Euro2020 Knock Out Rounds

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

But the English are the only ethnicity who embrace the "British" identity, unlike the Welsh or Scottish who don't consider themselves British. Plus, the England football team has "God save the Queen" which is actually the British anthem; so it's entirely justifiable saying "the British".

Clearly never met a Rangers fan if you think some Scots don't see themselves as British

In fact both Rangers and Hearts fans have union jacks in the crowd when they play

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The only top 10 team Denmark have played is Belgium in the group and they lost. It’s a tournament, it’s how they work.

Just saying. There are 6 European nations in the top 10 of the rankings, and we're playing our first one of them on Wednesday. So far, the 4th best team has beaten the 12th, 24th, 40th, and 44th (well drawn in the 44th best' case) best teams.

It was the same in the World Cup, as we didn't beat a single country that was higher than us in the rankings. As you say, tournament football is tournament football. But if Chelsea had got to the final of the FA Cup by beating Newcastle, Swansea, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, and us, we probably wouldn't be hailing them as the second coming but rather a team that has done what it should have done.

And this isn't "denigrating" the team. They should have reached the final of the WC and should do likewise against Denmark. How they would have done against France or either Italy or Spain is perhaps the truer reflection of just how good the team is.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Any trophy win will be billed as a Liverpool FC triumph. Remember the England victory over Germany years ago:

Liverpool 5-0 Germany.

In that game Liverpool player scored all the goals and got half the assists. There's only one RS player in the whole squad (Everton have 2) and he's not starting barring any injuries.

If England win the tournament it will be on the back of 6 out of 7 games played at Wembley. No other team had that advantage. And forget about the defence that teams play host in every tournament:

1/ even then they have to move out of their own capital city and not have a continuous home base.
2/ this tournament was billed as a moveable feast and promoted itself as different with no team having any overall advanatage. It hasn't turned out that way for England who have been THE host nation.

I dont see them beating both Denmark and Spain / Italy back-to-back. But if they did they wouldn;t be legitimate champions....we'd have said that if Germany or Italy or Spain had that advanatage, you know we would.

The tournament structure has been rigged.

This is pure parody. Stop it Dave. lol

 

[wandyr79]

They'll blow it; they ALWAYS blow it.

The expectations will be ramped up and the players will crack the first setback they have to face.

Nothing surer.

If they are going to blow it then what is the point of crying about the venue. Either the venue is going to be a massive plus for England and they get through on the back of it, and it alone, or they are guaranteed to lose which makes the venue argument null and void.

 

[MikeH72]

Just saying. There are 6 European nations in the top 10 of the rankings, and we're playing our first one of them on Wednesday. So far, the 4th best team has beaten the 12th, 24th, 40th, and 44th (well drawn in the 44th best' case) best teams.

It was the same in the World Cup, as we didn't beat a single country that was higher than us in the rankings. As you say, tournament football is tournament football. But if Chelsea had got to the final of the FA Cup by beating Newcastle, Swansea, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, and us, we probably wouldn't be hailing them as the second coming but rather a team that has done what it should have done.

And this isn't "denigrating" the team. They should have reached the final of the WC and should do likewise against Denmark. How they would have done against France or either Italy or Spain is perhaps the truer reflection of just how good the team is.

But it’s a tournament and the draw is the draw. Currently the 1st and 2nd ranked teams are out, the 2nd place team got knocked out by Switzerland. Why do we have to beat teams above us in the rankings, there are only 3 of them anyway one of which is a South American team? The rankings mean nothing, absolute zip, Mexico are not the 11th best team on the planet.

 

[Seathestars]

The fume in here is a thing of pure beauty

God save the Queen.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

But it’s a tournament and the draw is the draw. Currently the 1st and 2nd ranked teams are out, the 2nd place team got knocked out by Switzerland. Why do we have to beat teams above us in the rankings, there are only 3 of them anyway one of which is a South American team? The rankings mean nothing, absolute zip, Mexico are not the 11th best team on the planet.

I haven't said anything to the contrary, just that I fully expected us to beat every one of the teams we've beaten to date, and we should do likewise against Denmark on Wednesday.

 

[tommye]

Clearly never met a Rangers fan if you think some Scots don't see themselves as British

In fact both Rangers and Hearts fans have union jacks in the crowd when they play

 

[Barnfred 55]

Semi finals being at Wembley absolutely stinks, I'm not sure why it's planned this way but it should be neutral for both teams.

This was agreed years ago, prior to England even qualifying for the tournament. There were 12 countries hosting matches, 6 of those countries would play all their group games at home (based on ranking) and 6 would play 2 of them at home. The round of 16 and QF games were to be shared around Europe, and the only reason Wembley got one was because Dublin pulled out over covid concerns.

I agree having multi national hosting isn't ideal and I much prefer the 1/2 nation format. But the idea that it is some sort of fix to suit England's chances is ludicrous, certainly no more than a normal competition giving the host nation an advantage, and that happens all the time.

 

[Billy Dean]

Just saying. There are 6 European nations in the top 10 of the rankings, and we're playing our first one of them on Wednesday. So far, the 4th best team has beaten the 12th, 24th, 40th, and 44th (well drawn in the 44th best' case) best teams.

It was the same in the World Cup, as we didn't beat a single country that was higher than us in the rankings. As you say, tournament football is tournament football. But if Chelsea had got to the final of the FA Cup by beating Newcastle, Swansea, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, and us, we probably wouldn't be hailing them as the second coming but rather a team that has done what it should have done.

And this isn't "denigrating" the team. They should have reached the final of the WC and should do likewise against Denmark. How they would have done against France or either Italy or Spain is perhaps the truer reflection of just how good the team is.

I don’t think anyone is deifying them. Just enjoying a rare good tournament performance

 

[everton fan number one]

Just saying. There are 6 European nations in the top 10 of the rankings, and we're playing our first one of them on Wednesday. So far, the 4th best team has beaten the 12th, 24th, 40th, and 44th (well drawn in the 44th best' case) best teams.

It was the same in the World Cup, as we didn't beat a single country that was higher than us in the rankings. As you say, tournament football is tournament football. But if Chelsea had got to the final of the FA Cup by beating Newcastle, Swansea, Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, and us, we probably wouldn't be hailing them as the second coming but rather a team that has done what it should have done.

And this isn't "denigrating" the team. They should have reached the final of the WC and should do likewise against Denmark. How they would have done against France or either Italy or Spain is perhaps the truer reflection of just how good the team is.

There's an undercurrent of England don't deserve it here. It's an unrealistic view of tournament football. Beating better teams in this tournament doesn't make England team a better team. . We're still entirely able to judge England to be a good team despite the easy run in.

And to anticipate your response you are not just saying "England should reach the final", you're saying "England should reach the final" and "Their performances don't deserve the praise they're been given". One does not entail the other.

To put it another way, a great Chelsea team could smash Newcaste, Swansea Huderfield etc. and still be a great Chelsea team.

 

[Billy Dean]

That’s as cringey as posting a Templar costume

 

[Cool_Blue]

But it’s a tournament and the draw is the draw. Currently the 1st and 2nd ranked teams are out, the 2nd place team got knocked out by Switzerland. Why do we have to beat teams above us in the rankings, there are only 3 of them anyway one of which is a South American team? The rankings mean nothing, absolute zip, Mexico are not the 11th best team on the planet.

In the same way that Belgium are not the best team on the planet, not even top 5 for me.

 

[MikeH72]

I haven't said anything to the contrary, just that I fully expected us to beat every one of the teams we've beaten to date, and we should do likewise against Denmark on Wednesday.

Well yes, but football would be a bit crap if every result went the way you expect it to. On world rankings Belgium should’ve beat Italy, but everyone seems to agree that Italy are the best team in the competition. They’re ranked 7th.

 

[YoboCopter]

England will beat denmark itll be close because there not a bad side and its a semi final but would any denmark players get in england xi? Doubt it

maybe the gk