Euro Championships 2016

[malcd1]

Ambassadors for Brexit, Bruce?

Absolutely

See also those queuing for flights to Alicante and Lanzarote.

I am going to 'Lands of Grotty' later this year. Bar steward.

Please don't be filled with chavs.

[Little Green Man]

Are the KO games drawn from a bag or is it a 'Winner A plays Runner up B' kind of format?

We play runner up from group F. Could be Portugal. Rather suspect it might be....

Had we won the group we'd have played a team that finished 3rd.

Roy's been told semis are minimum by Greg Dyke...

Aye. Cheers. Just spied this;

We'll play either Hungary, Iceland, Portugal or Austria.

That game will be on Monday (20:00 BST) in Nice.

I can imagine it'll be Portugal with that mincing ponce scoring the fifth and winning penalty in the shoot out. If England win they'll get France in Lyon.

Sorry, that should have been probably France and in the national stadium in Paris.

[bobo the clown]

We play runner up from group F. Could be Portugal. Rather suspect it might be....

Had we won the group we'd have played a team that finished 3rd.

We just did .... & drew.

[TANGODANCER]

Possession doesn't mean anything as Leicester have shown this season. Thinking possession matters is only something for Arsenal fans.

And Spain, France Italy and Germany perhaps?

[Prufrock]

Abject.

Tactics 101, if you're attacking, make the pitch big with width and depth, if you're defending, make it small by being narrow and compact.

Changing the full backs made no sense. They've had three weeks off, played twice in five days and then get at least another five (now seven). Resting people when you've played Sat Weds Sat Weds for two months I get, here, absolute bullshit.

But if you must do it, and play two lads who while each good are not the flying wingers the other two are, then you need width up the pitch. We had none. Slovakia came for a point and if you'd asked them to pick how they'd like us to play that's what they have said. We tried to beat them 11 v 11 on a 7 a side pitch. Piss poor. No width, no tempo.

F*cking boo.

[Bruce Rioja]

Ambassadors for Brexit, Bruce?

Absolutely

See also those queuing for flights to Alicante and Lanzarote.

I am going to 'Lands of Grotty' later this year. Bar steward.

Please don't be filled with chavs.

I think 'later this year' is possibly key here, Malc. I'm sure it's fine.

[Bruce Rioja]

Our squad is, I've just learned, the fourth most expensively assembled squad in the tournament at €477m.

Just thought I'd share that.

[BWFC_Insane]

Wood from the trees time...we had all that possession, all that territorial advantage but how many saves did their keeper make?

1 from Vardy, 1 from Lallana and you can argue the one from Clyne though really that was intercepting a cross that wasn't certain to be a goal. Then they blocked one off the line.

So in a game with all that possession we created (lets be generous) 4 real chances. However you cut it that is poor. And the same flaw has been evident in all 3 games. We build slowly and don't have the quality to break teams down. We've not created enough or tested the keeper enough really in any of the 3 games so far. Seen people say we'll be better as a counterpunching side, but why would anyone beyond perhaps Spain and maybe France do anything other than sit back against England and hit us on the break? Our back four is weak and looks dodgy against three teams who've barely summoned an attack between them.

Again wood from the trees time, this great England side who dominate possession, have just finished below Wales in the group. Wales. Let that sink in.

[malcd1]

Ambassadors for Brexit, Bruce?

Absolutely

See also those queuing for flights to Alicante and Lanzarote.

I am going to 'Lands of Grotty' later this year. Bar steward.

Please don't be filled with chavs.

I think 'later this year' is possibly key here, Malc. I'm sure it's fine.

[malcd1]

Wood from the trees time...we had all that possession, all that territorial advantage but how many saves did their keeper make?

1 from Vardy, 1 from Lallana and you can argue the one from Clyne though really that was intercepting a cross that wasn't certain to be a goal. Then they blocked one off the line.

So in a game with all that possession we created (lets be generous) 4 real chances. However you cut it that is poor. And the same flaw has been evident in all 3 games. We build slowly and don't have the quality to break teams down. We've not created enough or tested the keeper enough really in any of the 3 games so far. Seen people say we'll be better as a counterpunching side, but why would anyone beyond perhaps Spain and maybe France do anything other than sit back against England and hit us on the break? Our back four is weak and looks dodgy against three teams who've barely summoned an attack between them.

Again wood from the trees time, this great England side who dominate possession, have just finished below Wales in the group. Wales. Let that sink in.

The difference is that all the other three team would have been delighted with a point against us. Both Slovakia and Russia saw Wales as the team they would need to beat to progress through to the knock out stages.

Our problem is finding a way to score against an ultra defensive, well organised team. We didn't do it twice even though we dominated all three games. We don't possess that bit of craft or guile to create enough really good chances. We are playing pretty good especially considering the last world cup.

Hopefully the games from now on will be more expansive and open. That will give us more concerns

[BWFC_Insane]

Wood from the trees time...we had all that possession, all that territorial advantage but how many saves did their keeper make?

1 from Vardy, 1 from Lallana and you can argue the one from Clyne though really that was intercepting a cross that wasn't certain to be a goal. Then they blocked one off the line.

So in a game with all that possession we created (lets be generous) 4 real chances. However you cut it that is poor. And the same flaw has been evident in all 3 games. We build slowly and don't have the quality to break teams down. We've not created enough or tested the keeper enough really in any of the 3 games so far. Seen people say we'll be better as a counterpunching side, but why would anyone beyond perhaps Spain and maybe France do anything other than sit back against England and hit us on the break? Our back four is weak and looks dodgy against three teams who've barely summoned an attack between them.

Again wood from the trees time, this great England side who dominate possession, have just finished below Wales in the group. Wales. Let that sink in.

The difference is that all the other three team would have been delighted with a point against us. Both Slovakia and Russia saw Wales as the team they would need to beat to progress through to the knock out stages.

Our problem is finding a way to score against an ultra defensive, well organised team. We didn't do it twice even though we dominated all three games. We don't possess that bit of craft or guile to create enough really good chances. We are playing pretty good especially considering the last world cup.

Hopefully the games from now on will be more expansive and open. That will give us more concerns

Really? We've played 3 teams who basically said "it is attack against defence" and surrendered possession. I'm not sure that having most of the ball in that scenario yet creating relatively few chances counts as playing better.

Last world cup we were wretched, but did obviously face Italy and Uruguay. Teams immeasurably better than Wales, Russia and Slovakia.

I think we've got a decent squad but a manager who has no idea how to use it. I agree with what Slaven Bilic said yesterday, we've not yet established a system and shape that is successful for us that we could use against one of the better teams. We're just throwing players into a system and hoping. Goes back to the friendlies, we tried all manner of systems and shapes and have continued that into the tournament. To me we're just making it up as we go along. Last night another prime example. For me the full backs were fine. But Wilshere has no place in this squad let alone starting and looked unfit, Henderson is dreadful and we left in Dier who is probably the one player it might have made sense to rest last night given we have little cover for him and frankly in a game like that is Dier even needed?

[TANGODANCER]

BWFCi for England manager.....

[TANGODANCER]

BWFCi for England manager.....

I don't think he's making entirely unreasonable comments. It's not just fans who are being critical; from a neutral standpoint Slaven Bilic (the bright point in ITV's woeful coverage I might add) raised a few good points last night I felt about us supposedly looking that 'good' and not scoring against a team who had no desire or impetus to press for the ball, and it flattered us. Ian Wright kept trying to point out that we created chances, until Slaven replied that there were only two clear cut chances (Vardy and the line clearance). There are issues with our current formation and tactical set up, and our so called dominating performances over three teams who were happy to sit back have papered over the cracks.

I quite like BWFCi and his opinion is as good as mine or anyone else's. I think he is just suffering from L.P.S (lifetime pessimism syndrome). I think being a Bolton fan caused it.

[TANGODANCER]

Well, let's have the best eleven for the rest of the tournament view then?

[Hoboh]

BWFCi for England manager.....

I don't think he's making entirely unreasonable comments. It's not just fans who are being critical; from a neutral standpoint Slaven Bilic (the bright point in ITV's woeful coverage I might add) raised a few good points last night I felt about us supposedly looking that 'good' and not scoring against a team who had no desire or impetus to press for the ball, and it flattered us. Ian Wright kept trying to point out that we created chances, until Slaven replied that there were only two clear cut chances (Vardy and the line clearance). There are issues with our current formation and tactical set up, and our so called dominating performances over three teams who were happy to sit back have papered over the cracks.

I quite like BWFCi and his opinion is as good as mine or anyone else's. I think he is just suffering from L.P.S (lifetime pessimism syndrome). I think being a Bolton fan caused it.

Oh I didn't think you meant it in a cruel way or anything! I'm sure insano can fight his own battles, but I think he's being a little singled out here (as a whole) given that his views regarding the currently England tactics and performances aren't too dissimilar to mine.

I initially wondered if I was in the minority but hearing top, proven professionals, like Bilic, come out with similar comments do make me wonder if they're not hugely off the mark. I don't think it's doom and gloom, as I've said we look far better than in 2014, but at the same time Roy does look lost and out of his depth: Rotating starting XI, constantly changing tactics and playstyle, constantly rotating set piece takers etc. He looks like he's still experimenting in friendlies at the start of his England career, rather than progressing a young and high potential England squad - which is where we are and what he should be doing.

Nor mine either.

When I woke up this morning I realised I'd been watching Spain light or to be more specific, Arsenal last night.

Gone was the ability to even excite, no edge of the seat shouting, sending the dog scurrying for the door and the cat thinking I'd stumbled across the 'buried turd' behind the sofa, this wasn't the game I expected.

I was reminded of the champions league game when Jose's Milan went to the Nou Camp and shut out a tippy toes Barcelona who had massive possession that night, they had no ram rod to force it home.

Sorry but if mild applause for sideway 5 yard passing with a little ole thrown in for 30 seconds of real excitement is the 'beautiful game' I'll take up watching synchronised swimming, at least one of the fcukers might drown!

[BWFC_Insane]

BWFCi for England manager.....

I don't think he's making entirely unreasonable comments. It's not just fans who are being critical; from a neutral standpoint Slaven Bilic (the bright point in ITV's woeful coverage I might add) raised a few good points last night I felt about us supposedly looking that 'good' and not scoring against a team who had no desire or impetus to press for the ball, and it flattered us. Ian Wright kept trying to point out that we created chances, until Slaven replied that there were only two clear cut chances (Vardy and the line clearance). There are issues with our current formation and tactical set up, and our so called dominating performances over three teams who were happy to sit back have papered over the cracks.

I quite like BWFCi and his opinion is as good as mine or anyone else's. I think he is just suffering from L.P.S (lifetime pessimism syndrome). I think being a Bolton fan caused it.

Ha. Well I'd not say it is pessimism. I said before the tournament I wasn't a fan of Hodgson, I think he's poor, insipid, uninspiring and I also said I thought he'd picked the wrong squad. Nothing I've seen so far convinces me otherwise. I think he's switching teams around game after game and not building any sort of coherent team shape and structure.

You say pick your 11 but I struggle to pick 11 players I'd believe in, into a sensible shape because the squad is so unbalanced. I'd bet even Roy would change his choices now if he could. Shoehorning 5 strikers into the squad when realistically most teams field 1 at a time is never going to make it easy to pick a balanced side. Even if we say Rooney is now an out and out midfield player, you've still got 4 strikers and 1 wide man (who sadly is Sterling) to pick from.

I think we need to set up in a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 shape. Back four is ok I guess. Probably see if Clyne can play left back as I'm unconvinced by Rose but beyond that Roy hasn't had much choice.

But then midfield is where I struggle. I think we need two genuine central midfield players in there. Dier is one. But then we're left with a totally unfit Wilshere, a shite Henderson and James bloody Milner. Against a decent team I'd probably be forced to say Milner (I'd have had Drinkwater in there btw). Rooney in front of them.

Then the front 3, our only wide option is Sterling and he's been abysmal all season. So again we have to play at least one striker out of position and wide. Possibly two. Or throw in Barkley, again out of position.

Then I'd have Vardy up front purely because I think pace is king and whilst Kane is probably a better finisher we're not creating that many clear chances.

[malcd1]

Wood from the trees time...we had all that possession, all that territorial advantage but how many saves did their keeper make?

1 from Vardy, 1 from Lallana and you can argue the one from Clyne though really that was intercepting a cross that wasn't certain to be a goal. Then they blocked one off the line.

So in a game with all that possession we created (lets be generous) 4 real chances. However you cut it that is poor. And the same flaw has been evident in all 3 games. We build slowly and don't have the quality to break teams down. We've not created enough or tested the keeper enough really in any of the 3 games so far. Seen people say we'll be better as a counterpunching side, but why would anyone beyond perhaps Spain and maybe France do anything other than sit back against England and hit us on the break? Our back four is weak and looks dodgy against three teams who've barely summoned an attack between them.

Again wood from the trees time, this great England side who dominate possession, have just finished below Wales in the group. Wales. Let that sink in.

The difference is that all the other three team would have been delighted with a point against us. Both Slovakia and Russia saw Wales as the team they would need to beat to progress through to the knock out stages.

Our problem is finding a way to score against an ultra defensive, well organised team. We didn't do it twice even though we dominated all three games. We don't possess that bit of craft or guile to create enough really good chances. We are playing pretty good especially considering the last world cup.

Hopefully the games from now on will be more expansive and open. That will give us more concerns

Really? We've played 3 teams who basically said "it is attack against defence" and surrendered possession. I'm not sure that having most of the ball in that scenario yet creating relatively few chances counts as playing better.

Last world cup we were wretched, but did obviously face Italy and Uruguay. Teams immeasurably better than Wales, Russia and Slovakia.

I think we've got a decent squad but a manager who has no idea how to use it. I agree with what Slaven Bilic said yesterday, we've not yet established a system and shape that is successful for us that we could use against one of the better teams. We're just throwing players into a system and hoping. Goes back to the friendlies, we tried all manner of systems and shapes and have continued that into the tournament. To me we're just making it up as we go along. Last night another prime example. For me the full backs were fine. But Wilshere has no place in this squad let alone starting and looked unfit, Henderson is dreadful and we left in Dier who is probably the one player it might have made sense to rest last night given we have little cover for him and frankly in a game like that is Dier even needed?

We are not the only ones struggling against well organised defensive teams. There has been Switzerland against Albania, Spain against the Czech's, Belgium (ranked second in the world) against Italy, Portugal against Iceland and Austria, Germany against Poland and France against Switzerland.

This is not just an England problem. As I mentioned in my earlier post, we are struggling to beat these so-called weaker teams because we just haven't got that creative player who can unlock defensive systems. Wales were not playing against the same systems and so it was easier for them to score.

We are out of the group. Now the real tournament starts. My concern is if we don't score first. Again we will struggle to score if our opponents switch to a defensive formation. We may not get beyond the next round.

[TANGODANCER]

We are not the only ones struggling against well organised defensive teams. There has been Switzerland against Albania, Spain against the Czech's, Belgium (ranked second in the world) against Italy, Portugal against Iceland and Austria, Germany against Poland and France against Switzerland.

Don't forget Iceland v Ronaldo and Austria v Ronaldo.

[BWFC_Insane]

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.

[TANGODANCER]

I think we absolutely need somebody who isn't afraid to take on an opponent in their box. Sturridge, Wilshire, Barclay, Llalana and even Sterling (if he wasn't so lazy) can do this. Vardy and Kane can ( and should) shoot whenever possible as should Rooney. There's always a chance of a rebound falling our way and I have to agree our corners are pretty innefective.
It still baffles me that big players stand in the box waiting for a corner to land on their head. Other teams have men running in on the ball, we never seem to. As a striker (from long ago) I always stood around the edge of the box and ran in. I scored quite a few that way.