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The 2020-2021 Football Thread
- Thread starter Scepticalscribe
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An incredible journey for the Danes. It's been easy to root for them given the hand they were dealt in their opening match. They came out firing and went toe-to-toe with England. lovely strike for their freekick goal. The Danes remained brave and committed from minute one to the bitter end. Their chances of making the final were small but they came closer than anyone would have guessed and I'm very sad to see them go.
And of course, no bones about it, that was no penalty. Sterling dived and got away with it, Kane's penalty was as bad as Morata's if not worse, but unlike Morata he got a second bite at the apple. England were damned lucky. Just imagine what people across England would be saying if the Italians had won a similar penalty....
But of course, even the best teams require some luck in knockout tournaments, and England looked solid and comfortable for most of the match. Based on what we've seen here tonight I favor the Italians in the final, though only by a fraction -and that's without counting England's home field advantage. It should be very close.
And of course, no bones about it, that was no penalty. Sterling dived and got away with it, Kane's penalty was as bad as Morata's if not worse, but unlike Morata he got a second bite at the apple. England were damned lucky. Just imagine what people across England would be saying if the Italians had won a similar penalty....
But of course, even the best teams require some luck in knockout tournaments, and England looked solid and comfortable for most of the match. Based on what we've seen here tonight I favor the Italians in the final, though only by a fraction -and that's without counting England's home field advantage. It should be very close.
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Congratulations England. Finally made it to a final!
Italy will be tough. But that’s for later. Let’s celebrate getting there first!
Very soft.
As @Lord Blackadder rightly remarks, think of the howls had such a penalty been awarded to, let us say, the Italians.
Well, I'd imagine that the Danes care.
However, England were very comfortable and solid and composed (and in possession) for much of the match.
While the penalty was soft (a "jammy" penalty as my brother would say), England were genuinely very good, and, in Denmark, had excellent opponents who played and fought hard.
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It’s also worth mentioning that Sterling has made fools of all of his critics. Would England be in this final without him? Absolutely not.
We were lucky to be awarded the penalty but a goal was coming so I’m happy with that. We played well and with passion, something I’ve not witnessed for about 25 years. The final will be much tougher and I hope we play as well as we have
I should also say Denmark have played amazingly well in this tournament and they deserve all the praise after a very difficult start. Nobody thought they’d be easy to beat and they put up a hell of a fight.
They go out with their heads held high I would say!
They go out with their heads held high I would say!
I see. It runs deep in society it seems. No wonder the country is on the steep decline.
One thing did bemused me last night was these same pundits every season emphasise/criticise how these kind of penalty decisions are ruining premier league football and yet last night they were all ok with the it 
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Booing didn’t bother me as much as the laser pen at Schmichaels face at the penalty. Idiots. Hope they get caught and banned for life.
I’m not a fan of booing anthems. I can understand it in certain games like Germany although I still wouldn’t do it myself.
it does me laugh when people make comments about football fans being yobs, stating the obvious. I swear people that make comments like that don’t actually watch football normally.
it does me laugh when people make comments about football fans being yobs, stating the obvious. I swear people that make comments like that don’t actually watch football normally.
I’d quite happily drop the anthems. But probably because I’m not a fan of our. Good save the Queen? There’s two institutions in the first line I could live without!
But yes I’d never boo the oppositions anthem.
But yes I’d never boo the oppositions anthem.
No I was only joking, or ironic lol. At football matches you can never judge an entire nation on a few idiots
Certainly not this one…No I was only joking, or ironic lol. At football matches you can never judge an entire nation on a few idiots
There is video of him later in the stands drunkenly falling down about three rows of seats. On the bright side, it appeared that he did not land on anybody and his trousers remained on.
Well, that wasn't the most relaxing evening I ever had...
A steep decline from what? The civility of football in 70s, 80s and 90s I guess...
The booing of the anthems is truly embarrassing for England, but, like the booing of players taking the knee, it's reflective of the worldview of a large portion of England fans and I really don't think anything can be done about it in a disciplinary sense. I certainly don't expect the FA or UEFA to do anything effective about it, given their appalling track record of dealing with much larger and more important issues.
In a wider context, UEFA's attempt to ban 'political' gestures from the game has backfired, because it results in banning some politics and promoting other politics, whether or not they admit it. For example, confiscating a rainbow flag on live television is a highly political act. You can't get more political than that. Taking the knee is a political act. Booing the knee is (despite all the cowardly / lame protestations to the contrary) a highly political act. I understand why the rule exists but recent events have proven that it is fundamentally unfair and unenforceable. I have no answers, but UEFA aren't handling it well (surprise!).
The laser issue is simpler, if you can catch the perpetrator. Life ban.
With respect to punishments, I think the concept of fining associations for their fans' behavior is fatuous. Instead, every time UEFA determines crowd behavior to have seriously violated the rules, they should reduce or eliminate crowds at the guilty nation's next international. The fans misbehaved, so they don't get to watch next time. I am confident that would put a stop to it fairly quickly. But UEFA won't do that because it would cost them and the host nation too much money. Which is, in itself, indisputable proof that UEFA is unwilling to do what it takes to solve the problem.
In a wider context, UEFA's attempt to ban 'political' gestures from the game has backfired, because it results in banning some politics and promoting other politics, whether or not they admit it. For example, confiscating a rainbow flag on live television is a highly political act. You can't get more political than that. Taking the knee is a political act. Booing the knee is (despite all the cowardly / lame protestations to the contrary) a highly political act. I understand why the rule exists but recent events have proven that it is fundamentally unfair and unenforceable. I have no answers, but UEFA aren't handling it well (surprise!).
The laser issue is simpler, if you can catch the perpetrator. Life ban.
With respect to punishments, I think the concept of fining associations for their fans' behavior is fatuous. Instead, every time UEFA determines crowd behavior to have seriously violated the rules, they should reduce or eliminate crowds at the guilty nation's next international. The fans misbehaved, so they don't get to watch next time. I am confident that would put a stop to it fairly quickly. But UEFA won't do that because it would cost them and the host nation too much money. Which is, in itself, indisputable proof that UEFA is unwilling to do what it takes to solve the problem.
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I should add that I find nothing wrong with fans booing the opposition during matches, booing time added on announcements, booing referring decisions, or even occasionally booing their own players. I wish we could boo beer prices. Part of the atmosphere of the event comes from the chaotic emotional expressions, which includes expressions of disapproval. But booing every opponent's national anthem crosses the line in my book. It's not cute or cheeky, it's simply dumb.
Just had a better look at the penalty and if people are still saying there was no contact they need their eyes testing. Two impacts from two different players. Was it enough to make him fall over, possibly not but Luke Shaw didn’t throw Christensen to the ground for their opener either.
It's one of those tight calls that is endlessly debatable and essentially left to the ref's discretion. If the shoe had been on the other foot England fans would, I suspect, not be agreeing with the call. Be careful in defending it because the Italians might pull the exact same stunt on your lot in a few days.
There was contact. But it was still pretty soft. You’d be livid if it was how you’d been knocked out.