Euro 2020 — Day 4

Lovely movement and cross for the Czechs to score at Hampden. Shick's finish was slick.

What an awful game; sideways, sideways, sideways, backwards then welly down the park. Best thing they can do is send them out for the second half having been told they won't be changing ends.

It seems to me that the back pass has become the norm in today's game.

Oh for the days of shooting from range like Haan of Holland!.

Even watching Brazil play now has become a chore.

Matthew the long range shooting in 1978 and 1986 was amazing. Remember Josimar for Brazil in Mexico?

Opening games are always a bit more cagey though.

Well that was long range

Fuck me, what a second goal for Czech.

There you go Matthew, just for you.

There ya go, shooting from range...

Absolutely laughable goal for the pathetic Scots to concede.

That man Schick again. What chance... Nah.

Scotland are shite tbh.

Who does this Schick play for?

Patrik Holy Schick!

What a goal

Sky Go is weird. Lets me watch on BBC One. Then locks up and when I refresh the window, the BBC channels are gone. But they come back when I shut down Sky Go and then restart it.

I recall reading some strange row about BBC iPlayer that was reportedly stopping Sky Go from carrying BBC channels? All seems very silly...

Bayer Leverkusen Rob.

Well, 2 great goals for very different reasons.

Fantastic save by the Czech keeper.

Cheers Bill. No doubt will obviously be out of our price range before this game is finished. Should he be available that is!!

Anybody else stand out in the Czech team?

Goalie looks decent Thomas. Made an unbelievable save in the first half.

Sorry, in the second half.

Thanks Rob,

Catch the highlights later.

Schick looks a player but very similar to DCL. We need something a bit different as an alternative.

Michael @12
I believe that the BBC is showing the games live on its youtube channel, they are certainly showing 3-minute match highlights on there from all the matches played so far. I've spent a small fortune on equipment to get access to the BBC Iplayer, but it seems they have a list of TVs and setboxes that are approved for use by the BBC, I wish I had known that before spending so much on equipment.

The Scotland team of 2021 evoking memories of Ally's Army in 1978.

Mike @22
There's a great BBC documentary about the trials and tribulations of Scotland's adventure in Argentina.

Scotland 78 A Love Story

Hit and hope goal...lol.

So rarely happens today,sadly.

Jocks look poor overall,started too slow and sadly like most teams today are not brave enough.

Agree Andrew #4...some great games back then, remember Eder for Brazil...what a player!.

The lad Bardi looks really exciting to me,thought that N.Macedonia did ok for their first game in the Euro's & were a tad unlucky.

I thought Scotland were unlucky not to score at least one, though perhaps it was just poor finishing. Andy Robertson should ask for a transfer to another country.

Czech Republic looked strong and athletic, and both goals were good. But that second goal. fucking hell!

Barry #23 ] Thanks for the reminder. I watched it when it first came out, but will make a point of watching again.

Well, that Slovakian goal.

Great tricky play from the Slovakian wide player.

Think the keeper will be disappointed.

Very good all round display from Schick.
Should have had a hat trick
Scotland will only go all out on Friday against England.
Only game they're really only interested in

Mak the knife?...not a bad game,too many free kicks though,not enough flow to the match cos of the ref.

A scuff but good striker instinct to be in the right place. And he's not even a striker.

Deserved a goal for the move. Lovely through and early cut back.

The projected raising of attendance at Wembley games is in jeopardy.
Freedom day put back again.

Darn it. Slovakia and Czech and two of the seven teams I can't claim to support based on my extensive ancestry.com tree

Related to the above, but what was wrong with Mitre Delta balls or such like? You used to see loads pinged in from everywhere, and some top free kicks. Now it's just like wellying a fly away ball you buy for 99p from the caravan site shop; either it peters to a halt miles before the goal, or it flies, unstopped, into orbit.

I can't remember Michael. I'll leave that a more learned poster than me but my ageing memory seems to recall ball design in recent years is about giving advantage to the attacker, especially from set pieces. More difficult for the keeper to judge the flight of the ball. I don't even know where I pulled that one??

I was harsh on the Polish keeper earlier. Just saw a closer up replay and noticed it took a slight deflection off the defender, otherwise I think he had it covered.

Looking forward to seeing Spain. Have to admit, not really had them in my thoughts in terms of my list of potential winners. Not sure why, but I haven't.

Interesting observation; most (possibly even none) of the Spanish players sung the national anthem.

Anyone out there with Spanish connections know why or just something they don't do?

Probably something to do with Catalonia or the Basque region? Danny

o god Danny Murphy. he'll be desperate to praise Spain's superior quality. if he's watching united vs Yeovil, he'll be the one raving about united.

He's a right pain Kevin, the friends of the BBC that co-commentate during the match, and those in the studio mostly lack anything approaching insight. The Woman in charge of Chelsea ladies who co-commentated on the Poland v Slovakia game probably knows more about footy than any of those former players acting as pundits put together.

I could be wrong Danny but is that the anthem with no words? I know I heard something a couple of weeks back with regards to this,not sure if it was Spain though

Correct Anthony, there are no words to the Spanish anthem.

'he's had a tremendous career, I've played against him many times'
it couldn't have been that fucking tremendous then Danny

Anthony, I didn't know that, thanks for another piece of education from those on TW

no lyric Anthems

Barry yes. He's worse than stupid, his puny insights bug the shit out of me

What a classy team Spain is (albeit not quite the same cutting edge they once had). What a boring bellend Danny Murphy is.

I initially thought that Barry. Thanks for that Anthony, every day is a school day as they say.

Well, I know it's early doors, but Sweden and Olsen could be in for a long night.

As could Kevin Molloy!! I did smile at that comment from Murphy and shake my head myself Kevin.

Robin Olsen having a good half against Spain there.

Jeez... watching Spain just makes me wish more for the Welsh Prem. to start up again...

Pass,pass,pass,pass...& no end product,if either of these teams win this tournament then I'll watch Cricket instead.

Woeful

Relentless. The Swedish players must have been so pleased when that whistle went.

Great save by Olsen. Watching it back, what I liked about it as much as the save itself, was his starting position. He tracked the cross so was in a great position to make the save.

Spain are interesting. As Robert said, great to watch but Olsen aside, just haven't made it count. They played some great intricate football with lots of one & two touch, which Sweden can't cope with. But are they too intricate, especially in the final 3rd?

Have to agree with Murphy (sorry Kevin), they need 3 in midfield. They are being over loaded and overrun. There is no point having 2 strikers if you can't supply them.

This is more of an instinctive thought based on 45 minutes of football rather than an informed assessment. Different style, but reminding me of the Germany team in 2010 who entertained and came 3rd on the back of a Euro runner spot up in 2008? But a tournament too early; as with that German side who had to wait until 2014 to win it.

Spot on Mathew, Lineker just said that was a record 416 passes in a first half Euro game...ever, with no end product.
Danny, I thought Olsen's angles where also excellent for the Morata miss.

That's a good call Jeff, I did think he had that covered even if on target. He's having a good game.

Spain could easily stick Adama Traore at Right Back just to give them some oomph. For all the passes they've got no penetration.

Isak is a player.

Yes Fran, looks a handful, don't know why they took him off.

I'm old enough to remember the Spain 82 World Cup. The red hot atmosphere, great matches. I know the stadium is a quarter full but it's dead in comparison to the old times.

Julian

Surprising. Usually the crowd are pretty passionate for Seville FC games.

Me too Julian, still the best World Cup for me.

As far as I know Kieran it's a new stadium. The fans were practically on top of the players in the old one. This looks more like an athletics stadium.

Julian, was that stadium used as a possible blueprint for our new gaff? glad it wasn't, as you say, crowd too far away from the action.

Me too
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jx9KMhX4lzo

Amen Anthony. Brazil /Soviet Union was in Seville and I think the great France/West Germany semi final. Football at its glorious best.

Socrates, Junior,Eder, Rossi, Six, Plattini etc great World Cup that.

David.. that game was amazing. I'll never forget it. Jeff, I hope BDM won't look like this stadium tonight once finished. A dump!

Oh and Gerry Armstrong.

Our friend Olsen just made the save of the tournament.

Julian, l wont forget it either. It was like watching the harlem globetroters. Just magic. I practiced my free kicks every night :)

And again Mike. Once again, his tracking of the ball and positioning has been great.

Mike

The little bald one commentating can't even bring himself to mention how well our second keeper is doing

Brill. With his foot shifting sideways another earlier was impressive too. Distribution not so much

85% of possession?! I think this is a mediocre group. Like the Netherlands one. A bunch of teams who are hit and miss with a few good players and lots of journeymen. The proper group gets going tomorrow. Those three, Belgium, England and Italy should all go further than these jokers.

Olsen MoM

Good point Kieran and good point for the Swedes. See you tmrw blues.

Little bald one?

Spain were brilliant a few years ago, its a shame.

The little bald guy looks like a salad potato

Hi Mike, Danny Murphy

@Mike

That knob Danny Murphy who said DCL should be grateful he is in the team

Should have kept Olsen, to keep Pickford on his toes, excellent back up keeper.

Spain should just hosts the tournaments...'82 was the great World Cup,loads of great games and goals too.

I remember Murphy when he first was on MOTD hept saying Mmmm mmmm and chewing on his gums like he was craving meth or something.

Another dull game of football in these international summer tournaments. Not surprising with the players all goosed after pretty much two years of non-stop football due to the pandemic.

A well-deserved point for Sweden which could have been three given the two excellent chances they had to score.

Olsen very tidy in his goalkeeping duties, but Spain made it easy for him. All his work was done in his six yard box. His defenders easily repelled everything else beyond that line. His distribution was awful, mind.

Apparently that's the sixth consecutive time Spain has failed to win their opening game in a major tournament. England broke their own curse on that yesterday, the first time they have won their opening game at the Euros in TEN attempts!

Haven't seen any standout team yet. Italy may win by default as nobody can score against them!

I reverse my earlier Germany 2010 comparison for now as it's one match. Not sure this Spain squad has that kind of potential, but they do have potential. Don't get me wrong, Olsen was outstanding but they don't seem to have the cutting edge.

Sweden were much better second half. Possibly with Spain tiring, but they seemed to be getting higher up the pitch on the break more rather than continuously sitting back as they did first half. Although they did keep the 4-4-2, I think I saw them sometimes switch to a 4-3-3. Probably until Isak went off, although I wasn't sure. Appeared to be a tactical switch.

Yes Fran on Isak. One of those players that, as a defender and he's running at you, you definitely have that "oh shit" moment.

I think you always get this in the group stages Jay. A lot of the teams that often win do so by game management and just coming through the groups, which doesn't make for pleasant watching early on. The German's have been masters of it over the years. It's almost like the plan is to just do enough and not burn out early. Keep your powder dry as they say.

That's an interesting stat on Spain. I am being lazy and haven't done the count back properly, but that would include 2010 when they won the World Cup and 2012 when they won this competitions?? If so, that supports the principle of just ensuring you get through the groups. But like you say, often not great to watch.

I still see France as the on paper favourites, Italy as second (I agree with you!!). Never rule out the Germans and when my son showed me their potential starting line up on paper I didn't realise how good they still are. I see them in transition so the squad might bite them. Belguim still have a strong team.

How's Copa America going? I've not really kept an eye on it.

Anyone got an outside shout for a Denmark (1992) and Greece (2004)?

Watching Argentina v Chile right now Danny. 1-0 at the interval, Messi free kick from the 'D'. Lots of niggly fouls (Vidal is playing, after all!) and another poor spectacle.

Colombia with Mina beat Ecuador 1-0 last night after Brazil walked to a 3-0 win over CV-19 ravaged Venezuela. Paraguay v Bolivia later. A Brazilian soap opera might be a better option.

Arnautovic apologizing and saying he's not racist after make some incendiary remarks about Serbia to some Albanians in the Macedonian team. Similar to Xhaka and that muppet from Liverpool doing their Albanian eagles while playing for Switzerland v Serbia. Couple of questions. Why is this OK when gets in trouble albeit with pitiful fines for making other sectarian or racist remarks? Is there some kind of exemption for fascism among former Yugoslavs? Secondly if these players are so nationalistic they can't play football without getting into politics then why are they playing for countries other than those that seemingly make their blood boil?

Well, as I can't find a Brazilian soap opera, I've just remembered the BBC is showing it on I-Player so will watch the second half before heading off for the night.

Kieran, you could have me off on one talking about that particular part of the world, but not for here! I agree though, there has to be consistency in dealing with this type of thing.

Just seen the BBC's poll on best Euros goals after today's stunner. Personally and no matter how much I admired that one today, I can't see past Van Basten's in 1988.

Danny

I agree on Van Basten plus he gets bonus points for what was at stake in the game