Euro2012

Spain might be difficult to beat but what a load of fecking boring crap to watch. The French looked as if they couldn't care less which is sort of typically French. Whilst it is no mean feat to win the Euros and WC and to be knocking on the door of winning another Euros, I just don't like watching Spain play.

I agree they haven't been good to watch this time around. They're better when David Villa plays up front for them, then they don't fanny around so much with the ball. What they do is make sure there's always someone available to pass the ball to. When they do it quickly it's brilliant to watch.

France looked as though they didn't think they could win so they didn't bother trying. Maybe they thought England were going to join in on their side in the second half.

Italians looking very shaky in defence. We can win this.

It's men against boys at the moment, but they keep missing their chances. That Cassano's first touch is incredible. He's by far the best player on the pitch.

We could do with Balotelli losing his head, Pirlo getting cramp, Cassano getting a migrane, and Young actually successfully completing a pass (or a cross).

Czarcasm wrote:

We could do with Balotelli losing his head, Pirlo getting cramp, Cassano getting a migrane, and Young actually successfully completing a pass (or a cross).

Oh come on you're fantasising now. It's amazing that he's got his clubmates Rooney and Wellbeck right next to him and still looks like a little boy lost.

Czarcasm wrote:

We could do with Balotelli losing his head, Pirlo getting cramp, Cassano getting a migrane, and Young actually successfully completing a pass (or a cross).

Well there goes Cassano

Greenjock wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

We could do with Balotelli losing his head, Pirlo getting cramp, Cassano getting a migrane, and Young actually successfully completing a pass (or a cross).

Oh come on you're fantasising now. It's amazing that he's got his clubmates Rooney and Wellbeck right next to him and still looks like a little boy lost.

It's bizarre. He's been outstanding for United all season.

The only criticism I could make of Woy is his loyalty to Milner and Young, 'cos they've been shit.

i suppose watching England's euro games one could relate to any one of Argyles home games last season

If it goes to extra-time, then Young must go off. Chuck on Oxlade-Chamberlain against tiring defenders. Italy seem to have taken off their best 3 players as well.

Extra time. The Germans will be loving this. I can see them spanking us by an embarrassing amount if, by some miracle, we get through.

Well 14 Italian attempts on target and no goals, it could be England have rode the storm and it's there for the taking. Germany will be pissing themselves though.

I've been impressed by Italy though, they usually bore the shit out of me but they have been good to watch. If Italy win they could give Germany a game.

First goalless draw of the tournament.

It's a poor poor England squad, when Jordan Henderson enters the fray in a game as important as this.

I thought Roony, Young and Carroll all poor tonight.

Best team won by a country mile!

Best team by far won. Good effort by England though. Don't understand why Young was still on the pitch to take a penalty though. Why take Oxlade-chamberlain and leave him on the bench while Youngs anonymous?

Italy v Germany will be a cracking game I reckon

The best team won by a country mile,apart from the first 20 minutes England were never in it.Lesson for Fletcher next season..

Rooney was awful, but scored a good penalty. Thats all I remember, due to the constant waves of Italy attacks. The spirit is there in my opinion, but based on ability, we are a million miles behind the other countries.

Poor pens from Young and Cole.

I give so much credit to Gerrard, had a great game and scored a great penalty. Top captain.

I commented to my wife halfway through the second half that it was like watching the football I'd watched for the last couple of years at Home Park. England couldn't put two passes together and were fecking awful. The best team won and it would have been a travesty had they not in the end. Ashley Young has been complete crap in all the matches and his sole contribution is one cross that led to a goal. That's in 4 matches. I actually thought Carroll did ok when he came on. At least he kept the ball most of the time when it was punted up the pitch. In some ways I'm just thankful England are out because against Germany it would have been an utter embarrassment and a cricket score.

To paraphrase both Julius Caesar and Bill Murray in Ghostbusters "We came, we saw, we got our arse kicked"

Agree with Punchie, having watched the last three seasons at HP, watching England is easy. If we haven't got the players then there's f all we can do.

Can't fault anybodies effort though.

Lets face it, England did as well as could be expected, especially given the injuries suffered from within an already weak pool of players. We are clearly not good enough to match the likes of Italy; in fact we were pretty much outplayed by Sweden and Ukraine. Good organisation and tactics, plus some excellent finishing, has stopped us being humilated. I don't accept that 'Arry could have done any better, in fact I expect he would have done worse than Hodgson. Having said that:

Rooney offered little, apart from the tap-in against Ukraine. Rarely seems to perform in major tournaments.
No idea why on earth you would want to bring Henderson on, or even include him in the squad.

Charlie Wood wrote:

Agree with Punchie, having watched the last three seasons at HP, watching England is easy. If we haven't got the players then there's f all we can do.

Can't fault anybodies effort though.

Charlie....Exactly how I see it as well.Cant fault lack of effort,England gave 100%,but were second best for most of the game.Same as Argyle last season,100% effort but outplayed in most games and hanging on for most of the games.You dont win feck all playing like that,not even League two promotions.There's nothing England can do,but Argyle could unleash the purse strings(no pun intended)and get some real talent in.Whether they do remains to be seen.

That is the fundamental difference between Englishness and how other Countries see football being played. We applaud effort but they applaud skill. We have bags of effort but very little skill.

where on earth was the mars bar lad when you need him

England played into Italys hands by playing Rooney, Milner and Young. Always difficult to play 11 against 8.