COV
Well-Known Member
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
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.
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.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
Quite surprised how long Belgium are. Maybe the injuries in the squad are worse than we know about.Current odds View attachment 20687
Current odds View attachment 20687
I had £25 on us before the tournament @ 6/1 then another £25 on us @ 13/2 last weekend.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's partly driven by the fact that Belgium and Italy are playing eachother and the winner plays basically Spain
Harder route for all 3
You say that, but our Italy record is dreadful. I’m sure we have a better record against BelgiumI 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
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 competitivelyThat was when we went at them all gung ho and they were too smart for us, I don’t think they are any more
Also Italy have tournament winning experience. I’d rather play Belgium. All the pressure would be on them
Well I had a great day and wouldn’t have changed any part of it.What a load of bollocks, it was absolutely gash from the start till the first goal.
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.No chance!! There would be more pressure on us than any game in our lifetimes. Can you even begin to imagine the media
When did I do that?It's OK we can just post you clapping wasps.
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.Was the booing bad for taking the knee?
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?
No way England are underdogs at home.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
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
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 mattersIt'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.
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.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
Did he cheer sterling’s goal?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.
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
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.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
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.
I’d guess so. That bit is a bit of a blur tbh!Did he cheer sterling’s goal?
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.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.
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.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.
I'm probably thinking of past involvements with breaking teams down.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.
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