[sdm]

Wilson also walked for a foul that was almost identical to one of Verratti's many cynical fouls; for which Veratti wasn't even booked.

The amount of cynical fouling and diving is the main reason for me losing interest in football over the years. "Good fouls" are one of the most effective methods of defence to stop any attack that has decent momentum. I would rather see every one of these intentional fouls where there was no attempt to play the ball punished with a red card or a yellow card with a sin-bin. Instead, nearly all of them are punished with at most a yellow card, but a handful of them per season (such as Wilson's) get a red despite no difference in severity.

The use of VAR across the tournament was awful. There is no consistency when the default is to only overturn the most egregious of refereeing errors. If VAR is to have any value, 2 identical plays have to result in 2 identical decisions.

Rugby is such a great example of how to use technology to try and reach consistently correct decisions and inform the fans of how the referees made those decisions. But football insists on a rubbish hybrid that achieves no consistency and doesn't inform players of how the referees reach their decision, leaving fans feeling unneccessarily angry.

[Wellsy]

People always say this but tbh I thought the refereeing in the final was fantastic, I loved what that ref was doing. Crack on and keep playing.

[danm]

I agree, generally fantastic fluid refereeing, allowing play to continue and allow advantage instead of stop start bullshit. One of the highest quality tournaments in modern times for attacking, positive play and for the officiating allowing this, I thought.

[Ged]

watch out for the specks of dust getting in your eyes...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/57805083

[nai]

Call that dusty...

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/raheem-sterling-england-it-was-all-a-dream

[sdm]

I agree, generally fantastic fluid refereeing, allowing play to continue and allow advantage instead of stop start bullshit. One of the highest quality tournaments in modern times for attacking, positive play and for the officiating allowing this, I thought.

I agree that the use of advantage and letting the games flow was generally good.

But of the games that I watched (about 4 live, plus highlights of a few more), the referees got a large number of the major decisions (goal/no goal, penalties and red cards) wrong.

These mistakes can decide games. With the technology they have available, this number of mistakes shouldn't happen.

Maybe I just happened to watch the games where the referees and VAR performed poorly on the major decisions.

[Ged]

How did they get goal/no goal wrong?  That's just a buzz on their watch isn't it?

[sdm]

I meant as in whether or not a goal should have been disallowed due to fouls etc in build up, not whether it had crossed the line.

[mark20]

How did they get goal/no goal wrong?  That's just a buzz on their watch isn't it?

not in this competition but t has happened-
Sheffield United’s “ghost goal” against Aston Villa a couple of seasons ago, when it clearly crossed the line but the watch didn’t buzz. VAR didn’t over rule. Finished 0-0 and that point may have kept Villa up that season. Some Sheffield United fans are still bitter about it ...
I’ll post my thoughts on the Euros when I’ve fully recovered 

[Wellsy]

How did they get goal/no goal wrong?  That's just a buzz on their watch isn't it?

not in this competition but t has happened-
Sheffield United’s “ghost goal” against Aston Villa a couple of seasons ago, when it clearly crossed the line but the watch didn’t buzz. VAR didn’t over rule. Finished 0-0 and that point may have kept Villa up that season. Some Sheffield United fans are still bitter about it ...
I’ll post my thoughts on the Euros when I’ve fully recovered 

This one is

[SA Chris]

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19436757.worcester-dad-says-twitter-account-hacked-racist-football-tweet/

Uh-huh. sure mate

[galpinos]

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19436757.worcester-dad-says-twitter-account-hacked-racist-football-tweet/

Uh-huh. sure mate

Same defence as the Manchester estate agent.

[SA Chris]

I know, amazing coincidence. Someone hacks your account purely to make a racist comment.

[SamT]

Usual Pie vitriol .. but kinda sums up my feelings.

[highrepute]

Very cathartic viewing.

I can just imagine Rashford trying to calm himself for his penalty. And yet, thoughts of children not getting school dinners keep creeping in. He starts his run up and tear wells in his eye, his vision obscured. And the rest, as they say, is history.

[SA Chris]

Do we rename this thread, or start a new one?

[Nails]

Bit premature. Can't see them getting past the quarters.

[SA Chris]

I meant as a Euros discussion thread in general. Agree they are not looking that great.

[Nails]

Keeps picking best players, instead of playing players in their best positions.

[danm]

I for one am sickened by the tedious entitlement shown by what seems to be the majority of the fanbase. Southgate probably feels compelled to pick certain players because when in their corruptly state sponsored teams they are called world class and the fans scream blue murder if they aren't included.

He then has to meld them into a cohesive whole, knowing he cannot hope to replicate the honed precision they work within when playing for City and the rest, so instead he keeps it basic and tries to create a team ethos and at least some sense of respectability.

There seems something almost sinister in the way he has since been targeted for failing to win, despite being objectively extremely successful as a national manager. I'm sure it can't be related to him being overly woke or anything...

Tl:dr most England fans appear to be shrieking pant wetting pricks.

[teestub]

I for one am sickened by the tedious entitlement shown by what seems to be the majority of the fanbase. Southgate probably feels compelled to pick certain players because when in their corruptly state sponsored teams they are called world class and the fans scream blue murder if they aren't included.

He then has to meld them into a cohesive whole, knowing he cannot hope to replicate the honed precision they work within when playing for City and the rest, so instead he keeps it basic and tries to create a team ethos and at least some sense of respectability.

Is this different from any other national team manager? Or is it that you think English players value is artificially inflated, as they have the most expensive squad on paper. I'm not a football guy, so interested what the difference is.

[webbo]

I for one am sickened by the tedious entitlement shown by what seems to be the majority of the fanbase. Southgate probably feels compelled to pick certain players because when in their corruptly state sponsored teams they are called world class and the fans scream blue murder if they aren't included.

He then has to meld them into a cohesive whole, knowing he cannot hope to replicate the honed precision they work within when playing for City and the rest, so instead he keeps it basic and tries to create a team ethos and at least some sense of respectability.

There seems something almost sinister in the way he has since been targeted for failing to win, despite being objectively extremely successful as a national manager. I'm sure it can't be related to him being overly woke or anything...

Tl:dr most England fans appear to be shrieking pant wetting pricks.

Just the odd generalisation/ sweeping statement there damn

[spidermonkey09]

I dunno danm. They have been extremely bad so far this tournament. I rate Southgate hugely but i do wonder if this is a tournament too far for him. I'm no football expert but good judges whose opinions I respect were flabbergasted at eg. him saying we missed Kalvin Phillips, who hasn't been selectable for over a year now. The planning for this tournament feels very slapdash (no left back, no working midfield) and I think criticising that is very fair. The players have copped their fair share as well, Kane especially.

[Wellsy]

Look it's coming home, alright?

It's coming home... 

[JamieG]

I think both are true really. England have not played as well as they could/should. However as always the expectations on them are totally wild. The commentators and pundits are being really critical I think. Tournament football is really hard. The cost of playing very expansive exciting football is high if you get it wrong. Easy to lose a cheeky goal and hard to blow teams totally away at this level. I’m struggling to think of a single team that has looked totally dominant in all their group games. Maybe Spain. Germany as always look dangerous.