EURO 2020 (2021) pt. 3: What's-a-matter-face

[sevendaughters]

he's managing a team of English lookalikes against a team of Italian lookalikes

[bgmnts]

Ha!

It's just down to UEFA being shit. Fuck knows what they were thinking.

[greenman]

You really think the FA would be smart enough to  successfully set something like that up? let alone why the hell would UEFA go along with it when every indication is that they don't get along well with the FA relative to other major European leagues.

[Cuellar]

Wembley was only supposed to be used for the semis and final, but got extra games in the group stage and 2nd round because the Belgians forgot to build their stadium. The decision to move the games to Wembley was taken in December 2017. Quite a fix, to plant saboteurs among the Belgian architects and bureaucrats!

Sure, no one could have predicted that the Belgians would somehow fuck up their bureaucracy

They'd hoy you in the Scheldt if you showed them a calculator.

[imitationleather]

Yeah the conspiracy theory that UEFA would rig anything in favour of the bloody FA, who they infamously absolutely hate, should really be beneath the Anti-England Brigade.

Wembley was chosen for so many matches because it's where UEFA can extract the most money from hospitality and corporate sources. The multi-country idea was to avoid giving the FA the potential prestige that comes with hosting the entire tournament.

[checkoutgirl]

The "home advantage" one seems to have only come out of the bag since the "not played anyone good" one expired

If anything home advantage for England would traditionally add more pressure and be more of a hinderance than anything.

For me it's more that if they do win it's a convenient place to be to celebrate for the team and the fans.

[BlodwynPig]

The "home advantage" one seems to have only come out of the bag since the "not played anyone good" one expired

I don't see anyone denying the Italians the right to be in the final despite their "outright cheating" and that they played all their group games at home and have had relatively short trips to England and Germany in their other matches

And these venues have been set for a long time and no-one was saying "well, England are bound to win it with this home advantage" when the tournament started

Tbf, my 590 quid says otherwise

[BlodwynPig]

If anything home advantage for England would traditionally add more pressure and be more of a hinderance than anything.

For me it's more that if they do win it's a convenient place to be to celebrate for the team and the fans.

Case is closed. Move on.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/13956/11392096/world-cup-home-advantage-how-the-hosts-have-fared-and-why-there-is-hope-for-russia

[wosl]

I think the 'excuses' have been consistent really.

Haven't been hearing too much about the advantages Scotland got from playing all of their group matches bar one at home (maybe because the only point they got was in their one away game, against the highest-ranked team in their group?).  Denmark lost two out of three of their group matches playing at home (a significant influencing factor feeding into that, fair enough); Belgium and Sweden played all of their group matches away and didn't lose once.

[greenman]

Realistically as well England have pretty much had home advantage many times, at Euro 2004 they had more support than the Portuguese in the QF and filled almost all the stadium in the group games.

[Cuellar]

It is interesting that all the semi-finalists were teams that played at home loads though 🤔

[phantom_power]

Good summary for me, Clive

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-clive-tyldesley-southgate-england-rees-mogg-boris-johnson

[wosl]

The outright cheating in the Denmark game is a new one.

Two wrongs and all that, but it's worth remembering that the Danes haven't been above a bit of crafty stuff themselves when the stakes have been high.  Have a look at the second goal they scored in the Euro '92 final against the Germans; it very much looks as though Vilfort applies a controlling touch with his hand to help guide the ball between two defenders before getting his shot off (in one of the alt. angle replays you see Matthaeus edit Doll, indicating that he's seen a hand being used the moment it happens).

[checkoutgirl]

He doesn't shoot until he's taken aim.

Unfortunate choice of words when talking about Southgate.

Rees Mogg quoting John Barnes sounds like Stephen Fry in an A Bit of Fry and Laurie sketch.

[druss]

I think the 'excuses' have been consistent really.

The outright cheating in the Denmark game is a new one.

Yeah it was pretty despicable. Not only the fact that it wasn't a free kick, but apparently attacking players aren't meant to be within a yard of the defensive wall until after the ball is struck.

Thankfully the good guys prevailed against the cheating filth.

[Cuntbeaks]

So whose calling in sick on GAMMONDAY

[mikeyg27]

The multi-country idea was to avoid giving the FA the potential prestige that comes with hosting the entire tournament.

Also it was because Turkey were the only serious single-country bid and Platini didn't want it there.

[wosl]

So whose calling in sick on GAMMONDAY

Spinazzola

[imitationleather]

I can't be the only one who thought that in 2018 the coverage on ITV was genuinely superior to the BBC for the first time ever. The double act of Wright and Billic was amazing, Clive. In contrast, the BBC was eye-bleedingly bland in every way.

ITV back to total shite this time, mind.

[lankyguy95]

I can't be the only one who thought that in 2018 the coverage on ITV was genuinely superior to the BBC for the first time ever. The double act of Wright and Billic was amazing, Clive. In contrast, the BBC was eye-bleedingly bland in every way.

Bilic alone for his rejoinder on the overfocus on incidents instead of the actual football. Refreshing for a pundit to actually say it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl35773W7Aw

[BlodwynPig]

Haven't been hearing too much about the advantages Scotland got from playing all of their group matches bar one at home (maybe because the only point they got was in their one away game, against the highest-ranked team in their group?).  Denmark lost two out of three of their group matches playing at home (a significant influencing factor feeding into that, fair enough); Belgium and Sweden played all of their group matches away and didn't lose once.

Correlation does not equal causation.

[BlodwynPig]

I can't be the only one who thought that in 2018 the coverage on ITV was genuinely superior to the BBC for the first time ever. The double act of Wright and Billic was amazing, Clive. In contrast, the BBC was eye-bleedingly bland in every way.

ITV back to total shite this time, mind.

That is true. ITV, when they are good they are really really good, but when they are bad...

...

...

they are still better than the BBC

[Chedney Honks]

I have to go for a PCR test on Monday at 7am ahead of an operation so I won't be able to celebrate the final of the Euros.

😂😂😂

[BlodwynPig]

H😂😂😂pe you survive.

[Pseudopath]

Has anyone suggested airdropping a load of Delta on the Italian training camp so that we win by default?

^{SPORTSMANSHIP}

[Jasha]

Can't disagree with that article.

Even if it wasn't, it's still been an abysmally organised affair. God knows what they were thinking. Even without covid it was stupid.

Let it go son, let it go

[holyzombiejesus]

Here's a quiz question for you. Who was the last Englishman to score against an Italian side in a cup final at Wembley?

[EOLAN]

Here's a quiz question for you. Who was the last Englishman to score against an Italian side in a cup final at Wembley?

Have a guess it was the Valiant Martin John Foyle. Have him walking out hand in hand with Geoff Hurst to get the crowd riled up.

[Beagle 2]

God damm I just ploughed through a lot of Wikipedia to come up with the same answer. I hope it's wrong now.

[Jasha]

Here's a quiz question for you. Who was the last Englishman to score against an Italian side in a cup final at Wembley?

It'll be some no name United or Chelsea kid on loan somewhere in a yoofa[nb] © Glenn Hoddle [/nb] cup or intertoto won't it