Footaball again? The Euro 2024 edition

****

Deserved, really.

It’s the taking part that counts.

Spain deserve it, just a better team apart from a few moments

No shame in 2-1 against the best team in the tournament.

Decent showing from England. A few good chances against a great team.

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Well at least it didn’t go to extra time, what with it being a school night…..

Spain deserved to win the tournament as a whole.

I think Southgate probably knows his best XI now.

TBF all his substitutions have made an impact

Well played Spain, don’t think England disgraced themselves either.

For all the talent we have we just lacked the balls to try and play through the press. Gave up on that as an option because we were scared of losing it at the back and then had almost no chance of getting space on the ball.

When we didn’t score off that triple header you know karma isn’t going your way.

Good game, 3 good goals.

Fine margins. Spain mm onside for their second goal, England header cleared off the line.

I almost didn’t recognise Ashley Giles.

I thought there was a moment when Spain wobbled after we scored, but they pulled themselves back together quickly. The winning goal was pretty much perfect, impossible to defend.

They could have had a few more, Jordan Pickford had a good game.

I don’t know why Kane was looking so weary and slow all tournament, perhaps he had too hard a season with Bayern or had an injury no-one was told about.

Well done to Spain.

Well done to England and Southgate for getting to final twice.

Who ever is taking over from Southgate needs to create a team of champion, otherwise they will all fall short.

It’s been a great 10 days but Trump, Euros,……. someone hide the razor blades.

I blame Kier.

There we have it – not good enough…again.

I almost didn’t recognise Ashley Giles.

Lol.

I don’t really follow Spanish football but I know Bellingham has had an exceptional season. He’s done nowt to make me warm to him during this tournament though; he’s picked up the bad habits of sulking and diving and I’m not sure what he really brought to the team (apart from one worldly).

When did Gordon piss on Gareth’s chips?

When does Harry stand down as captain?

Did the English team get paid per backwards pass?

They were very lucky to get to the final. I like Southgate and what he’s done but I hope he stands aside and a fresh attitude comes in.

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Only if you started watching England in the last few years. They did well, and didn’t have quite enough against an excellent team.

?? ?? ??

But actually even I thought the England team were more exciting and engaging, and if it weren’t for the sparks of that 17 year old (!!!) Spain would have been a lot less interesting.  Pick Pickford had an amazing match – but I bet it doesn’t feel like it right now.

Not sure Southgate or Kane will be seen again – and I’m not sure either owes the team anything. No shame in going now; they just don’t fit right

Time for some more dynamic attacking play, for me.  Even if “we” get screwed every now & then it’d be a good watch.  Wonder if a proper top flight manager would take them for the next world cup at least?

They just sat back every time they scored, it must be by design, tactics, whatever. Spain could have folded after the equaliser, the momentum should have been with England after that but same old story. Maybe their achievement was just getting to the final.

Agree re Bellingham. Very ordinary again tonight, lots of poor touches and mis-placed passes. I’m not sure how you get him and Foden in the same side to be honest.

Tier 1 players; tier 3 team. The manager is and nearly always is, the ineffective variable. Next manager won’t do as well as Southgate.

Played decent, much better when behind and deserved the equaliser.

I wish they had played like that from erne start (and with Watkins and Palmer).

Spain deserved the win.

I feel sorry for Kane.  I think that could… should be his  last game for England.

Same old story for England, the sum not being quite the total of its parts.

Spain were first to the ball, kept it well, and won it back quickly.

England ran after it, were hustled off it, and lost it constantly.

Three very lovely goals for the lovers.

All too slow and sedated.
The Spanish just moved the ball around twice as quick . It’s 2 touch football, control , pass . Use the width of the pitch and make your opponent run around like school football.
We however play advanced walking football, it’s 6 touch and then pass it to the player who was open after 10 seconds of pondering. This gives the opposition all the time to get into shape and man mark.
Nothing wrong with keeping possession, but you do need to be able to get the ball in to the corner with a decisive pass , and runners who can collect , control and deliver it back across the penalty spot.

Didn’t watch it, but pleased to find out that it wasn’t decided on penalties…it sounds like a proper game was played and the winner did score more goals. Penalties and then sudden death is just a rubbish way to decide the winner as they didn’t really need to play the actual; game if that was what is deciding it.

Thought they were well beaten by the better team last night.

However I do feel we have the ability to be the better team. People saying Kane is past it seen to be forgetting that he was the top scorer in Germany this year.

I think England would be better suited with a false 9 and having Foden, Bellingham and Saka taking turns running in behind to stretch the defence or something

Only if you started watching England in the last few years

Not at all. Been watching them a long time. Think this quote summed it up best:

the sum not being quite the total of its parts

I like Southgate and what he has done for the national team/set-up, and he deserves a huge amount of credit for that, along with the rest of the set-up behind the scenes. I believe the biggest positive change has been getting rid of the old divisive ways of inter-club rivalries that existed in the squad, which many of the former players have talked about since, especially the Man Utd & Liverpool players, and which no doubt hampered previous generations.

Not the most memorable tournament ever but Spain was the standout team throughout and deserved it. They pressed us when we were in possession, we sat back and let them play.

Onwards to 2026 🙂

I feel sorry for Kane.  I think that could… should be his  last game for England.

It won’t be. Was shocked to look it up and find out he’s only 30, was assuming he was mid-30s from his energy levels on pitch. Something must be up with him, injury, illness, fatigue, whatever. It will be a bit frustrating when he goes back to Bayern and finds his energy and starts knocking them in again.

Even so, you can’t afford to build a team around someone who goes missing for pretty much an entire tournament.

Hiya,

It seemed obvious to me that Kane shouldn’t have been on the pitch for most of the games. The final game proved that. England just don’t seem to play well with him on the pitch. Next time play to win from the start not the end.

BR

JeZ

Apparently Kane has been playing with injections since the last few weeks of the domestic season.

If true, both him and Southgate are to blame for him starting every game.

The constant long balls from Pickford were very strange, some of the defenders were asking for the ball and were visibly refused.

He made some great saves, however, one of them came from a dreadful longball, that ended up with a couple of passes, straight back at him.

It’s all over now, Spain deserved it, and they had to beat the hosts, the holders and France to get to the final, England had a much easier route, but sometimes that can go against you when you’re then having to go into a final and play a team on a level pegging in terms of quality.

The big questions for England from this and previous tournaments is why do they seem to have less possession, when they have so many skilful players who are comfortable with the ball, why does Kane play like Spurs Kane instead of Bayern Kane for England, why can’t England find balance in midfield and why are England so predictable with the ball?

Shearer was annoying to listen to as well last night, although he did make me laugh when he said that Morata was coming deep for the ball and that’s great as he’ll not hurt us doing that, yet has watched Kane do it the entire tournament without complaint, England have a couple of world class players in this squad, including Kane, and it just seems they aren’t the same for country as they are for club, individually Spain weren’t better than England on paper, but as a team they just work better, that was the difference, players doing the same job they do for their club at international level, was good to see Nico Williams have a good tournament and final, love watching him play, proper winger who gets to the byline or can cut inside.

The constant long balls from Pickford were very strange, some of the defenders were asking for the ball and were visibly refused.

Especially as he has world class defenders in front of him who are used to playing out from the back in comfort pretty much every single time for their clubs.

Apparently Kane has been playing with injections since the last few weeks of the domestic season.

I suppose we should be grateful he only brought two injured players and not Maguire as well. Although Shaw was probably our best player last night.

I think the rumour was from Gary Neville about injections, so not the best source, i’d also say that i don’t think there are any top players who play through injections anymore, not with the issues that the previous generation had with playing with cortisone injections, i think it’s controlled now as well due to the medical issues.