Euro Football Championship 2021

[Dan]

Usually a better tournament than the World Cup as the also-rans are eliminated in the group stages.

There should be some excellent games.

The only thing that can ruin it will be VAR and/or the commentators. Thank God for the mute button.




Looking at the possible 1st XI's, England strike me as a good EFL Championship side.



Some of the others look a bit tasty.












Two favourite shirts - Finland 1st strip and Portugal 2nd strip.

Portugal's would have made a good 2nd strip for Warwick Bolam.





Think England will win for best smart, casual barbecue shirt.




I would have been supporting Scotland if they'd chosen either of the shirts below for their 2nd strip.

[Bernie R]

Very unusual for me but I'm finding it very difficult to get at all excited about this tournament.

Hopefully that will pass as it gathers speed.

Bern

[bob. b]

Thanks, Dan.
Looking forward to it starting don't pin any hope for England.

Bobby.

[Dan]

Euro 2020 - Winner Betting Odds

Just the odds from BET365. Can't believe the Magical Magyars are at 400/1.

England at shorter odds than Belgium.


France 9/2

England 5

Belgium 11/2

Italy 8

Germany 7

Portugal 8

Spain 8

Netherlands 14

Denmark 25

Croatia 33

Turkey 50

Switzerland 66

Poland 80

Ukraine 50

Sweden 100

Austria 80

Russia 66

Czech Republic 150

Wales 200

Scotland 200

Finland 500

Hungary 400

North Macedonia 500

Slovakia 400

[Bernie R]

Just got 9/1 off Betfred for Portugal - only a quid each way but it's an interest

[Dan]

I love computer simulations.

Goldman Sachs Research Group have looked at the Euros.

The table below is the probability of each team reaching each stage.




The next table shows the results at the knock-out stage. (England go out to Spain, on penalties, in the quarter-finals.)




The final table shows the disparity between the computer forecast and betting odds.



Sorry Bern, Portugal lose to Belgium in the semis.


Based on the probabilities Belgium is the best bet, although in the real world it's always best to back the winner.

[Bernie R]

Dan

That simulation is obviously flawed as it has us beating the Germans!

[Dan]

I did notice than Bern, but it may be correct because it didn't go to penalties.

[Dan]

Best opening game to a tournament I've seen in a while.

Chellini is great. The only player ever to leave a mark on him was Suarez.

Wales v Switzerland at 2 today.

Think I'll be watching it on S4C, though I'll have to select the English commentary.

Then it's Captain Mainwaring's boys tomorrow.

Been wondering who the next England manager will be.

Eddie Howe looks like the right sort - able to spot the difference between the butter knife and the fish knife.

I think Roy Hodgson might allowed his name to be whispered in the right circles.

Don't know how Southgate ever got the job. Most significant achievement was pulling a paper bag over his head.

[Dan]

Netherland Ukraine game has been the best I've seen so far.

Two teams playing up and down the pitch rather than side to side.

Yarmalenko's goal was top class.





On the England, Jonathan Northcroft from the Sunday Times thought Stirling's goal a riposte to the " knee booers".

What world do these people live in?

At 8.30 on Friday morning a 15 year old boy was stabbed to death on his way to school in Hayes London.

No vigils. No flowers. No on the spot hourly news bulletins. No dance routine from Diversity.

It wasn't a racially motivated murder, so it doesn't count. Forget about it.

From tonight's (Sunday) My London site:

5 stabbed and 2 dead in 24 hours of violence in London

Brixton shooting: First pictures from the scene after 6 shot and one man stabbed

Boy, 13, stabbed in Putney knife attack

To knee or not to knee. It's a complete irrelevance.

[filsgreen]

I was in the Bellie's last night, Dan and the match was on there. When the Netherlands scored first there was a roar from one of the patrons. I thought it was a bit over the top, when they scored the second, he went into hyper mode. I spoke to a lad in there and asked him why he was so excited, he said the guy expected to get £13000 on a bet. He must have been having kittens when Ukraine equalised.

[Dan]

Wow.

Netherlands were 4/7, Ukraine 11/2. The draw was 14/5.

Netherlands win probability was 61%, Ukraine 15% and the draw valued at 24%.


I'll be happy if we get to see another 3 games as enjoyable as last night's game.

Looking forward to Scotland this afternoon. Scotland 13/8, Czech Republic 2/1, draw 2/1.

[Dan]

Scotland disappointing.

Poland disappointing.

Spain disappointing.

Great goal by Schick for the Czechs.










Horrible miss by Berg for Sweden. TV didn't do it justice.

[Dan]

How good has the application of VAR been in these championships? Seamless.

We're told the EPL is the world's premier football league, but, in terms of officiating, it is appalling.

Hopefully someone with half a brain is watching, but I'm not confident.

Expect we'll be back to another utter debacle next season.

[Dan]

England v Scotland

Best forward pass by an England player was from the goalkeeper.

Kane has had a tough season, coming back too early from his ankle ligament damage.

His desire to win the Golden Boot has compromised his fitness for the tournament, and no Son to play off.

Only player I'd want for LFC is Foden, but Andy Robertson had a brilliant game against him.

Johnathan Northcroft, of the Sunday Times, mentioned Southgate's job is secure whatever the performance.

Also said Southgate is seen as a future chairman of the FA. I'm not surprised.

[Bonesy]

Best player was Pickford England seem to adopt a "we're better than them"
Attitude. I think they believe the hype that surrounds them..
Stirling and Kane were pretty dire. Get Calvert Lewin on for the next game.

Keith

[Dan]

Another cracking game.



Havertz 3-1



Robin Gosens 4-1



A joy to watch passes being snapped in to team mates. The pace and skill on show was exceptional.

Two more games like that and I'll be happy. Things may get more conservative in the KO stage.



From Richard Jolly in this month's FourFour Two.

"It is a failing of English football that it struggles to produce its version of Xavi,

but Spain may suffer from an inability to develop a Frank Lampard."

Watching Spain v Poland now, to see if Spain have met with any success in their search.

[Dan]

Fun fact from Richard Jolly's twitter feed.

"Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku, Ivan Perisic and Xherdan Shaqiri have scored in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups

and Euro 2016 and 2020."


Shaq's 1st goal yesterday.



Great footballer but a poor middle-distance runner. I think LFC's midfield and forwards cover 11km/game minimum.

Milner racked up 13.1 km in one game.

I think Shaqiri would cover more ground than Alisson, but I wouldn't bet on it.

If it were allowed he would be LFC's designated kicker, on the bench ready to go on and take all free kicks and corners.

One of the cleanest strikers of a ball I've seen.

Pleased Wales are through. Hope Scotland make it, but I don't think they will.

I think England will need to score more than one goal against the Czechs or they will be playing their next game in Copenhagen.

[Dan]

Sterling's goal



Pickford save



Sterling chance




Opta probabilities for England's next opponents; Germany 42.3%, France 29.3%, Portugal 25.8%, Hungary 2.6%


Think it's going to be attritional from here on in. Bit like the 16 EPL teams that come to Anfield each season.

11 men behind the ball. Wait for corners, set-pieces or a ref's blunder. Failing that it will be penalties.

Not sure about the London fan-boy journalists waxing lyrical over Gilmour and Saka.

Hope they make it, but don't rule out Wilshere/Dele Alli (remember him?) syndrome.

[bob. b]

Now it starts getting interesting and good football
Think Kane needs to up the anti not playing well for England.

[bob. b]

Like l said starting to get interesting
SVK 0 - Spain 5
England not good enough never work together for me.

Bobby

[Dan]

Some pics from yesterday's games.

Dubravka penalty save



Dubravka o.g.



Ronaldo. How to take a penalty






Last 16



Can't help thinking the winner will come from the left side of the draw.


The Times today carries the obituary of Giampiero Boniperti of Juve and Italy, one of the first overseas players I remember.

He played in a great Juve side alongside Omar Sivori (Argentina), John Charles (Wales), Giampiero Boniperti (Italy).

[Dan]

Wasn't expecting Italy v Austria to be such a good game.

Three good goals.

Chiesa 1 0

Control


Shot


Goal


Pessina 2 0



Kalajdzic 2 1










Pity about Wales. Just not good enough.

[Dan]

Pretty good night of football.

Rush of blood from De Ligt saw off Holland, and probably Frank de Boer as well.

Czechs look solid and professional.




Holland XI
Back row; Stekelenburg, Dumfries, De Ligt, De Vrij, De Roon, Blind
Front row; F. De Jong, Depay, Van Aanholt, Wijnaldum, Malen




Czech Republic XI
Back row; Vaclik, Soucek, Schick, Kalas, Celustka, Barak
Front row; Coufal, Masopust, Sevcik, Kaderabek, Holes



De Ligt red card.



Holes 1 0



Schick 2 0




I think France, Portugal, Belgium and Italy are the top 4 teams in the competition.

Pity all four were in the same half of the draw.


Belgium XI
Back row; Courtois, Lukaku, Witsel, Alderwiereld, Meunier, Vertonghen,
Front row; T.Hazard, Tielemans, De Bruyne, E.Hazard, Vermaelen.


Portugal XI
Back row; Pepe, Dias, Palhinha, Dalot, Patricio, Ronaldo
Front row; Moutinho, B.Silva, Sanches, Guerreiro, Jota

Thorgan Hazard 1 0





Renato Sanches of Belgium

[Dan]

Best game of the tournament so far.



Croatia XI
Back row; Petkovic, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol, Vida, Livakovic, Rebic
Front row; Brozovic, Juranovic, Kovacic, Vlasic, Modric




Spain XI
Back row; Ferran Torres, Laporte, Sergio Busquets, Morata, Unai Simon
Front row; Azpilicueta, Sarabia, Pedri, Koke, Gaya, Eric Garcia


From the ridiculous to the sublime.

Pedri 49 yard assist



Simon og 1 0



Sarabia 1 1



Azpilicueta 2 1



Torres 3 1



Orsic 3 2



Pasalic 3 3



Full time

Simon save from Kramaric at 3-3 in extra time.



Morata 4 3



Oyarzabal 5 3

[filsgreen]

Great result for the Swiss, they just never gave up. I hope England has the same attitude tomorrow night.

[Dan]

You wait for one great game, then two come along together.

One of the best teams in the world out-worked and out-fought by a decent second tier team.

FIFA ranking 13th, one place below Germany.



France XI
Back row; Pogba, Rabiot, Pavard, Varane, Benzema, Lloris
Front row; Kimpembe, Lenglet, Kante, Griezman, Mbappé




Switzerland XI
Back row; Rodriguez, Elvedi, Seferovic, Xhaka, Akanji, Sommer
Front row; Embolo, Widmer, Freuler, Zuber, Shaqiri


Seferovic 0 1



Lloris penalty save



Benzema 1 1



Benzema 2 1



Pogba 3 1





Seferovic 3 2



Gavranovic 3 3



Full Time

Sommer saves Mbappe's penalty in the shoot out.

[bob. b]

Come on England Walker will be the main man please play safe
Hope is the day
Great football yesterday

Bobby

[Dan]

Another great game.

City will probably regret offering Sterling to Tottenham as one of the possible makeweights in a Kane deal.




England XI
Back row; Walker, Philips, Pickford, Maguire, Stones, Rice, Shaw
Front row; Saka, Sterling, Kane, Trippier





Germany XI
Back row; Neuer, Kroos, Rüdiger, Goretzka, Hummels, Ginter, Havertz
Front row; Kimmich, Gosens, Müller, Werner



Pickford save from Werner in the first half.





Kane chance at the end of the first half.





Pickford save from Havertz



Sterling 1 0








Thomas Müller miss.

Rotten way for such a great player to end his international career.








Kane 2 0







Full Time

[Dan]

Not a cracker but Ukraine won't care about that.

Brilliant result for them.



Sweden XI
Back row; Olsen, Danielson, Ekdal, Lindelöf, Kuluselvski, Isak
Front row; Lustig, Augustinsson, Forsberg, Larsson, Olsson





Ukraine XI
Back row; Yarmolenko, Zabarnyi, Stepanenko, Buschan, Kryvtsov, Sydorchuk
Front row; Karavaev, Shaparenko, Matviyenko, Zinchenko, Yaremchuk

Zinchenko 1 0






Forsberg 1 1






2nd half

Forsberg cross bar



Forsberg crossbar again



Extra time

Danielson red card



Dovbyk winner at 120 minutes 37 seconds






Quarter Finals

[Eddy Lloyd]

Great pics and fixture lists Dan.

[Dan]

Cheers Ed.

Some updated probabilities for the quarter finals from this morning's Times.

The probabilities for Belgium/Italy are reduced because they play each other next.



Head-to-head records. I had to correct the Denmark/Czech Republic figures. They were a bit off.




Finally. Thought this might be of interest.

L'Equipe's ratings for the France/Switzerland game.

Interesting that the grown-ups weren't swayed by Pogba's "worldie" as much as the thumbites on twitter.



I hope he stays at United.

[Dan]

If Spain had a half decent striker they'd score 6 goals a game.

Moreno, Moratta and Llorente haven't been at the races so far.

Penalty shoot out was one of the worst I've seen.

Zakarias og 1 0





Shaqiri 1 1





Freuler red card







Penalties



Oyarzabal's winning penalty





Full time

[Dan]

Belgium Italy should have been the final.

The speed the two teams played at was staggering.



Italy XI
Back row; Chiellini, Spinazzola , Chiesa, Immobile, Donnarumma, Bonucci
Front row; Di Lorenzo, Verrati, Insigne, Jorginho, Barella

Barella 1 0




Insigne 2 0






Lukaku penalty 2 1





Lukaku chance at 2 1 in the 2nd half.





Full time

[Dan]

One from the Copa America Brazil v Chile game.

Gabriel Jesus sent off for a tackle on Mena of Chile.