Belgium are easily beatable. It's strange how the two Italy scorers from yesterday wouldn't even get in our final 23 let alone our starting 11. And yet they're far more likely to go further than we are.
3 matches a day are tough to watch and get some work done. So, I've been going though at 2X speed. Kinda fun when you get used to it. The team movement and flight of the ball is more obvious. Then I always slow for the goal replays.
Hungary has an opportunity to be the Greeks of the tournament. 1-0 up over 10 man Austria with 10 minutes left.
The Austria/Hungary match. ESPN are scraping the bottom of the barrel for comms and it's pissing me off. Like a lot of you guys I've kicked a ball since I could stand up. Played for a lot of teams in several countries. Been asked to a trial for Everton. Refereed, coached and studied the game. Now ESPN have some woman explaining to me what I'm watching on TV and won't shut up. Women's soccer is a freeking novelty game. A good boys highschool team would beat a pro woman's team. Yet ESPN in their wisdom have her yammering away. Just in case we don't understand what they're doing on the pitch. It's just insulting
Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Kane, Lewandowski: 171 goals between them this season... one shot on target between that at #EURO2016— Jonny Blain (@jonoblain) June 14, 2016 Cristiano Ronaldo: Has had more shots (10) than 9 of the 24 teams participating at Euro 2016 pic.twitter.com/uBDCFP21Yo— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 14, 2016
Yeah I heard her comments. Not bad, but why does she have to be there? They also got Abby Wambach as a pundit. Seriously. She has no business being there. I feel sorry for the more qualified guy who is back home instead of her. I can think of several boys teams in St. Louis alone that can defeat the USWNT. I remember Hope Powell saying that the England women's team could beat the men because of their tecnical ability, I think. I've heard other girls say that they play the game better than the men because of that. ESPN is run by some pretty Liberal people. They fired a baseball analyist who posted an anti transgender bathroom meme and haven't fired others for saying/doing worse offenses. The network used to be way better as a whole, but now is totally down from what it used to be in the 90's and early 2000's. I do like their soccer coverage better than Fox though. FS1 will probably send out all-American broadcasters out for next major tournaments when they'll have the rights. Prefer Englishmen calling the action with English/European co-commentators.
We've seen all the teams now. What's your assment? Best? - Spain This was close, but Spain dominated the Czechs and got the goal late on. Should've been a better performance, maybe a Euro 2012 foreshadowing, but they tired out their opponent. Germany and France were good, but they had trouble putting away two lesser sides in Ukraine and Romania. Worst? - Albania Goalkeeping error in the 5th minute was the difference, plus if Switzerland was more clinical than it could've easily been 4 or 5-0 and the stupid two yellows by their captain didn't help. Luckiest? - Russia Had a simple, but weak plan and came away with a draw. Faced many shots and saved all but one and all but one of those saves were right their keeper. Got a goal off of several defensive errors from England. Wales have gotten what they prayed for, a win and the other teams drawing. Iceland held out for a draw against a fancied Portuguese side with just 36% possession. Unluckiest? - England Pretty much the opposite with Russia. Had one of the most dominating performances but come out with a draw and were punished by not being more clinical with a late equalizer. Portugal and Ireland are close by. Portugal with 74% possession and a 1-1 draw, while Ireland drew 1-1 on an own goal while Sweden never got a shot on target. Overrated? - Austria A lot of people back in Austria have huge expectations and they looked like trash today with a 2-0 loss to Hungary who finished 3rd in the weakest group in qualifying. Also had a man sent off and couldn't get past the 40 year old keeper with sweats. I'd put Belgium in, but at least they didn't make a total fool out of themselves and did lose to probably the best organized and one of the most spirited teams so far in Italy. They have work to do, but have time and will face lesser opposition. Underrated? - Italy Bravo! Never underestimate the Italians. Best defense so far and weren't afraid to attack.
Our group has got to have had the most idiotic tactical decisions of any group. First it was Hodgson's decisions closing the game. Then the Russian coach who has the slowest spine of a team in the tournament plays his full backs almost as wingers from the start. They were ahead of the Slovaks before the game and played right into their hands.
Only having the draw, they had to try and get a win. TBH if we'd played them second we'd probably have had the advantage of that