30 Jun 2021 03:58:16
Is football finally coming home or is there going to be a nasty sting in the tail?
I have to say this is the worst german side i have seen in my lifetime, but you can only beat what is in front of you.
We dodged a massive bullet in not signing Timmo Werner, just like Morata of spain, he is quite simply not a striker, needs to be called something else a striker he aint.
I was impressed with Havertz though and he could be a massive influence on chelsea this coming season.
Good luck to Rafa on the blue half of merseyside.
Also Crystal Palace have taken a massive gamble in appointing Patrick Viera, be interesting to see how that pans out, will he last longer than frank de boer?
Now the Germans have been sent packing we can start to negotiate a move for Florian Neuhas or am i going to be deeply dissapointed on that front?
To sum up England will never have a better chance to win the Euro's for the first time.
One of Belgium or Italy is out on friday, we have seen better spanish sides, Denmark, switzerland, Czech republic and Ukraine all have nothing to lose but with all due respect to those countries and there fans, this England side should be beating them in tournament football.
Timing is everything in this game and England's time is now, whilst our rivals are weak we have to take advantage.
Italy who i expect to beat belgium will be the biggest obstacle in stopping that from happening imo.
One thing i must get off my chest is how irrelevant the possesion stat is to me, i could not care less about it, the only stat that matters in this game is the one displayed on the scoreboard.
30 Jun 2021 05:54:46
I think that a lot of the reticence of Liverpool fans (the English ones at least) on the national side stems from politics and football culture of the 1970s and 80s, though both factors have some relevance today too.
But Roger Hunt is a legend, as are Ian Callaghan and Gerry Byrne, for their 1966 achievements.
All that squad are rightly revered in English football.
It would be a great thing for England to win the Euros, it would lift the country and the game.
Go back and watch or look at pictures of Liverpool fans abroad in the 70s and 80s and the paradox is, while they didn’t actively follow England as much, there was an awful lot of Union Jack flags on show.
30 Jun 2021 07:52:19
This "weakest Germany" put 4 past Portugal who were defending Champions.
30 Jun 2021 08:02:50
Agree Juicer. For those unsure what you mean by the political culture, I would summarise it as being the feeling in Liverpool at the time that policies and attitudes coming out of London were either directly or indirectly aimed at a gradual degradation of the city. The left leaning, independent thinking people which by and large define the city in my opinion, were always seen as a thorn in the side of a London centric government.
This was highlighted by the Hillsborough tragedy and the way in which the government held no media to account, let alone authorities.
This always led me to define myself as scouser, not an Englishman. I have expat mates here now In Aus who don't get it and just see me as argumentative and unpatriotic, but it's ingrained. Living through torie policies epitomised by the poll tax and miner's strikes just leaves its mark and unfortunately that translated to football. The way in which Liverpool, and Everton fans for that matter, have been treated over the years by a London based media further cemented this. Maybe if England played their home games in various stadiums around the country I'd feel differently, maybe.
{Ed0666's Note - also the Thatcherite regime gifted Manchester millions in govt subsidies and have precious little to the city of Liverpool which would deepen the chagrin and loathing of central govt by scousers
30 Jun 2021 08:34:47
Kopforever you can’t deny this German team is much weaker than usual? They e been limp under Loew for at least 3 years now.
They put 4 past Portugal, so what? Two of those goals were oggies and then the defending champs got dumped out by Austria.
30 Jun 2021 09:25:41
Kopforever is buzzing, I reckon he as gone full kit England to work, shin pads as well.
30 Jun 2021 09:26:43
Shaq it means they aren't as bad as people are making out as they showed against Portugal defending Champions.
Same with France they had world class players all over the pitch and a world cup winning manager and yet Swiz sent them home it's not like Swiz are better then France is it?
Same with czech republic against Netherlands who were playing all out attacking with "GOAT in their side Georginio Wijnaldum" and yet were sent home by Czech who Eng defeated in group stages.
It's clear to see if you're willing to defend and work hard then you've every chance to progress irrespective of small or big nations.
Italy who I think are the favorites and are playing great were just moments out of the tournament against Austria who's goal was ruled out (Right fully) that's how thin margins are at this level.
30 Jun 2021 10:14:13
Yes Kopforever and all of those teams you’ve just referenced are out because they’ve massively underperformed.
This is the weakest international competition in recent memory. England will never have a better chance.
I’m delighted they beat Germany, but we didn’t beat a Germany who were playing anywhere near the levels they could/ should.
30 Jun 2021 10:49:46
Spot on, Shaq. The bar is on the floor for England and always has been. England beat a poor German side. A useless Portuguese team with the Mighty Bruno, got schooled by Germany. That is just 2 bad teams playing and ironically, both are out which is what happens in this stage of competitions. That proves nothing.
England has the easiest path to the final, just like they did in the WC in Russia and still managed to screw that up so people should chill out on waxing lyrical about an English team that is lacking in so many areas and hast to play park the bus footie just to get by despite having the so called "great players" at their disposal.
30 Jun 2021 11:16:11
Kopforever, that was a weak german team, with a lot of ageing players in it. I am still not going to fall for the hype. It’s not coming until it actually comes home!
30 Jun 2021 11:35:16
Christ alive England progressing and everybody seems to find excuses, we’re all in here because we’re clearly not invited to parties I don’t imagine many of us would be fun at them. Let the bloke celebrate, yes Germany don’t look great but who does? France we’re given a run for their money by Germany and everybody thinks is France have reinvented the game. I don’t see how England progressing and folks celebrating after everything that’s happened over the past 1-2 years, can be a bad thing.
30 Jun 2021 12:25:23
Spot on Sailor Jerry bud. Ppl are fast to criticize ENG whenever they lose and fast to find excuses whenever they win.
France, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands all gone home coz the tournament is very, very weak 🤣🤣.
30 Jun 2021 08:56:53
Thanks for the history lesson, Ed666. I did not know that hence, the reticence of Liverpool citizens (of the Red persuasion) hence, Reds' fans to support England even tho, LFC players play for their country. Also, with the way the Hillsborough disaster was investigated, it only made things worse.
Kopforever, give it up, man. This German team is a weak as I have ever seen them in the past 15 years. And for the past 3 years, they have been on the decline. There is NO way Spain beat Germany 6-0 4 years ago. NO WAY. We all knw it and the Germans even know it. Leow is off now and frankly, he should have been off after the WC in Russia BUT that's just me.
They beat Portugal. So what? This Portuguese team is just as bad so one bad team beat another bad team and oh wait, they both got dumped out logically. Proves literally nothing. England beat Germany for the first time in 55 years in tournament footie. A disgrace, IMO but whatever. Great. Celebrate and enjoy it. Nothing more. Nothing less. This England team STILL has holes in and cannot control nor take control of games and attacks from a defensive position. Does that mean they will win the Euros? We shall see.
30 Jun 2021 12:51:03
Who's saying this is a 1966 ENG side?
Germany are very good team who still had their spine of Neuer, kroos, Hummels, muller with young players such as Gnarby, Goretzka, kimmich, Sane etc. The only difference from this German Side and past German Side is they lack striker like klose
ENG is an average side with a manager who'can't manage at Sunday league. So why shouldn't it be celebrated when they've a very good chance of making to the finals?
30 Jun 2021 13:49:03
Kopforever, first read the post properly. Where did I say that this was an ENG team from '66? You said that. Secondly, stop bigging up Germany and their players cos even their own fans think they are crap as a team. You are using that argument to make ENG's victory against them seem bigger that it actually is. It isn't.
As a team, they are crap with players (many of those you mentioned) like Neuer, Kroos (who just retired from int'l footie), Hummels (had to bring him back for experience he was that forgotten), Muller (really? ) who are on their last legs and just saying they lack a striker is false. They won the WC w/ o a recognized striker with Klose (a 36 yr old at the time) mostly on the bench so clearly, not a problem.
You said it yourself. ENG are bang average, play bus parking footie with a manager who does not know his best team nor best formation. Enjoy the win vs the worst German team since 2006 and pls, stop making ENG what we all know they are NOT.
30 Jun 2021 15:32:45
Why shouldn't it be big dumping the old enemy? Why shouldn't it be big ENG consecutively for the 1st time playing QF after just playing SF in last tournament? When was the last time that happened?
30 Jun 2021 16:10:39
Cheers, Kopforever. You do deserve to dump on the old enemy for the first time in 55 years. Like LeBron James said, "It's about DAMN time".
30 Jun 2021 17:04:49
To add, it was / is a certain kind of tight-wing English-ness that goes against the grain for many Liverpool followers, including me.
Margaret Thatcher was the embodiment of this ( (although she once turned up at a Scottish Cup Final involving Celtic in the 80s, talk about brave, lol) .
Wasn’t there a big Lfc fan who was a top Tory politician too?
But I think you can still be patriotic without being jingoistic or overtly nationalistic (are you listening Nicola Sturgeon lol? ) .