Illuminati-R-Us

Arneb says it was by far the weakest game of the round. I disagree. While I am (obviously) pleased that we won - not least because of Arneb's repeated insistence that it's matches at Wembley that count (and hence our 5-1 win in 2001 in Munich didn't) - I felt it was a good match. It could have gone either way - it was Pickford, not the England defence, that saved our arse when necessary, while Mats Hummels more than redeemed himself from his 1st round cock-up. In contrast, this championship has seen games that were frankly boring, to the point where I've switched off at half time. True, not in this round, but still.

We'll see whether Sweden/Ukraine match up their game in the quarter-final - neither looked that inspiring at half-time, although England would be well advised not to be complacent. Or if Denmark improve to the extent that the Czech Republic has. (Come to that, I'm no longer assuming that of course Spain will thrash Switzerland - last night has to be the biggest WTF so far.) But no, Arneb, although Germany lost a game that they'd pretty much established a right to assume they'd win, they haven't been the worst.

Well, it's not the first time that we notice you have a somewhat more positive outlook on life, is it?

ETA: Well OK, SWE-UKR is indeed worse.

Lianachan wrote:Football tournaments just won’t be the same without him on the sidelines rummaging in his nose. But yes, time to pull down and rebuild for sure, and the boy done good (for a while).

I have high hopes for Flick to do the rebuild. Many say he was the brain behind '14 to begin with, and he took over a a weak and demoralized Bayern in November '19 and transformed them into a triple-winning monster in seven months, with a pandemic to boot. Excellent guy.

Heid the Ba wrote:So close to 50%, ach well, next season starts in about a fortnight.

So, Rangers, Ross County, Hertha BSC, SpVgg Greuther Fürth and the German national football team. Friendllies don't count.

Three questions:
Matches with penalty shootouts: automatic draw or according to outcome?
Then: Anyone else here in the mood to join (regular reporting and count keeping required, of course)? Richard_A with England? Any transpondians? The All Blacks, even?
And finally: No Scotland, really?

Anyway: The season is 2021/22, hopefully a less corona-plagued one. The score is

Played 0, Won 0, Drawn 0, Lost 0

A night of disappointing results for me:

The Brexiteers 2 - 0 ‘Schland!
Sweden 1 - 2 Ukraine (AET)

Tomorrow: nothing. Not even in Copa America.

Well, I haven't generally paid attention to how England have done outside the Euros and the World Cup. But I suppose I could start the clock now.

And come on, Arneb, I'd have had to endure plenty from you if we'd lost! At least the Sun managed to avoid reference to panzers, Dam Busters and the like on their front page. (I kind of liked the comment someone put elsewhere - "England fans take 90 minute break from "Keep Politics Out of Football" to sing a song about German bombers".) "55 years of pain never stopped us Raheeming" was a little more like it.

As for Heid and Lianachan, my view on Scotland is clear. I look forward to England beating (not just drawing with) an independent Scotland in the next Euros.

Oh, I didn't think I was having to endure anything from you. I was just remarking on the fact that you judged the German performance friendlier than I did.

FAZ put it well: 'The bolder of two mediocre teams prevailed'. And I think that my prediction turned out to be quite accurate: Just do your shtick, England, and you'll win. There was neither the stability in the German defence to keep it clean for 90 min nor the knife-between-the-teeth grit in the offence to really threaten Pickford.

After yesterdays evening match, Ukraine certainly don't look frightening, but neither do England. Come to think of it, no team looks frightening on this side of the tree. Maybe Denmark, a bit. But they have to get past the Czech Résistance first.

Forgot to post that the ball is being footed again.

Quarter finals

17:00 Swizerland v Spain
20:00 Belgium v Italy

Hopefully the latter should be a great game, rather than a 0-0 game of chess.

Switzerland held Spain to a 1-1 draw at 120 min, playing with 10 men aftet a 70th min sendoff.

They fucked up the shootout despite being given one for free when the first Spaniard rammed it into the post.

Respect, Switzerland, but that is not enough even for tje mosz minimalist of approaches. Spain in the semis vs. either Belgium or Italy...

Belgium v Italy is a cracking game. So far it’s confirming my view that it’s a shame these two didn’t meet in the final.

Whichever way it goes, I have a feeling we are watching the future champion here.

Aye, as soon as I saw the fixture I thought it should be the final.

Switzerland 1 - 1 Spain (Spain win on pens)
Belgium 1 - 2 Italy - excellent match

Tomorrow:

Quarter finals

17:00 Czech Republic v Denmark
20:00 Ukraine v England

Italy v England final would be my guess, the way the fixtures are stacked up. England at Wembley for all but one match, and in easier half of the draw. Just hope there are no Russian linesmen around.

Aye to that. Thrice!

I share your confidence for the match against Ukraine tonight. But not so sure re. the semis. The Czech Republic have upped their game over the course of the tournament more than England have. And on Wednesday, we play either them or a by definition even better Denmark. Though, true, in Wembley.

But Italy definitely in the final.

Doesn’t start the new tally as this was a friendly, but today was the first time we got to see how our controversial new manager sets out the team (including many new players).

Elgin City 0 - 5 Ross County

Looking forward to seeing Jake Vokins, a left back on season long loan from Southampton who’s represented England at U17, U18 & U19 levels. He didn’t arrive in time for this one.

One nil aftet 4 min. They mean it this time.

At least you don’t have to watch it with English commentary.

Ah fucking shite.

It looks rather easy, I thought Ukraine would mount at least some counterattack

Golly, now it lools like a wipeout.

Another too easy one. And Sweden really could 't win ahaonst THAT kind of Ukraine?

Ukraine are playing extremely badly, unfortunately. This is scunnering me of the entire tournament.

Not unsurprisingl, and entirely deservedly,

Ukraine 0 - 4 England

Hard to see Denmark unhinging them on Wednesday.

Indeed, having seen the Denmark v Czech Republic game, I think we can win the semi-final. But another reminder that the tree is a bitch - that out of Spain and Italy, the best (albeit pretty much guaranteed best) for one of them is 3rd place really is too bad. And Belgium don’t get a shot of even that. But hey, Qatar is only a year away - here’s hoping for more really good games then!

And Heid and Lianachan, I meant what I said, I look forward to us beating an independent Scotland (whether Kingdom or Republic is a discussion for a different thread) in 2024.

Do none of those manky bastards in Dingwall ever wash their hands?

Great Spain-Italy game. Now going to extra time. Are we agreed that neither England nor Denmark can beat either of these two? Of Italy and Spain, one will be champions, the other no. 3. But then we knew that.