there's a clash. But sure football has gone daft now regarding any tradition, if you'd told fans from 30yrs ago that Belgium would play in the Euros in a Tintin inspired kit instead of their red, they'd have told you to catch yourself on.

This is looking like real heartbreak for Ukraine as things stand - likely going out with more points than most of the 3rd place finishers.

Belgium were so negative. I feel a little sorry for Ukraine. They needed better finishing though.

So it looks like one of Romania, Slovenia, Turkey or Austria will make the Semis. What a chance for them all

Coming out with some awful shite and rightly getting called on it by Given and Sadlier.