Other Sports: Soccer/Football Thread Part Six

[Chinatown88]

Oh gosh I'm gonna see England fans being as obnoxious as Maple Leafs fans.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Oh gosh I'm gonna see England fans being as obnoxious as Maple Leafs fans.

 

[Appleyard]

England's starting line-up looks close to as good as can be... barring 1-2 spots.

But god I wish Southgate had taken better depth players, there are a few guys who just should not be near this squad and it worries me that if a player goes down, especially at a couple of key positions, there is going to be a big weakness.

The next few years are the best chance they have to win since ~1998-2006... they really need to capitalise on it and I still don't think Southgate is more than a mediocre manager.

 

[BigToe]

England's starting line-up looks close to as good as can be... barring 1-2 spots.

But god I wish Southgate had taken better depth players, there are a few guys who just should not be near this squad and it worries me that if a player goes down, especially at a couple of key positions, there is going to be a big weakness.

The next few years are the best chance they have to win since ~1998-2006... they really need to capitalise on it and I still don't think Southgate is more than a mediocre manager.

Think they should've brought Rashford?

 

[Appleyard]

Think they should've brought Rashford?

Rashford, Grealish, Tomori, Chilwell etc...

I would always bank on talent even if not in "top" form especially if want guys coming off bench to make a difference.

 

[Halladay]

England's starting line-up looks close to as good as can be... barring 1-2 spots.

But god I wish Southgate had taken better depth players, there are a few guys who just should not be near this squad and it worries me that if a player goes down, especially at a couple of key positions, there is going to be a big weakness.

The next few years are the best chance they have to win since ~1998-2006... they really need to capitalise on it and I still don't think Southgate is more than a mediocre manager.

Trent is not a midfielder to me. think he should be playing right back.

 

[Appleyard]

Trent is not a midfielder to me. think he should be playing right back.

He is okay there...

but tbh it does not matter who he plays when Southgate is basically a Championship level manager who does not know how to use his players and is so negative and "safe".

Like the last 30 minutes have been comical. Just sitting back and Kane super isolated.

When Saka got the ball on the break 5 minutes ago there was not a single other England player in the half.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

He is okay there...

but tbh it does not matter who he plays when Southgate is basically a Championship level manager who does not know how to use his players and is so negative and "safe".

Like the last 30 minutes have been comical. Just sitting back and Kane super isolated.

When Saka got the ball on the break 5 minutes ago there was not a single other England player in the half.

Kane only touched the ball twice in the first half.

 

[Halladay]

He is okay there...

but tbh it does not matter who he plays when Southgate is basically a Championship level manager who does not know how to use his players and is so negative and "safe".

Like the last 30 minutes have been comical. Just sitting back and Kane super isolated.

When Saka got the ball on the break 5 minutes ago there was not a single other England player in the half.

That probably cost them them the Euro final 3 years ago. They have plethora of attacking options but play so conservatively.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Game finished with 11 total shots. Fewest in the Euros since 1980.

 

[Starat327]

He is okay there...

but tbh it does not matter who he plays when Southgate is basically a Championship level manager who does not know how to use his players and is so negative and "safe".

Like the last 30 minutes have been comical. Just sitting back and Kane super isolated.

When Saka got the ball on the break 5 minutes ago there was not a single other England player in the half.

Southgate is the worst thing to happen to English football in quite some time. This generation of talent should be mopping up silverware.

Can only hope he's persuaded to take the United job.

 

[Striiker]

Southgate is the worst thing to happen to English football in quite some time. This generation of talent should be mopping up silverware.

Can only hope he's persuaded to take the United job.

Keeping them from winning anything is a good thing.

The US will win the next Euros. You heard it here first.

 

[FLYguy3911]

I love how Fox can’t be bothered to show the 9 am games during the week.

 

[Appleyard]

There are not *that* many moments I miss being in the UK.

But major international football tournaments are one.

All games every Euros and World Cup in the UK? HAVE to be free to air... so all on TV and all free.

Not the same in Portugal... where only half the games are on free tv.

 

[FLYguy3911]

First upset of the tournament.

 

[Appleyard]

First upset of the tournament.

Tbf they are pretty similar level teams I think, ofc Ukraine are a bit better and I would have bet on them winning, but Romania have a pretty solid team these days. Ukraine hover between 20-30 in world rankings and Romania at around 40-45. Not "that" much difference in that range.

Romania have only lost one game in the last 18 months... but they have hardly played anyone of note and draw a lot. They did beat the Swiss and draw against them in their 2 quali games though.

Romania kind of went through a complete team overhaul over last 2-3 years. Most of the squad is now ~22-25 years old and a lot of their best players are young (Drăgușin, Hagi, Man, Mihăilă, M. Marin, Drăguș, Rațiu are arguably 7 of their best ~10 players and all under 25)... and even Răzvan Marin is 28 but only really "emerged" in last 3 years.

Nicolae Stanciu is the only outfield player they have who is "vital" who is over 30.

So interesting to see how they perform vs better teams, because this group has really never seen anyone better than Switzerland before aha.

 

[Curufinwe]

Foden shouldn't be playing on the left.

 

[Appleyard]

Foden shouldn't be playing on the left.

I think he can play there... he was great last season for City playing 90% of the time in that spot.

BUT the tactics need to be more dynamic. Yesterday he worked his ass off and was up and down the pitch, but so often was isolated 2v1 and therefore could not make the quick passes and cuts inside that he thrives off.

The way they played yesterday does not play to any of Kane, Foden or Saka's strengths tbh. Though tbh not many front-line players who just love being isolated without another player within 20m of them lmao.

Thank god Southgate does not have prime Emile Heskey available... he would build his entire offensive strategy around him lmao. "Well Emile you see, he can hold up the ball for 20 seconds so that we can get 2 other players past the half-way line to effect a safe backwards pass."

I don't understand why Southgate HAS to have 2x "holding" midfielders... when one of them is Rice who cleans up almost everything anyway. I know Trent so often kicks out to basically RM to help create overlaps, but just means that offensive guys rarely have space to run into, alongside being so isolated so often.

 

[TCTC]

I think he can play there... he was great last season for City playing 90% of the time in that spot.

BUT the tactics need to be more dynamic. Yesterday he worked his ass off and was up and down the pitch, but so often was isolated 2v1 and therefore could not make the quick passes and cuts inside that he thrives off.

The way they played yesterday does not play to any of Kane, Foden or Saka's strengths tbh. Though tbh not many front-line players who just love being isolated without another player within 20m of them lmao.

Saka still made things happen though. Foden didn't do anything. I think the biggest problem with Foden is that everyone is desperate for him to be the next Gascoigne when he's just not that type of player. He's not a playmaker. And he's definitely not the player you build your team around when you have Jude Bellingham.

 

[Curufinwe]

I thought Foden was more central for City this season

 

[Starat327]

Has there ever been a documented case of fall off as bad as Lukakus? Good god. I remember watching him run all over the USMNT in extra time 10 years ago and thinking he was rhe next big thing. Good grief.

 

[Fire Tortorella]

Handball!

Slovakia still leading.

 

[Jack Straw]

Has there ever been a documented case of fall off as bad as Lukakus? Good god. I remember watching him run all over the USMNT in extra time 10 years ago and thinking he was rhe next big thing. Good grief.

I don't remember that but I don't remember ever seeing him score a goal in the EPL. He did nothing at United and nothing at Chelsea.

 

[BigToe]

Has there ever been a documented case of fall off as bad as Lukakus? Good god. I remember watching him run all over the USMNT in extra time 10 years ago and thinking he was rhe next big thing. Good grief.

Hazard?

 

[FLYguy3911]

What was Lukaku’s xG?