Footaball again? The Euro 2024 edition

Good to see VAR working faultlessly again

Croatia have royally **** that up. I wouldn’t say it was blatantly a dive, there was contact but he absolutely played on it with the intent to get the pen and sending off, which was rightly denied (double jeopardy rule, penalty is enough, only a red for deliberately denying a GS opp or serious foul play / violent conduct – which is why the scot was sent off yesterday, the tackle was a red card offence, not the penalty itself)

So they swapped a genuine open goal if he hadn’t ‘dived’ for a penalty and no sending off. And then missed the penalty, only to get lucky with a rebound, except they **** that up too.

Top work, fellas.

Watched the Spain/NI friendly last week and thought they looked a handful. Goals from all over the place. Croatia should have pulled one back and given them a sterner examination though. Definitely not a penalty, easier to score than perform that elaborate a dive – and if you are adjudged to have taken down an opposing player as they stand in front of an open goal, that has to be red, no?

Funniest moment was Morata wanting to come off with injury, the youngsters playing on and him being forced to boot the ball out himself 30 seconds later to get treatment!

Was a penalty, there was no doubt about contact from behind so even if he’d also played the ball penalty would be right.

and if you are adjudged to have taken down an opposing player as they stand in front of an open goal, that has to be red, no?

No, as I said there’s now a double jeopardy rule. Has been in place for a while now. About 2/3 of the way down https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/fouls-and-misconduct/#disciplinary-action

A genuine attempt to play the ball but that results in denial of a goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) is not automatically a red card.

If it’s outside of the box then DOGSO takes preference and it’s a freekick and a red card

If it’s inside the box the penalty is the sanction. To also send off was felt to be punishing twice for the same offence.

If the offence itself is worthy of a red card then you can still get both (serious foul play like last night, double footed lunge), or if the offence is deliberate like a goal-line handball or holding, rather than genuine footballing mistake like a mistimed tackle, then it is still a red card.

Come on Albania!

Plenty of goals in the opening games, following an increase in goals per game in domestic leagues over recent seasons. Good to see teams having a go.

So that’s 0-0 later then…..

Though Albania put up a pretty decent fight there.

Spain looked great, I don’t see why they weren’t one of the fancied teams. I mean, I don’t follow Spanish football that closely, but every time I see the national team play there are several new 12 year olds that could make Phil foden look like Emile Heskey. They must have a factory!

Not enough T-Rexes but otherwise the Dutch are doing their thing

https://x.com/FBAwayDays/status/1802272654600081824

That Dutch thing is beautiful and shows what footy is all about, not too keen on the colour orange though.

😆

Poland Netherlands is a cracker of a game so far.

Nice to see the England supporters living up to their reputation.

**** morons

I’m sure there are some English fans involved but reports I have read so far suggest that it has been going on all day between locals and Serbia, and then Albania and Serbia fans. It’s easy to jump to conclusions but tarring all with the same brush (there are 40,000 there apparently) is not correct

https://x.com/SkySportsNews/status/1802357897503940949?t=Yj-C0UqCeFKaWtEJoiNYOw&s=19

Nice to see the England supporters living up to their reputation.

**** morons

As per Jon’s post, I’d reserve judgement on this one.

just announced on ITV, a number of arrests made, Serbian fans only. Info direct from UK Football task force.

England team anounced

Pickford

Walker / Stones / Guehi / Trippier

TAA / Rice

Foden / Bellingham / Saka

Kane

Fair enough,  hopefully I was wrong

That’s a seriously attacking line up. I wouldn’t fancy being a defender with Foden, Bellingham, Saka and Kane running at you.

Trent should have a field day with those 4 to aim at

Good to see Southgate going all out

It’s never easy against these Balkan teams, they’re technically gifted. And tall.

cripes shearer is appalling as a commentary pundit 😕

Always feel like I’m watching a different game/performance to what they’re describing. In this case an underwhelming one so far.

deja vu of england croatia at the moment

It’s so pedestrian, so slow, losing the ball ,so many mistakes. The contrast after watching Spain and Holland etc.

Glad it’s not just me. The top teams aren’t going to be quaking in their boots watching this.

England somehow always seem to be less than the sum of their parts.

You can smell the fear.

Bellingham made them tick in the first half but he’s really dropped off since. Just then, dawdled to get the cross in which was one thing but then jogged back, was 15 second late in coming back into the defensive shape and consequently let Serbia walk the ball up to the edge of the centre circle again.

This second half is so underwhelming from an England point of view. God knows who made us favourites for the tournament???

We’re just poor this second half.

Manning far too many poor decisions and passes.

Kane’s been bullied by the old fashioned centre back as well, means we haven’t had an out ball all second half.

I thought we were pretty lethargic first half too.

So glad the Beeb repeated the Northern Soul At The Proms KTF 👊

I don’t think too many people would be digging in their pocket and putting a bet on England winning this after today.

3 points, move on.

Is Gallagher on to play the Grealish role of falling on the ground?

This won’t worry the big teams.

A serviceable performance, pretty much guaranteed to be through to the next round

What a terrible game of football.

I thought it was quite good

Serbia are decent. But that was a poor second half from England, pretty turgid. Three points though.

So England are ranked 4th according to fifa

Serbia 33rd.

You’d never have guessed after that.