The ONLY After Hours thread about the European Championships.

gurramok · 19-06-2012 10:52PM

Super-Rush wrote: »

Can see them doing the Italians in the quarters.

No can do. The Italians despite their faults have in depth quality players who can retain the ball and penetrate defences and Englands defence is atrocious(like against Sweden). Ukraine tonight mostly outplayed England but didn't have the final killer touch, Italy in the likes of a player like De Natale do.

Most of the England players are overhyped on inflated wages, the Italians ain't. They are the real test for England to show how they play football, roll on Sunday!

Latchy · 19-06-2012 11:00PM

England have scored four goals in the tounament by four different players and Hodgeson got it right by putting Carroll on against Sweden and playing Rooney tonight .I think they will be more than up for the game against Italy and capable of beating them but it wont be easy .

SHOVELLER · 19-06-2012 11:04PM

Happyman42 wrote: »

How do you know that? All the Premiership have high sales of merchandise overseas. Mechandise supports the team as do all those subs from pubs that show games for those awful barstoolers.

Your entire argument is a nonsense. The destruciton of LOI football is from within. People will pay to be entertained if the entertainment is of a high enough standard. If you have been keeping your world class entertainment secret, prehaps you need to hire a PR company! :rolleyes:
It's the classic result of a vivious circle of no investment and a rampant blame culture with nobody taking responsibility.

Thank you for not answering my question. Never mind. People of your ilk will never understand the game.

acquiescefc · 19-06-2012 11:09PM

can i just ask what was with RTE switching games 30 secs before the end of the england game to france v sweden. seriously pist me off at the time.

Latchy · 19-06-2012 11:12PM

acquiescefc wrote: »

can i just ask what was with RTE switching games 30 secs before the end of the england game to france v sweden. seriously pist me off at the time.

Perhaps to aviod the England celebrations at the end ?

Happyman42 · 19-06-2012 11:20PM

SHOVELLER wrote: »

Thank you for not answering my question. Never mind. People of your ilk will never understand the game.

My ilk??????:D:rolleyes:

I answered your question over and over again. Like the rest of the LOI ...you aren't comprehending.:rolleyes:

btw. Sport and football is a simple game an idiot savant can understand. Sports administration and administrators are another matter.

Happyman42 · 19-06-2012 11:23PM

acquiescefc wrote: »

can i just ask what was with RTE switching games 30 secs before the end of the england game to france v sweden. seriously pist me off at the time.

They have done it for all of the last group games.

acquiescefc · 19-06-2012 11:34PM

Latchy wrote: »

Perhaps to aviod the England celebrations at the end ?

well that was my thought at the time but being english i didnt want to suggest they were doing that.

have to say their half time schpiel was pretty much 'hahaha england were slaughtered'. they seemed to be revelling in that. hence i thought the ending was not what they expected.

personally as an england fan, apart from being quite drunk, we got out of jail again....somehow, god knows how. we've somehow avoided Spain so maybe now we're all equal. 90 mins of problematic teams.

my personal happiness is avoiding Donbass again. I think in Minsk we can cope with the heat better and play more. oh and Spain.. think they'dve slaughtered us proper.

Latchy · 19-06-2012 11:45PM

acquiescefc wrote: »

well that was my thought at the time but being english i didnt want to suggest they were doing that.

have to say their half time schpiel was pretty much 'hahaha england were slaughtered'. they seemed to be revelling in that. hence i thought the ending was not what they expected.

personally as an england fan, apart from being quite drunk, we got out of jail again....somehow, god knows how. we've somehow avoided Spain so maybe now we're all equal. 90 mins of problematic teams.

my personal happiness is avoiding Donbass again. I think in Minsk we can cope with the heat better and play more. oh and Spain.. think they'dve slaughtered us proper.

I was been a bit tongue in cheek but as other poster said ,it might be the norm for RTE to switch over to the other games at end and most of the panel (if not all ) played in England at some stage so they can't be to ungracious if at all ,to an England win ( although they are entitled to do so if they wish )

Spain and Germany may be the favs but I don't think we can rule out any of the last 8 who are capable of an upset and latin temprament may also come into play as well on the night .

ei.sderob · 20-06-2012 12:00AM

Can't really see past Germany to be honest. Apart from their over reliance on schweinsteiger at times, they just seem too solid overall to be beaten by anybody. Even Spain.

Patrick Cleburne · 20-06-2012 01:58AM

gurramok wrote: »

No can do. The Italians despite their faults have in depth quality players who can retain the ball and penetrate defences and Englands defence is atrocious(like against Sweden). Ukraine tonight mostly outplayed England but didn't have the final killer touch, Italy in the likes of a player like De Natale do.

Most of the England players are overhyped on inflated wages, the Italians ain't. They are the real test for England to show how they play football, roll on Sunday!

And Italy are just full of world class fantastic players. NOT. England will beat them.

Happyman42 · 20-06-2012 09:00AM

England, (much improved and showing signs that they might actually drop the egos and play like a team sometime in the future), will bleed goals against better opposition. We saw the state of French football last night and can see how easy this group was to get out of. Rooney fluked a goal last night and England had all the luck. They actually looked awful for long periods of the match.

Beefy78 · 20-06-2012 10:25AM

Happyman42 wrote: »

England, (much improved and showing signs that they might actually drop the egos and play like a team sometime in the future), will bleed goals against better opposition. We saw the state of French football last night and can see how easy this group was to get out of. Rooney fluked a goal last night and England had all the luck. They actually looked awful for long periods of the match.

And yet despite looking awful, England scored as well as missing a sitter and restricted Ukraine to half chances (Ukraine's only two clear chances being the 'goal' and the missed header from right in front of goal, both of which were clearly offside).

Elmer Blooker · 20-06-2012 10:56AM

Ukraine and Poland looked like sides that haven't played competitive football for over two years since the WC qualifiers - technically good but lacking sharpness. England are having unbelievable luck and with the way things are going they could do a Denmark or Greece. I don't think the Italians are that good, they even let us back into the match for a period in the second half.
I think they will put two or three players on Gerrard and Balotelli will start.

cgpg5 · 20-06-2012 11:10AM

Happyman42 wrote: »

England, (much improved and showing signs that they might actually drop the egos and play like a team sometime in the future), will bleed goals against better opposition. We saw the state of French football last night and can see how easy this group was to get out of. Rooney fluked a goal last night and England had all the luck. They actually looked awful for long periods of the match.

England were far the better team in attack than Ukraine. Ukraine were ok and put a few passes together and whatever but lacked in the middle third. They'd no clear cut chance when you consider (and as Beefy pointed out) Ukraine's header and "goal" from point blank range were both offside.

It was a case of job done for England. Never easy playing the hosts and they came out with the win. Think Ukraine are a very poor side and had they not been hosts would've been well beaten in the group (probably point-less).

Think England will take beating from here if I'm honest.

cgpg5 · 20-06-2012 11:14AM

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

Ukraine and Poland looked like sides that haven't played competitive football for over two years since the WC qualifiers - technically good but lacking sharpness. England are having unbelievable luck and with the way things are going they could do a Denmark or Greece. I don't think the Italians are that good, they even let us back into the match for a period in the second half.
I think they will put two or three players on Gerrard and Balotelli will start.

Agree with everything bar this point. They had two clear cut chances yesterday and scored one of them. That's clinical. Ukraine had zero clear cut chances if I remember apart from two offsides which were criminally not given. They amount that hit row Z from speculative and frankly stupid effortswas insane. The Ukranians are very limited.

Also England were definitely deserving of their win v Sweden, Sweden were poor and relied on one man throughout. Lucky to get two goals when they did, I felt England were always going to come back.

Overall v France too a draw was a fair result.

mike65 · 20-06-2012 11:25AM

Rooney should have had a peno last night as well.

Balmed Out · 20-06-2012 12:16PM

ei.sderob wrote: »

Can't really see past Germany to be honest. Apart from their over reliance on schweinsteiger at times, they just seem too solid overall to be beaten by anybody. Even Spain.

I watched the Germany vs Portugal on a Tv in a square in Poland and had a terrible view but would I not be right in thinking they were very lucky. Portugal seemed to have most of the chances.

Beefy78 · 20-06-2012 12:22PM

Balmed Out wrote: »

I watched the Germany vs Portugal on a Tv in a square in Poland and had a terrible view but would I not be right in thinking they were very lucky. Portugal seemed to have most of the chances.

Germany weren't great that game, and Portugal had a couple of clear chances which they missed, but overall I thought Germany were worthy winners. They never looked particularly rattled and just had this air of composure about their play.

I think they can be got at, but they're the best team in this thing, IMO.

kfallon · 20-06-2012 12:29PM

Germany looked totally in control up until the goal and then Portugal went at them! It was the first game anyway so I wouldn't take it as a 'form guide' were they to meet again in the final. Thought Germany's first half display against Holland was the best 45 minutes I've seen from any team in the tournament. I just get the feeling the Germans have been doing enough in the Group stages and keeping a little bit back for later in the tournament.

Happyman42 · 20-06-2012 01:23PM

You guys must have been looking at a different game to me and most of the professional pundits, who all thought England where riding their luck bigtime last night.
They where dominated for long periods last night, a better team will make them pay for that.
They are better, but not the real deal by any stretch.

Beefy78 · 20-06-2012 02:09PM

Happyman42 wrote: »

You guys must have been looking at a different game to me and most of the professional pundits, who all thought England where riding their luck bigtime last night.
They where dominated for long periods last night, a better team will make them pay for that.
They are better, but not the real deal by any stretch.

That's because too many pundits and amateur pundits confuse a team having lots more possession than the other team with a team dominating the other team.

In 90 minutes, Ukraine carved out zero onside clear goalscoring opportunities. England were happy to let Ukraine have the ball, as they were with France in the first game and at the same time England scored one, missed a sitter (Rooney) and should have got another on the break at the end.

England will give teams chances to shoot from distance as the idea is to let teams have half-chances but keep your shape so that they can't get a clear chance. They ride their luck in the sense that they allow themselves to be under a lot of pressure and are only ever one worldy 30 yarder or deflection or mix-up in the box away from letting a goal in but they were far from dominated.

Apparently Barcelona dominated Chelsea in the Champions League semi final and apparently Bayern Munich dominated Chelsea in the final and yet in both ties Chelsea restricted the opposition to half chances and created the better chances in open play (and of course got massively lucky with Messi and Robben missing penalties).

Happyman42 · 20-06-2012 02:18PM

Beefy78 wrote: »

That's because too many pundits and amateur pundits confuse a team having lots more possession than the other team with a team dominating the other team.

In 90 minutes, Ukraine carved out zero onside clear goalscoring opportunities. England were happy to let Ukraine have the ball, as they were with France in the first game and at the same time England scored one, missed a sitter (Rooney) and should have got another on the break at the end.

England will give teams chances to shoot from distance as the idea is to let teams have half-chances but keep your shape so that they can't get a clear chance. They ride their luck in the sense that they allow themselves to be under a lot of pressure and are only ever one worldy 30 yarder or deflection or mix-up in the box away from letting a goal in but they were far from dominated.

Apparently Barcelona dominated Chelsea in the Champions League semi final and apparently Bayern Munich dominated Chelsea in the final and yet in both ties Chelsea restricted the opposition to half chances and created the better chances in open play (and of course got massively lucky with Messi and Robben missing penalties).

That ^^ has all the delusion and making the best of a bad performance that the worst of the British redtops engage in. It's called 'riding for a fall':rolleyes:
Whatever. Time will tell.

cgpg5 · 20-06-2012 02:21PM

Happyman42 wrote: »

That ^^ has all the delusion and making the best of a bad performance that the worst of the British redtops engage in. It's called 'riding for a fall':rolleyes:
Whatever. Time will tell.

Not at all tbh. Honestly did Ukraine look like scoring apart from the aforementioned two chances which were blatantly offside? England could've got 2. Had Ukraine equalised I felt England would've pushed on and would have found a winner. But alas we'll never know. Either way just because a team passed the ball around in their own half and took a few shots that nearly went out out of the stadium doesn't mean they dominated their opposition

Happyman42 · 20-06-2012 02:30PM

cgpg5 wrote: »

Not at all tbh. Honestly did Ukraine look like scoring apart from the aforementioned two chances which were blatantly offside? England could've got 2. Had Ukraine equalised I felt England would've pushed on and would have found a winner. But alas we'll never know. Either way just because a team passed the ball around in their own half and took a few shots that nearly went out out of the stadium doesn't mean they dominated their opposition

Did you miss the bit where I said 'a better team will make their dominance pay'????:rolleyes:

Beefy78 · 20-06-2012 02:31PM

Happyman42 wrote: »

That ^^ has all the delusion and making the best of a bad performance that the worst of the British redtops engage in. It's called 'riding for a fall':rolleyes:
Whatever. Time will tell.

Not at all. I wasn't holding out much hope last night and expect us to lose to Italy.

It just baffles me that people can seemingly only judge a match by who has more of the ball. Defending is half of the game.

cgpg5 · 20-06-2012 02:35PM

Happyman42 wrote: »

Did you miss the bit where I said 'a better team will make their dominance pay'????:rolleyes:

We shall wait and see but I think England's mindset and how they approach the game will be quite different v Italy.

K-9 · 20-06-2012 02:48PM

Beefy78 wrote: »

And yet despite looking awful, England scored as well as missing a sitter and restricted Ukraine to half chances (Ukraine's only two clear chances being the 'goal' and the missed header from right in front of goal, both of which were clearly offside).

Ukraine had plenty of possession though and Italy will be a step up. They've a right chance against them though, the Italians haven't been that impressive considering the talent they have.

MonkieSocks · 20-06-2012 02:50PM

K-9 wrote: »

Ukraine had plenty of possession though and France will be a step up. They've a right chance against them though, the French haven't been that impressive considering the talent they have.

England playing Italy next

K-9 · 20-06-2012 02:54PM

MonkieSocks wrote: »

England playing Italy next

Yeah, some reason I'd France in my head. The Italians can be very quick on the counter attack, they might catch England in the rare event they put plenty of players forward, the goal against Spain a good example.

The *ONLY* After Hours thread about the European Championships.

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The ONLY After Hours thread about the European Championships.