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The 2015-2016 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Wales making history and long out of England's shadow. Awesome stuff!
Very impressive result, - some terrific goals - and a comfortable victory at the end for Wales.
Very, very well done; and I hope they knock the stuffing out of Portugal. (And Wales have actually gone out and won their matches, which is more than can be said for Portugal who have relied on penalties to see them through).
[doublepost=1467406530][/doublepost]
Yes, agreed, but Wales were riding their luck for a while - they could easily have conceded a penalty or two during that ten minute spell. Luck can cut both ways.
This will be critical in the semis. POR will likely have heavy legs having played two 120 minute games back to back vs Wales' 90s.
Will be fun to watch Bale vs. his club teammates Ronaldo and Pepe on Wed.
B
Up Bale and Wales.
No conflict in support, there.
Yes, agreed, it will be fun to see Bale up against his club teammates and I must confess that I would love to see Ronaldo embarrass himself. Another penalty striking the post will do for me....
Just the look of frustration on CR7's face throughout the past two games is enough for me.
EDIT: tomorrow is all about Italy for me.
B
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I was at the game and got an actual photo of the second goal...
Eh...is he though. The Ligue 1 is a walk in the park and even there he mostly stood still and waited for the ball to come to him. That won't happen in the EPL. At the very least he'll sell a lot of shirts and provide media entertainment.
I'm more interested in Mkhitaryan's move to be honest.
I'm more interested in Mkhitaryan's move to be honest.
And based on the faux pas by Man Utd yesterday, the Mkhitaryan deal is done...
Is Man Utd becoming like their city rivals? In any case, I got to watch a lot of the group stage matches, but not many last couple of weeks due to an exam I'm studying for.
Icelands win against England was pretty interesting, but England really did play awful. Rooney lost a lot of uncharacteristic balls just while he was dribbling in the 2nd half. Rashford was able to do more in 5 minutes than the whole team did in the 2nd half. I'm curious as to why the manager didn't sub him in earlier. Now that England is out, I guess I'm hoping Germany wins the whole tournament. Really like their play style and Neuer is the GOAT.
Icelands win against England was pretty interesting, but England really did play awful. Rooney lost a lot of uncharacteristic balls just while he was dribbling in the 2nd half. Rashford was able to do more in 5 minutes than the whole team did in the 2nd half. I'm curious as to why the manager didn't sub him in earlier. Now that England is out, I guess I'm hoping Germany wins the whole tournament. Really like their play style and Neuer is the GOAT.
To me, Hodgson played Rooney despite him having a terrible tournament. Too much faith. Rashford showed more heart!!!
Zlatan is 34 yrs old, his best days are behind him. never really liked him thou.
That's what Mourino brings to a club. Older players that are a short term option.
Then in a year or two when he leaves, there will be lots of older players on big money that you can only sell or release for a big lose.
So he will leave Nan U in a worse state than he found it.
Glad my team has a manager who looks to bring in younger players and looks to be at the club a long time.
Wale's Voxes' ancestors probably refused Hadrian's latin lessons, when they were asked "Will you write the nominative plural of Vox, correctly!" (joke for latin speakers 
or Monty Python fans maybe )
(Sorry, to harsh maybe, after me showing up so rarely lately But I agree on everything said here anyway, so... ).
or Monty Python fans maybe )The whole team was terrible. Don't forget Kayne's several goal attempts that went far off target (more like to the corner) into the sky. You would think this is possible once, if you're tackled or something maybe, but that, uh... I wonder though, if bringing in the subs from thebeginning would have changed much or if it was merely just an evening to forget for England anyway looking at the other players and then there is Hart, who would have equalized every goal that his teammates would have made at the other side of the pitch, still.
(Sorry, to harsh maybe, after me showing up so rarely lately
But I agree on everything said here anyway, so... ).
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Anybody watching Germany v Italy. Not feeling so confident about that sweep stake around now.
Can see this going to pens.
[doublepost=1467496719][/doublepost]Well that was a nervie shoot out.
But Germany go through.
Not a convincing win though.
Can see this going to pens.
[doublepost=1467496719][/doublepost]Well that was a nervie shoot out.
But Germany go through.
Not a convincing win though.
Germany were lucky. Once again Arsenal players can't seem to score from the spot. Just 12 yards people...
Yeah France put in a good show today. Glad that Iceland held them to a 3 goal lead and didn't give up even until the end. They will be a force to reckon with.
B
Thought the penalties in the Germany v Italy game hilarious.
(And both goalkeepers excelled).
Ever since (the Italian legend) Roberto Baggio blazed a penalty over the bar in the World Cup Final in 1994 I have been interested in this strange spectacle, that penalties - and above all, penalty shoot outs - present.
A penalty shoot out is compelling viewing, yes, almost addictively so. Tension and torture, an dripping.
But it also offers, affords, this test of skill, stress, it tests the ability to cope with pressure and is really a test of character, a lonely place when highly paid players can no longer hide or seek safe refuge in the collective scaffolding of the team, or the press spokesperson, or the manager, but must cope as individuals, and must make that stiff-legged walk alone to the penalty spot and test their ability to kick a ball, test their ability to kick it accurately, with force, aim it, and focus on where it should go. Above all, this test takes place in a context and setting where they are exposed, because the consequences of getting it wrong are so great. So, if you are paid stupid money to be able to kick a ball,
Now, of course, a goalkeeper will try to stop that shot. And, in a way, it is a contest - a kind of a gladiatorial contest, between the outfield player and a goalkeeper, and the goal, where the odds are stacked in favour of the overpaid, - often highly strung - forward, - or, sometimes, if it goes on long enough, a more stolid defender, but the outfield player must cope with the responsibility, the stress, the strain, the challenge of getting it right.
Sometimes, being in the eye of the world is not just about them worshipping you, and screaming your name, so that you develop that pouting jaded palate associated with a life of adulation, effortless ease, fame and bottomless entitlement; that long and lonely walk to the spot is about being able to take responsibility as you show that you have mastered the skill and craft by which you make your living. Sometimes, when the cameras of the world are on you, you have to step up - literally, and psychologically. The strain on the face of some footballers as they move to do this, the stiff legged walk, shows that - for some - attention without adulation is something they find difficult.
But, if your job description is about kicking a ball, and you receive a salary of five, or six figures a week to do so, I believe that the job description comes with being able to do so - kick a ball - reasonably well under pressure, such as when facing an opposing team's accomplished goalkeeper in the penalty shoot-out of the quarter-final of a European Championship.
Let's put it another way: It is culpable in the extreme not to have practiced penalties in this day and age just in case you need to be able to take one.
Now, tonight, Iceland lost to France, by two goals to five. For me, this was a head/heart dilemma.
Subjectively - because I love the narrative thrill of decent, charming, underdogs, the delight of being the entitled and arrogant upended - Iceland's joyful progress has been an unalloyed pleasure to watch.
Inevitably, the gulf in class was going to show, and, sooner or later - France, like some of those beautifully engineered Peugeots of the early twentieth century - could sometimes take a while to get going - but, France, as in 1998 - one they stutter and splutter into life, late in a tournament, can play with real skill, passion and conviction, and, on their day, they can demolish anyone.
Iceland were a delight, and I wish them well, and would love to see them again. But France showed just why they are considered one of the best teams in the world. (And yet, Iceland still put two past them.)
(And both goalkeepers excelled).
Ever since (the Italian legend) Roberto Baggio blazed a penalty over the bar in the World Cup Final in 1994 I have been interested in this strange spectacle, that penalties - and above all, penalty shoot outs - present.
A penalty shoot out is compelling viewing, yes, almost addictively so. Tension and torture, an dripping.
But it also offers, affords, this test of skill, stress, it tests the ability to cope with pressure and is really a test of character, a lonely place when highly paid players can no longer hide or seek safe refuge in the collective scaffolding of the team, or the press spokesperson, or the manager, but must cope as individuals, and must make that stiff-legged walk alone to the penalty spot and test their ability to kick a ball, test their ability to kick it accurately, with force, aim it, and focus on where it should go. Above all, this test takes place in a context and setting where they are exposed, because the consequences of getting it wrong are so great. So, if you are paid stupid money to be able to kick a ball,
Now, of course, a goalkeeper will try to stop that shot. And, in a way, it is a contest - a kind of a gladiatorial contest, between the outfield player and a goalkeeper, and the goal, where the odds are stacked in favour of the overpaid, - often highly strung - forward, - or, sometimes, if it goes on long enough, a more stolid defender, but the outfield player must cope with the responsibility, the stress, the strain, the challenge of getting it right.
Sometimes, being in the eye of the world is not just about them worshipping you, and screaming your name, so that you develop that pouting jaded palate associated with a life of adulation, effortless ease, fame and bottomless entitlement; that long and lonely walk to the spot is about being able to take responsibility as you show that you have mastered the skill and craft by which you make your living. Sometimes, when the cameras of the world are on you, you have to step up - literally, and psychologically. The strain on the face of some footballers as they move to do this, the stiff legged walk, shows that - for some - attention without adulation is something they find difficult.
But, if your job description is about kicking a ball, and you receive a salary of five, or six figures a week to do so, I believe that the job description comes with being able to do so - kick a ball - reasonably well under pressure, such as when facing an opposing team's accomplished goalkeeper in the penalty shoot-out of the quarter-final of a European Championship.
Let's put it another way: It is culpable in the extreme not to have practiced penalties in this day and age just in case you need to be able to take one.
Now, tonight, Iceland lost to France, by two goals to five. For me, this was a head/heart dilemma.
Subjectively - because I love the narrative thrill of decent, charming, underdogs, the delight of being the entitled and arrogant upended - Iceland's joyful progress has been an unalloyed pleasure to watch.
Inevitably, the gulf in class was going to show, and, sooner or later - France, like some of those beautifully engineered Peugeots of the early twentieth century - could sometimes take a while to get going - but, France, as in 1998 - one they stutter and splutter into life, late in a tournament, can play with real skill, passion and conviction, and, on their day, they can demolish anyone.
Iceland were a delight, and I wish them well, and would love to see them again. But France showed just why they are considered one of the best teams in the world. (And yet, Iceland still put two past them.)
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