Round of 16 thread

[Zetterlund]

Which P&Ber working for the BBC did this?

 

[Skyline Drifter]

11 hours ago, An Absolute Imposter said:

Is it just me getting old and miserable; can't remember a tournament with so many shit games. I thought the object of the game was to put the wee round thing in between they three bits of wood held together with that fish netting looking thingy.

I blame Pep for this passing the ball 100 times in your own half, at least Spain have learned after 12 years of it, that you need to try and hit that netty thing at the end of your 100 pass move.

Need to introduce a shot clock; think they have them in some sports  basketball maybe and some others. Obviously could be just getting more senile.

#giveusourfootballbackpal.

It's disappointing the way this tournament has crashed from a really positive start. I thought the first week was excellent. There weren't a lot of bad games in the first and second round of group matches. Serbia v England was pretty dull I suppose. Even the 0-0 between the Dutch and French was a decent enough match. It's all gone pear shaped since the final group matches started with teams playing conservatively to get what they needed and then dull knock out games generally. Since the start of the 3rd round of group matches there's not been many good games (Netherlands v Austria the very honourable exception). That one apart, only Turkey's last ditch win over a 10 man Czech side and the Spanish defeat of Georgia Sunday night have had more than 2 goals in 90 minutes.

The style of football with passing and possession valued over invention and pace has been really dull too, more so as the tournament has gone on.

Edited July 2 by Skyline Drifter

[Otis Blue]

Must be tough for Portugal fans having to watch that "Ronaldo ego fest" game after game.  The entire game plan is centred round getting "his ego-ness" another goal to add to his stats.  Thought it was totally embarrassing, having to take every free kick, even if nothing was seriously on ... and as for his tears and snotters after missing the penalty ...

Great players all have big egos, goes with the territory, but can get away with it when they're good.  Now Ronaldo is just pish and needs dropped.  Roberto Martinez needs to grow a pair, before he destroys their chances.

[Otis Blue]

7 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

It's disappointing the way this tournament has crashed from a really positive start. I thought the first week was excellent. There weren't a lot of bad games in the first and second round of group matches. Serbia v England was pretty dull I suppose. Even the 0-0 between the Dutch and French was a decent enough match. It's all gone pear shaped since the final group matches started with teams playing conservatively to get what they needed and then dull knock out games generally. Since the start of the 3rd round of's  group matches there's not been many good games (Netherlands v Austria the very honourable exception). That one apart, only Turkey's last ditch win over a 10 man Czech side and the Spanish defeat of Georgia Sunday night have had more than 2 goals in 90 minutes.

The style of football with passing and possession valued over invention and pace has been really dull too, more so as the tournament has gone on.

I think these tournaments can often go this way, particularly at the early knock-out phases, and especially when you have ties with a lesser side going up against a favourite with the unfancied side's main chance being to prevent the better side from scoring.  Have to hope that things improve when we reach the quarters and semis.

The main plus for me has been watching the renaissance of the Spanish team as they have moved on from their endless tikka takka Pep style to what is now a more pacy direct approach.

[Jambomo]

8 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

It's disappointing the way this tournament has crashed from a really positive start. I thought the first week was excellent. There weren't a lot of bad games in the first and second round of group matches. Serbia v England was pretty dull I suppose. Even the 0-0 between the Dutch and French was a decent enough match. It's all gone pear shaped since the final group matches started with teams playing conservatively to get what they needed and then dull knock out games generally. Since the start of the 3rd round of group matches there's not been many good games (Netherlands v Austria the very honourable exception). That one apart, only Turkey's last ditch win over a 10 man Czech side and the Spanish defeat of Georgia Sunday night have had more than 2 goals in 90 minutes.

The style of football with passing and possession valued over invention and pace has been really dull too, more so as the tournament has gone on.

I might be on my own here but I don’t think it’s just the Euros, club football has gotten duller over the years. I think the coaching and heavy reliance on patterns etc and teams all trying to play similar styles (or within a few styles anyway) means there just isn’t much room for players to do exciting things or teams to vary what they do anymore.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

1 minute ago, Jambomo said:

I might be on my own here but I don’t think it’s just the Euros, club football has gotten duller over the years. I think the coaching and heavy reliance on patterns etc and teams all trying to play similar styles (or within a few styles anyway) means there just isn’t much room for players to do exciting things or teams to vary what they do anymore.

Would Jimmy Johnstone have got a start under Steve Clarke, there's a question.

[Diamonds are Forever]

8 minutes ago, Otis Blue said:

I think these tournaments can often go this way, particularly at the early knock-out phases, and especially when you have ties with a lesser side going up against a favourite with the unfancied side's main chance being to prevent the better side from scoring.  Have to hope that things improve when we reach the quarters and semis.

The main plus for me has been watching the renaissance of the Spanish team as they have moved on from their endless tikka takka Pep style to what is now a more pacy direct approach.

 

Totally agree, to a lesser extent Germany too. Two countries who were seduced by the style of Spain and Barcelona sides of 15 years ago, not realising that they were the exception rather than the rule. They are now even better to watch and more effective at winning games.

[Skyline Drifter]

13 minutes ago, Otis Blue said:

I think these tournaments can often go this way, particularly at the early knock-out phases, and especially when you have ties with a lesser side going up against a favourite with the unfancied side's main chance being to prevent the better side from scoring.  Have to hope that things improve when we reach the quarters and semis.

The main plus for me has been watching the renaissance of the Spanish team as they have moved on from their endless tikka takka Pep style to what is now a more pacy direct approach.

The Spanish have been decent from what I've seen though in practice that was only their opening game v Croatia and Sunday night v Georgia. I had an event on when they were playing Italy so never saw it and was watching Croatia v Italy when their reserves beat Albania.

I've enjoyed the Germans generally (didn't see the game against the Swiss for obvious reasons). They've played some good stuff too.

EDITED to add: Pretty unfortunate that the best two sides we've seen so far (Austria have been good too in fairness) will meet in the quarters.

I guess other than that the memories have mostly been of underperforming big name countries. England and France haven't played well in 4 outings each as far as I can tell. Italy were hopeless and already away home. What I saw of Belgium was similar (I didn't really see their game against Romania to be fair). Portugal have reached the last eight without looking particularly clever either (although again I temper that with the fact I didn't see the game where they battered the Turks). They were fortunate to beat the Czechs, well beaten by Georgia (with their reserves) and utterly toothless last night.

There's been little spectacular either. Hasn't been a free kick goal in the tournament has there? Very few from outside the box. An obvious tendency for teams to want to walk the damned ball into the net rather than just take a shot at times.

Edited July 2 by Skyline Drifter

[Skyline Drifter]

5 minutes ago, Jambomo said:

I might be on my own here but I don’t think it’s just the Euros, club football has gotten duller over the years. I think the coaching and heavy reliance on patterns etc and teams all trying to play similar styles (or within a few styles anyway) means there just isn’t much room for players to do exciting things or teams to vary what they do anymore.

There's a fair bit of truth in that. There's far too much trying to be Pep and play out from the back valuing 50 pass moves over quick incisive stuff. This is mostly done by coaches who aren't Pep working with players who aren't capable of it (which is why they don't play for Pep).

[Alert Mongoose]

7 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

There's been little spectacular either. Hasn't been a free kick goal in the tournament has there? Very few from outside the box. An obvious tendency for teams to want to walk the damned ball into the net rather than just take a shot at times.

While the free kick situation is correct, were they not extolling the volume and quality of goals from outside the box earlier in the tournament? 

[Groundhopping Adventures]

49 minutes ago, Zetterlund said:

Which P&Ber working for the BBC did this?

 

Screams @Barry Ferguson's Hat tbf

[PauloPerth]

We’ve always had shite matches in tournaments. I wonder if we’re so spoilt with the volume of football on tv that everyone is far more critical than previously.

But it does feel that these euros have definitely tailed off considerably after the first week, which was excellent. From the last group matches to the knockouts it has been fairly unentertaining so far. I find I’m dipping in and out of games now.

I know it’s nonsense to suggest football was better in years gone by, but there’s a few things watching this tournament that don’t feel like they’re improvements on previous years:-

- the quality of direct free kicks around the box is shite. Have we seen a free kick goal yet?

- a lot of shite deliveries from corners (maybe influenced by Scotland here right enough)

- matches are crying out for players to take on an opponent 1v1. Defences are so well organised that passing it continually across them is ineffective. Look at Portugal’s penalty they won last night, the one time the player drove forward to commit defenders he caused havoc.

- lack of top quality goal scoring centre forwards. Are Lukaku, Ronaldo and Kane part of a dying breed? Just the way the game has gone I guess, and it’ll probably go full circle in future tournaments.

 

[Richey Edwards]

40 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

There's a fair bit of truth in that. There's far too much trying to be Pep and play out from the back valuing 50 pass moves over quick incisive stuff. This is mostly done by coaches who aren't Pep working with players who aren't capable of it (which is why they don't play for Pep).

Pep is the biggest anti-football merchant out.

[Jacksgranda]

1 hour ago, Skyline Drifter said:

It's disappointing the way this tournament has crashed from a really positive start. I thought the first week was excellent. There weren't a lot of bad games in the first and second round of group matches. Serbia v England was pretty dull I suppose. Even the 0-0 between the Dutch and French was a decent enough match. It's all gone pear shaped since the final group matches started with teams playing conservatively to get what they needed and then dull knock out games generally. Since the start of the 3rd round of group matches there's not been many good games (Netherlands v Austria the very honourable exception). That one apart, only Turkey's last ditch win over a 10 man Czech side and the Spanish defeat of Georgia Sunday night have had more than 2 goals in 90 minutes.

The style of football with passing and possession valued over invention and pace has been really dull too, more so as the tournament has gone on.

That's what I'd have written if I was erudite enough, S D! Agree 100%.

[throbber]

1 hour ago, Zetterlund said:

Which P&Ber working for the BBC did this?

 

I think it’s pretty funny if you see it at the time but the way stuff like this gets spread across SM so quickly takes the shine off it a bit.

[eez-eh]

55 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

The Spanish have been decent from what I've seen though in practice that was only their opening game v Croatia and Sunday night v Georgia. I had an event on when they were playing Italy so never saw it and was watching Croatia v Italy when their reserves beat Albania.

I've enjoyed the Germans generally (didn't see the game against the Swiss for obvious reasons). They've played some good stuff too.

EDITED to add: Pretty unfortunate that the best two sides we've seen so far (Austria have been good too in fairness) will meet in the quarters.

I guess other than that the memories have mostly been of underperforming big name countries. England and France haven't played well in 4 outings each as far as I can tell. Italy were hopeless and already away home. What I saw of Belgium was similar (I didn't really see their game against Romania to be fair). Portugal have reached the last eight without looking particularly clever either (although again I temper that with the fact I didn't see the game where they battered the Turks). They were fortunate to beat the Czechs, well beaten by Georgia (with their reserves) and utterly toothless last night.

There's been little spectacular either. Hasn't been a free kick goal in the tournament has there? Very few from outside the box. An obvious tendency for teams to want to walk the damned ball into the net rather than just take a shot at times.

I don’t know what the stats are like now, but there was an abnormally high rate of goals from outside the box after the first couple of rounds.

[MarkoRaj]

Even in the last 16, Switzerland scored a great team goal with a runner from midfield. Then a 20 yard pearler.

Germany scored from a rapid counter attack, Spain scored 4 crackers

Then England scored an overhead kick FFS

People are complaining basically because the last 2 games offered nothing, it's recency bias and nothing more

Edited July 2 by MarkoRaj

[PSJ.84]

We’ll get entertainment tonight - Romania are back. 

[topcat(The most tip top)]

1 hour ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

Totally agree, to a lesser extent Germany too. Two countries who were seduced by the style of Spain and Barcelona sides of 15 years ago, not realising that they were the exception rather than the rule. They are now even better to watch and more effective at winning games.

Whatever works well at top level, you and I liable to be watching inferior 3rd generation copies of it at Tynecastle and  the Excelsior a few years later

So it would be really good if someone wins this championship playing interesting, exciting, risk taking football 

[Skyline Drifter]

47 minutes ago, MarkoRaj said:

Even in the last 16, Switzerland scored a great team goal with a runner from midfield. Then a 20 yard pearler.

Germany scored from a rapid counter attack, Spain scored 4 crackers

Then England scored an overhead kick FFS

People are complaining basically because the last 2 games offered nothing, it's recency bias and nothing more

It's more than that. I didn't see the Swiss game to be fair (driving home from Cappielow). Perhaps it was great but radio commentary didn't imply it. The Germany v Denmark game was decent enough. The two games yesterday were awful and so was the England one whether England scored an overhead kick or not. Most of the last set of group games were poor too.

I think you could count on one hand the number of 'good' games in the last 18 fixtures. Austria v Netherlands for sure. Germany v Denmark. Spain v Georgia. Possibly the Czechia v Turkey one though I was watching Portugal on the other side. Couple of others had tense finishes as teams realised they needed a result (Croatia v Italy, Scotland v Hungary, Ukraine v Belgium) but they weren't good games.