European championships 2020 thread (40 Viewers)

[COV]

Crazy that all of the group of death are out already too. The two pre-tournament favourites plus the Germans who could have easily reverted to type and gone deep.

Maybe successive games against quality opponents takes it out of them and that's a good thing being on the side of the draw we're on. The winner of the Italy Belgium game will then have to dispatch most likely Spain whereas we should be able to take out Ukraine then Czech or Denmark.

Spain are very unpredictable, they will probably end up winning their next match 6-4 or something daft. I think we beat them, our setup is ideal for a team that plays the way they do.

Belgium though... they scare me a bit

 

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[Liquid Gold]

Spain are very unpredictable, they will probably end up winning their next match 6-4 or something daft. I think we beat them, our setup is ideal for a team that plays the way they do.

Belgium though... they scare me a bit

I think that if we make the final then all bets are off. 90 minutes between two teams in an international final anything can happen. Greece, Denmark etc. have done it before.

Wembley will be a huge bonus though.

 

[Evo1883]

Current odds

 

[Liquid Gold]

Current odds View attachment 20687

Quite surprised how long Belgium are. Maybe the injuries in the squad are worse than we know about.

 

[COV]

Current odds View attachment 20687

Surely thats driven by the bookies going on where the money is going as opposed to expert opinions?

If we're going on ability, form, experience etc then I'd have us as 3rd favourites behind Belgium & Italy. Belgium look the best bet from that lot

 

[It’sabatch87]

Current odds View attachment 20687

I had £25 on us before the tournament @ 6/1 then another £25 on us @ 13/2 last weekend.
I think Belgium look a good bet there if they can overcome Italy and maybe Spain.

 

[Evo1883]

Surely thats driven by the bookies going on where the money is going as opposed to expert opinions?

If we're going on ability, form, experience etc then I'd have us as 3rd favourites behind Belgium & Italy. Belgium look the best bet from that lot

It's partly driven by the fact that Belgium and Italy are playing eachother and the winner plays basically Spain

Harder route for all 3

 

[COV]

It's partly driven by the fact that Belgium and Italy are playing eachother and the winner plays basically Spain

Harder route for all 3

Aahhhh, I gotcha

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

I would fancy us more v Italy than v Belgium, who have a bit of a jinx over us

It would be weird watching Italy v England with us playing like Italy used to and Italy playing like we used to

You say that, but our Italy record is dreadful. I’m sure we have a better record against Belgium

 

[COV]

You say that, but our Italy record is dreadful. I’m sure we have a better record against Belgium

That was when we went at them all gung ho and they were too smart for us, I don’t think they are any more

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

That was when we went at them all gung ho and they were too smart for us, I don’t think they are any more

No I mean full stop, I don’t think we’ve ever beaten Italy at a tournament. Granted we’ve only beaten Belgium once, but 2018 was the first time they’d ever beaten us competitively

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

Also Italy have tournament winning experience. I’d rather play Belgium. All the pressure would be on them

 

[COV]

Also Italy have tournament winning experience. I’d rather play Belgium. All the pressure would be on them

No chance!! There would be more pressure on us than any game in our lifetimes. Can you even begin to imagine the media

 

[CJ_covblaze]

What a load of bollocks, it was absolutely gash from the start till the first goal.

Well I had a great day and wouldn’t have changed any part of it.

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

No chance!! There would be more pressure on us than any game in our lifetimes. Can you even begin to imagine the media

That’s just our media. The expectation of the world expects Belgium’s “golden generation” to win something. They blew up in the World Cup and blew up in Euro 2016 against Wales.

we’d be the underdogs whilst at home, that would suit us down to the ground. Like I said - Italy beat us every time we play. They’re more dangerous to us than Germany have been

 

[CJ_covblaze]

It's OK we can just post you clapping wasps.

When did I do that?

 

[CJ_covblaze]

Was the booing bad for taking the knee?

It wasn’t as bad as it had been in the other 5 games thankfully. There was a chap behind me that thought it was acceptable to do it and I wasn’t alone in telling him what we thought.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Its not really as much to do with their ability for me, I just feel like they always beat us, but having said that I totally forgot we beat them last time out...

What would be perfect is if we got to the final and Switzerland somehow manage to march onto the final... or would that be 'devaluing' our potential victory?

They beat us in Belgium and we returned the favour at Wembley this season.

In 2018, Belgium were a significantly better than us and that was reflected in the performances when we played at the World Cup. Since then, we’ve improved and developed a lot of new players

One thing I really hope Southgate has done is to shrug off this inferiority complex we have to other major nations. Winning two penalty shootouts and beating Germany in a knockout game are two huge boosts to our national psyche.

Fear no one.

 

[Sick Boy]

That’s just our media. The expectation of the world expects Belgium’s “golden generation” to win something. They blew up in the World Cup and blew up in Euro 2016 against Wales.

we’d be the underdogs whilst at home, that would suit us down to the ground. Like I said - Italy beat us every time we play. They’re more dangerous to us than Germany have been

No way England are underdogs at home.

 

[cowboy1850]

It's a bit brazen and disrespectful to talk about being in an imaginary final when we haven't beaten Ukraine yet. I've seen previous English flops enough to get carried away but it feels like the media and fans are spunking their load already.

 

[COV]

That’s just our media. The expectation of the world expects Belgium’s “golden generation” to win something. They blew up in the World Cup and blew up in Euro 2016 against Wales.

we’d be the underdogs whilst at home, that would suit us down to the ground. Like I said - Italy beat us every time we play. They’re more dangerous to us than Germany have been

You cannot be serious- underdogs at Wembley?

Thw entire world would be wanting to see if England can finally win something, there would be hype unlike anything we’ve ever seen

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

It's a bit brazen and disrespectful to talk about being in an imaginary final when we haven't beaten Ukraine yet. I've seen previous English flops enough to get carried away but it feels like the media and fans are spunking their load already.

Don’t you think Italy and Belgium fans look forward? Nobody is disrespecting Ukraine, 9/10 times England beat Ukraine. We all know England have to be at their best. As long as the team is focussed that’s all that matters

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

You cannot be serious- underdogs at Wembley?

Thw entire world would be wanting to see if England can finally win something, there would be hype unlike anything we’ve ever seen

Europe and Football doesn’t centre on England. That Belgium team has been champions elect for years. I back us at Wembley - but Europe will be all on Belgium.

look at Le Equippe - it’s more about Belgium than us

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

It wasn’t as bad as it had been in the other 5 games thankfully. There was a chap behind me that thought it was acceptable to do it and I wasn’t alone in telling him what we thought.

Did he cheer sterling’s goal?

 

[COV]

Europe and Football doesn’t centre on England. That Belgium team has been champions elect for years. I back us at Wembley - but Europe will be all on Belgium.

look at Le Equippe - it’s more about Belgium than us

So you’re saying that England playing at home in front of their own fans in their first final with all the hype from the media etc- but there would be more pressure on Belgium? Crazy talk

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

So you’re saying that England playing at home in front of their own fans in their first final with all the hype from the media etc- but there would be more pressure on Belgium? Crazy talk

I’m saying yes the hype over here would be mega but nothing on Belgium - as I said, they’ve been champions elect for years now. They’re ranked first in the world, and have never won a continental competition.

they’d be favourites with anyone outside of England

 

[COV]

I’m saying yes the hype over here would be mega but nothing on Belgium - as I said, they’ve been champions elect for years now. They’re ranked first in the world, and have never won a continental competition.

they’d be favourites with anyone outside of England

But the final is being played here

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

They beat us in Belgium and we returned the favour at Wembley this season.

In 2018, Belgium were a significantly better than us and that was reflected in the performances when we played at the World Cup. Since then, we’ve improved and developed a lot of new players

One thing I really hope Southgate has done is to shrug off this inferiority complex we have to other major nations. Winning two penalty shootouts and beating Germany in a knockout game are two huge boosts to our national psyche.

Fear no one.

Belgium aren't quite the team they were because the defence of the 'golden generation' is now either retired (Kompany) or ageing and susceptible to pace (Vertonghen, Alderwiereld, Vermaelen). They've still got some unbelievable attacking and creative talent in their prime admittedly but we do have the attacking options to exploit their weakness (as they do ours).

But when it comes down to it I think we'd be more likely to have the discipline to see a game through, they'd be relying on moments of magic from a few stars. They've got the quality to beat us no doubt, but we've also got the talent to beat them. Give them respect, of course, but don't fear them.

Personally I think Italy would be the ones we should be most wary of.

 

[COV]

Belgium aren't quite the team they were because the defence of the 'golden generation' is now either retired (Kompany) or ageing and susceptible to pace (Vertonghen, Alderwiereld, Vermaelen). They've still got some unbelievable attacking and creative talent in their prime admittedly but we do have the attacking options to exploit their weakness (as they do ours).

But when it comes down to it I think we'd be more likely to have the discipline to see a game through, they'd be relying on moments of magic from a few stars. They've got the quality to beat us no doubt, but we've also got the talent to beat them. Give them respect, of course, but don't fear them.

Personally I think Italy would be the ones we should be most wary of.

Yes

And now I’m getting jumpy about counting chickens so it’s all about Ukraine now

 

[CJ_covblaze]

Did he cheer sterling’s goal?

I’d guess so. That bit is a bit of a blur tbh!

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

But the final is being played here

I know, but it doesn’t mean the hype from elsewhere isn’t known. Belgium are expected to win something. They know the ramifications if they don’t win.

I’m with you I think England will win purely because they’re at Wembley. The fans will be onside. But to say we’d be favourites within football circles is mad. Belgium would
Be favourites and expected to finally win a major tournament.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

I know, but it doesn’t mean the hype from elsewhere isn’t known. Belgium are expected to win something. They know the ramifications if they don’t win.

I’m with you I think England will win purely because they’re at Wembley. The fans will be onside. But to say we’d be favourites within football circles is mad. Belgium would
Be favourites and expected to finally win a major tournament.

We went into the tournament as the favourites after France. Belgium were behind us going into the tournament.

We have a really good team and a good manager which would make us a favoured team on neutral ground. Having so many games at Wembley undoubtedly factored into inflating our value a bit.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

This Ukraine match could be a tricky one if we don't score early. They will be playing for penalties from the off and won't engage in any football in our half unless they have to.
Could be a frustrating evening.

 

[Skybluefaz]

This Ukraine match could be a tricky one if we don't score early. They will be playing for penalties from the off and won't engage in any football in our half unless they have to.
Could be a frustrating evening.

Not sure they have got it in them to last 90 minutes like that though. Only going off the Nederlands game, but they got opened up by the Dutch pretty easily, and I think we should have more than enough to get at least one goal in the 90.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

Not sure they have got it in them to last 90 minutes like that though. Only going off the Nederlands game, but they got opened up by the Dutch pretty easily, and I think we should have more than enough to get at least one goal in the 90.

I'm probably thinking of past involvements with breaking teams down.
I think Henderson comes in for this one which will free up another forward