The official EURO 2016 thread

[gmc_rfc_06]

I think BPL is making them overrate their national team they don't understand their league is reliant on foreign players and managers .
They should make the premier league English players only , then and only then they will put things in perspective and realize they are not really better than average

The Premier League is also **** in terms of technical football.

Its 100mph and 'exciting' to a lot of people, but it is a long way behind the other leagues from a tactical and technical stand point.

Technically, La Liga is clearly top. Followed by Serie A and the Bundesliga.

Tactically, Serie A is the clear best.

Alan Shearer finally said it on TV last night; 'it's about time we stop pretending the Premier League is the best league in the world, it's not even close and our native players are massively overhyped.'

[Mr Ehrmantraut]

It's the best purely because of the competitiveness of the league. That's not up for debate.

This season is going to be immense with Mourinho, Guardiola, Conte, Klopp etc.

[gmc_rfc_06]

It's the best purely because of the competitiveness of the league. That's not up for debate.

This season is going to be immense with Mourinho, Guardiola, Conte, Klopp etc.

Competitiveness due to all the teams currently being relatively poor. Until last year, it's the same 3 teams every year just like La Liga (Chelsea, City, Utd)

This debate will genuinely never end, but to me La Liga is clearly the better league. It's far superior on the quality of play and tactical set up.

Just glad to hear people like Shearer, Wilkins, Carragher, etc...finally saying it. The only way to fix that lack of quality is to actually recognize it.

[Weltschmerz]

England didn't want it. No real aggression, no passion, Iceland are hungry and excited to be in the tourney and that's the difference.

[Sparked_26]

You can see those players aren't good enough but the lack of basic technique in that 2nd half was embarrassing. Forget the result.

They couldn't control the football - it was rolling under feet, 5-yard passes were going 5 yards wide of their targets.

In terms of performance it was even worse than the result. Those players were really pathetic to a man. I guess we are stuck with them but urggh. What England fan could get behind them now?

I know in sport anything can happen so sometimea you can be slightly dispassionate about the result. But if just look at the actual fundamentals of football. Trapping a football, and passing it. It was completely gone. It was farcical.

The only result I can think of that might match it was Chelsea losing 4-2 to Bradford City but I at least could recognise 11 professional footballers out there.

[MOTHERDUCKER]

It's always the managers fault isn't it....

Don't you get it? England are pure ****e.

Sven, Capello, McClaren, Keegan........ it doesn't matter we're ****e with no creativity.

Englands football is rotten to the core, from the Sunday league, to the academies, it's full of macho twats who frown on creative technical football, put too much emphasis on physicality and knockin' it in da mixer'. England haven't played any creative, imaginative football in the last 20 years.

No flair, no imagination, no technique, no wow factor.

Useless cvnts.

It's not totally his fault.. but look here..

Kane and Sterling woeful.. puts them back in the team..

6 changes to a team with some momentum after the wales game.. we draw and come 2nd in the group

Rashford comes on with 5 mins left and scares Iceland.. why wasn't he on before that?

Woy is/was a terrible manager who made some crazy decisions throughout..

Also you go the these tournaments and you have a plan A.. B.. C if things are working..

Woy didn't bring Carrol OR change the system at all in 4 games when we were clearly struggling to create chances

[MOTHERDUCKER]

I think BPL is making them overrate their national team they don't understand their league is reliant on foreign players and managers .
They should make the premier league English players only , then and only then they will put things in perspective and realize they are not really better than average

This is utter BS..

If you are gonna tell me Wales.. Russia.. Iceland.. Slovakia have technically more gifted and skilled players then us.. you just don't know football.. Some of these teams have part time players and managers.. most of the Welsh team is championship level..

The problem is completely a mental one..

Getting sick of mainly yanks telling people oh you think your league is good and expect to much.. they are used to carried by club mates from other countries. Sorry did not playing with them make them miss 5 yard passes the entire second half.. or not be able to control a football?

It's an absolute cop out to blame not enough english players or the other old lame excuses..

They have no balls.. they probably got in at half time.. realized what was gonna happen back home if they lost and promptly **** themselves..

This is not Germany.. Italy we are losing to either..

[gmc_rfc_06]

In every sense, money is responsible for the state of British football.

[Sparked_26]

This is utter BS..

If you are gonna tell me Wales.. Russia.. Iceland.. Slovakia have technically more gifted and skilled players then us.. you just don't know football.. Some of these teams have part time players and managers.. most of the Welsh team is championship level..

The problem is completely a mental one..

Getting sick of mainly yanks telling people oh you think your league is good and expect to much.. they are used to carried by club mates from other countries. Sorry did not playing with them make them miss 5 yard passes the entire second half.. or not be able to control a football?

It's an absolute cop out to blame not enough english players or the other old lame excuses..

They have no balls.. they probably got in at half time.. realized what was gonna happen back home if they lost and promptly **** themselves..

This is not Germany.. Italy we are losing to either..

It can't be overstated how cowardly they are.

Again - ignore the result. Just look at the 2nd half.

They are a complete contrast to Englishmen and women in all other sports. Where sometimes bravery and commitment is all they have. Like when we were crap at boxing. It was a prequisite no matter how overmatched our world title challengers to get put down. Because, what is the point in losing without having a go?

But these guys are so weak. Without that comfort of their clubs - they can't take responsibility. Real players take responsibility in everything - they train like animals.

A practical child had to come on yesterday to have a go and completed a few dribbles. That will taken away from him soon.

I don't think it will change now. I think our guys are pampered too early and don't take responsibility.

I've said it loads of times. We also seem to want a talisman. The one guy who steps up and takes responsibility. We tried to make Harry Kane that this time - unfortunately - he was extremely poor and barely looked like a footballer. And when the chips were down it was Rooney who tried things - and that guy is rubbish now.

It is why John Stones is so highly-rated (not by me) despite having an atrocious season. Because he takes responsibility. He will step out of defence our try a ball into the last third or play a give and go. I don't actually think he is that good. But the reason he is lauded by pundits is because essentially he is not a coward.

Wilshere, Henderson, Lallana, Sterling, Sturridge, Kane, Rose, Walker, Dier, Cahill (backed off like a fanny again), Smalling, Hart, Vardy, Alli, have all at one time or another showed a basic lack of courage in this tournament at one time or another. Not even down to ability. A lot of it was down to backward and square passes and inability to be the one who plays the vertical pass. And when it was played it loopey and straight and a cop-out.

[MOTHERDUCKER]

It's lack of bottle plain and simple.. People like to say to many foreigners in the league.. Or season is to long

Out of the 4 teams we faced who on paper would get into the side ahead of the tournament? Bale?.. This is not fans thinking we are so good because of the PL..

We are comparing the skills of the England team not vs Germany.. Italy.. France.. but nations without a proper league.. who have players in the championship and Div 1..

But oh we expect to much? i would expect us to qualify top and beat Iceland 99/100 but why when it mattered did we **** the bed?

I don't get it.. the pressure to do well is nowhere near what beckham and co faced.. Look at my post pre tournament in the football thread.. i said we were **** and would make the quarters at best.. i had given up after the last WC

but never in my mind would i expect to lose to Iceland and come 2nd.. we beat teams like these with ease in qualification