[Archived] European Championship France 2016

[Amo]

France - the tournament favourites - have done this twice, and in neither performance have France been as totally dominant as England have in their two games.

France are only favourites because they're hosting it. They won't win it either.

[LewisF]

Fantastic result for Northern Ireland

[DE.]

Brilliant, well done Northern Ireland. Got their rewards for attacking until the end, rather than sitting back and trying to hold onto a 1-0. Take note Roy.

[Audax]

France had to squeak through the group stage in '06 when they went to the final; it might have been a close call in 1998 too.

I think the final will see some established team in it but I think we'll see one of these other teams have a Cinderella tournament and go far; perhaps to the final.

Ukraine had lots of possession, I'm seeing better than 60% but they certainly came up very short in real chances. Well played by NI.

Spain, Pique, scored in the 87th minute; so there is quite a bit to be said for the late goals; they may not win it either but as it is, they've won two straight Euros.

[Neal]

Those chipped balls forward were doing my head in. As far as I could tell a 0% success rate and we just kept doing it. We also seemed to completely run out of ideas in the second half and constantly tried to pass through the middle even though it was not working. I can't understand why Roy didn't get a message onto the pitch to push players into the box and start whipping the ball in to create some havoc. It was the only real option available to us. We got lucky at the end by bundling it in, but the players need to show a little more ingenuity than that. Kyle Walker in particular was just flat out refusing to put the ball into the box, constantly passing inwards or running towards the box, and we lost the ball every single time. We have to be smarter than that against better teams, though I acknowledge Wales didn't make it easy by playing a 9-0-1 formation.

I was tearing my hair out... Dier must have done it about 4 times! Look at the 2nd goal, crisp passing into feet = goal. Some rubbish nothing floaty pass into nowhere is never going to create anything, never mind it being a @#/? type of ball to control, totally kills speed of play... Need to give over with it.

Well done to Northern Ireland! Made up for them! How can the sheer mass of Ukraine and Russia not create one single world class player when football is their main sport??? Both the worst teams in the competition! Awful.

[Hasta]

Woo for a last-gasp winner against a distinctly average one-man team.

Who we talking about?

England, Spain or France?

[JBiz]

Is Evans worth 10m yet?

[JAL]

Thought Walker looked sharp and Rooney's passing up until the last ten was class other than that can only say England looked anything other than plodding along causing very few problems for the Welsh.

Just hope Wales and England go through together.

[oldjamfan1]

Some of you lot need to click back a few pages and read some of the absolute bunkum you've posted

Roy Hodgson takes some right stick, most of it unwarranted in my opinion, and after a very good performance against Russia he couldn't change things today. But after a very poor first half from Sterling especially, he acted and won the game for us, well done Roy.

Just a word for Ali and Dier, both very poor today I thought, gave the ball away, no penetration and did very little, Rooney was excellent, especially first half and Joe Hart, always prone to a mistake is Joe but we got away with it, just.

So top of the group, despite all the negativity around the Russia game and looking like we'll progress with at a canter.

Spot on Gav. And can I just say a sincere thank you to all the Scottish lads in the pub in Glasgow who came up and shook my hand at the end of the game, many of whom had also cheered the Welsh goal. They could obviously see how much it meant to me and they were good lads. There were actually quite a few England shirts on display - I've never seen that in a Glasgow city centre pub before!

Well done Roy and well done England (and well done Northern Ireland as well, a great victory for Correy Evans and the boys)

[joey_big_nose]

Spot on Gav. And can I just say a sincere thank you to all the Scottish lads in the pub in Glasgow who came up and shook my hand at the end of the game, many of whom had also cheered the Welsh goal. They could obviously see how much it meant to me and they were good lads. There were actually quite a few England shirts on display - I've never seen that in a Glasgow city centre pub before!

Well done Roy and well done England (and well done Northern Ireland as well, a great victory for Correy Evans and the boys)

Don't all the Rangers fans like wearing England shirts? I think they might just to do it to wind the Celtic fans up....

[oldjamfan1]

Don't all the Rangers fans like wearing England shirts? I think they might just to do it to wind the Celtic fans up....

No these were English lads mate - the Rangers fans were more interested in the Ukraine game

[Stuart]

Reports that a Northern Ireland fan has died after collapsing during the Ukraine game.

[joey_big_nose]

Regarding England I think it all comes down to expectations. While we have struggled to score I really did not expect England to play so well in their alround game. Rooney in midfield has excelled, reminiscent of Paul Scholes, and I think we have had a nice balance of attacking players in the formation without losing our shape. Lallana and Alli have looked threatening in front of the defence while Sterling (although his end product is hugely disappointing) has been able to get in behind. The only player who has really disappointed me has been Kane.

At no point against either Wales or Russia were we ever out of control of the game. and while conceding soft goals is a huge concern I have to say we have been enormously better than I thought. Obviously when we get a game against one of Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium or Portugal it will be a different story, and we may well get beat, but I'm really happy with how we have done. Also there is an argument that playing more attacking teams will suit us as they will give our fast technical players more room.

Finishing is something we really need to work on, but we do have the striking options in the squad to switch things around as Roy did today.

[oldjamfan1]

Reports that a Northern Ireland fan has died after collapsing during the Ukraine game.

Oh no. This happens quite a lot, sadly. RIP

[T J Hooker]

Why havent any of our recent managers been able to get consistently good performances out of evans or even find his best role in our squad? I still think hes our best all around midfielder but he is never given an influential enough role in the team(imo!) Personally id have him as captain and just let hanley focus on his defending.

[Neal]

Why havent any of our recent managers been able to get consistently good performances out of evans or even find his best role in our squad? I still think hes our best all around midfielder but he is never given an influential enough role in the team(imo!) Personally id have him as captain and just let hanley focus on his defending.

Not a big lad and when players in front of him aren't willing to put in the yards and defend from the front he can get overrun and out muscled. People expected too much of him in these circumstances. With harder working players i think he'd be better suited, just popping around back 4 getting on the ball and breaking up play here and there. Tidy player.

[joey_big_nose]

Poland really giving Germany a game here.

[T J Hooker]

Not a big lad and when players in front of him aren't willing to put in the yards and defend from the front he can get overrun and out muscled. People expected too much of him in these circumstances. With harder working players i think he'd be better suited, just popping around back 4 getting on the ball and breaking up play here and there. Tidy player.

no but neither where, billy Mckinlay, batty(yes i know he no where near as good as them) but they could still do the job, like you say though i think its because the others around him are crap and hes having to spread himself to thin instead of just concentrating on doing his role well.

[Audax]

There have been no 0-0 matches yet, I don't think. I'm just saying that watching this.

[joey_big_nose]

no but neither where, billy Mckinlay, batty(yes i know he no where near as good as them) but they could still do the job, like you say though i think its because the others around him are crap and hes having to spread himself to thin instead of just concentrating on doing his role well.

When Guthrie was properly fit and they had a run of games together (Septemberish I think) they looked a pretty good combo. Apart from that spell however he has been playing with Akpan, Lowe and Williamson who are all terrible players technically. He needs someone who can pass the ball alongside, not a clogger, because he's not the best at ball retention himself.

[Gav]

When Guthrie was properly fit and they had a run of games together (Septemberish I think) they looked a pretty good combo. Apart from that spell however he has been playing with Akpan, Lowe and Williamson who are all terrible players technically. He needs someone who can pass the ball alongside, not a clogger, because he's not the best at ball retention himself.

Wrong thread?

There have been no 0-0 matches yet, I don't think. I'm just saying that watching this.

Poland missed 2 sitters now!

[joey_big_nose]

Wrong thread?

Talking about evans in the NI match and why he is much worse for Rovers.

[donnermeat]

Got a right spitting image face has Thomas Müller.

[Gav]

Talking about evans in the NI match and why he is much worse for Rovers.

Guthrie, Apkan and Lowe?

[Gav]

Talking about evans in the NI match and why he is much worse for Rovers.

Apologies Joey.