"Back of the net!": The Football Thread

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  • Posts: 6,432
    kultschar wrote: »
    Dearie me, Woy too scared to put the premiership player of the year on the pitch and instead settles for a 1-0. Suicide, you kinda knew the Russia goal was coming in those last few secs
    Agree in last few minutes I sensed a equaliser, not good.

  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,207
    Can't be as terrible as Belgium's manager though. Absolutely no clue what he's been doing for the last few years. I do know he's wasting the best generation since the 80's all on his own.
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 4,045
    England got a really easy qualifying group and fell apart at World Cup 2014. How Hodgson kept his job, lord knows. Now here we go again.

    He has the bravery to pick young players, but they are pretty much in their own when they take to the field, as it is always hard to see Roy's tactical plan, and he hardly ever comes to pitch side to motivate or organise them. Plus Russia were awful.

    Anyway did anyone see England in training at Chantilly? I was just waiting for Roy to say "Well I just inherited a fortune from a rather dotty old aunt..."
  • Posts: 1,661
    The awful violence between so called Russian and English 'fans' - and I think some French fans too - has tainted the tournament. Let's hope there's no more violence.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,231
    The violence is really starting to get out of hand this year.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    I'm not going to make any excuses for England fans.

    Yes it's only a tiny minority who go there actually looking for violence. But there is a far bigger minority who act like 15 year olds drinking all day and then when trouble comes, in the form of Neanderthal Russian fans who are after a rumble because to fight England is regarded as a big scalp, they are happy to get stuck in.

    And then there is what I would regard as a somewhat odious majority (well it certainly was last night) who insist on booing the other nation's national anthem which I find disgraceful personally. I've no problem with chanting and shouting at the opposition within the 90 mins but before and after you should be able to shake hands unless you are some sort of f**king retard.

    But let's not assume this is all down to England. French, Polish and Northern Irish fans have all been fighting too.

    And then there is Russia of course. Russia is still quite an infantile society and things like racism, hooliganism, homophobia etc that the rest of us grew out of 20 years ago are still rife and it will take them some time to catch up. The stuff in the stadium at the end was entirely down to the Russians (as UEFA have stated) and Christ alone knows what the World Cup is going to be like because Russian police are more frightening than any hooligans and the Russian authorities solution to any problem is to meet it with violence.

    I would seriously advise any black or ethnic fans from any country to think very carefully about going there because I can't see anything other than far worse violence than yesterday.

    Nonetheless if you use a bit of common sense you ought to be fine. I saw no violence all day because I surmised that the English will congregate in the centre (in this case the Vieux Port) and get pissed all day. And as anyone who has been out in a town centre in the UK pissed Brits are an embarrassment that make you ashamed to be British even if they are not fighting.

    Tempting to go for the hospitality package to further segregate yourself from the rabble but at €975 per head I wasn't about to part with that sort of money to watch Woy's blind flailing in the dark even with prawn sarnies thrown in.
  • Posts: 12,526
    Well done to Wales! Showed England what spirit and being brave can achieve!
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Question: Has any set of players labelled 'the Golden generation' ever delivered?

    I remember Portugal back in the day of Figo, Rui Costa etc were called the GG and bottled it in the final against Greece.

    The English GG did even worse.

    And now the Belgian GG (best team in the world according to FIFAs bullshit standings) fail to turn up.

    I think I recall the Germans being called a promising young team in 2010 but not GG and look what happened in 2014.

    Were the French in 98 or Spanish in 2010 called the GG or is it a moniker that automatically consigns a team to failure?
  • Posts: 7,507
    Question: Has any set of players labelled 'the Golden generation' ever delivered?

    I remember Portugal back in the day of Figo, Rui Costa etc were called the GG and bottled it in the final against Greece.

    The English GG did even worse.

    And now the Belgian GG (best team in the world according to FIFAs bullshit standings) fail to turn up.

    I think I recall the Germans being called a promising young team in 2010 but not GG and look what happened in 2014.

    Were the French in 98 or Spanish in 2010 called the GG or is it a moniker that automatically consigns a team to failure?


    That's solely a matter of semantics. The Spanish and German sides that won the last two World Cups, not to mention France in 98, were definitely "golden generations" although they weren't officially labelled as such. And the quality of each "golden generation" of course depends on the general, exoected quality of each nation. We had a golden generation in Norway some twenty years ago. The highlight of all that was a place in the last 16 and beating Brazil in WC 98...

    This Belgium side might be the best of the decade. But they are not to the standard of any of the teams previously mentioned (except Norway of course!). Having a horribel coach doesn't help either...
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    jobo wrote: »
    Question: Has any set of players labelled 'the Golden generation' ever delivered?

    I remember Portugal back in the day of Figo, Rui Costa etc were called the GG and bottled it in the final against Greece.

    The English GG did even worse.

    And now the Belgian GG (best team in the world according to FIFAs bullshit standings) fail to turn up.

    I think I recall the Germans being called a promising young team in 2010 but not GG and look what happened in 2014.

    Were the French in 98 or Spanish in 2010 called the GG or is it a moniker that automatically consigns a team to failure?


    That's solely a matter of semantics. The Spanish and German sides that won the last two World Cups, not to mention France in 98, were definitely "golden generations" although they weren't officially labelled as such. And the quality of each "golden generation" of course depends on the general, exoected quality of each nation. We had a golden generation in Norway some twenty years ago. The highlight of all that was a place in the last 16 and beating Brazil in WC 98...

    This Belgium side might be the best of the decade. But they are not to the standard of any of the teams previously mentioned (except Norway of course!). Having a horribel coach doesn't help either...

    Thats the thing. I would agree that the French 98-00, the Spanish 08-12 and Germans 14-current are golden generations but this is in hindsight I think and they were not labelled as so before they achieved greatness.

    My point is does pre-emptively calling a group of players golden before they have actually done anything make failure inevitable due to increased expectation piling more pressure on them combined with a mindset that they have already arrived at the top making them think they only need to turn up to win?
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 7,507
    jobo wrote: »
    Question: Has any set of players labelled 'the Golden generation' ever delivered?

    I remember Portugal back in the day of Figo, Rui Costa etc were called the GG and bottled it in the final against Greece.

    The English GG did even worse.

    And now the Belgian GG (best team in the world according to FIFAs bullshit standings) fail to turn up.

    I think I recall the Germans being called a promising young team in 2010 but not GG and look what happened in 2014.

    Were the French in 98 or Spanish in 2010 called the GG or is it a moniker that automatically consigns a team to failure?


    That's solely a matter of semantics. The Spanish and German sides that won the last two World Cups, not to mention France in 98, were definitely "golden generations" although they weren't officially labelled as such. And the quality of each "golden generation" of course depends on the general, exoected quality of each nation. We had a golden generation in Norway some twenty years ago. The highlight of all that was a place in the last 16 and beating Brazil in WC 98...

    This Belgium side might be the best of the decade. But they are not to the standard of any of the teams previously mentioned (except Norway of course!). Having a horribel coach doesn't help either...

    Thats the thing. I would agree that the French 98-00, the Spanish 08-12 and Germans 14-current are golden generations but this is in hindsight I think and they were not labelled as so before they achieved greatness.

    My point is does pre-emptively calling a group of players golden before they have actually done anything make failure inevitable due to increased expectation piling more pressure on them combined with a mindset that they have already arrived at the top making them think they only need to turn up to win?


    That could be, although the expectations surrounding the German and French sides mentioned were definitely high. The Spanish side escaped all that of course since everyone "knew" they had this "eternal curse" of never succeeding in big competitions.

    I guess it goes without saying that too much pressure is never a good thing. However many favourites still deliver. In the case of Belgium I think they suffer from the English syndrom of unrealistic expectations due to overhype. They are a strong side indeed, but are, to be frank, not as brilliant as many claim them to be. They can't be seen as more than tournament outsiders in my book.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,198
    I think it is absolutely ok calling the Belgians a Golden Generation. It should be seen in historic comparison. Belgium has not qualified for more than 10 years for any tournament and now they have a great team which is among the 5 best teams in Europe even though they lost yesterday. And also Portugal was very strong ten years ago. They were No2 in Euro2004, and No4 in the Word Cup 2006. However, having a Golden Generation does not mean that you win a big tournament, it just means that you have a strong, young team who is surprisingly strong.

    With regard to Golden Generations one should also mention The Netherlands in the late 80s / early 90s who won the Euro1988. Actually the Netherlands had several Golden Generations in the last 30 years who were also successfull. The Germans have probably had 2 Golden Generations in a row. It all started before 2006 with young players like Podolski, Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Mertesacker. But the real GG came a few years later. It was the Generation who won the U21-Euro2009 with players such as Hummels, Kroos, Khedira, Neuer, Boateng, Müller, Özil who all become Worls Champions in 2014.
  • Posts: 12,526
    If their is more violence caused by the Russian minority, I think they should lose the priviledge of hosting the next tournament!
  • Posts: 6,432
    Question: Has any set of players labelled 'the Golden generation' ever delivered?

    I remember Portugal back in the day of Figo, Rui Costa etc were called the GG and bottled it in the final against Greece.

    The English GG did even worse.

    And now the Belgian GG (best team in the world according to FIFAs bullshit standings) fail to turn up.

    I think I recall the Germans being called a promising young team in 2010 but not GG and look what happened in 2014.

    Were the French in 98 or Spanish in 2010 called the GG or is it a moniker that automatically consigns a team to failure?

    Those French and Spanish sides were just good, the Golden Generation tag is BS any team or player should refute that label full stop.

  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,207
    I remember a Czech GG between 1996 and 2006. They failed at World Cups (only qualifying once and not progressing to the knock-outs) but managed 2nd place in 96 and should have won the Euros in 2004, where they were one of Greece's victims in the semis.
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 6,432
    Get Sterling off ffs I am not confident Woy can turn things around, feel deflated England have to up movement of ball and do much better.

    Wales 1 - 0 England at half time [-(
  • Posts: 11,119
    GO GO WALESSSS !!! Brexit-revenge :-P!

    Wales 1 - 0 England !!
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    GO GO WALESSSS !!! Brexit-revenge :-P!

    Wales 1 - 0 England !!

    Wales can suck it. 2-1. Get back to Rugby.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    GO GO WALESSSS !!! Brexit-revenge :-P!

    Wales 1 - 0 England !!

    Two points:

    1) Wales is part of Britain and as such a large number of their citizens will be voting Brexit also.

    2) STUDGER IN THE 92ND MINUTE!!!! FUCKING GET IN!!!
  • Posts: 6,432
    wpid-facebook_-2015823995.jpg?w=480

    Wales won't forget where they park there bus.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Stirring stuff from Northern Ireland too!

    Overall a cracking day for British football. Unless you're Welsh.

    Or a Jock.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Stirring stuff from Northern Ireland too!

    Overall a cracking day for British football. Unless you're Welsh.

    Or a Jock.

    So you are saying English football because I am sure the Welsh feel less British today I wager.

    >:)
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    SaintMark wrote: »
    Stirring stuff from Northern Ireland too!

    Overall a cracking day for British football. Unless you're Welsh.

    Or a Jock.

    So you are saying English football because I am sure the Welsh feel less British today I wager.

    >:)

    No, British football given two countries of the union pulled out good results and one acquitted themselves admirably (well if you call scoring a jammy free kick and then parking the bus admirable).

    To have 3 teams competing is something we should be celebrating. If would be nice to have the jocks here too - if only to see them fail!!
  • Posts: 12,526
    I don't see why both England and Wales can't progress to the knockout stages now we are top? :-bd ;)
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Am I the only one who thinks Conte looks like he should be running a Serbian strip joint?
  • Posts: 6,432
    What idiotic behaviour from the Croatia fans, another side set to be threatened with the boot.
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,545
    What idiotic behaviour from the Croatia fans, another side set to be threatened with the boot.

    Why would you throw flares on the pitch when your team is playing so well and winning? What's the point of going there to "support" them?

  • Posts: 7,653
    The Croatians are highly nationalistic and sometimes as nuts are those rabid Russian & English hooligans. As they did prove tonight.
  • Posts: 6,432
    Makes no sense at all, if anything they just affected the Croation players on the pitch.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Having already set their stall out I don't see how UEFA can give Croatia any less of a punishment than they did the Russians. Given players and stadium officials could easily have been injured/blinded I would consider this worse.
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