EURO 2020 (2021 Edition)

But really my conclusion is that we could do without national anthems before sporting events. As Platini said, La Marseillaise is a war chant more than anything and doesn’t belong to a football setting.

Bad take on La Marseillaise always ignore the revolutionary element, on the other hand all nation states are bullshit so

I miss the days when most of the English side didn't sing the anthem, it was Hodgson who changed that.

i was listening to some old boy on the radio a few days ago - maybe Waddle? can't remember - who was saying that Robson insisted on them all singing the anthem

you wanna be balanced but these fascists give you nothing

tbf most teams - and the backroom staff! - sing like maniacs now

i am a little more forgiving towards non-monarchies but yeah

In the build up for one of the England games Gary Neville said not singing the anthem was one of his biggest regrets.

remember one world cup when zamarono was absolutely belting out the Chilean anthem and getting super emotional and my reaction was ahh that's great, then I had the thought that if that was an England player tearing up at gstq I would be repulsed. so yeah other nations belting out anthems has never bothered me so I guess it's stupid to throw shade at England players doing the same.

It helps if your anthem doesn't exclude aethiests and republicans though

ITV1 are showing 'The Italian Job' this afternoon.

Austria is the template for Eng.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2021/jul/11/tactical-battle-euro-2020-final-england-italy

Nadeem Zahawi on Andrew Marr talking about hoping that people on public transport will continue to wear masks in some kind of display of national coming together, "We hope people can tap in to the Gareth Southgate spirit".

Local mosque is showing the game and doing a bbq but asking folk to convert to Islam before they can attend. 3000 people have converted so far. The local constabulary know what’s going on but is powerless to act due to identity politics

— Y (@MQUTins) July 11, 2021

That's Twitter humour, right?

Yes Tom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JPM6I1bVfs

me, tonight

🚨 | NEW: Fireworks outside Italy’s hotel in London last night

pic.twitter.com/7vOWYwlBDL

— News For All (@NewsForAllUK) July 11, 2021

green laser pointer in that video too. People do suck.

(oddly i heard fireworks last night too, over Acton way by the sounds. and also at 3:30 one morning earlier in the week. same thing?)

Fireworks outside hotels have been going on for 50 years now. I think the earliest example I can think of was it happening to England at a tournament (Mexico 70? Or was the false arrest of Bobby Moore the only shithousery at that tournament?).

If I were a visiting team I would simply scatter myself across a few reliable Air B&Bs

ITV1 are showing 'The Italian Job' this afternoon.

― Being cheap is expensive (snoball), Sunday, 11 July 2021 09:35 (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

^^^at the end of this movie the caine gang are set to go out on pens iirc

Perhaps England can win by getting Benny Hill to cause a traffic jam?

(to the tune of 'Yakety Sax' of course)

now checking bet365 odds on "bald ref headslap action"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=658OZx14Fkk

Immobile To Assist Insigne And Insigne To Assist Immobile 250/1

I don't even bet on sporting outcomes anymore - I just put my quid on pleasing sounding phrases at big odds.

Hahaha

Met Office site is predicting an absolute fucking downpour in the London area, starting around 8pm tonight! Here's hoping.

every single tactic described in that guardian article has holes in it. i do agree that a back four is better for england. but for starters, i doubt kane will be able to get away with acting as the link he was in previous games. also, the subtle height slight was funny. the italians have been used to being that short for most of history, that has never stopped them.

Feel like we as a nation are owed this one after the last time we all came together on a Sunday night for that fucking final episode of Line of Duty

six series of hurt

Bottles and Missiles are currently being thrown in Leicester Square, London.

pic.twitter.com/22SXEHZ6yL

— The Left Wing Society 🇵🇸 (@LeftWingSociety) July 11, 2021

a midday KO might have been a good idea

gives you a warm feeling inside

The teams
Italy: Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson, Barella, Jorginho, Verratti, Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne.
Subs: Sirigu, Locatelli, Belotti, Berardi, Pessina, Acerbi, Cristante, Bernardeschi, Bastoni, Florenzi, Toloi, Meret.

England: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Phillips, Rice, Shaw, Mount, Sterling, Kane.
Subs: Grealish, Henderson, Rashford, Ramsdale, Mings, Coady, Sancho, Calvert-Lewin, Johnstone, James, Saka, Bellingham.

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland)

Parking the bus?

Walker, Trippier and Shaw?

Same back line that saw out the end of the semi iirc

i can testify that the trains from billericay were full of drunk fuckheads from noon onwards

bjorn kuipers has a tintin-esque quiff so i'm already down £1000

The Italian Job (2021)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jul/11/euro-2020-final-wembley-fans-break-barrier-england-italy

Predictions anyone? Going for Italy 2-0 at 90 mins

I think England will score but that's as far I'm going prediction-wise.

I'm going with my bet. Italy to win on pennes

2-1 Italy in 90 mins

1-0 to Italy aet

Man the look of murder on Keane's face as they belted out Sweet Caroline

so southgate reverted to a 5-3-2. i feel like this makes him look desperate and doesn't have a lot of confidence in his squad.

i think italy will be forced to play a wider game with england trying to run the ball up the pitch. they'll most likely try to stifle harry kane, making some of the wingers more dangerous.

but contrast that formation to italy's 4-3-3 (more experienced). their players are a lot more well-rounded and can switch positions easier, i feel. it'll be interesting if they'll switch to a more 3-2-5. but i would use a 3-3-4/3-3-2-2, leaving a hole on the attacking half of the centre zone, essentially trapping england's midfielders in a little circle, so in this case, italy would have the midfield and the wide flanks covered, basically cancelling out any attacking game england is capable of

I'm hatewatching the full on nausea fest on BBC.

Why is Tom Cruise everywhere? xp - ITV is tolerable