Post-Match Thread and Ratings Spain v England UEFA Euro 2024 Final. 20:00hrs 14th July 2024

[The Original Tribal Chief]

I also run a hitman service too. Discount for lovely Southend fans.

Love it. Top man.

 

[* ORM *]

3am Monday for me and decisions on Sports bar or watch from home

Ok I’ll be in bed around 730 pm. Alarm set for 2.30am. KO at 3am. Currently celebrating in advance!!!. Turning up for work with alcohol on breath is a 100 percent no no. England shirt dug out and ready. Predicting 2-1 with Kane to silence the criticism and a masterclass.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Alf didn’t get England beyond the semis of the Euros. He isn’t forgetting anything.

Since RHB is the same age as me and i saw the WC final which Engand and Sir Alf won I'd say he's deliberately ovelooking it :Of course he's right about England's record in the Euros under Alf (and others)but the point as GS will find out this evening is to win the thing.

 

[fbm]

I too would like England to play like Holland '74, but we don't have that side.
You make the best of what you have, and Foden's near dribble past everyone against the Dutch was the first time his tournament anyone in a white shirt has vaguely achieved same.
Let's assume you get a different manager: what do you do with this squad that would remotely see them play 'good' football?

They didn't win anything either.

 

[londonblue]

The standard of opposition to what we have faced so far was much much higher. We as @TrueBlue has stated have rode our luck against pretty dismal teams so far. We have world class players stifled by a system that bores the pants off most of us.

Nobody can say this has been a great tournament football wise.

Swap England for Southend. Swap the Euros for the FA Cup. If we get to the final twice in two attempts, would you consider it a failure? Would you look at the opposition and say we were lucky?

I know the analogy isn't perfect, but I think you get what I'm trying to say.

 

[fbm]

I'm staggered at the amount of criticism and abuse Southgate gets to be honest, he is far and away the most successful England manager ever, and bearing in mind we don't play in a league and it's all about tournament football where the aim is to win the tournament, he has got us to a Q/F, a semi and two finals during his time in charge.

Now, I'll be honest, I don't really watch England friendlies because they don't matter; I see the odd qualification match but always the finals matches. I'm really not concerned about losing to someone like Iceland 1-0 in a half-baked, 50% effort friendly where no-one wants to get injured and I don't care how many substitutions he makes in those games as that is the only chance he gets to properly trial systems and tactics.

But in the actual tournaments, his record is fantastic and we are a world force again, regardless of the way fans might want us to play. If he were to stay on - which I doubt - I think we would continue to be a world force for a few more years to come.

All the great teams keep on going and score lots of late goals... it doesn't make them lucky. Our great promotion sides were similar, as we kept going and going and scored several late goals through the season.

I think he deserves huge credit for everything he has done, bringing young, exciting players through, not relying on the "Old Guard" and we now stand on the brink of winning our first tournament for 58 years.

 

[damien]

We have a fantastic record with Southgate of going deep into tournaments as others have pointed out. It’s also abundantly clear that we haven’t played great football. But don’t forget we will largely play teams that stifle and space on the pitch, sit back in two banks of 4/5 and wait for a chance to counter. So that in itself makes the game more difficult when 90 percent of teams you play have no intention of engaging us in a proper football match.

That first 45 before Koeman made his changes against the Dutch, with our team, was exactly what I wanted to see. Passing between the line into our ridiculously talented midfield and playing the game in front of them. Shots on goal, passes in behind.

Spain will be a serious scalp if we can get it over the line but they will leave lots of space for us to play as well.

2-2 AET England win on penalties.

 

[Supershrimper]

Just drove past @RHB house.

View attachment 32760

Spot the union jack upside-down competition

Thank you @manor15 for doing this graphic for us for the weekend.

View attachment 32765

Great graphic. Noticed it only shows on portrait mode on my android phone. Switch to landscape and it's the football in the net graphic.

Unfortunately I think Spain are too good and will embarrass us and show up Gareths inability to seemingly make alterations to the tactical side of the game.

3-1 win for Spain unfortunately. Would love the boys to finally win something within my lifetime but can't see it happening just yet. Make me eat my words Gareth

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

If football was played on paper then Spain who have been the best team in the tournament would easily win.But it isn't as Southend fans only know last season when we beat Chesterfield and of course Manu.All I ask we go out and play to our best and let's see where that takes us.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Well I guess the only way Southgate will stop the criticism is to win and win in style (even then people will still moan and say we were lucky etc). Who’d be England manager.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

They didn't win anything either.

Oh yes, they did! 50 years later articles are being written about Holland 74 because of what they did to football.
They changed mindsets, and as @Cricko has been complaining, unless you play with flair you'll alienate a fair few.
Just for accuracy's sake, the Netherlands did win a Euro: '88, with another great batch in orange shirts.

 

[RHB]

Well I guess the only way Southgate will stop the criticism is to win and win in style (even then people will still moan and say we were lucky etc). Who’d be England manager.

Southgate will never stop the criticism for some, whatever he does, including winning EURO 24. Just because the critics blow out a lot of hot air about his team's playing style, it doesn't make them right. BUT, if he wins this tournament he will go down in English football history as a legend and that will accompany his knighthood. Of course, if England lose they will all be giving it 'Told you so', if anyone is listening.

 

[* ORM *]

And so to bed for me!

 

[Ricey]

Southgate will never stop the criticism for some, whatever he does, including winning EURO 24. Just because the critics blow out a lot of hot air about his team's playing style, it doesn't make them right. BUT, if he wins this tournament he will go down in English football history as a legend and that will accompany his knighthood. Of course, if England lose they will all be giving it 'Told you so', if anyone is listening.

It’s not about being right. It’s about what people like and the vast majority find it boring and detrimental to a very talented squad.

Over the years we have had some shocking squads which is why we have struggled. Previously the Premier League wasn’t seen as the strongest. A lot of money was invested into St George’s which has helped develop the youth and push forward the England squad.

Gareth has been lucky that he has come in a golden generation where we have world class talent. You also have the fact that we have been lucky in our runs and that the juggernaut’s of the past are no longer as strong as they used to be.

I think with a different manager we would have won games more convincingly rather than limping through each game.

I don’t care much for watching the National Team, if you gave me the choice of a win tonight or Southend beating Canvey on Tuesday I would choose a Southend win every day of the week. I watch the big tournament games and this has been dreadful to watch but most of all frustrating because those players are so much better than what they are serving up due to a shocking style of play.

In my opinion, England will be that juggernaut under a different manager (who I don’t know, maybe Howe or Potter! Definitely not Lampard).

 

[Blue Yonder]

It’s not about being right. It’s about what people like and the vast majority find it boring and detrimental to a very talented squad.

Over the years we have had some shocking squads which is why we have struggled. Previously the Premier League wasn’t seen as the strongest. A lot of money was invested into St George’s which has helped develop the youth and push forward the England squad.

Gareth has been lucky that he has come in a golden generation where we have world class talent. You also have the fact that we have been lucky in our runs and that the juggernaut’s of the past are no longer as strong as they used to be.

I think with a different manager we would have won games more convincingly rather than limping through each game.

I don’t care much for watching the National Team, if you gave me the choice of a win tonight or Southend beating Canvey on Tuesday I would choose a Southend win every day of the week. I watch the big tournament games and this has been dreadful to watch but most of all frustrating because those players are so much better than what they are serving up due to a shocking style of play.

In my opinion, England will be that juggernaut under a different manager (who I don’t know, maybe Howe or Potter! Definitely not Lampard).

Ricey ! A history making tournament win for the men's National side breaking a fifty year plus duck or a win in a meaningless July friendly by a makeshift Southend squad against Canvey ?

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

It’s not about being right. It’s about what people like and the vast majority find it boring and detrimental to a very talented squad.

Over the years we have had some shocking squads which is why we have struggled. Previously the Premier League wasn’t seen as the strongest. A lot of money was invested into St George’s which has helped develop the youth and push forward the England squad.

Gareth has been lucky that he has come in a golden generation where we have world class talent. You also have the fact that we have been lucky in our runs and that the juggernaut’s of the past are no longer as strong as they used to be.

I think with a different manager we would have won games more convincingly rather than limping through each game.

I don’t care much for watching the National Team, if you gave me the choice of a win tonight or Southend beating Canvey on Tuesday I would choose a Southend win every day of the week. I watch the big tournament games and this has been dreadful to watch but most of all frustrating because those players are so much better than what they are serving up due to a shocking style of play.

In my opinion, England will be that juggernaut under a different manager (who I don’t know, maybe Howe or Potter! Definitely not Lampard).

Definitely not Potter

Don’t necessarily agree this is “the” golden generation…we won nothing with insane talent like Lineker, Shearer, Gazza, Rooney, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Owen, Barnes etc. .. with much more attack minded managers. Whatever you think of Gareth and his more conservative style, no England manager has got the team to at least the last 8 in 4 consecutive major championships. Not even close.

I do get that the football isn’t as attack minded as some would like and it’s been defence first at times. Of course we’d all rather watch fast slick forward movement, goals flying in and players doing what they do for their clubs week in week out. A few of them are carrying injuries or look knackered.

I don’t think it helps when teams park the bus against us, Spain won’t so let’s hope for a really good game of football and hey if we lose, I hope we go out in style.

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

Couldn’t care less.

 

[Ricey]

Definitely not Potter

Don’t necessarily agree this is “the” golden generation…we won nothing with insane talent like Lineker, Shearer, Gazza, Rooney, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Owen, Barnes etc. .. with much more attack minded managers. Whatever you think of Gareth and his more conservative style, no England manager has got the team to at least the last 8 in 4 consecutive major championships. Not even close.

I do get that the football isn’t as attack minded as some would like and it’s been defence first at times. Of course we’d all rather watch fast slick forward movement, goals flying in and players doing what they do for their clubs week in week out. A few of them are carrying injuries or look knackered.

I don’t think it helps when teams park the bus against us, Spain won’t so let’s hope for a really good game of football and hey if we lose, I hope we go out in style.

But look at the quality of the sides they were against. There was much better quality back then.

 

[Ricey]

Ricey ! A history making tournament win for the men's National side breaking a fifty year plus duck or a win in a meaningless July friendly by a makeshift Southend squad against Canvey ?

I support Southend, I follow England….loosely.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

I'm staggered at the amount of criticism and abuse Southgate gets to be honest, he is far and away the most successful England manager ever, and bearing in mind we don't play in a league and it's all about tournament football where the aim is to win the tournament, he has got us to a Q/F, a semi and two finals during his time in charge.

Now, I'll be honest, I don't really watch England friendlies because they don't matter; I see the odd qualification match but always the finals matches. I'm really not concerned about losing to someone like Iceland 1-0 in a half-baked, 50% effort friendly where no-one wants to get injured and I don't care how many substitutions he makes in those games as that is the only chance he gets to properly trial systems and tactics.

But in the actual tournaments, his record is fantastic and we are a world force again, regardless of the way fans might want us to play. If he were to stay on - which I doubt - I think we would continue to be a world force for a few more years to come.

All the great teams keep on going and score lots of late goals... it doesn't make them lucky. Our great promotion sides were similar, as we kept going and going and scored several late goals through the season.

I think he deserves huge credit for everything he has done, bringing young, exciting players through, not relying on the "Old Guard" and we now stand on the brink of winning our first tournament for 58 years.

^^^^^THIS!!!!!!