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

[montybhopa]

I think England semi final should have been played before Italy's

[Michael]

1 minute ago, Danny said:

Really good win in terms of result, but I don’t think Denmark will play as badly defensively. Kane’s goal was shocking defending, still a great header from Kane to nutmeg the keeper, but when you watch the replay no Ukraine defenders go near him. Think they were done after the last game.

Yeah, that first goal was a mistake by the Ukrainian Kryvtsov who tried to play Kane offside, well that must have been his thinking, but obviously Kane timed his run superbly and finished with a clinical finish. I think Maguire's goal early in the 2nd half was the deciding goal. Nothing the Ukrainian defence could have really done as it was an excellent free-kick and then a superb powerful header from Maguire. After that the Ukrainian heads' appeared to drop, then England got the 3rd goal 5 minutes later after the spaces opened up in the Ukrainian defence as Ukraine had pushed men forward and it was practically over. The Ukrainians were obviously tired out from the 120 minutes they played against Sweden and the travelling they had to do around Europe. 

England though gave a flawless performance. They defended well, they took their chances clinically and they now have got to be favourites to win the competition. I can't see a weakness in this England team. Even Walker plays brilliantly at times. Ok he can get caught out of position now and then, but his pace usually allows him to recover. Shaw on the other side has been almost perfect. He has really developed into the full-back he promised to be when he was coming through the ranks. But  Pickford should also get a lot of credit for the saves that he has made. Pickford has yet to pick the ball out of his net. 

[ToonArmy]

2 minutes ago, montybhopa said:

I think England semi final should have been played before Italy's

Why on earth? Top half of the draw played first is par for the course. 

[DeadLinesman]

[Spike]

The only reason I don't want England to win is because I'm contractually obliged not to. I'm still happy you guys are on cloud nine though.

[Spike]

Just now, DeadLinesman said:

Thought that was Michael Clarke in ODI gear for a sec

[Michael]

1 minute ago, shut up said:

Exactly when i want our main man hitting form. Lukaku, Ronaldo and Schick peaked too early, and are all now at home checking euros results via teletext 

Does teletext even still exist?

[ToonArmy]

I started following England in major tournanents at the 2006 World Cup, basically when I was old enough to care. 

 

I honestly thought 2018 would be the pinnacle, now I'm not so sure, win one game and that would be blown out the water. 

[The Käiser]

39 minutes ago, Viva la FCB said:

What did Kane do against Germany genuine question? you wouldnt have known he was on the pitch until he scored. Hilarious you come running out of the woodworks when he has a good game finally 5 matches into the tourne.

Better late than never, just ask mbappe or Gnarby 

[The Käiser]

Denmark awaits. 
whose fantastic story will draw to a close in the semis?

[Panna King]

29 minutes ago, Michael said:

Does teletext even still exist?

It does in Belgium and Czech Republic 

[Panna King]

17 minutes ago, The Käiser said:

Denmark awaits. 
whose fantastic story will draw to a close in the semis?

No way!  

[Tommy]

34 minutes ago, Michael said:

Does teletext even still exist?

Yea, my dad still reads news in teletext, whereas my TV's remote doesn't even have a button for it anymore. 

[Dan+]

Assured and we just take our chances don't we. The game plan is clearly to create a bit of a slog but we generally allow very little at our own goal and seem to be taking what we create.

Ukraine were pretty horrendous, and in all honesty, I did have a feeling they would be like that - they looked absolutely dead on their feet against Sweden and even that game you did get the sense that they'd used up everything in the tank.

We're getting there though. 0 conceded after 5 games is a great effort.

[Panna King]

44 minutes ago, Michael said:

Does teletext even still exist?

Bamboozle Is huge in Parts of Belgium And now Germany I just heard.

[carefreeluke]

I do wonder why this song and the 'it's coming home'' monologue comes across as arrogant to some people in other parts of the world when the song is in fact the complete opposite. It's about people being downbeat about the England team and not expecting much but at the end of the day in football, there's always hope and a chance that anyone can win and that's the beauty of the sport. Yes, the English media and pundits are arrogant at times and self-entitled, yes England football fans have more knobheads than most countries but for most people in this country, Three Lions represents everything that following England and following football, in general, is all about. I remember being around ten years old waking up early with hope and excitement before school with my England flag to watch England play Brazil at the World Cup in 2002 in South Korea and Japan but getting older I soon learned that I would normally always end up being disappointed watching England but no matter how bad it got, there was always hope to go into a tournament and for me, that's what football is all about, we wouldn't watch it otherwise. No matter how weak your team is football allows you to dream and without that, the sport wouldn't be anything. World Cup 2018 and this Euro's, the 'it's coming home bandwagon', the unity and moments this England team has bought us so far has been fantastic and captures everything great about the sport. I think England will eventually fall short and nothing has changed from what I was saying earlier in the tournament, I'm always pessimistic when it comes to watching England and Chelsea but this England team has demonstrated that there's a chance and that's enough. Let's see how we cope with a much tougher test on Wednesday.

David Baddiel on Three Lions:

Quote

When we sat down to write, the first thing me and Frank talked about was reality: the reality of being an England fan that is. The show was about the reality of being a football fan and the way we approached the song was the same. Instead of writing an idealised or triumphant song, like most of the ones beforehand, with their visions of winning the cup, this time more than any other time, we decided to write a song about assuming that we, England, were going to lose. Because that’s what experience had taught us. Three Lions, really, is a song about magical thinking. About assuming we are going to lose, reasonably, based on experience, but hoping that somehow we won’t. That’s why the lyrics move from: Everyone seems to know the score / They’ve heard it all before / They’re so sure / That England’s going to blow it away … To But I remember… – those fragments of glory in England’s footballing history that, above and beyond your own rationality, give you hope.

 

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, montybhopa said:

What we thinking about Denmark? I dont think it will be an easy game

I think we win but don't roll them over. But then again I said exactly that tonight.

It will certainly be harder that tonight. Ukraine were as bad as anyone as I've ever seen this far into a Euros but in all honesty I don't think Ukraine had been that great throughout the whole thing. Their record in 90 minutes before tonight was won 1 (North Macedonia, the worst side in it), drawn 1, lost 2. It's a fortunate draw for sure.

[Michael]

7 minutes ago, Dan said:

Assured and we just take our chances don't we. The game plan is clearly to create a bit of a slog but we generally allow very little at our own goal and seem to be taking what we create.

Ukraine were pretty horrendous, and in all honesty, I did have a feeling they would be like that - they looked absolutely dead on their feet against Sweden and even that game you did get the sense that they'd used up everything in the tank.

We're getting there though. 0 conceded after 5 games is a great effort.

Yes, that's just it though, England are extremely solid at the back and as clinical as anything when we go forward. In the knockout stages how many chances did Germany and Ukraine have against us? Maybe 2 or 3 each? But when the chances come England's way, invariably we score and the goals we do score are usually very good. Our passing has been very impressive and the fight and spirit in the team cannot go unnoticed.

I said that Ukraine would be fatigued for this game. Both Ukraine and Sweden looked tired in extra time when they played each other. But the culmination of all the travelling that Ukraine had to do will also have played its part. It also didn't help that they didn't have key players like Malinovskyi and Zubkov available, but playing a strong England side was always going to be a challenge for them. Conceding a goal so early on in both halves was a killer, it forced Shevchenko to change his tactics from 3-5-3 to 4-4-2 in search of an equaliser, but it left them more susceptible at the back as the game wore on and as their players started to get more tired in the 2nd half. But they reached the quarter finals, which is more than any of their neighbours Russia, Poland, Slovakia or Hungary did and their game against Sweden will be a memorable one for the record books.

As for England, I really don't see any serious flaws in this team. We have so much depth on the bench as well, which is a huge asset in a tournament like this where you are allowed to bring on 5 substitutes. Rice and Philips have been absolute soldiers in midfield and with Henderson's return, the midfield has been boosted even further. Sterling has to be praised for his huge influence on this England team, whether he is scoring or setting up goals. But Sancho, Grealish, Foden, Mount, Bellingham are all players who have the creativity and talent to be game changers. Southgate is literally spoilt for choice in terms of the number of talented players he has at his disposal. The England team should win these Euros if they carry on playing at this level.

[Tommy]

8 minutes ago, carefreeluke said:

I do wonder why this song and the 'it's coming home'' monologue comes across as arrogant to some people in other parts of the world when the song is in fact the complete opposite. It's about people being downbeat about the England team and not expecting much but at the end of the day in football, there's always hope and a chance that anyone can win and that's the beauty of the sport. Yes, the English media and pundits are arrogant at times and self-entitled, yes England football fans have more knobheads than most countries but for most people in this country, Three Lions represents everything that following England and following football, in general, is all about. I remember being around ten years old waking up early with hope and excitement before school with my England flag to watch England play Brazil at the World Cup in 2002 in South Korea and Japan but getting older I soon learned that I would normally always end up being disappointed watching England but no matter how bad it got, there was always hope to go into a tournament and for me, that's what football is all about, we wouldn't watch it otherwise. No matter how weak your team is football allows you to dream and without that, the sport wouldn't be anything. World Cup 2018 and this Euro's, the 'it's coming home bandwagon', the unity and moments this England team has bought us so far has been fantastic and captures everything great about the sport. I think England will eventually fall short and nothing has changed from what I was saying earlier in the tournament, I'm always pessimistic when it comes to watching England and Chelsea but this England team has demonstrated that there's a chance and that's enough. Let's see how we cope with a much tougher test on Wednesday.

David Baddiel on Three Lions:

 

And that's why you're one of my favourite people on this forum. 

[Tommy]

3 minutes ago, Michael said:

The England team should win these Euros if they carry on playing at this level.

Did you honestly forget about Italy?

[Dan+]

2 minutes ago, Michael said:

Yes, that's just it though, England are extremely solid at the back and as clinical as anything when we go forward. In the knockout stages how many chances did Germany and Ukraine have against us? Maybe 2 or 3 each? But when the chances come England's way, invariably we score and the goals we do score are usually very good. Our passing has been very impressive and the fight and spirit in the team cannot go unnoticed.

I said that Ukraine would be fatigued for this game. Both Ukraine and Sweden looked tired in extra time when they played each other. But the culmination of all the travelling that Ukraine had to do will also have played its part. It also didn't help that they didn't have key players like Malinovskyi and Zubkov available, but playing a strong England side was always going to be a challenge for them. Conceding a goal so early on in both halves was a killer, it forced Shevchenko to change his tactics from 3-5-3 to 4-4-2 in search of an equaliser, but it left them more susceptible at the back as the game wore on and as their players started to get more tired in the 2nd half. But they reached the quarter finals, which is more than any of their neighbours Russia, Poland, Slovakia or Hungary did and their game against Sweden will be a memorable one for the record books.

As for England, I really don't see any serious flaws in this team. We have so much depth on the bench as well, which is a huge asset in a tournament like this where you are allowed to bring on 5 substitutes. Rice and Philips have been absolute soldiers in midfield and with Henderson's return, the midfield has been boosted even further. Sterling has to be praised for his huge influence on this England team, whether he is scoring or setting up goals. But Sancho, Grealish, Foden, Mount, Bellingham are all players who have the creativity and talent to be game changers. Southgate is literally spoilt for choice in terms of the number of talented players he has at his disposal. The England team should win these Euros if they carry on playing at this level.

Germany had an obvious one which we lucked out a bit on and a couple of half chances. Ukraine had just the half chances and even one of them was by the time the game was done anyway. I think we lucked it somewhat with that draw. It felt like a qualifier. Ukraine looked pretty dead on their feet after the Sweden game and it was obvious quite early on this was a round too far. I think they'd have lost to anyone left in.

Southgate's handling the tournament fine though. I had huge doubts again after the Scotland game but we're just so efficient. I feel like bar Kane (and even he looked a lot sharper tonight) we've gotten this far, relatively simply, without even utilising a lot of our main threats. Grealish should be completely fresh if we need him Wednesday. We've coasted somewhat but to do that and come through time and time again basically unscathed bodes very well for the semi, and hopefully final.

We aren't entertainers, but there is a clear team bond that many others lack, and there is a knack of winning. I've not really seen that from any England side in my lifetime.

[Michael]

7 minutes ago, Dan said:

I think we win but don't roll them over. But then again I said exactly that tonight.

It will certainly be harder that tonight. Ukraine were as bad as anyone as I've ever seen this far into a Euros but in all honesty I don't think Ukraine had been that great throughout the whole thing. Their record in 90 minutes before tonight was won 1 (North Macedonia, the worst side in it), drawn 1, lost 2. It's a fortunate draw for sure.

It's about performances, not results. The Ukrainians almost snatched a draw in Amsterdam away to the Dutch and yes, they beat North Macedonia comfortably and no North Macedonia weren't the worst team in the tournament, I'd say Turkey were. Against Austria yes Ukraine deservedly lost 1 nil, but we saw Austria almost knock Italy out. Against Sweden sure they drew in 90 minutes but they earned the winner in extra time with a lovely goal through Dovbyk's cross. Also Zinchenko's goal was superbly taken after Yarmolenko's cross. Sweden's goal came via deflection, after Forsberg had a shot at goal. So it's important to analyse the matches, how they panned out and who the opposition was when making assessments. 

Anything can happen against Denmark, if England are as clinical as we have been against Germany and Ukraine, then we should win comfortably against Denmark. 

[Storts]

3 minutes ago, Tommy said:

Did you honestly forget about Italy?

What have Italy done that England haven’t so far? Other than concede a goal 

[DeadLinesman]

Just now, Storts said:

What have Italy done that England haven’t so far? Other than concede a goal 

It’s doesn’t work like that Storts. You should know this by now. 

[Michael]

Just now, Dan said:

Germany had an obvious one which we lucked out a bit on and a couple of half chances. Ukraine had just the half chances and even one of them was by the time the game was done anyway. I think we lucked it somewhat with that draw. It felt like a qualifier. Ukraine looked pretty dead on their feet after the Sweden game and it was obvious quite early on this was a round too far. I think they'd have lost to anyone left in.

Southgate's handling the tournament fine though. I had huge doubts again after the Scotland game but we're just so efficient. I feel like bar Kane (and even he looked a lot sharper tonight) we've gotten this far, relatively simply, without even utilising a lot of our main threats. Grealish should be completely fresh if we need him Wednesday. We've coasted somewhat but to do that and come through time and time again basically unscathed bodes very well for the semi, and hopefully final.

We aren't entertainers, but there is a clear team bond that many others lack, and there is a knack of winning. I've not really seen that from any England side in my lifetime.

I don't think Yaremchuk's effort was a half chance, that was a genuine effort in front of goal, which Pickford did well to save. But yeah, Ukraine were definitely fatigued after the Sweden game. Southgate has done very well, I think we have to give him a lot of credit how he has rotated the team and achieved all these positive results. No goal conceded in 5 matches is a huge feat.