Euro 2024

Vibe wrote:If England wins this...

Gareth will be louded as some sort of mastermind. While reality is he is badly out of depth and keeps getting bailed out by individual brilliance of the squad.

For all the crap he gets, he's easily the most accomplished English coach in the modern era When has England ever made it to three semis in less than a decade? The football is disgusting but many great teams have won playing just like this.

farfan wrote:

Vibe wrote:If England wins this...

Gareth will be louded as some sort of mastermind. While reality is he is badly out of depth and keeps getting bailed out by individual brilliance of the squad.

For all the crap he gets, he's easily the most accomplished English coach in the modern era When has England ever made it to three semis in less than a decade? The football is disgusting but many great teams have won playing just like this.

We're in an era where defense and counter attacks with speed wins games.  NTs used to get 3-4 weeks from the end of club season to the start of a tournament to prepare.  Now it's 10 days.  So there's no time to work on anything too intricate on the attack.  You just work on a cohesive unit and then hope the players are on good form to figure out the rest.

I'll add that the physical impact of a World Cup being played in the winter of 2022-2023 is coming home to roost now for those who went far in that one.  They've gone from August of 2022 until this tournament with 2 months rest total (1 month in summer of 2023 and 3-4 weeks in winter of 2023-2024).  Running on fumes for some of these guys.

Current generation also lack of creativity.

Robotic football.

guest_07 wrote:Current generation also lack of creativity.

Robotic football.

I agree with this 100 percent...Benn saying this for some years now

guest_07 wrote:Current generation also lack of creativity.

Robotic football.

Too dependent on data.  All sports have become like that, unfortunately.  NBA, NFL, MLB are all boring as every team does the same thing.

I like watching international basketball because teams like Spain run old-school motion offenses.  

Keep in mind that Griezmann could not get into any football academy as a kid because he was deemed too short and slow.  Had to go to Real Sociedad where Montagnier asked the club to take him in (knew Griezmann's father) to get a chance.

It's an academy level issue in France.  They want strong, physical and fast players first.  They will teach skill (which they do).  Zidane, Platini, Griezmann, Pires, Djorkaeff, etc wouldn't even make it in the youth ranks today sadly. It works though. Can't argue with the results. I'm just glad Spain has maintained a romantic view.

I love Spanish football. I just talk smack to tease Bill lol.

Vibe wrote:
Finally a decent match in the tournament.

There's been plenty of good matches just those where neither France nor England were involved

Myesyats wrote:

Vibe wrote:
Finally a decent match in the tournament.

There's been plenty of good matches just those where neither France nor England were involved

A few of the group stage matches were pretty decent. Normally, you expect the quarter finals and beyond to increase the stakes and provide better quality, but that hasn't really been the case so far.

We have a family bet going on to pick the two finalists. Those remaining are España - Inglaterra and España - Netherlands. I had España - Switzerland!

Should be a great game, i predict France wins

Defensively France have built a fortress, their positioning combined with forwards pressing makes it very hard to create chances against them, only Mbappé is careless. They have tall and strong players who can bully you off the ball. I don't see Morata converting the few chances Spain will get, but someone else could step up.

France also got firepower in attack, strangely they are struggling a lot. Why Coman is not playing ? COMAN-MBAPPÉ-DEMBELÉ and then Barcola, Giroud as subs
Put Griezmann on the bench that guy is finished and Ngolo Kanté has been doing his job on top of his own tasks anyways.

The some else than Morata is anyone else. I don’t think Morata has a single goal! Our offense is Nico, Yamal, Fabián, Olmo and Rodri. Morata has been the distraction! We will get goals from a 9 when Joselu is sub’d in.

@Arq, @Sports - I too liked Enrique and initially was disappointed with the De la Fuente appointment. But perhaps appointing a youth coach who knows and has worked with most of the current squad was a good thing. I don’t know if it is because of Nico / Yamal or just tactics of De la Fuente, but this team is more direct than Enrique’s and has lots of creativity and options. Only offensive weakness has been the CF. It remains to be seen, how vulnerable the defense will be. We will fibd out on Tuesday.

This is a hall of famer sports article. Need more journalism like this

Portugal v France: a galactic battle lost in the black hole of one man’s ego https://t.co/ZNIZwVNXO3

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 6, 2024

A pure 9 has 0.01% chance of scoring against this France defense. Not only do you have the CBs, Tchouameni is playing more libero than midfield. Kante and Rabiot/Camavinga stick to their sides so Tchou can sit in the middle right in front of the defense. You also have Griezmann and whoever plays CF coming back to help on fullback attacks.

And then Maignan is on absolute fire too.

The only way I see a goal getting scored is a cross that finds the opposite winger, not the CF and really only on Hernandez. So Yamal needs to crash into the box.

Nobody has done it so far because that leaves the side with Mbappe uncovered. Even significantly diminished by injury (the bad back is a bigger issue than the nose), teams are afraid. They keep their fullback and winger glued to his side.

Mbappe in the locker room after Portugal win:  “I hope I can help you in the semifinals. It’s up to me to raise my level against Spain.”

https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/euro/espagne-france-quand-ils-parlent-on-ecoute-les-bleus-defendent-mbappe-et-griezmann-en-meforme-a-l-euro_AV-202407070252.html

We all know Morata arent gonna do much... the fact that likes of Olmo n Fabian have been performing has exceeded expectations, n then the 2 wingers.

For France I always thought Coman was sub material, but I forgot who said hes supposed to be starter when fit, but I guess hes hardly ever fit so... Would have loved to see Nkunku but Deschamps said he was unfit. Dembele is always hit n miss, Thuram n Muani are two donkeys, Barcola is young, Giroud is old... so it was always gonna be up to Mbappe. If hes not scoring, others had to step up, but Griezmann looks past it, hence all the long shots from midfield n Theo...

Mbappe NEEDS to score in the SF at least... at this rate, Vini is really gonna win the Ballon D'or? But then I just read Brazil are knocked out already So perhaps that opens the door for a challengers? Maybe if Bellingham turns up n goes all the way...?

Morata does a lot for us actually so he can't be thrown into doubt. He just somehow is a different man for La Rosa.
Fabian isn't performing above expectations he's performing to expectations if we go by what he was in Napoli. Olmo yes I agree.


France are cooked tbh.

I've been impressed by France's defending in this tournament, but considering the talent they've got at their disposal, they leave a lot to be desired. The most entertaining matches I've watched have been between the assumed lesser nations.

Arquitecto wrote:As for the tourney favourites, England is my easy favourite. Ridiculously packed squad. They are to win mark it.  

Bump.

Ive said it simply because England with Southgate somehow manage to squeeze themselves through every situation in fortunate and smash and grab terms.

I think its time to say as shit as Southgate is he has a tremendous record with England (relatively speaking) but where he does deserve criticism is using his Ferraris like Fiats for it is indeed true individual brilliance bails him out (in case Saka's goal yesterday)

100% to win.

For the sake of a bet, I want Netherlands to beat England. Either way, it will be an easier final game than the qtrs and semis for us.

Placing bets on that right here. England to go through name what you will. Im that sure of it.

It’s a family bet for comida. We picked finalists at beginning of knockouts. England has been lucky to get this far. Really lucky yesterday.

Arquitecto wrote:Morata does a lot for us actually so he can't be thrown into doubt. He just somehow is a different man for La Rosa.
Fabian isn't performing above expectations he's performing to expectations if we go by what he was in Napoli. Olmo yes I agree.


France are cooked tbh.

Cooking Spain? Yes they will.

It still amazes me that people still don't understand Deschamp's style. This is it. if Mbappe and Griezmann can even slightly improve, they would wipe everyone out. Spain will give them the opportunity.

It's like Barca v Madrid. Every non-Real Madrid fan loves Barca because of their style of play and say "Madrid is cooked" whenever Real Madrid shows any weakness... but in the end, Real Madrid finds a way to win. It's often not very pretty... but a win is a win.

France does the same.

sportsczy wrote:

Arquitecto wrote:Morata does a lot for us actually so he can't be thrown into doubt. He just somehow is a different man for La Rosa.
Fabian isn't performing above expectations he's performing to expectations if we go by what he was in Napoli. Olmo yes I agree.


France are cooked tbh.

Cooking Spain? Yes they will.

It still amazes me that people still don't understand Deschamp's style. This is it. if Mbappe and Griezmann can even slightly improve, they would wipe everyone out. Spain will give them the opportunity.

It's like Barca v Madrid. Every non-Real Madrid fan loves Barca because of their style of play and say "Madrid is cooked" whenever Real Madrid shows any weakness... but in the end, Real Madrid finds a way to win. It's often not very pretty... but a win is a win.

France does the same.

Cooked on the basis on Spain's strengths not France's weaknesses. Assuming you've read my posts I rate Deschamp's France very highly even if it is a waste of the talent at his disposal. Who wouldn't given he has reached a Euro final WC final twice in a row one of them which he won, the other he lost on penalties.

Most if not all of the KOs so far has been very tight games though right? I dont think any team is that good or bad enough to do anything to another team they want... plus everyone is so cautious perhaps bar Spain?

Anyway, really looking forward to it... still one more days wait argh...... actually the more I think about it the more im confident about France... I mean its Mbappe vs Carvajal ffs, if Mbappe still doesnt deliver than I give up n hes definitely flopped On the other hand would love to see Dembele vs Cucurella If Deschamps wanna be cautious just play Grizemann alongside him to help defend Still better than the other donkeys... France dont have a 9 to score anyway n just rely on shooting so might as well just play them 3 Im old n refuse to believe Spain a weaker team should beat a much better team in France