Euro 2020 — Day 1

Never thought I would say this, but My Money is on Southgate and his boys. Suspect at the back, but I don't remember having such talented players.

They are light years ahead of the "Golden Generation"...Does this make me English ?

Good luck to the Jocks too. I'd love them to go deep into this competition. Shrewd manager who will get the best out of his players.

In fact. Good luck to everyone. I'm going to relax and enjoy this tournament after the stress and misery everyone has had to endure

Italy look good but Turkey are really unpredictable. They could cause an upset but I hope Italy win

Quarter final at best for England.
France all day for me.
A decent sized bet is on

Turkey for me tonight in Rome, love an underdog!

Thomas

I reckon Portugal will win it

Cannot believe Italy are not playing in their traditional Azzurri blue,..in Rome, against a team in red...ridiculous.

Jeff

Yeah I hate the wearing away kits just for the sake of it. Don't tell me it's because fans need a contrast to see it on black and white tv.

Chiellini two golden chances to score in a minute. Championship at best. Lol but seriously what a great CB he has been for club and country. Would love to have someone like him for my club and country

He could do a job for us now Kieran, apparently Carlo had him lined up, but Brands put a stop to it as it would have brought our average age up to 33😁

The away kit is because fans watching in B&W need the contrast.

Nessun Dorma before kick off had the juices flowing...superb

If your good enough you can still be an old git and get a game

Good shout for Chellini Kieran. Was thinking the same when I saw his photo with the casually clenched fist. Character.

After 41 minutes,I've lost interest in Euro 2020!
At least I had a bit of interest, ToffeeWebers “Where are you”

Yellow for the dive?

I keep thinking they're saying Varadi as in Imre. And Immobile, what a name for a striker.

Ridiculous claims for a pen, but that's where VAR has brought us.

Insigne looks a well balanced short arse.

At the beginning of last season they we're being given in the Premier League Jeff, fortunately some common sense has prevailed

Italians can moan all the want about The Turks tactics.

You havent done enough and until you do, stop bleating

I think Italy are missing Verrati

Kieran, so that's not Imre playing for Italy? Ffs I was convinced, is Eamon O'Keefe still getting a game for Eire?
Ahh the good old days, late 70s early 80s seriously though did Imre ever play for Turkey?

Always had a soft spot for Italy.The first World Cup I remember watching all the way through was 82, the days of Rossi, Tardelli, Cabrini, Bruno Conte,etc

Anthony, that's where I'm coming from, VAR/rules has now brought a shout for ball to hands like that, which a couple of years ago would not have hardly even warranted a replay on the TV coverage.

Jeff

No. He was born in England though I'm not sure of his origins. But that said he'd played in the days when Turkey were at the San Marino level and regularly beat 8-0 by England.

Anthony

Yes I like Insigne, he's like a not as good version of Aguero which means he's pretty good.

Jeff

Yeah the ridiculous penalty appeals. Thankfully we don't have EPL refs otherwise we'd have seen five given

Sign up the R.C motor...best thing on the pitch so far!.

Well that's 45 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

Tournament football, it's gets better, believe me.

I'm 58 and I've watched them all that I could ,I've never once at the end said, well that was a shit tournament.

There's always something going on, great games, odd results, great teams, dark horses etc,

it's a break from the usual shit show if nothing else.

Don

I'd have thought you're resigned that by now after 3,500 minutes of Everton this past season

Harsh on Demiral but Turkey have to come out and play now

Jeff

On dark horses, I'm fascinated to see if Hungary can even get a touch of the ball. What kind of warped seeding system has them in a group with the world champions, Euro champions and Germany. While the Netherlands get Ukraine, Austria and not even all the Macedonians, just the northerners. Regardless, I'll be waving my Ferencvaros flag and thinking of Detari and Puskas

Carlo, watch and learn, Italy, yes Italy, are going for a second goal, that's called modernism Carlo, the game has moved on.

The talent we have is outstanding. Grealish and Foden have the ability and the (good) arrogance. We should go into this tournament aiming to win it. Biggest chance in years.

Kieran, it's a system that tries to give the big boys a 3 point foothold in the group and then fight it out amongst themselves, but entertains us all when the patsy upsets the theory.

I think with Hungary's seeding Is that they've been a non entity in tournament football for the last 60 years

Anthony

True but they made the last 16 in the last Euros which is more than can be said for Austria Ukraine or North Macedonia. But my bigger issue is having Portugal France and Germany together. That's madness

Yes I agree on that Kieran but on paper it should make some great games. And being selfish France play Germany on Tuesday with an 20:00 UK kick off time which happens to be my birthday so some serious red wine imbibation will take place:)

Not generally one to hold grudges but two of my great uncles died at Gallipoli, Fenerbache ripped us off over Yobo, the Tranzonspor president called Kevin Campbell a cannibal, Tosun's fee, Erdogan, etc FORZA ITALIA

This looks like a team

Great display 2nd half from Italy, 3-0, momentum starts somewhere, maybe here.

Vialli on the coaching staff, Everton legend

Anthony# 39, I loved Vialli from the late 80s Sampa team,wanted to name my son Gianluca in 89, didn't wash, watched every Sunday on Channel 4, he is a fantastic pundit, speaks great English and knows the game inside out, but Everton legend?
I wish, please enlighten me.

Darren@18, permission for the Italians to bleat?

May 98 Jeff, fighting relegation against Bolton and Vialli scored for Chelsea in their game to help save our arses.

But yeah quality striker

Jeff

I used to watch that too. Samp with Mancini, Vialli and Lombardo. They were my “second team” after Altobelli and Jugens Inter.

Anyway, great result for Italy. Laid down a marker against a decent side. Mancini? How much to pay off the rest of his five year contract??

Anthony, ahhh ok, Farrelly for me that month.

Kieran, looks like there Mancini's second team too, Lombardo, Luca, all part of his back up team.

Lombardo the third best bald footballer after Gravesen and Carsley

Attilio was a complete football man.

Another great baldie was Yordan Letchkov. Did a number on Germany in 94.

Dale

Didn't he have a spell at Palace?

yes Kieran, a fairly good one as I recall. Showed up on MoD rather frequently with style which was in short supply in the league back then.

Dale

I seem to recall seeing him at Selhurst versus us in the late 90s. I lived near London then so used to go to all the away games in the city. Palace fans (despite the annoying band) were usually the most welcoming. Aside from Wimbledon as they were outnumbered by Everton fans

Who was the baldy,Russian guy who played with Blokhin backing the 80's?

Anthony #33...They weren't too bad in the Spain '82 World Cup.

Hungary 10 El Salvador 1

One of the finest games I ever saw.

Anthony #33...They weren't too bad in the Spain '82 World Cup.

Hungary 10 El Salvador 1

One of the finest games I ever saw.

Anthony

The only baldie Russians I recall were Nikita Krushev and Nikolai Volkoff

Yeah Kieran, one of the more industrious attacking midfielders in the game at that time. Looking at his page I guess it was just that 97 season when he really influenced. Did not realize Steve Coppell was at Palace at the time when he moved to player manager. 97 was a real bonding season with me and the Premier League. Coventry and Wednesday were still in the league, might have to do a youtube memory tour.

Update: tells you what some good visual memories will do to your recollection...The take on his time at CP was that he was too good for the rest. Generally a frustrated time with him only scoring five that year. Looked ace every time on MoD though, heh.

I think your right Kieran, I think I'm getting my baldies mixed up

Anthony,53, that would be Belenov

Thanks Jeff, thought I was losing it for abit there.

I know it's not Euros but Moshiri has plumped for Nuno. FFS

Where's that from Ian?

work it Ian.

So Ian, who did you want?

Jeff going out on a limb and saying Potter/Galtier

At least he's a baldy

It's all over the media; Dominic King, Guardian, Telegraph

Birthday honours list--Sterling ?????? What a joke. Why not give one to all minorities who have spoken out about racism in sport ?? They should scrap this farce.

All the front line workers, nurses and doctors should get one for what they have done in the last 18 months not just Manure and City footballers !!!!!

Moshiri is clueless. I hope he goes once the stadium is built. Nothing against (personally) Nuno but his football is dull as dishwater. I do like Neto though.

Is it time for Brands to go as Jorge Mendes will now be our de facto DoF.

Tom, the honours list is a joke, has been forever.
Just treat it as a waste of time, stressed over it for years,it's always been a waste of energy, it'll never change.

Lombardi scored for Palace at Goodison. Opening dag 1997/8 (?), palce winning 1 - 2.

So we maybe get a Crystal Palace reject, looks like Duncan will need to spread his wings, needs to TBH.

The Paella Pulis. Let's hope it falls through like Palace.

Nuno it it? I'm sure he will do fine. It's a less risky appointment and we will probably float around 7th-10th for a few seasons before Mosh pays him off. But the football will be mediocre and practical I reckon for the most part.

Evertonians, more than almost any fans, would appreciate a team that plays with high energy, strong intensity and good pressing while still being organised at the back. Why do we not appoint a manager who plays in this style?!

Underwhelmed.

Ian

Cherie Lunghi from The Manageress wasn't interested, neither was Joss of Jossys Giants. Get over it

Nuno is no joke. Probably Palace offered him peanuts as I don't think they have much money when they keep the likes of Benteke and a few others hanging around.
Zaha uis the only player who does anything for them and that isn't often.

Like all of us we have no option but to take what is available and after the big failures over the last five years can Nuno do any worse. Solksjar looks lost in the Old Trafford job but is eking by with the riches Manure has.

In terms of PPDA (a metric used to measure pressing intensity high up the pitch), only one side - Newcastle - pressed the opposition less on average than Wolves last season from across Europe's top five leagues

Anthony @41

The Italians stopped bleating and decided to do something about it. You do under stand that ?

This is about the Euros right? There are other threads about the manager appointment.

Darren @1; the beauty of not really following a national side. I can relax and just enjoy the football, especially after endless days of fretting recently.

I thought Italy were fantastic last night. They're my second favourites after France.

Belgium still have a very strong team, never rule out the Germans even though they're in transition and England have a chance.

Dark horses for me? I'm going to call out Denmark.

I was being sarcastic Darren, you do understand that?

As a blue who has lived in Italy for many years, it is refreshing to see how Mancini has modified their style. The Daily Telegraph in it's build up to the EURO2020 tournament compared every country to a British team. Italy was compared to Everton, glorious past but a difficult recent past.

Italy have a history of playing a game which is based on a very strong defence (catenaccio) coupled with brilliant counter attack. Remind you of Everton's formation under Ancelotti - great away from home but crap at home?Ancelotti had not moved on from the style he played in and managed through his career but Mancini (especially with his experience in England) has modified the style that Italy now play. Gone has the back 3 (the old BBC - Bonucci, Barzagli, Chillini) they now play a 4-3-3 style but with a lot of fluidity, using Insigne as their main playmaker ('fantasista'). Yet Italy have no big target man, so they rely on midfielders to get forward and there central forward Immobile to move the centre halfs out of position and create space. Also look how defenders take the ball out of defence (e.g. Chillini and Florenzi last night) to make an extra man for the 8 man Turkey defence to think about.

28 games without a defeat and 9 wins without a goal against is a great record. Lets hope any new Everton manager is taking note.

I understand you were trying to be clever because you didnt understand the point.

Aidan. Good post.

I was surprised at how good Italy played last night. Even more surprised by their pressing and hunger for goals once they had scored. A total sea change from the catenaccio.

That's exactly the style of footy fans want to watch.

I hope the officials carry on in the same way throughout the tournament. It's embarrassing comparing the English refs to what we witnessed last night. An English ref would have got involved too much.

That's great statistics Aidan.

Where are you in Italy? I worked in Anzio and lived in Latina for 2 years.

Have a soft spot for Roma.

Nice header, Moore of that. Cmon Dragons suck it Swiss

Robbie “what a, . save, shot, tackle, goal, “ Savage is an annoying twat.

Not quite off topic because he did nick a ball in an international match but can some please explain to me how the fuck that twat henderson has been awarded an MBE.