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

[Venkman]

Clyne was our best player but Slovakia adjusted and we had nothing. Very frustrating. Bertrand, Wilshire and Henderson offered nothing.

 

[Cassano]

So far Iniesta, Payet and Bale class above the rest this tournament.

 

[Live in the Now]

This Euro has been terrible, but almost everyone can predict it. It's not only a lack of creativity and the negative defending, but Europe isn't exactly producing a lot of great strikers.

So many of these teams have nothing but mediocre to choose from.

 

[Yakushev72]

Team russia looks like sad ****

That was just an embarrassment! Russia's defensive issues in hockey pale in comparison to the football backers. Smolnikov played disgracefully. He wasn't even paying attention on the first goal when the Welsh striker walked by him and in alone for an easy goal. After that, they just seemed to lose interest.

 

[Hesher]

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 love to see this or something similar to this.

 

[MJG]

I'd love to see this or something similar to this.

Reward excellence, not mediocrity. It'll push stronger teams to go for it, rather than these average teams playing for draws.

 

[ghostnights]

As a Welsh fan , I couldn't be happier with the results . A class performance today .

 

[Live in the Now]

Slutsky immediately resigned.

 

[HajdukSplit]

England will likely have an 'easy' R16 matchup anyway (no way Portugal is finishing 2nd in that group), but they are in the much tougher side of the bracket now...France in the quarters and Germany in the semis

 

[Shrimper]

It's the third place teams that have ruined it..

 

[HajdukSplit]

Just listened to the BBC podcast and Robbie Savage nearly had a heart attack and spent more time yelling about England's team selection than Wales advancing The host had to calm him down as he was yelling the entire time

"WE TOOK RUSSIA APART!! YOU CAN'T EVEN BEAT SLOVAKIA AND RUSSIA, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE PLAYING A WEAKENED TEAM!!"

 

[Kurtz]

Russia needs to get Guus back.

 

[Panteras]

Russia has a lot of old players in it's squad. Either their new generation is just abysmal or indeed a new coach is needed that can organize a youthful resurgent squad

 

[Rob]

I'm surprised that Russia is not a major contender in football. The Soviet Union was.

 

[Kurtz]

I'm surprised that Russia is not a major contender in football. The Soviet Union was.

It really doesn't make any sense at all. Russia is a top 3 sports nation in the world, and soccer is the #1 sport in Russia. Really has been a mystery why their soccer program has been crap since the fall of USSR.

 

[Evilo]

So far Iniesta, Payet and Bale class above the rest this tournament.

For France, Kanté has been just as good as Payet.
Hamsik is pretty good as well.

 

[hatterson]

For France, Kanté has been just as good as Payet.
Hamsik is pretty good as well.

Yea I'd say that's fair. Payet has had the flash but Kante has been his usual cool, calm reliable self.

 

[Dr Pepper]

I was going to say Buffon had yet to allow a goal for Italy, but there are three other countries who also have clean sheets so far.

 

[Yakushev72]

Russia has a lot of old players in it's squad. Either their new generation is just abysmal or indeed a new coach is needed that can organize a youthful resurgent squad

All of the above. There is no Russian style, no Russian flair, and obviously, no attack or defense. Maybe playing a lot on snow and ice as a kid doesn't translate well to the international game. Right now, Russia is not even a top 10 Euro team.

 

[Chloraflora]

All of the above. There is no Russian style, no Russian flair, and obviously, no attack or defense. Maybe playing a lot on snow and ice as a kid doesn't translate well to the international game. Right now, Russia is not even a top 10 Euro team.

Iceland's team took off when they built a bunch of indoor facilities for use year round. Something to consider for Russia?

 

[ViD]

All of the above. There is no Russian style, no Russian flair, and obviously, no attack or defense. Maybe playing a lot on snow and ice as a kid doesn't translate well to the international game. Right now, Russia is not even a top 10 Euro team.

Right now Russia is not even top 20. Totally embarrassing.

I can't believe how much we have fallen. Just a few years ago we easily picked apart Slovakia and Wales with Bale in the qualifiers, now we got dominated. Wow.

Our central defensemen are all 32+ and there's absolutely zero quality prospects to replace them.

We either going to have to naturalize some players or some young talents will miraculously emerge. But the way it looks like now we are up for a major disappointment at our home tournament

 

[BMann]

Right now Russia is not even top 20. Totally embarrassing.

I can't believe how much we have fallen. Just a few years ago we easily picked apart Slovakia and Wales with Bale in the qualifiers, now we got dominated. Wow.

Our central defensemen are all 32+ and there's absolutely zero quality prospects to replace them.

We either going to have to naturalize some players or some young talents will miraculously emerge. But the way it looks like now we are up for a major disappointment at our home tournament

It requires the same system in any sports. Provision of facilities, good youth coaches, talent identification and a skills based program. It might take ten years to show results but that is what is needed now ASAP. Not spending fortunes on bang average foreign coaches or naturalizing foreigners as well. Some of the vast expenditure on the WC would be better directed to the grass roots of football.

Losing key components of a midfield does not help either. Denisov, Dzagoev and leaving out Miranchuk is a big miss.

 

[BMann]

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.

Except there really isn't that much talent. No genuine world class players despite all the press hype once again and no sign of anyone proving themselves to be either.

Much like the vaunted Belgian golden generation who like the former Portuguese golden generation have achieved diddly squat so far.

Slovakia for such a small population have played some very decent technical football with an excellent structure. They should have at least had a draw against Wales for a start.

 

[Yakushev72]

Iceland's team took off when they built a bunch of indoor facilities for use year round. Something to consider for Russia?

That would help a great deal, but unfortunately, the money, organization, coaching, and other elements of investment are just not there now. Iceland is tiny in population but also relatively affluent, and has the resources to invest in developing a good team. I'm not sure where you could even find a starting point for what ails Russian soccer.

 

[ViD]

That would help a great deal, but unfortunately, the money, organization, coaching, and other elements of investment are just not there now. Iceland is tiny in population but also relatively affluent, and has the resources to invest in developing a good team. I'm not sure where you could even find a starting point for what ails Russian soccer.

FC Krasnodar youth system is the starting point