EURO 2021

[Col_McCafferty]

Congrats to Wales on getting through. Besides the game against Turkey they haven't been great but are due to receive a favourable draw in the next round and I wish them well.

Scotland though. Poor Billy Gilmour.

 

[Jenny Talia]

Wales rested Ben Davies, Mepham and Moore from a much thinner squad. Italy’s “B” team included bringing back Veratti, who a lot of people think should start the rest of the games.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

 

[ElTel]

Just reflecting on the game that was played mate (and the others that they have played previously). No different than I do with any other game I watch regardless of who's playing.

No, you went on and on about Scotland celebrating getting a 0-0 at Wembley and now it's the turn of Wales achievement to be minimised. It's weird, let it go because you are a smart bloke but you are now coming across as mean spirited regarding the other home nations at this tournament and many don't understand why you need to do this

 

[Ginolaflair]

Just reflecting on the game that was played mate (and the others that they have played previously). No different than I do with any other game I watch regardless of who's playing.

But your counter arguing like you have a horse in the race
I understand why cretinousgoat is countering your points so vociferously as (I assume) his heritage is Welsh. I would do the same if the discussion was about Italy Vs England....

At the end of the day, who am I to suggest anything to anyone after some of the ludicrous arguments I've had with fellow spurs fans, I've enjoyed a lot of your back and forth with goat and I see both points of view but tend to agree more with goat tbh

 

[Ginolaflair]

Did you hear the announcement from Jim shite? He was saying stuff like: heart breaking news, sad times etc etc and I thought someone had died! Then he announced the covid news and I said FFS! Then he was saying do it for Billy! Hilarious

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Wales rested Ben Davies, Mepham and Moore from a much thinner squad. Italy’s “B” team included bringing back Veratti, who a lot of people think should start the rest of the games.

Yep wouldn't disagree with any of that. Veratti is one of my fav midfielders (Club and Country) I think he is a brilliant player, easily MoTM yesterday too.

Wales could rest players they had something like a 73%(?) chance of going through to the last 16 prior to the Italy game. There needed to be a 5(??) goal swing in GD for them not to go through, made less likely by having to face an Italian team that made 8 changes and a further 5 during the game made up other players not likely to make their 1st 11 (exception being perhaps Veratti).

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

No, you went on and on about Scotland celebrating getting a 0-0 at Wembley and now it's the turn of Wales achievement to be minimised. It's weird, let it go because you are a smart bloke but you are now coming across as mean spirited regarding the other home nations at this tournament and many don't understand why you need to do this

Yeah, that's because I'm English and we were actually playing Scotland!!

I'd do EXACTLY the same if England were playing Wales, I've already alluded to this in a post above. I would also expect that as a matter of course from any Welsh fan and wouldn't have an issue with it.

So we should all be saying they weren't outplayed yesterday? That they were fantastic against the Swiss?

 

[fogueres]

Mancini's style

 

[Ginolaflair]

Yeah, that's because I'm English and we were actually playing Scotland!!

I'd do EXACTLY the same if England were playing Wales, I've already alluded to this in a post above. I would also expect that as a matter of course from any Welsh fan and wouldn't have an issue with it.

So we should all be saying they weren't outplayed yesterday? That they were fantastic against the Swiss?

I genuinely don't understand why you keep going on as you're neither Italian nor Welsh.

Like someone above said, it comes across as being a bit mean spirited.
I have total antipathy towards the results of Scotland or Wales unless they play England but I have enjoyed watching the Welsh games for sure (and many others) but I wouldn't pick an argument for the sake of it.

 

[Ginolaflair]

Yeah, that's because I'm English and we were actually playing Scotland!!

I'd do EXACTLY the same if England were playing Wales, I've already alluded to this in a post above. I would also expect that as a matter of course from any Welsh fan and wouldn't have an issue with it.

So we should all be saying they weren't outplayed yesterday? That they were fantastic against the Swiss?

I'm not sure stats always show the whole picture tbh

 

[mummy]

I wonder if this will have infected anyone in the England camp. Not bothered about the effect it has on Scotland, to be honest.

 

[Alli-Luya]

He got the self-isolation in a day early then.

 

[fogueres]

Ahhh transfer market whose valuations are made up by volunteers.....

Top football clubs relying on transfer valuations made by volunteers

Valuations by the football data website Transfermarkt are determined mainly by volunteers, according to an investigation

www.theguardian.com

But the Italian side that played Wales today wasn't the same side that played the other two opponents in the group. Italy used this game as a friendly, to give reserve "keeper some mins. They were already qualified. The other two sides it the group were well beaten as a consequence of having to play against Italy's A Team, Wales didn't have to face their A Team.

It is entirely plausible that had Wales played Italy before Italy played Switzerland then Wales would have played against their A team and against a side that was going all out for the 3pts. It could have been Switzerland today playing Italy's B team who had already qualified.

IMO this was what defined the group's 2nd place spot

This is true, however, Italy does not have great stars but excellent players. Mancini preferred to focus on promising players who are doing well in the club without looking at the shirts of the top teams. In fact, alongside Juventus players there are players from Atalanta, Sassuolo, Lazio, etc.
In the Italian national teams that won the 1982 - 2006 World Cup there was the Juventus block. Now, however, the focus is on the group. Against Wales Mancini tested the condition of Verratti because it is difficult to remove Locatelli now. He made Insigne, Spinazzola rest and launched Chiesa, Emerson. Italy has never made a speech like the current one. Perhaps the enthusiasm comes from the lowest point reached by Ventura in 2018.

Against Wales there were 8 changes out of 11: those who entered still wanted to be noticed and not make the "biscuit"

 

[ElTel]

Yeah, that's because I'm English and we were actually playing Scotland!!

I'd do EXACTLY the same if England were playing Wales, I've already alluded to this in a post above. I would also expect that as a matter of course from any Welsh fan and wouldn't have an issue with it.

So we should all be saying they weren't outplayed yesterday? That they were fantastic against the Swiss?

Does it matter, they have 4 points, finished 2nd in the group and they go on.

 

[fogueres]

Superb competition so far. Really enjoying it.

No team looks completely dominant but from what I have seen Italy, France and Germany will be hard to beat.

The Netherlands look fragile, we are too dependent on players who are not quite at it and then of course there is a surprise package to come. (Whether people want to hear it or not Kane of 3/4 years ago was what this current team need and in my humble opinion he is not a leader of men.

The captain if fitness were assured could be Maguire or even a very impressive Mings, with my numero uno pick being Henderson) You need a certain character as your leader for big tournaments in my opinion and the Liverpool man has it more than any other in the England squad.

Looking at the Czech Republic it could be them in terms of a dark horse which makes the game against us very interesting. In some respects it is who is good enough to lose because finishing 2nd looks better than winning the group.

In truth it's just nice to watch football with crowds and without too much pain in the outcome..

France is superior to all having Mbappe ', Kante, Pogba etc. But she also has several environmental problems: too many first women (see the Giroud-Mbappe clash that became public). Germany is still Germany as Lineker said. Italy is doing very well in such a short tournament, but I would say wait for a real crush test before judging. At the moment I am thrilled.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

I genuinely don't understand why you keep going on as you're neither Italian nor Welsh.

Like someone above said, it comes across as being a bit mean spirited.
I have total antipathy towards the results of Scotland or Wales unless they play England but I have enjoyed watching the Welsh games for sure (and many others) but I wouldn't pick an argument for the sake of it.

If you don't want me to "keep going" then don't quote me. The same goes for anyone else. I am responding to posters challenging my view, which I've got absolutely no problem with because that is what a forum is designed for, it's its very purpose.

I've not once used any derogatory language (despite having received some), I've not once gone on the wind-up, despite being accused of such, just posted my account of the game and their preceding games in this tournament and back up my views with some facts. But kept it polite and to the topic of football.

I've even congratulated them on getting through, whilst agreeing that England would also have been smashed by the same team.

Are you actually going to post something about the game(s) or are you going to try and shut down such conversation and make it all about a poster that you disagree with? If you disagree with my views on the game, let's hear them. If you don't wish to comment on the game then please can I ask you politely to stop trying to post about me. (If I'm acting the cunt then fair game, go for me, but show me where I've done that in this exchange).

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Does it matter, they have 4 points, finished 2nd in the group and they go on.

Which isn't being disputed by me

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

This is true, however, Italy does not have great stars but excellent players. Mancini preferred to focus on promising players who are doing well in the club without looking at the shirts of the top teams. In fact, alongside Juventus players there are players from Atalanta, Sassuolo, Lazio, etc.
In the Italian national teams that won the 1982 - 2006 World Cup there was the Juventus block. Now, however, the focus is on the group. Against Wales Mancini tested the condition of Verratti because it is difficult to remove Locatelli now. He made Insigne, Spinazzola rest and launched Chiesa, Emerson. Italy has never made a speech like the current one. Perhaps the enthusiasm comes from the lowest point reached by Ventura in 2018.

Against Wales there were 8 changes out of 11: those who entered still wanted to be noticed and not make the "biscuit"

This is easily the most entertaining Italian team I've watched. Historically I'd say your "entertainment" has come from one special player from great but functional teams. So Baggio, Schillaci, Tardelli, Nesta, Totti, & Del Piero. These guys provided the "fun" (I don't think Schillaci was a good player but 1990 was that star man).

Always the bedrock of Italian teams it's been the defenders that have generated the most praise with Maldini, Baresi (one of my all-time fav players), Zoff, Fracchetti, Buffon etc..

Italy looks like Spurs under the best years of Poch.

 

[Airfixx]

I like the idea but there’d have to be a 3 day pause between group and knockout stage. In case a team from the last group drew the first knockout game…

They seem to avoid it with the current system so what's the difference?