Euro Championships 2016

[bobo the clown]

.... & yes, I can't stand the diving shitehawk but is WAS a penalty. Just a missed one.

[Burnden Paddock]

Sadly I missed the match. Has he cried yet?

No, but he did have someone approach him on the pitch afterwards and have a selfie taken with them.

[Harry Genshaw]

At first glance I thought that was the ref!

[TANGODANCER]

I think myself someone who thinks the game has gone soft, TD, but even I do wonder what it would take for you to think something a penalty . Eddie Jones would have cheered that, and probably should have been a red. Made ite all the more unfair and therefore funny!

I might agree if some far worse ones didn't consistently get ignored. Ronaldo perfected dry land synchronised diving and the Ports weren't without history long before he did. I know it's un-Christian to cheer at somebody missing a penalty....but I did....

[Bruce Rioja]

I like Portugal. I like Portuguese people. But watching that preening prick have the smug fckg grin taken of his face I like much, much more.

My sentiments exactly!

[TANGODANCER]

What a great game the Swiss gave France tonight. It was no one-sided battle and some nice football played by the Swiss lads. A creditble 0-0 draw.

[Hoboh]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... y-slovakia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Six fcuking changes! the blokes going bonkers

What is wrong with bonding a winning team and bringing subs on if we are trouncing the Slovaks?

Hodgson is losing the plot, totally!

[jmjhb]

Actually agree with Hodgson here, good chance to rest a few.

[Prufrock]

Madness if true. Win the group. Get an easier team in the last sixteen. There's about 6 days between games now anyway, and we still haven't found an XI that works.

[TANGODANCER]

Been noticing the rather bad state of some of the weather affected pitches. Might be a factor tonight too. Only factor that matters is get out there, score, win and go through, whoever we play. I can see Roy's thinking: there's still a lot of football left and with games every three/four days and the kamikaze tackling, care's needed. We'll soon see now....

Edit: If it's six days between games, then that will make a difference. Que sera, sera.

[Hoboh]

Madness if true. Win the group. Get an easier team in the last sixteen. There's about 6 days between games now anyway, and we still haven't found an XI that works.

I agree with you 100%, the team that finished the last game should pulverise , on paper, Slovakia so why play those not considered first liners? Just for a run out, give me a break, we ain't qualified yet and mass changes rarely work.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'd not have a problem resting a couple for this game had we demonstrated that Roy knew our best side. But clearly that isn't the case, so we're going to end up, all being well, coming up against a top side in the quarters or semi finals and hoping that the 11 picked are the best able to do the job.

I don't think Roy knows what that 11 is, and I don't think we've properly road-tested a team and shape to compete against the better sides.

[TANGODANCER]

I don't think Roy knows what that 11 is, and I don't think we've properly road-tested a team and shape to compete against the better sides.

So you give him no credit for brains then? It might just be that we actually have a more polished and capable squad than we've done for a fair old while. All those friendlies must count as positive experience against top players and our record there is pretty excellent. I'm a bit wary of messing with the midfield or defence, but there's nobody in the squad we don't know and we have quite a few talented lads up front. Main thing is win, however we do it. Germany, France and Spain are all at the top of the tree, but we're not likely to meet them one after the other.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't think Roy knows what that 11 is, and I don't think we've properly road-tested a team and shape to compete against the better sides.

So you give him no credit for brains then? It might just be that we actually have a more polished and capable squad than we've done for a fair old while. All those friendlies must count as positive experience against top players and our record there is pretty excellent. I'm a bit wary of messing with the midfield or defence, but there's nobody in the squad we don't know and we have quite a few talented lads up front. Main thing is win, however we do it. Germany, France and Spain are all at the top of the tree, but we're not likely to meet them one after the other.

The friendlies used different systems and players though.

We won the game against Wales with a very different approach to the one he started with. I'd suggest that shows he isn't sure as yet what his best team is.

I agree this may partly be a function of for once having a strong group of forwards in the squad. But I'd like some sign that he's going to pick a team that maximises that whilst also having the solidity in midfield to cope with teams who will have more possession than Wales did.

The Wales game felt a bit like we winged it. Credit to him for being positive at half time and onwards but clearly he picked the wrong side to start with and clearly just throwing those 3 strikers on at 1-0 down against the better sides won't cut it. We need to have a clearer idea of how we want to play, and the system we play then fit the players in. Fine if you say "we've got 2 or 3 cracking strikers lets work out how to play with them in the side"....but I don't necessarily feel confident that has been worked out.

I suppose we changed how we played during the tournament in 90 and that worked out pretty well so lets see.

[officer_dibble]

Tournament football. I think alli needs a rest, both full backs have flogged themselves so I can see why they might need a rest, and we'd all of dropped Sterling and Kane. So no issue for me.

[malcd1]

I'm not sure the rumoured changes are to rest players. Perhaps it is to give some of the fringe players some game time. Not for sentimental reasons but so they are ready if called upon later in the tournament.

Certainly players like Wilshere could do with some playing time. I don't think Henderson is good enough so I wouldn't have taken him in the first place but he is the back-up for Dier.

If we win and go through then it is worth it. If we lose and finish third then he will have some awkward questions to answer.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm not sure the rumoured changes are to rest players. Perhaps it is to give some of the fringe players some game time. Not for sentimental reasons but so they are ready if called upon later in the tournament.

Certainly players like Wilshere could do with some playing time. I don't think Henderson is good enough so I wouldn't have taken him in the first place but he is the back-up for Dier.

If we win and go through then it is worth it. If we lose and finish third then he will have some awkward questions to answer.

I think beyond today's game (and we have to win it really) the test will be when we come up against a France/Germany/Italy etc.... are we set up well enough to beat one of those in a tournament game.

We will have played 3 group games where we will likely have dominate possession. Might be different later on and the likes of Rooney in midfield might be a little exposed.

[TANGODANCER]

I think beyond today's game (and we have to win it really) the test will be when we come up against a France/Germany/Italy etc.... are we set up well enough to beat one of those in a tournament game.

Me, I'm just thinking tonight's hurdle. They'll be as up for it as we are as nobody wants to go home so it won't be any walk-over. Wales haven't actually beaten Russia yet, so it's all to play for. We have an edge so we need a win not a draw really to top the group..

[CrazyHorse]

I'd have a full strength squad tonight even if qualification were in the bag. As it is we could be on the Eurostar this time tomorrow so any talk of resting players is fecking nonsense.

We worry about the next round when we're in the next round.

[Lord Kangana]

It'll be reet you big bunch of fannying piss flaps.

We've got quite a good squad, and a manager who's not doing too badly. We'll probably top the group.