Euro: Group B: RUS vs. WAL & ENG vs. SVK, 6/20/2016

[Shrimper]

Was hoping we'd play on Saturday, Monday now. Wonderful.

 

[YNWA14]

It must suck from the perspective of a player to be 'forced' into playing for a system that actively encourages you not to go forward pretty much ever and just sit back and defend the whole time.

I understand playing for a result, but I guess I laud the mental fortitude of players that can do it consistently. I wouldn't be able to.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

He was pretty visible missing that early chance.


Agreed, the worst euro I've seen. It should get better once all the smaller teams that shouldn't have made it, get out.

They've haven't even attempt to play since 1st minute.


Funny, I can't even tell who'd be the easier of the 2 at this point.

This is precisely why I was against expanding the tournament from 16 teams to 24. It makes for some ugly football when you see these smaller football nations just try and defend...and do nothing much offensively.

 

[Nalens Oga]

I'd play both Walker and Clyne on the right side, they're far more of a threat than the other guys. Get Lallana on the left and keep Kane, Henderson, and Deli Alli away from the pitch.

 

[Suiteness]

If expanding wasn't bad enough, allowing the best 3rd place teams makes it even worst, expect alot of 'Slovakiying' for the rest of this week.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Jesus Christ, I'm far from an English supporter but that that was just so ****ing awful and frustrating to watch.

 

[Hesher]

We didn't even try to play football tonight which was disappointing but we got the point we wanted.

 

[Shrimper]

Someone tell me why I should care for this ****, useless *****.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Wales have a pretty good shot to at least make the quarters

 

[Evilo]

It's really weird to see many of you guys blaming Slovakia. They're playing with their tools, which aren't many.
France has faced the same problem against Romania and Albania and I fully blame France.

When you have that much talent against a team with so few, you should be able to crack that D.

 

[Prntscrn]

Is this dinosaur Roy's last tournament for England?

 

[YNWA14]

I don't really know that that style of play won't be seen late into the tournament anyway. Look at the Netherlands and Argentina in the World Cup (two prominent examples anyway).

A lot of top teams seem to be taking a page out of the Mourinho playbook because it's a lot easier to try and capitalize on another team's mistakes by drawing them in and forcing them to play more risky. When results are more important than entertainment it's not uncommon for teams to play defensively.

 

[SenorDingDong]

England is 100% out of ideas on how to score...

 

[Luigi Habs]

Please never 24 teams again, ever. Can't stand this **** anymore. What a terrible euro.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

And looking ahead, it takes Wales out of France’s path in the (potential) quarter-finals. And places England there instead.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/jun/20/russia-v-wales-euro-2016-live

 

[Evilo]

Please never 24 teams again, ever. Can't stand this **** anymore. What a terrible euro.

Or, more importantly, the lack of creativity, even among the best nations is disgusting.

NT coaches choose to ignore the Ben Arfas of the world because creativity has become a forgotten art in today's football. It's all about speed and physicality.

Some creative players would find a way against such teams.

 

[Suiteness]

yup just realized Wales won the group.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Hoping for them to go back to 16 teams is like hoping for the NHL to go down to 70 games. It's not gonna happen now $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Shrimper]

Please never 24 teams again, ever. Can't stand this **** anymore. What a terrible euro.

Third place is awful.

 

[Pyromaniac]

It's really weird to see many of you guys blaming Slovakia. They're playing with their tools, which aren't many.
France has faced the same problem against Romania and Albania and I fully blame France.

When you have that much talent against a team with so few, you should be able to crack that D.

You get your share of chances as well for the most part. Got to make the most of those which England obviously didn't.

 

[Cassano]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/jun/20/russia-v-wales-euro-2016-live

Well, well, well. The third-placed team from either Group A, C or D await Wales in the last 16: it’s still pretty unclear but Albania, Northern Ireland and Czech Republic look the most likely in my book.

Wales got to feel pretty good to make it to the Quarters

 

[MJG]

Simple solution for me. Next euro, top 2 teams from each group advance. Seed them from 1-12. Top 4 teams get a bye to the quarters.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Or, more importantly, the lack of creativity, even among the best nations is disgusting.

NT coaches choose to ignore the Ben Arfas of the world because creativity has become a forgotten art in today's football. It's all about speed and physicality.

Some creative players would find a way against such teams.

I don't care how creative a player/team is. When you have 10 men behind the ball, it's going to be very difficult to breakthrough. Full credit to Slovakia because they committed to the system and didn't allow England any entry...

Though the lack of entertainment is a symptom of expanding the tournament to 24 teams and allowing 3rd place finishes.

Simple solution for me. Next euro, top 2 teams from each group advance. Seed them from 1-12. Top 4 teams get a bye to the quarters.

I'd be up for that.

 

[zorz]

I think Russia is bad because all their players (except Neustatter) are from Russian league. They have european money there, but not competiton. And european cups are not enough I guess.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

It's really weird to see many of you guys blaming Slovakia. They're playing with their tools, which aren't many.
France has faced the same problem against Romania and Albania and I fully blame France.

When you have that much talent against a team with so few, you should be able to crack that D.

I guess I overrated Slovakia if this the best they can produce.