Euro Championships 2016

[malcd1]

Just want to mention set pieces as it is brought up above...for me how good a team looks on set pieces in an attacking sense is always a decent barometer for how well prepared and coached they are.

England started with Kane taking corners and free kicks, then second game he was taken off them. Then last night it was a combination of Henderson and Bertrand. None of them very good I might add.

Now if after weeks of preparation and practice you genuinely have worked on Kane taking the set pieces, why change? If that is what you think is best? And then last night the delivery was absolutely appalling.

We also did that infuriating thing of taking a short corner for the sake of it and receiving absolutely no advantage from it.

Imagine an Allardyce with this side, he'd have all this worked out and everyone would know who was taking what and how. None of this making it up as we go along business and letting one player after another hit the front man from a corner or hopelessly overhit the freekicks.

Good point. I noticed how poor our set pieces were last night. Absolutely woeful.

[Worthy4England]

We've had Rooney taking them too, including last night when he came on.

Part of the problem is - all these exciting attackers almost certainly want the ball into feet - goals scored with the head, last season...

Vardy - 2
Kane - 1
Sturridge - 1
Alli - 0
Dier - 2
Rooney - 0
Cahill - 0
Smalling - 0

So it's almost pointless lumping corners into the box at head height. Especially when we play against a defence that is well martialed, like Slovakia were last night. I was shouting "short fcking corner" at the tellybox.

It needs playing into feet, for most of our team.

[BWFC_Insane]

We've had Rooney taking them too, including last night when he came on.

Part of the problem is - all these exciting attackers almost certainly want the ball into feet - goals scored with the head, last season...

Vardy - 2
Kane - 1
Sturridge - 1
Alli - 0
Dier - 2
Rooney - 0
Cahill - 0
Smalling - 0

So it's almost pointless lumping corners into the box at head height. Especially when we play against a defence that is well martialed, like Slovakia were last night. I was shouting "short fcking corner" at the tellybox.

It needs playing into feet, for most of our team.

Think we've got enough height there that with some decent deliveries we can cause trouble. Cahill and Dier are both excellent in the air.

Short corners are fine if you've got a plan but just taking them short then going back to sideways passing in the middle of the pitch in front of the opposition's entire 11 players is pointless. Good deliveries into the box give you a chance.

[TANGODANCER]

Germany saunter on. 71% possession against poor old Northern Ireland. M.O.TTournament already for me is Boeteng. Not put a foot wrong in all three games. Masterclass exhibition of dominant defending.

[TANGODANCER]

Oh boy. Croatia beat Spain 2-1 and Sergio Garcia missed a penalty...

I actually punched the air when the keeper saved the pen because Silva was looking for it and Spain, for all their possession and skills were getting on my wick with all the play acting and false claiming etc. They were by far the best team but arrogance caught them out twice with two good goals. That's all it needed and Croatia played like a team of heroes. It's like Bobo said about the Ronaldo and Portugal, I love Spain and the people there, but their footballers pxss me off at times.

That means Spain face Italy next round.....

[Lord Kangana]

Just let that sink in for a minute.

And then remember it's just football and even Spain finish second in their group with 6 points sometimes. And relax.

[BWFC_Insane]

Just let that sink in for a minute.

And then remember it's just football and even Spain finish second in their group with 6 points sometimes. And relax.

Croatia are not Wales.

England didnt manage 6 points either.

[Burnden Paddock]

Oh boy. Croatia beat Spain 2-1 and Sergio Garcia missed a penalty...

I actually punched the air when the keeper saved the pen because Silva was looking for it and Spain, for all their possession and skills were getting on my wick with all the play acting and false claiming etc. They were by far the best team but arrogance caught them out twice with two good goals. That's all it needed and Croatia played like a team of heroes. It's like Bobo said about the Ronaldo and Portugal, I love Spain and the people there, but their footballers pxss me off at times.

That means Spain face Italy next round.....

Shanked it!

[Worthy4England]

Just let that sink in for a minute.

And then remember it's just football and even Spain finish second in their group with 6 points sometimes. And relax.

Croatia are not Wales.

England didnt manage 6 points either.

Aye, but they've not been beaten by any bugger, either.

[Bruce Rioja]

I actually punched the air when the keeper saved the pen

On that note, what exactly is the point of having this lino behind the goal if he fails to observe a keeper who's nearer to the 6 yard line than his goal line when the penalty's struck?

[Hoboh]

I wish we played like Germany, I usually like watching them, dominant and aggressive.

Loved every minute of Croatia's win, the rattled the Spanish second half.

[BWFC_Insane]

Since Italia 90, England have only managed to win 3 tournament knockout games....

That seems kind of ridiculous really.

[Bruce Rioja]

Driving home last night hearing all about this boy McGovern's game in goal for NI, so much so in fact that I stayed up to watch the highlights. Now then, the boy played out of his, skin to be sure, he was magnificent. However, all the talk this morning was that because he's been released by Hamilton Accies plenty of 'big clubs' will be in for him. Now, I don't want to crush the lad's pearl or owt, but isn't the true reflection of his ability the fact that he's been released by Hamilton rather than on him having had the game of his life?

[BWFC_Insane]

Driving home last night hearing all about this boy McGovern's game in goal for NI, so much so in fact that I stayed up to watch the highlights. Now then, the boy played out of his, skin to be sure, he was magnificent. However, all the talk this morning was that because he's been released by Hamilton Accies plenty of 'big clubs' will be in for him. Now, I don't want to crush the lad's pearl or owt, but isn't the true reflection of his ability the fact that he's been released by Hamilton rather than on him having had the game of his life?

I'm sure that down the years there have been a few who look worldbeaters in a world cup/Euros who get signed for decent money then look decidedly worse.

Reverse is also true. Strange things can happen at tournaments.

[Bruce Rioja]

I'm sure that down the years there have been a few who look worldbeaters in a world cup/Euros who get signed for decent money then look decidedly worse.

Asamoah Gyan springs to my mind. Had a cracking World Cup 2010 for Ghana, Sunderland couldn't spunk about £15m on him quick enough - turned out to be absolute shite.

[Worthy4England]

I'm sure that down the years there have been a few who look worldbeaters in a world cup/Euros who get signed for decent money then look decidedly worse.

Asamoah Gyan springs to my mind. Had a cracking World Cup 2010 for Ghana, Sunderland couldn't spunk about £15m on him quick enough - turned out to be absolute shite.

Weren't we after him too?

[Bruce Rioja]

I'm sure that down the years there have been a few who look worldbeaters in a world cup/Euros who get signed for decent money then look decidedly worse.

Asamoah Gyan springs to my mind. Had a cracking World Cup 2010 for Ghana, Sunderland couldn't spunk about £15m on him quick enough - turned out to be absolute shite.

Weren't we after him too?

Good God, imagine if Coyle had have saddled us with that nice person as well?! In fact, don't!

[malcd1]

I'm sure that down the years there have been a few who look worldbeaters in a world cup/Euros who get signed for decent money then look decidedly worse.

Asamoah Gyan springs to my mind. Had a cracking World Cup 2010 for Ghana, Sunderland couldn't spunk about £15m on him quick enough - turned out to be absolute shite.

I wouldn't say he was absolute shite. In his first season at Sunderland he scored 10 goals in 31 games. He even scored 48 goals in 95 games for Ghana and 31 goals in 22 games in the UAE Pro League, which I suspect is not very professional.

Not that bad really.

He can't be blamed for the £15m (or £13m according to Wiki) price tag which is probably a bit more than he was worth.

[Bruce Rioja]

I'm sure that down the years there have been a few who look worldbeaters in a world cup/Euros who get signed for decent money then look decidedly worse.

Asamoah Gyan springs to my mind. Had a cracking World Cup 2010 for Ghana, Sunderland couldn't spunk about £15m on him quick enough - turned out to be absolute shite.

I wouldn't say he was absolute shite. In his first season at Sunderland he scored 10 goals in 31 games. He even scored 48 goals in 95 games for Ghana and 31 goals in 22 games in the UAE Pro League, which I suspect is not very professional.

Not that bad really.

He can't be blamed for the £15m (or £13m according to Wiki) price tag which is probably a bit more than he was worth.

I'd quite fancy my chances of scoring a few against the likes of Benin or Guinea-Bissau . Transfer fee aside, on the back of the world cup he'd had I still reckon he was absolutely shite for Sunderland. Their Elamander/N'Gog/Sordell if you like.

[Bruce Rioja]