The general Euro2024 chit chat thread

[Winston Biscuit]

A thread for general Euro 2024 chat away from actual matches.

So, who's your tip to win, dark horses, top goalscorer etc?

Only starting looking at all this in the last few days (didn't even know who was in our group!).

While I can't help but go with the obvious choice of France to win, there is something really very nice looking to the Portgal team and I can see them doing well. Trying to map routes though the tournament, if they play as I think they will then they should get to the semi's, at which point it becomes pointless trying to see any further imo.

[Snowflake Royal]

Hoping for a good home showing from the Germans. And I've got Denmark in the work sweepstake.


Winners will be someone I don't like much.

[Winston Biscuit]

Was looking at Lukaku as golden boot winner due to the relative ease of the group they are in, but by my reckoning Belgium may well meet France straight after the group stage

[Franchise FC]

Mrs F has just bought a Euros t-shirt …. España all over it

I get integrating and I’ll keep an eye on Spain, but that’s ……

[Winston Biscuit]

Was surprised to see Andy Brassell, a decent euro football journalist, say that he is predicting Spain will finish bottom of their group, below Italy, Croatia & Albania

[Winston Biscuit]

Also keep seeing pundits say how Albania are going to surprise everyone, and I am wondering what I have missed?!

[Franchise FC]

Was surprised to see Andy Brassell, a decent euro football journalist, say that he is predicting Spain will finish bottom of their group, below Italy, Croatia & Albania

Bloody hell, I hope not
The atmosphere around here would implode

[South Coast Royal]

Was surprised to see Andy Brassell, a decent euro football journalist, say that he is predicting Spain will finish bottom of their group, below Italy, Croatia & Albania

Can't see it-their squad may not be as strong as in their winning years but I still put it up there in the top 6.

Their Barcelona youngsters are first class and in Rodri IMHO have the best midfielder in world football and with Raya, Carvajal, Laporte and Nacho in their defence there is good experience and IMHO it is no worse than ours.

[Snowflake Royal]

What are we saying the favourites are?

France
Portugal
Belgium
England
Spain
Germany



Hungary, Romania, Netherlands in there?

[Winston Biscuit]

Was surprised to see Andy Brassell, a decent euro football journalist, say that he is predicting Spain will finish bottom of their group, below Italy, Croatia & Albania

Can't see it-their squad may not be as strong as in their winning years but I still put it up there in the top 6.

Their Barcelona youngsters are first class and in Rodri IMHO have the best midfielder in world football and with Raya, Carvajal, Laporte and Nacho in their defence there is good experience and IMHO it is no worse than ours.

Nico Williams is the boy for Spain as far as I am concerned. Reckon he could really do something special this tournament.

Interestingly* i was listening to a Euro build up thing the other day and when talking about Spain they pointed out that the expected starting centre back pairing are both actually French.

[Ascotexgunner]

Portugal for me. Got a really decent starting 11. I think England might bomb, They just look a bit fragile at the back and if they go a goal behind the plan B of TAA just throwing balls in the box won't work.....

[Franchise FC]

Slightly ironic that the first VAR controversy appears to involve Michael Oliver
No idea who the VAR team are but the penalty to Croatia, and the consequent miss, is just a shambles

Rodri brings down (we’ll come back to that in a minute) having made no attempt to play the ball. Not only was he the last man but the keeper was nowhere to be seen. As I understand the laws as they stand, if you make a genuine attempt fir the ball, then it’s yellow if you give away a penalty as last defender
So far, should be red for Rodri, but no red issued
However, VAR shows NO contact, indeed Croatia player has thrown himself to the floor
Amazingly, the penalty is confirmed

Penalty is saved, rebound goes to Croatia player who crosses for penalty taker to score
Three potential VAR issues
1. Goalkeeper is off his line before the ball is kicked
2. Croatia player that crosses the rebound is encroaching (along with half the Spain team)
3. Scorer might have been offside

So, first offence is the keeper, since if he doesn’t come off his line, he probably doesn’t save the penalty, thus rendering irrelevant the subsequent issue
However, VAR decide that the encroachment is the deciding factor

Hasn’t really affected the result
Rodri has a yellow card he probably didn’t deserve
It shouldn’t have been a penalty in the first place so no goal is just about right

Well, blow me down with a feather
It’s not VAR that’s the issue, it’s those using it

[Snowflake Royal]

Slightly ironic that the first VAR controversy appears to involve Michael Oliver
No idea who the VAR team are but the penalty to Croatia, and the consequent miss, is just a shambles

Rodri brings down (we’ll come back to that in a minute) having made no attempt to play the ball. Not only was he the last man but the keeper was nowhere to be seen. As I understand the laws as they stand, if you make a genuine attempt fir the ball, then it’s yellow if you give away a penalty as last defender
So far, should be red for Rodri, but no red issued
However, VAR shows NO contact, indeed Croatia player has thrown himself to the floor
Amazingly, the penalty is confirmed

Penalty is saved, rebound goes to Croatia player who crosses for penalty taker to score
Three potential VAR issues
1. Goalkeeper is off his line before the ball is kicked
2. Croatia player that crosses the rebound is encroaching (along with half the Spain team)
3. Scorer might have been offside

So, first offence is the keeper, since if he doesn’t come off his line, he probably doesn’t save the penalty, thus rendering irrelevant the subsequent issue
However, VAR decide that the encroachment is the deciding factor

Well, blow me down with a feather

There was 100% contact. Its a red card all day long as no attempt to play the ball. Definite penalty. Absolutely no way the player goes down with an open goal as a dive.

And then, did look like keeper off his line, then Perisic encroaching, scorer onside.

VAR and officating had been virtually flawless in the first two games.

The best praise Lee Dixon can sum up for the 'best' English ref is that he's always up with play. What a oxf*rd high bar that isn’t.

[Winston Biscuit]

Looking forward to seeing how Chiesa does tonight. Not been the same since his bad injury but still a great talent

[Loafer]

Martin Adam, number 9 for Hungary who plays for K league champions Ulsan is the most sunday league looking professional footballer ever

[Loafer]

Looks like he's just come back from a 20 pint bender on a Saturday and a pre match kebab

[Winston Biscuit]

23 seconds!!!

[sputnik]

23s lol

[sputnik]

normal service resumed

[PieEater]

Portugal for me. Got a really decent starting 11. I think England might bomb, They just look a bit fragile at the back and if they go a goal behind the plan B of TAA just throwing balls in the box won't work.....

It's not just the fragile defence, the whole team of talented players seem clueless how to play as a team or with any sort of system. Compare that to Germany, who arguably player for player aren't as good yet each player knows their system and as a result they play a lot better.

They might as well play an open game and try to score as many as possible as I can't see them hanging on to any lead.