Euro 2020

[andy]

for some comparison, in Euro 96 we were woeful against the Swiss and the first half against Scotland, and without that 2nd goal from Gazza we'd have still been slaughtered (by the public / press). Then we walloped Holland in possibly the best performance by an England side in tournament football in my lifetime thus far....... however, in the next game, the Spanish had two (incorrectly) ruled out goals and we crept through there somehow. We played well against the Germans in the semis........... same (if not more so) goes for World Cup 90. We didn't play well in that tournament until the semis!!!
The 'golden generation' as the press called them, lost two games in Euro 2004 and WC 2006 to Portugal on Pens, and could have gone on to win both of those, and we played much better in the matches up to those Portugal games. Won't mention South Africa '10 or Hodgson...............

So we're neither as good as we sometimes think we are, but definitely not as bad as we tell ourselves we are! A 0-0 tomorrow and it's the runner up in Spain's group

You make some really good points there HH. I have tried to temper my disappointment by referring to us as 'average', which is what we probably are. The frustrating part is always that we see these players looking like top class players week in week out and then look clueless for the National team. Maybe it's the foreigners in the club sides that bring out the best in them but it seems an eternal problem. I sometimes wonder if we take it all to seriously tactics wise in this country, whereas a good few of the successful teams have players who I suspect are told to just go out and enjoy themselves. That said, Italy and Germany have always played to strict systems and it's worked for them so who knows. It just seems so long since we've watched an England side that have truly excited us.

[pantverdant2]

I was excited by the English side that put us Welsh to the sword in Euro 2016 but then came Iceland!

[andy]

Really pleased for Denmark after the horrific start they had to suffer. Great goals and a great atmosphere in Copenhagen last night. Wales beware.

[andy]

Better-ish. Not much else to say. Bigger fish await.

[410viawednesbury]

Better-ish. Not much else to say. Bigger fish await.

Italy still, for me, the team to beat. England not consistent enough and far too laboured in their build up. Mr Southgate now has a big headache on who he plays next Tuesday. This will be a big test of his managerial abilities and one where if he gets it right, all is good in the garden, get it wrong and.......

[andy]

Wow! What a night of football! All 4 sides in the group playing their hearts out to try and avoid having to meet England in the knockout phase. All 4 were our opponents at some point during the night and we end up with........Germany.
I think we may have met before.

[andy]

Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and France ALL in the other half of the draw now. If we beat Germany the only other big team in our half is The Netherlands.

[Johnny Bud]

I just hope we spend a lot of time in the next week practising penalties! Just in case

[pantverdant2]

Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and France ALL in the other half of the draw now. If we beat Germany the only other big team in our half is The Netherlands.

Never worried about the big sides it is the mighty Icelanders,Croatians,San Marinans,Welsh,Gibraltarians and other assorted waiters,

capstan turners,male models,reality stars and care assistants that strike the fear of God into the Lions of England,still don't trust

Southgate as far as I can chuck him,which at current levels of fitness is about 2.5 cm!!

[andy]

Hmm. I expected Wales to get out of their group (they did), I expected that was as far as they would go (it was), but I did not expect them to crash and burn like that. The players and team they have are better than they have shown this tournament. Be interested to hear Owens view.