Official 2024 UEFA Euro Cup Thread

[SuperMatt18]

This England team really feels like a team of destiny.

Great finish by the youngster

[Bagor]

Great.
Now we get to listen how big a genius Southgate is.

Nice goal though.

[Beninho]

Great finish, the Dutch with another heart break

[devo22]

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Reffing has clearly been in Englands favour most of the match from
What I have seen

Funny story, this ref had previously been banned for match fixing. How do you allow a ref back after that?

[You Need a Thneed]

The window to put that ball in is ridiculously small.

[Table 5]

I'm not a particular fan of England, but I'm always up for another Dutch loss in a big game.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Unbelievable finish by Watkins

[Ozy_Flame]

Great game.

But Spain is going to mop the floor with these guys.

[The Big Chill]

Was Frimpong injured? How do you not get him involved after the season he had?

[lazypucker]

Is England an easier opponent for Spain in the final?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Was Frimpong injured? How do you not get him involved after the season he had?

Koeman is just weird. I mean, the man plays Wout Weghorst, for crying out loud.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Is England an easier opponent for Spain in the final?

Nah, they got enough individual talent and luck to be more of a worry. But Spain should pump them pretty easily, it's not even a joke to say Spain are a minimum of three times better than any team England has played so far, and you consider England have badly struggled against all of them...

[Matty81]

I think a fair result. England can bring in guys like Palmer and Watkins off the bench who are golden boot contenders in what is clearly the best league in the world by a long margin and that depth is what carried the day in the end, one moment of brilliance, even though the dutch made some good adjustments at half and pushed back a bit for a while/could have taken the lead.

Everyone has been crapping all over Southgate, I haven't seen anyone at all praise him - but given most of the critique has been around being too conservative, the way England bossed the ball today and attacked and given his track record I think the critique is unfair. World cup semi, Euro final, Euro final, the only major tournament he hasn't put his team in a spot to win was Qatar. He's for sure achieved more than any england manager I've ever seen.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Was Frimpong injured? How do you not get him involved after the season he had?

Benching Frimpong, De Ligt, and Maatsen is certainly a decision

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I think a fair result. England can bring in guys like Palmer and Watkins off the bench who are golden boot contenders in what is clearly the best league in the world by a long margin and that depth is what carried the day in the end, one moment of brilliance, even though the dutch made some good adjustments at half and pushed back a bit for a while/could have taken the lead.

Everyone has been crapping all over Southgate, I haven't seen anyone at all praise him - but given most of the critique has been around being too conservative, the way England bossed the ball today and attacked and given his track record I think the critique is unfair. World cup semi, Euro final, Euro final, the only major tournament he hasn't put his team in a spot to win was Qatar. He's for sure achieved more than any england manager I've ever seen.

Southgate's success is a reminder that knockout competitions are more about luck than who is actually the best. It's not even a joke to say today's win is probably his best ever, every other time they've gone up against even a comparable team they've lost. And they still needed a suspect penalty and a pretty #### ref to win. You really think if they got Spain's draw (including Italy, Germany and France) they are in the Final? Not a chance.

But again, Southgate has been tickled pink with luck. I suppose as the saying goes better to be lucky than good, and he typifies that. It's just gonna be funny when they lose Sunday and give him a huge raise and extension, as if he is the difference since 2018 and not divine luck.

[Beninho]

England and Spain have not met in a major tournament since the 1996 Euros. The countries that are home to the two biggest leagues in the world squaring off in a final does seem right. Spain has looked like the top team all tournament but England keeps getting results. My brain is telling me that Spain will win but my gut is saying England may just pull this off. The English team now has a ton of experience going deep in the Euros and World Cup. Will this experience give them an edge? I think it definitely could.

Should be an intriguing match.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Southgate's success is a reminder that knockout competitions are more about luck than who is actually the best. It's not even a joke to say today's win is probably his best ever, every other time they've gone up against even a comparable team they've lost. And they still needed a suspect penalty and a pretty #### ref to win. You really think if they got Spain's draw (including Italy, Germany and France) they are in the Final? Not a chance.

But again, Southgate has been tickled pink with luck. I suppose as the saying goes better to be lucky than good, and he typifies that. It's just gonna be funny when they lose Sunday and give him a huge raise and extension, as if he is the difference since 2018 and not divine luck.

It's not even necessarily luck.

Defensive football wins tournaments generally more than playing attractive, free flowing offensive football does.

Even the teams that are strong offensively still generally give up nothing historically (the best Spain teams, France).

Playing defensive and then getting goals with individual skill is not an uncommon recipe for success in international tournaments.

[Winsor_Pilates]

That was the least Southgatish performance England has played; they actually looked good for large portions of that match and were the better team.

I do think Spain are favourites in the final though; they have been a much more consistent team.

[Senator Clay Davis]

^^Their play isn't even really the lucky part, they've consistently played well below their potential. They just get away with it because playing a 3/10 match against Slovakia can still get the job done, if they did they against Germany they would have gotten humiliated. The Gods have blessed them with draws that have allowed them to severely underperform, yet win anyway.