Roiling football blather

craner

craner

Beast of Burden
I guess that would be who's playing better on the day? Ronaldo or Bale? (Not that I know the first thing about football!)
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
when was the last entertaining international tournament again? The group stages are unfairly maligned - it's the knockout stages where things get unbearably tedious these days.

Worst football matches of all time? Croatia-Portugal is up there.
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
oh christ. ireland are going to beat france, then england are going to beat ireland and end up winning this damn thing after edging a semi against Germany. with the worst possible timing in history.
 
droid

droid

Well-known member
France showed their class in the 2nd half, but they're still unconvincing. Annoyingly, we could have nabbed that one. Inexperience in defense and fatigue did us in.
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Sound advice. I'm fearful (although it might be a good thing on reflection) that Wales are going to get punished against the Belgians, but I think they'll do what Hungary and Ireland didn't manage, and score. Bale, obvs.

I'm very confused about who to support, given that after Thursday I'm not too fussed if Welsh nationalism takes a hit. Was thinking of Spain until the whole country voted to fuck itself last night. Iceland it is.

Snap prediction: Conte will do very well at Chelsea. This Italy performance has been magnificent so far.
 
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craner

craner

Beast of Burden
So far, this is the most entertaining football match I've seen since that Brazil-Germany semi-final. Score another one Iceland! The whole of Europe is rooting for you!

'Rule Brittania' sung lustily just before Iceland took the lead was one of the funniest football moments I've ever witnessed.
 
droid

droid

Well-known member
I had a suspicion this might happen. Iceland have been committed, composed on the ball, good on the break. We nearly put France away in the first half - if they play like that again on Sunday, Iceland will take them.
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
At least it was a good week to bury bad news.

I missed the game, but on the highlights the second half chances were all Iceland. Wtf? Who'd have thought, Kane, Alli, Dier, Walker and Rose would wilt under pressure? Never mind England, every team fails to deliver once in a while.

amazing
 
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IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Weird to see England collapse like that. Absolute terror of failure guaranteed that very failure. In the second half they couldn't string two passes together even if they were five yards apart, they whacked the ball into the stands instead of crossing it. And in other way it wasn't weird at all of course. Fear took them over and just destroyed them.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
I'm not being churlish and don't mean to take anything way from Iceland (after all they can only beat what is in front of them) but they didn't play especially well, they didn't need to. I mean, they didn't do much wrong but in the second half England went to pieces so spectacularly that Iceland really didn't have to do much. The passes that England were missing were the same ones that my teammate was shouting at my five-a-side team for fucking up on Tuesday. Barely understandable for us... but for internationals!
 
droid

droid

Well-known member
I think you're being hard on Iceland. they showed real grit and determination, were well drilled and organised and continued to chase the game even when winning. England may have done better against a more technical, less physical team - and then they would've been knocked out by Italy.

The stats are shocking. Only 6 victories in knockout stages in history. The widespread vitriol poured on the team last night kind of shows why. The problem isnt just the team, its the English.
 
droid

droid

Well-known member
We get regularly patronised for our 'great fans', but even when we performed disastrously and were destroyed by Spain the supporters never booed the team - its unthinkable.

And here we are - probably a better performance at the euros with a team that is collectively worth less than Wayne Rooney.
 
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rubberdingyrapids

Well-known member
im no football expert, but it is a bit weird how every time this happens, the manager is sent packing. i understand someone has to be made to pay, but isnt it clear now that the problem might not be the managers? they can only do so much from the looks of things.
 
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