The Round of 16

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

Henderson was superb, so combative in midfield. 
 

[jack j]

Just looking and in my lifetime (born August 90) the only "proper" elite footballing country we've beat in a knockout game was Germany last year. At a push spain on pens in euro 96 First decent opposition we face have knocked us out

 

Same again next week

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, jack j said:

Just looking and in my lifetime (born August 90) the only "proper" elite footballing country we've beat in a knockout game was Germany last year. At a push spain on pens in euro 96 First decent opposition we face have knocked us out

 

Same again next week

Both at Wembley, of course.  And those Spain and Germany sides were not exactly ‘peak’ Spain or Germany.

 

Those remain England’s only knockout victories vs heavyweights (Arg, Bra, Fra, Ger, Ned, Ita, Por, Spa) since 1966.  Where all the games were at Wembley.

 

Let’s hope all the EURO 2028 games are at Wembley  

[jack j]

1 minute ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Both at Wembley, of course.  And those Spain and Germany sides were not exactly ‘peak’ Spain or Germany.

 

Those remain England’s only knockout victories vs heavyweights (Arg, Bra, Fra, Ger, Ned, Ita, Por, Spa) since 1966.  Where all the games were at Wembley.

 

Let’s hope all the EURO 2028 games are at Wembley  

Aye wasn't gonna mention Spain. They weren't the Spain they became! And it was a Germany in decline but still a big footballing nation.

[joeyt]

1 hour ago, Disco said:

 

FFS.

 

 

[The College Dropout]

32 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Nah, beat France and that’s a blinding result irrespective of injuries.  It would be England’s best result in half a century

Aye outside of England, whose the best team England have beaten in a KO game?

Cameroon? Colombia?

 

[54]

Next round is on ITV again 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by 54

[The College Dropout]

26 minutes ago, jack j said:

Just looking and in my lifetime (born August 90) the only "proper" elite footballing country we've beat in a knockout game was Germany last year. At a push spain on pens in euro 96 First decent opposition we face have knocked us out

 

Same again next week

All in England.

[Rafalove]

 

[TheBrownBottle]

25 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Aye outside of England, whose the best team England have beaten in a KO game?

Cameroon? Colombia?

 

Still feels like Cameroon for me - though Colombia was a tough game - and let’s be honest, it took some ‘gamesmanship’ for us to get past them.
 

Having said that, that Belgium team in ‘90 still had a few of their SF side from ‘86 in peak form.  Enzo Scifo was still a sublime footballer.  

[LiquidAK]

In my lifetime pre-Southgate we'd won 3 games of knockout football. Under Southgate we've won 6. The idea that we historically breeze past the weaker teams and then come unstuck against the heavyweights doesn't really ring true - England for most of my life have been chronic underachievers, often struggling to get out of the groups or sometimes even qualifying for tournaments at all. The man's not perfect but the level of criticism he gets is mad given the relative success he's brought.

[Cronky]

If it ends up in pens against France, I'd bring on Pope. Someone who can really fill the goal.

[dorty]

I'm that old we've won it in my lifetime 

[ponsaelius]

Four favourites comfortably through so far. Some upsets next couple of days wouldn't go amiss.

[Robster]

1 hour ago, joeyt said:

 

 

That was rapid

[Nobody]

1 hour ago, LiquidAK said:

Right?? 

 

"Aye wait til we play a good team"

 

Beat Germany, pretty comfortably too.

 

"Aye but.... it was at Wembley... and they're not THAT good......"

 

Just no winning  

 

Still think the French will prove a bit too much for us mind

They've failed to qualify from their group two World cups in a row, and went out in the first knock out game of the last Euros. I highly doubt there's ever been a German side this bad before like. 

[Kid Icarus]

Their team with Jancker in was worse on paper imo. This one's probably worse in terms of results though.

[Disco]

16 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

Four favourites comfortably through so far. Some upsets next couple of days wouldn't go amiss.

Be amazed if there’s any tomorrow but I’ll be popping a bet on a Morocco & Swiss double for Tues.

[ponsaelius]

Genuinely don't think Germany played that bad in this tournament FWIW nor is the team that terrible. Early 2000s side was definitely worse despite that jammy run in 2002. Just seems to be something mentally not there and tactically stale about them at the moment. And the lack of a proper CF both in terms of available players and system is completely un-German like. 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by ponsaelius

[The Prophet]

4 minutes ago, Disco said:

Be amazed if there’s any tomorrow but I’ll be popping a bet on a Morocco & Swiss double for Tues.

 

I could potentially see Switzerland chinning Portugal on the day if they have a go. I have a feeling they'll set up to contain like they did v Brazil though.

[McDog]

Just finished watching the game. Congrats to England!

 

I thought Bellingham was really good today and England as a whole played very well. Let's se if the Three Lions can take down an impressive France and Mbappe.

[ponsaelius]

Spain went out in group stages 2014 and then last 16 of both Euro 2016 and Russia. But I don't think they had a bad side for any of those tournaments. Just the sense that things has gone stale and teams had figured out how to beat a side that couldn't quite play how they wanted to anymore. This Germany definitely feels similar.

 

 

[Disco]

14 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

Genuinely don't think Germany played that bad in this tournament FWIW nor is the team that terrible. Early 2000s side was definitely worse despite that jammy run in 2002. Just seems to be something mentally not there and tactically stale about them at the moment. And the lack of a proper CF both in terms of available players and system is completely un-German like. 

 

 

 

Can’t help but think they’ve fucked themselves with player development a bit now the older guard has gone and they’re left with a boat load of pressing and technically decent midfielders/wide players but little else as nearly the whole league plays the same type of football.
 

Probably no surprise that their best prospect grew up initially outside their system in Musiala.

 

Regardless, it’s very weird how gasping people are to write off Southgate. I don’t rate him much but it’s agenda central to find an angle to have a pop. 

[Nobody]

11 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

Genuinely don't think Germany played that bad in this tournament FWIW nor is the team that terrible. Early 2000s side was definitely worse despite that jammy run in 2002. Just seems to be something mentally not there and tactically stale about them at the moment. And the lack of a proper CF both in terms of available players and system is completely un-German like. 

 

 

 

I didn't mean in terms of quality, because they are one of the best sides in the world there. Just that they've had a horrendous run in the tournaments lately.

It stands out so much because it's Germany as well mind, we're so used to them just being a well oiled machine and beating countries with ease, especially after they were so good in Brazil. 

[The Prophet]

4 minutes ago, Disco said:

Can’t help but think they’ve fucked themselves with player development a bit now the older guard has gone and they’re left with a boat load of pressing and technically decent midfielders/wide players but little else as nearly the whole league plays the same type of football.
 

Probably no surprise that their best prospect grew up initially outside their system in Musiala.

 

Regardless, it’s very weird how gasping people are to write off Southgate. I don’t rate him much but it’s agenda central to find an angle to have a pop. 

 

It's bizarre. We've cruised into the WC QF without breaking sweat and people are still getting stuck into him.

 

There are far better coaches and tacticians out there, but it's like people can't separate that from what he's actually achieved over the last few years.