Dave

I think we can win this if we can get to extra time or penalties based on the influence our substitutes have had. It's getting there that will be the problem.

What a game.

Justice for Koeman in '93.

Never in a million years.

Makes you almost appreciate Gareth again.

When France went one up I was thinking the comparisons between this tournament and the 2006 World Cup were uncanny. You had a group stage largely full of good games with a high volume of goals scored from outside the area, you had the hosts improve from there pre-tournament form and be one of the better teams to watch, you had teams that looked the best on paper really fail to live up to expectations from a viewers stand point, and we were about to get two teams who felt like they were at the end of a cycle play in the final in a game that wouldn't be a very good watch. Thankfully, France didn't win and were likely to experience a 2012 scenario where Spain are going to be the overwhelming favorites. I don't think a final against Holland or England will be a demolition in terms of scoreline, but if Spain were to lose now, only 2016 would save this tournament being reflected on by the masses as a complete dud.

No wonder Harris and Blitzer keep siding with Parish over Textor. These fees are so mental i reckon he'd have paid a fee to Forest for Hennessey.

Not surprised that De Zerbi has made comments to be honest. You can take the man out of Brighton... The Mayor of Marseille on the other hand hasnt been living under a cave.

Anyone but France. I never want to see Didier Deschamps on my TV again.

For those that are interested, essentially he got off because he's a grass. Whilst i get why taking down bigger fish might get you off jail time or gain leniency on other punitive measures, I don't see how should be allowed to work as a professional referee. Let alone be a referee at a major tournament.

Id be surprised if we dont win an appeal against the use of this referee on a conflict of interest basis given Jude Bellingham alluded to him still being corrupt. I don't know the context of the original incident but I'm surprised his suspension wasn't indefinite.

There is a feeling of bleugh I feel about this run that I didn't experience in previous tournaments. I think it's a combination of the turgid football, the victim labelling from the players and the feeling that we are at the end of a cycle with the coaching staff. The previous tournaments felt different the convincing wins against Germany, Sweden and Ukraine. We havent been given a boost through drawing in 90 minutes to Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland whilst seeing the same issues. But the winners get to rewrite history over time. I couldn't tell you how England got to the final in 1966, nobody cares that Italy and France were not the best teams in 2006 and it's very rarely mentioned now that France fiddled the run in 1998 to avoid Brazil until the final. So yeah, get that gold and watch the others on this forum have 'old man yells at cloud' vibes over this when these players are looked back on fondly in 2040.

Spain 2 - 1 France (1-1 in 90 mins. Can't remember if we include ET) Netherlands 1 - 1 England

All the best to a fantastic talent that I hope reaches his full potential.