thirdform

pass the sick bucket
Shenol is a good manager, won us two süper lig titles. I think we'll get knocked out at the quarters this year, though I'm hoping for the semis.

Winning it might irk erdogan a bit, so why not?
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Football is basically the only thing that turns me into a beer swilling brexiter gammon.... but I would happily take Turkey as a second team (depending on who I get in the sweepstake). I watched 'em take France apart a year or two back and loved it.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Well TAA was doubtful wasn't he? Kinda frustrating if he gambles on him and he's injured next day and misses whole tournament. I woulda picked him too though so...
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
The more you peruse the groups, the tougher it is to call this tournament

Gutted for TAA, he’s class, has pace and looks like a tournament player growing into games

What’s the England take on your manager? He seem on a level for the modern game, no overt ego but complete with penalty hexes
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Football is basically the only thing that turns me into a beer swilling brexiter gammon.... but I would happily take Turkey as a second team (depending on who I get in the sweepstake).
Well, in the sweepstake I got... England. Never happened to me before, I've always thought that the whole point of picking another team out of a hat is so i have a second team in the tournament but now my eggs are well and truly in one basket.
Anyway, manager, I dunno really, I don't really think of him as any kind of tactical genius, but that's not what is required with an international team, the players don't get enough time together (as a rule) to start getting into any overly complicated business and so the manager's job in that sense is simpler (not easier), normally most of the selections are obvious - though on this occasion we do lots of players on similar levels - so you have a couple (or more) tricky ones to decide, get them right, base the formation around that which suits your best 11 - that sounds trivial but some pick the formation and fit the players to it - and then motivate them. I think Southgate is as capable of that as anyone else i can think of. Ultimately I think the manager has way less time to put his stamp on the team than a club manager so (even) more so than a club side it's down to the players.
A paragraph of cliche and truisms no doubt. Sorry.
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
Nigel Southgate


southgate-youth.jpg




 
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hucks

Your Message Here
Group A: Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland.

Group B: Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia.

Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia.

Group D: England, Croatia, Czech Republic, Scotland.

Group E: Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia.

Group F: Germany, France, Portugal, Hungary.
Jesus Christ Group F is not remotely like any other. How did that happen?!
 

version

Well-known member
Italy looked good. That left side with Insigne and Spinazzola was doing a lot and everyone was winning the ball back quickly. Great tackle from Chiellini toward the end too.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Yeah they were good.... it's funny, I reckon everyone spent most of their life hating Italy, but they miss one tournament and that's all forgiven and forgotten and we all love them. Perhaps it's just reassuring to see Italy and - if they start winning Germany too - back on top, a reassurance that the world really has gone back to normal after covid... even if it is the normal of the previous decade.
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
Wales = get a grip

First-half is nervous, losing possession, Swiss always have an out ball or a man on/over. Should be 2-1, Swiss keeper had a belter of a save. Me Mum won’t be happy
 

version

Well-known member
You never really think of the Swiss as a footballing nation, but they've been decent whenever I've seen them.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
They had that bizarre 3 - 3 draw with Denmark in the qualifiers didn't they? WC or Euros I forget which, so mixed up in my mind.
 
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