Euro 2012

[JRod]

I'll echo the same sentiments as Jimmy and Rob.

I've long said that I don't think England's players are as good as the media thinks they are but now the pendulum has swung completely the other way and now suddenly they're crap and lacking skill! As if suddenly England are Greece (no offence XXXIV) - and so bereft of talent that they have to play every game not to lose otherwise they'll be blown out. Hart and Lescott play on a team that could buy pretty much any player they wanted and yet both still hold down a spot. I can't stand Rooney but also am not foolish enough to suggest that he wouldn't earn a spot on any other top team in Europe. Ashley Cole is a wanker but has also been one of the best left backs in Europe for years. And, while I may be accused of bias on this one, I still think Steven Gerrard is a damn good player - just not in central midfield where he is long past it.

Hodgson bollocked the tactics and the mindset - after half-time England were playing for penalties which may have been a viable option if they were any other nation than ENGLAND!! Any fan who thought England had a chance once the 120 minutes were up clearly hadn't been paying attention the past 50 years.

He should have played 4-2-3-1 with Carrick (the guy he left at home since the media doesn't fancy him) playing deep protecting the front four and Parker sent out to foul old man Pirlo every time he gets the ball (his instructions would be "play as you usually would"). Of course, anything other than vanilla 4-4-2 makes Uncle Roy anxious and causes him to get nose-bleeds.

Then again, who am I to question a man who has managed Neuchâtel Xamax and Halmstads? No one will be more happy at the notion of England's lack of quality than Roy as it fits in with the lowering of expectations he so clearly thrives on - that's part of the reason Liverpool fans disliked him so much. England may not be Spain when it comes to developing footballers but their players aren't so bad they need to put 10 men behind the ball.

You know why they needed to put 10 men behind the ball because the England side cannot play possession football. And they still look to play route 1 football.

And then there's Terry. He looked slow and aging. That opened open holes for Italy and the only way you can stop that is to provide him help. Lescott also looked vulnerable.

Hodgson got them to penalties. I think if they went attacking they would have lost 3-1.

[wco81]

Isn't this about as well as England was expected to do?

After the expensive failure of Capello, it almost seems like Hodgson was hired because they had to have a manager.

[10spro]

Isn't this about as well as England was expected to do?

After the expensive failure of Capello, it almost seems like Hodgson was hired because they had to have a manager.

For me, they went further than what I predicted as I barely had them clearing their group zone.

[GB_Simo]

No amount of tactical fiddling can mitigate for players who are medically incapable of passing a ball 6 yards in a straight line. We'll achieve bugger all, irrespective of tactics, until we figure out the basics of keeping possession.

wco, the last time we advanced beyond the quarter final of any major tournament was Euro 96 and, if we're being honest about it, we fluked that when Spain had a perfectly good goal chalked off in the quarter final. Prior to that, Italia 90, where we laboured against the footballing powerhouses of Cameroon and Belgium on our way to losing on penalties against West Germany. Prior to that, the Euros in 1968, where we reached the semi-finals in a tournament that only featured 4 countries. Historically, England are a quarter-final side and expectations this time were arguably lower than that, given the uninspiring nature of the squad and a manager who'd had 5 weeks in the job before the tournament kicked off.

It makes no difference who won last night, of course, because something tells me the Germans weren't especially upset at the prospect of playing either us or the Italians in midweek.

[Macca00]

You know why they needed to put 10 men behind the ball because the England side cannot play possession football. And they still look to play route 1 football.

You do know what Hodgson's job is, right? You do know that every Spanish club side doesn't play Tiki Taka, just like every English side doesn't play long-ball? If English players are incapable of playing a passing game how do you explain Swansea City last season? How do you explain Rooney, Young, Wellbeck, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Parker and Walcott playing passing football with their club teams? City, United, Tottenham and Arsenal do not play long-ball football and all those players play for their club teams. England played route 1 football because they're managed by a man who famously told Daniel Agger to 'just f***in launch it'.

And then there's Terry. He looked slow and aging. That opened open holes for Italy and the only way you can stop that is to provide him help.

So because Terry is slow and aging the appropriate tactic to provide him help is to make the other 9 players on the field drop back and camp outside the 18 yard box?

After the expensive failure of Capello....

You're not alone in this sentiment, it's definitely the most common one, but Capello had the highest winning percentage in the England job of any of the last six England managers. He also had England playing 4-2-3-1. Yes, he didn't do well in South Africa but I think he deserved the chance to manage in the Euros.

It makes no difference who won last night, of course, because something tells me the Germans weren't especially upset at the prospect of playing either us or the Italians in midweek.

This is true and likely something we can all agree on.

[wco81]

Soccernet podcast guys were saying Italy has re-made itself in 2 years, trying to play like Spain.

We'll see what kind of possession and pass completions they have against Germany.

[JRod]

Macca,

It's better to just arrive that England isn't a very good squad and English players at this point in time need A) Alex Ferguson or B) support with foreign players bought with foreign money under a foreign manager to win anything.

Foreign money - nope.
Foreign manager - sometimes.
Foreign players to help out – they play for the other team.

The central defense was weak so they really needed at least 5 guys behind the ball. They didn't have a counter attacking option or a midfielder that would turn the game on its head in an instant. Gerrard is not that player anymore. Theo, Milner, Parker are not the players to do it. And how many times did an England player dribble at and around other teams. They consistently lost the ball. So when you can't play long ball, and you can't play possession football and you can't dribble at players you aren't going to win. (see point a and b)

Blame Hodgson but the technical skills needed by the players is not there. Maybe if that had Gareth Bale... oh wait see point B.

Plus I can't see England not winning anything for at least 3 dinosaur epochs, the blame of the manager every time. Let's start with the players. They aren't that good. (see point b.)

[Macca00]

John,

I totally agree, England are going to win sweet f'all for decades to come but I don't think the technical skills of the players is the biggest issue. English teams have done well in the Champions League the last 10 years and yes, some of the best players have been non-English but a large contingent have been. Teams like United and Chelsea have money to buy whomever they want and yet they still have English players so they can't all be crap.

That's all I'm trying to say.

[RobVarak]

Best summary comes from a post-game 606 phone-in caller (a must listen for haters of England or lovers of schadenfreude...worth it for the vintage Hodgson interview alone)

"They sent Michelangelo and we sent Bob The Builder."

I don't agree with it, but it has a certain poetry to it.

[Jimmydeicide]

Ok Rod name one team with 4 better defensive players in this tournament right now. Never mind Cahill who is in experienced but he does have the pace Terry lacks.

News flash , everyones defense is bad when you compare teams England is right up there .
What the f*** is technique anyway?

[RobVarak]

What the f*** is technique anyway?

They should put this in Latin on the England crest.

[rhymes450]

What the f*** is technique anyway?

They should put this in Latin on the England crest.

Brilliant! There's a bit to go yet but that must be a strong contender for comment of the tournament.

[Jimmydeicide]

Ohh you mean pointing your toes and doing step overs got it.

[fsquid]

did they at least make a horrible three lions song this time?

[Naples39]

While we all complained about the Italy game, has this Spain-Portugal game been the worst of the tournament? This second half is making my eyes bleed. No continuity in passing, no chances, yellow cards, players rolling around on the ground. Jeesh.

[toonarmy]

And here I thought ESP/POR would perhaps liven up this dull tournament. Instead it has made it even more dull. 103 minutes and still no score.

[Naples39]

For pure entertainment, a Portugal-Germany final would be ideal.

[rhymes450]

Portugal fought hard and surprised a bit by pressing in the Spanish half and managing to maintain that for almost the full match until they faded in extra time. The better team won and it'll probably be a better final IMO cos I think both Italians and Germans would have been canny enought to switch Cristiano off and after that, there's not a great deal more as far as I can see.

[toonarmy]

Provided Germany win, the two best teams going into Euro 2012 will be in the finals, which is fine with me. A Spain/Germany matchup should be a good one and could maybe end Euro 2012 on a high note.

[RobVarak]

Bah! I really fancied Portugal for the upset, but 'twas not to be. Spain unlucky not to have won it in ET.

Kudos to both sides for seemingly choosing their penalty takers out of a hat. Made things more exciting, for sure.

[miget33]

Provided Germany win, the two best teams going into Euro 2012 will be in the finals, which is fine with me. A Spain/Germany matchup should be a good one and could maybe end Euro 2012 on a high note.

Not it wont, Spain will provide another snooze fest like they have all tourney long

[Feanor]

Ronaldo not even taking a penalty was pretty funny.

[pk500]

Ronaldo not even taking a penalty was pretty funny.

Terrible strategic mistake, too.

As for England, I think its biggest weakness is the lack of a ball-controlling central midfielder with great passing skill. Who is England's Pirlo? Who is its Schweinsteiger? Who is its Iniesta? There's NO ONE in the England central midfield with anywhere near the quality of those players, who can dominate possession and dictate a game.

[RobVarak]

That game struck me as a derby more than anything else. More emotion than skill, lots of unnecessarily hard challenges and mouthing off and just generally dull.

[Jimmydeicide]

What an awesome technical game of footy that was. Just amazing to watch.