(QF) Ukraine 0-4 England - Saturday 3rd July, 2021

[DeadLinesman]

Just now, Machado said:

*laughs in James Corden*

Never laugh in James Corden. Ever!!!

[Spike]

Just now, Machado said:

*laughs in James Corden*

*argues the point but still agrees with you in piers morgan*

[Smiley Culture]

Stopping parents seeing their kids’ sports days has worked well so far but we need to step it up a gear now for the semi. We need to pull back 25% of the money paid to those on benefits, these lads haven’t had a holiday yet this year and don’t earn enough for the happiness they’re giving the nation amidst a pandemic. 

[Whiskey]

11 minutes ago, Machado said:

I'm biting but in Tommy's defence, don't think a German guy would want to be you. One title in all of your history and that was in '66... Germany's trophy collection is enormous in comparison.

There's no rivalry on their end. The reaction to that win from England's perspective was equivalent to the frenzy of a bottom table side beating Man City.

That's the thing though, I don't think Germany see us as a rival at all but being so salty that you can't admit you've got blind hatred is what makes the whole thing a bit cringe - I think some of the posts before and after the Germany game have been laughably bad.

Into the semi final, no goals conceded, beaten Germany and Croatia along the way and just booked our semi final place without getting out of first gear - we're still shit though and Denmark will breeze past us (just as Germany and Ukraine did).

[Machado]

4 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

So are people not meant to enjoy things and get giddy because there’s someone better than them? Literally the first time England beat Germany since ‘66 in a major tournament and people find it weird that they celebrate? England ARE that bottom table side compared Germany at International level.

Nah, you're totally meant to celebrate. Just had to get back at Cannabis a bit, the cheeky basterd.

 

4 minutes ago, Spike said:

*argues the point but still agrees with you in piers morgan*

Nice try but *fake laughs and interrups in Fallon*

[Whiskey]

Just now, Machado said:

Nah, you're totally meant to celebrate. Just had to get back at Cannabis a bit, the cheeky basterd

hi i am new here who is this cammabis

[Spike]

1 minute ago, Whiskey said:

That's the thing though, I don't think Germany see us as a rival at all but being so salty that you can't admit you've got blind hatred is what makes the whole thing a bit cringe - I think some of the posts before and after the Germany game have been laughably bad.

Into the semi final, no goals conceded, beaten Germany and Croatia along the way and just booked our semi final place without getting out of first gear - we're still shit though and Denmark will breeze past us (just as Germany and Ukraine did).

Go to bed, dad. You're gettting cranky.

[Dave]

The anti England rhetoric in this thread is absolutely hilarious.

It's a game of balls between us and Italy now.

[Spike]

'I love me banter but that is bang out of order' - The English section of TF365

[Whiskey]

5 minutes ago, Spike said:

'I love me banter but that is bang out of order' - The English section of TF365

It isn't banter though, that's the funny part. England live rent free in people's head, they just can't admit it.

[Spike]

1 minute ago, Whiskey said:

It isn't banter though, that's the funny part. England live rent free in people's head, they just can't admit it.

But I'm bantering why do you hate me so much

[Smiley Culture]

Best England side we’ve had in my lifetime by some distance, this. Admittedly, that’s not exactly high praise given the performances of England sides in years gone by but this side is comfortably head and shoulders above others. 

We’ve always been a cliché team. “Good on paper” has been said about plenty of our sides, the 2002, 2004 and 2006, the ones that immediately spring to mind for me, but those sides were besieged with cliques and didn’t have that buying in that you see with this side. I think whether we actually win this or even fall at the next hurdle, it really heaps shit on players from that era who couldn’t overlook the fact that people didn’t play for the same club as them. 

Southgate’s gone up further in my estimation. I was pretty apathetic to him when he got the job and warmed to him during the 2018 World Cup because he really come across as a nice, genuine bloke but this tournament and tactically, he’s really shown his ability as a manager. It might not be the prettiest at times but it’s effective and getting the desired results. 

[Whiskey]

2 minutes ago, Spike said:

But I'm bantering why do you hate me so much

Because you have a small willy.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

2 hours ago, Whiskey said:

Kane was awful up until his goal, but to be fair to him something seems to have clicked and he's now the striker we wanted to see - simply brilliant tonight.

Seems like he's getting in form just when we need him.

Seems like he's coming into form just when he's playing against the worst remaining team who played 120 minutes prior. 

[Spike]

4 minutes ago, Whiskey said:

Because you have a small willy.

You better watch out the last time someone said that to an Aussie their mrs and mum got fucked

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/tours/aussie-singer-shannon-noll-threatens-violence-in-foul-mouthed-rant-during/news-story/ec005c79d87de2e54e800150bba83930

[Michael]

1 minute ago, Smiley Culture said:

Best England side we’ve had in my lifetime by some distance, this. Admittedly, that’s not exactly high praise given the performances of England sides in years gone by but this side is comfortably head and shoulders above others. 

We’ve always been a cliché team. “Good on paper” has been said about plenty of our sides, the 2002, 2004 and 2006, the ones that immediately spring to mind for me, but those sides were besieged with cliques and didn’t have that buying in that you see with this side. I think whether we actually win this or even fall at the next hurdle, it really heaps shit on players from that era who couldn’t overlook the fact that people didn’t play for the same club as them. 

Southgate’s gone up further in my estimation. I was pretty apathetic to him when he got the job and warmed to him during the 2018 World Cup because he really come across as a nice, genuine bloke but this tournament and tactically, he’s really shown his ability as a manager. It might not be the prettiest at times but it’s effective and getting the desired results. 

Yeah, the likes of Southgate and even Hodgson are both really the nice guys of football. But you have to prove yourself as a manager. Hodgson didn't do a great job, while Southgate has proven his credentials. A World Cup semi-final and now he's reached the semi-finals of a European Championships. Ok we could say that he has better players at his disposal than say Hodgson did, but you still have to get the players to click as a unit and as a team. The way we play, we don't have too many worries during games. We are consistently scoring whilst getting wins and we are bloody difficult to score against. Southgate has to get a lot of credit for this, he's turning out to be a better manager than he was a footballer. 

[Smiley Culture]

The excuses people, even English people, make about England when they actually do well is fucking weird. 

 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Last world cup England breezed past (or struggled past in the case of Columbia) the not so stiff resistance put ahead of them, losing to Belgium in the group who were more fancied, but winning against the more mid tier fodder in their path. Eventually the path before them turned prickly and at the first REAL hurdle they were eliminated. 
Now this Euro is a little different, because you will play an overachieving Denmark, without their best outfield player in the semi, meaning you only have 1 of the top teams at the Euro to face., rather than 2 hurdles as was the case last world cup. And anyone can win in 90 minutes. 

But do you not feel the Deja vu? Does it not again seem like you've had a nice simple path (which is not your fault in any way of course) and that you'll likely be turned aside when the resistance is more than meek? 

[Lucas]

I'm not here to stir shit but i genuinely think all three other sides would have looked at us tonight thinking "I don't want to play them". We did look decent.

Personally, still think Italy are the team to beat but we have two home games now to win it. Let's see what happens.

[Dan+]

48 minutes ago, Michael said:

Well you could say that the format was generous, but all the teams knew the format before the tournament started. They were placed in a tough group against the Netherlands and Austria. They were drawing 2-2 with the Netherlands with only 5 minutes left in Amsterdam, before they lost, I said that was a tad bit unfortunate away to a very strong side. I am not saying that the Netherlands didn't deserve to win, just as Ukraine deserved to beat the Swedes. You earn the results that you get. If you also analyse all Ukraine's goals, they were all quality goals generally speaking. No own goals, no deflections etc.

Yeah, perhaps expectations of their performances were higher after their very successful Euro qualification results and recent impressive performances against teams like Portugal, France Switzerland and Spain, but it is what it is. Most of the Ukrainian players play domestically and the truth is that they don't have the fitness levels needed for a compressed tournament like this, where you have to travel around Europe and play several games in a small space of time, one after the other. But you are entitled to your opinion.

Yeah, the Yaremchuk effort was very similar to Werner's. But either way, England have performed very well as a collective unit, without even mentioning the individual talent that is available in the squad. I am very sure that we will reach the final. Southgate deserves praise for improving this side and moulding a very strong team with these players. This England side is clearly stronger than our 2018 side that reached the semi-finals and I think that is saying something.

I'm not sure their group was that hard really. I'm probably however under-appreciating them beating Sweden - they're a pain of a team to play against and Ukraine found a way. I think Ukraine have a lot of good players, but your point about the lack of fitness levels is true and it showed today. You could tell after about 15 minutes there was only one winner and it felt as much due to their lack of fitness as much as anything.

England's squad is definitely better than three years ago. There are lots of winners in that side. You couldn't say that about the squad we took to Russia.

[Spike]

Italy brushed aside Belgium whom were also favourites. If you lot aren't even a little frightened of Italy then you've good some balls of steel.

Even Spain... they are doing the whole 'play like shit but still win' routine. They'd probably win out of luck.

[Lucas]

1 minute ago, Spike said:

Italy brushed aside Belgium whom were also favourites. If you lot aren't even a little frightened of Italy then you've good some balls of steel.

Even Spain... they are doing the whole 'play like shit but still win' routine. They'd probably win out of luck.

Italy are the best team footballing wise I have seen at this tournament. Phenomenal.

I do fear them but I don't think they'd be sitting there confident of playing us either, especially at Wembley.

As much as we need to acknowledge those around us, equally they won't want to play us.

[Whiskey]

8 minutes ago, Spike said:

Italy brushed aside Belgium whom were also favourites. If you lot aren't even a little frightened of Italy then you've good some balls of steel.

Even Spain... they are doing the whole 'play like shit but still win' routine. They'd probably win out of luck.

Brushed aside

[Dan+]

8 minutes ago, Spike said:

Italy brushed aside Belgium whom were also favourites. If you lot aren't even a little frightened of Italy then you've good some balls of steel.

Even Spain... they are doing the whole 'play like shit but still win' routine. They'd probably win out of luck.

I think we could definitely lose to either but the fact is if either of those two hadn't even conceded by this point, and we had to play the final essentially as an away game, then we'd be right to fear them. Seriously, I'm saying this as a general pessimist about England as well.

[Michael]

1 minute ago, Dan said:

I'm not sure their group was that hard really. I'm probably however under-appreciating them beating Sweden - they're a pain of a team to play against and Ukraine found a way. I think Ukraine have a lot of good players, but your point about the lack of fitness levels is true and it showed today. You could tell after about 15 minutes there was only one winner and it felt as much due to their lack of fitness as much as anything.

England's squad is definitely better than three years ago. There are lots of winners in that side. You couldn't say that about the squad we took to Russia.

Fair enough, but in my opinion I think playing the Netherlands away, is a tough game and I think the Austrians also proved how strong they are. Despite their fitness problems, if Ukraine were ever going to make a match of it, they wouldn't have wanted to concede early against England, but England did score early. It was always going to be an uphill task after that for the obvious reasons. It didn't help that players like Malinovskyi and Zubkov weren't available, but generally speaking, the Ukrainian players need to join the top leagues to realise their true potential. We will probably see that this summer, with the likes of Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko, Tsygankov, Shaparenko all likely to leave their domestic league for the stronger Western leagues, while Yaremchuk is 100% going to leave Belgium and join a club in one of the top leagues.

With England, I think the depth of the squad is also key. The ability to replace players properly if they get injured or the ability to bring fresh legs on the field through substitutions and know that they are going to do a good job for you, is key in tournament competitions. I also think that the comradery within the squad is very good, which is very important in big tournaments such as the Euros. I mean the last thing we would want, is for the England players to have the attitude of the French players.