GNamer predicts the Euros

I thought the team selection leaned too heavily on loyalty, choosing players who got Scotland to the Euros as opposed to the ones who were most skilled to deal with those long ball/high cross tactics. Christie and O'Donnell can't warrant selection on Friday night, need Adams and Paterson in there instead. Forrest made a huge different at right wingback.

True point, we could get skelped by England if we play like that again. Seriously disappointing.

Well you did leave Ryan Gauld behind in Portugal.

I didn't watch the full game so not in the best place to really judge. I came in about 20 mins into the game. The Czechs seemed to grow into that first half, but in truth, it was the keepers who seemed to have the most possession given the amount of back passes and low press from both sides. Felt very low tempo at times, but the Czechs broke through with a very good set piece.

I liked the changes Scotland made in the second half. True they looked shakier behind but you always want to go out with your head held high at worst, and the players that came on gave Scotland a dimension they lacked earlier.

It's a shame to see that lob find the net. Keeper was caught off his lines and I think Scotland were unlucky not to get something from the game, at the very least a goal. A different official might have given Scotland a penalty, although I probably wouldn't have given one myself.

I dunno much about your team but Croatia are quite a slow side and England's high press can be exposed by quick play in transition. You have to favour Forrest to start in that situation. He made things happen and Scotland will need some magic.

Was glad to see England win. I thought we played well although it was a real shame to see us sag off in the first half. I know it was hot but we've got 5 subs to use in this tournament and the players are professional athletes. England pressing like Italy did would have tired out the Croats as much as us. I was very happy to see Mings and Phillips play so well. Phillips doing so well really makes the Jordan Henderson selection that much more ridiculous. Happy to see Sterling score. He's such a talented player it's just a shame he gets his footing wrong so often in the clutch. But he makes defences panic and he stretched Croatia throughout the game. Weird that Sancho didn't make the bench and I think we really need Kane to get up to speed but otherwise really good start.

I question Southgate at times, but he set the team up with a good balance between attack and defence and if he keeps that up going forward England have a chance against the big teams on their day.

Muss wrote:

It's a shame to see that lob find the net.

I'm not usually into football, but I found myself swearing at the telly when that goal was scored.

Muss wrote:

It's a shame to see that lob find the net.

In a vacuum, that's the kind of bullshit I love but in the context, its a shitty way to find yourselves 2-nil down.

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Was glad to see England win.

I was pumped, can't help myself. I ended up watching the game via dodgy streams on twitter, on my phone, in a love hotel.

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Happy to see Sterling score.

Yeah, chuffed for the big man.

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we really need Kane to get up to speed

I wouldn't mind it if he took the summer off to rest and recuperate and - oops - suddenly not appeal to potential buyers.

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I question Southgate at times

First match roundups

Still early days but it's been a memorable tournament so far for both good and bad.
If you want to see everyone's predictions (and a few other people's) and the current scores, copy and paste the link below which should take you to an online spreadsheet. I'll update the standings after all the teams have played their second games (and I'll make the table look nicer after the group stages are over...)

Code:

https://uniofnottm-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/alex_musselwhite_nottingham_ac_uk/EWOTck8CeohNiZpSf9iqHwIBKBOUA_XqEAGjPCdZP1Seaw?e=lzUerd

And now for the far too early group tables...

Group A:

Group B:

Group C:

Group D:

Group E:

Group F:

Grand Totals as things stand...:

If I get beaten by Andy I swear to God...

Muss wrote:

Nobody has this order but Buska is the only player with 0 correct predictions.

I put Macedonia at the top because I like their flag.

They do have the best flag.

Fucking hated every second of that but fucking loved every second of that!

Very good performance by Scotland. If that team turns up against the Croats then I think there's a real chance you go through. Stout defending and some good chances created. Had me swearing at the TV all night.

England were a shadow of what they should be. When Scotland won the ball, England didn't look like they wanted it back. Complete lack of pressing, and some absolutely woeful substitutions by Southgate. Foden was one of the few England players making runs, and while Kane coming off was right he came off too late.

We've got players like Sancho who can't get a minute! When you have the attacking depth that England do, especially on the wings, you high tempo press all day. You force the other team to work hard and you take advantage of the 5 subs you can use.

Italy for me have been a great team to watch this tournament. Big fan of the way they are playing. I think they're the form team, but I still can't see past France winning it all.

Has Harry Kane aged ten years recently? Still a bit pissed off with that. I don't understand keeping the same team except the full-backs who did a great job against Croatia (I was surprised Trippier played on the left but he's just bloody completed Spain). Ach. Anyway.

Also a reminder that I'm also slightly German, which I'm happy to say with no fear of any consequences at all

It's his plan so he costs 50m less and can leave a middle table team

Scotland missed loads of chances but then again Croatia did as well. It's hard to complain about that, we were beaten by the better team. Croatia's midfield was absolutely class, it wasn't difficult to see why they were World Cup finalists three years ago.

Still, it was magic to be part of a tournament again, and it was brilliant to see so many folk in my hometown decked out in Scotland tops. Let this be the start of us qualifying regularly for big tournaments again.

With that all over, everyone's attention can now turn to Clyde's Scottish League Cup group.

Obviously I watched the England game but that Modric goal was something else. The definition of a world class finish. It's a shame to see Scotland go out, I would have liked to see you go through, but it does at least seem like there are some class players in the team and you should be in with a good shout of making the World Cup.

As for England, I was happy with the first half. We went forward and showed fluidity and cohesion in attack. And then in the second half we decided to stop going forward and sat back. Ugh.

For me as a supporter it's not about how far we go, it's about how we get there. If we go get outplayed by the better team, or get caught on the break, but we otherwise played our socks off, I can't complain. But hearing buzz words like 'pragmatic' and 'professional' whenever we stop playing football because we scored 1 goal. Sick of it.

Yeah, that does look a bit bad. I'd like to be cheering that we're top of the group, but then I realise we scored 2 goals in 3 games. Mind you, still better than fucking Portugal last time round - jayzus.

Nach Hause kommen

Group Stages Roundup

Alright then folks, the group stages are over and the brackets have taken shape so lets take a look at how everyone is doing.

Group A:

Group B:

Group C:

Group D:

Group E:

Group F:

Third Place Teams:

The Scores after the Group Stages:

Round of 16 preview:

Yesterday was one of the best days of international football ever – one of those kind of days that just makes you feel sad for the folk who don’t watch football and let you know about it.

Did you enjoy yesterday’s matches? Good. Get ready for today’s shite-a-thon at 5pm.

Yeah yesterday was absolutely incredible. That's both my finalist predictions, France and Portugal out now, but I was willing the Swiss on all game. Croatia did so well to bring it back, and I felt like they should have scored before the Spanish during extra time, but they couldn't put it away.

I would be absolutely shitting it if I wasn't a neutral.

ENG ER LAND
ENG ER LAND
ENG ER LAAAAND



It's coming home

Fair enough, Mas and Cappa had Italy in the final.
But shocking that only Smurf and I had England.

It's hard to believe when you know England's track record! I was certain that the group stages would play out differently and we'd end up against a Portugal or a France and that'd be it.

Italy are the team that deserves to be in the final the most I think. They've played really well although weirdly they'll be playing a version of England that plays vintage Italian.

It was tense watching the Denmark game although I was weirdly calm when we conceded. I thought we'd come back into the game and we did. Worked them off the park in the second half and extra time. I know the penalty was soft. Sterling does get clipped if you watch it from the right angle but It's tough for Denmark to go out like that. England had so much more in the tank though, they would've won anyway. Denmark were really kept alive by Kasper.

Muss wrote:

It's hard to believe when you know England's track record!

Dunno what you're on about!
1863- invented football
1966- World Champions
Some other stuff
2018- Semi-finalists
2021- European champions

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Italy are the team that deserves to be in the final the most I think.

Early on in this tournament Italy were pretty clearly the guys to beat; I am very unsurprised that they are the other side of this draw.

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It's tough for Denmark to go out like that.

After the drama at the start of the game, it would have been a beautiful story for Denmark to go on to win but there was no way.

How did we do?