Euro 2012

[kaosmark2]

Can we please drop Rooney from England for a while, you never know it might just work! I don't doubt his a greatplayer but he just doesn't deliver for England(like so many other England players over the years.) Was quite clearly unfit, I would have left him on the bench and brought him on half way through the 2nd half for a bit of magic.

The Henderson sub was god awful, severed no purpose other than to break up the game a bit. (If parker was that tired why wasn't he took off during ET half time?)

Thought we done well defensively until the 2nd half extra time, based on that bit we didn't deserve to win but I thought luck was on our side to win scrape through last night, and thought we was going until Young's penalty. (Another one who should have been dropped.)

Overall I think the team is better, I think they are playing more for the shirt apart from Rooney who doesn't seem to give toss and I can't fault their effort. We do need to work on keeping the ball a bit, just to take the pressure off us.

That said I am looking forward to Germany winning the Euros.

[Ed209]

I think the one real positive of the tournament was Joey Hart. OK, his distribution still needs work, but he looked confident and assured in that goal. England haven't had that for a long time. Provided he can stay fit and keep his mentality right, he's only going to get better and better. England keeper for the next decade

Plus he's a total lad.

[thetime]

Problem with Rooney hes not a natural athlete, so when not at his peak shape he becomes slow and his mind wanders.

[The Nal]

Problem with Rooney hes not a natural athlete, so when not at his peak shape he becomes slow and his mind wanders.

[LondonTom]

You can't fault the effort apart from Rooney? Young, you've said he was awful, but a huge part of that was laziness. And a lot of the players lack talent.

[strummer77]

The Henderson sub was god awful, severed no purpose other than to break up the game a bit. (If parker was that tired why wasn't he took off during ET half time?)

Edited June 26, 2012 by strummer77

[The Nal]

Really? Fucking hell that is stupid.

[Ed209]

Was a terrible sub. Henderson doesn't serve the same purpose as Parker anyway, he's not defensive as such and is best in a 3 man CM. Playing him as DM in a 2 man centre midfield is baffling. Wrong player completely.

Really? Fucking hell that is stupid.

To be fair, I always made it clear I/we didn't really give a shit. Expect that's the same for a lot of people. It was a nice distraction during the summer and I felt absolutely no negative emotion when i got a text saying they were out.

[strummer77]

I'm upset by England going out. I realise that all you glory fans out there don't care, but I grew up in the middle of Wiltshire. Not exactly known for being the hotbed of English football. The nearest "big" teams (saints, Bristol city/rovers, Swindon) were 40 miles away. But there was in no way any identification with these as being the local team though. My actual local team was sub Doc Martins standard when I was a kid. There was no sense of identity with any club. I followed Liverpool a bit, and still try and keep up with what Salisbury City are up to but don't live anywhere near there now.

I genuinely love the game though, always have. I'm an England supporter through and through. Its the only time I get to actually cheer for a team I give two shits about. So you guys fortunate enough to have your own big club can sneer and dismiss the national team all you want. But it is important to some people.

Edited June 26, 2012 by strummer77

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

The reason I care less about the national team isn't just that though. I think I would love to get behind them fully, I just struggle. I'm not a patriotic person in any way shape or form, hate a lot associated with nationalism and the idea singing the national anthem makes me cringe. A lot of the fans who get into England also annoy me, it is hypocritical I'm sure but they just do. From that god awful Pukka Pie band to the brain dead morons who were stuck in the arena queue at IOW singing 'Ten German Bombers'... It just doesn't sit quite right with me. I understand there are genuinely decent people like yourself who get fully behind the national and that's great... I just find it hard to personally care that much about it.

[Ed209]

Not trying to be disrespectful at all. I'm born in a similar area to you so that's why we're all assortments of fans, mainly from families passed on. Lot of Arsenal fans in my town from where parents/grandparents have moved from London. My local team would be equally as poor, if not worse.

The reason I care less about the national team isn't just that though. I think I would love to get behind them fully, I just struggle. I'm not a patriotic person in any way shape or form, hate a lot associated with nationalism and the idea singing the national anthem makes me cringe. A lot of the fans who get into England also annoy me, it is hypocritical I'm sure but they just do. From that god awful Pukka Pie band to the brain dead morons who were stuck in the arena queue at IOW singing 'Ten German Bombers'... It just doesn't sit quite right with me. I understand there are genuinely decent people like yourself who get fully behind the national and that's great, its part of the reason I don't actively hope they do badly. I just find it hard to personally care that much about it.

[strummer77]

I'm not sure I see much difference about patriotism towards your national football team, and being totally blindly tribal about a club team, which is even a little stranger when there is little affinity with the town or city (I'm not necessarily referring to you here as I have no idea about your links with Liverpool).

What difference is there between Mancs singing derogatory songs about Scousers (and vice versa), and England fans singing about german bombers (not that I necessarily agree with either - I just don't see the distinction)

[The Nal]

"Bane" Pirlo training for the match vs the Jew burners.

This is one of the reasons a lot of the older guys still rock it when they play for Milan.

[kaosmark2]

Oh I did day their was some hypocrisy in it and I recognise that. To me tribalism with club football is sporting, it is purely a essentially futile thing we do. With sport it means nothing and there is a subtle but important difference there for me.

[pink_triangle]

Opinions eh? I think he's one of the very best presenters of any sport. Much prefer him to Sue Barker on tennis or Gary Lineker on golf.

[pink_triangle]

I'm upset by England going out. I realise that all you glory fans out there don't care, but I grew up in the middle of Wiltshire. Not exactly known for being the hotbed of English football. The nearest "big" teams (saints, Bristol city/rovers, Swindon) were 40 miles away. But there was in no way any identification with these as being the local team though. My actual local team was sub Doc Martins standard when I was a kid. There was no sense of identity with any club. I followed Liverpool a bit, and still try and keep up with what Salisbury City are up to but don't live anywhere near there now.

I genuinely love the game though, always have. I'm an England supporter through and through. Its the only time I get to actually cheer for a team I give two shits about. So you guys fortunate enough to have your own big club can sneer and dismiss the national team all you want. But it is important to some people.

[pink_triangle]

Spain V Portugal quite good so far, glad to see Portugal not just parking the bus. Think people have been a bit unfair with the "boring spain" talk. The reason Spains games are often not exciting is because the oppositioin are ultra defensive and Spain have to be very patient to find an opening.

[kaosmark2]

Spain V Portugal quite good so far, glad to see Portugal not just parking the bus. Think people have been a bit unfair with the "boring spain" talk. The reason Spains games are often not exciting is because the oppositioin are ultra defensive and Spain have to be very patient to find an opening.

[TalkShow Bob]

So what animal is everyone following? I hear theres a cow in germany that has got it wrong every time. And they are ironicly using a Chiken in Kiev...

[pink_triangle]

I find it annoying them going on about Spain not wanting it. Absolute rubbish, they just aren't playing well.

[lost]

Spain have been terrible. Has Torres been shagging Del Bosque's wife?

[kaosmark2]

Spain have been terrible. Has Torres been shagging Del Bosque's wife?

Edited June 27, 2012 by kaosmark2

[kaosmark2]

Whoever wins the shootout, I reckon they're at a huge disadvantage going into the final. Spain kept to under 60% possession playing over 120 minutes will tire them out more than normal, and Portugal will be even more exhausted. I reckon it'll do far more than cancel out that extra day of rest before the final.

[Ed209]

Why did they leave Ronaldo to 5th? It doesn't make any sense. Put your 3 best takes up first cus they're guaranteed to take one, and it is the best way of applying pressure on the other team if they score.

I can only assume thats arrogance from Ronaldo of thinking he's the most confident on the 5th, and that he had dreams of scoring the winning penalty. Well Ronnie, no one will know, cus you never got to take one.

[pink_triangle]

I don't often agree with shearer but ridiculous leaving Ronaldo to 5th.