Hi again and thanks Will – lunch is over, and you can me on the addresses at the top of the page. That Henry free-kick, though, and with the left foot too. I think I wrote earlier in the week that this competition might’ve come a couple of years too late for Belgium, but if Lukaku and De Bruyne are at it they’re right there.
He’s still got it ...
Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils)
Class is permanent. 🤩 #DEVILTIME #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/6PO27JGEVV
June 20, 2021
Something I did with Finland captain Tim Sparv after the Denmark game.
Spain need a win from their final group game against Slovakia to guarantee progression, having drawn their opening two games.
La Roja have suffered issues with Covid but it is their dismal performances causing consternation in Spain.
“The main word on my lips is frustration. If only we’d scored that penalty and all those chances. But we need to believe in ourselves and stay strong,” said defender Pau Torres.
Gerard Moreno scored 13 penalties for Villarreal at a 100 percent success rate but could not convert for Spain against Poland, putting pressure on Luis Enrique and his squad going into their final match.
“We’re in a huge mess,” said the front cover of newspaper Marca, while daily AS said Spain were “on red alert”.
Spain’s players are once again bemoaning the La Cartuja pitch following their 1-1 draw with Poland. You think the surface would be of a reasonable standard and Spain could work out how to improve it.
I realise it was a late replacement for the San Mames but there is no shortage of decent stadia in the country.
“The pitch wasn’t in the best state for us to execute our style of play against a team that sat deep. The pitch is harming us a lot,” said midfielder Rodri.
Coach Luis Enrique praised his opposite number Paulo Sousa for how they set up in the draw.
“I’d hoped we could have played better but we have to recognise the power of Poland and the excellent game they played. They pressed us very high and blocked our passing avenues. They impressed me,” he said.
This could be the final day of the tournament for Turkey, who had been tipped by many (including me) to be dark horses. Sadly, for them and lazy pundits, it turns out they are really mediocre. I cannot remember seeing too many teams devoid of pace but Turkey really are slow in everything they do. Will there be a root and branch review by the Turkish FA?
Emre Sarigul explains why they’ve been so ruddy awful.
This is my first Father’s Day as a parent. I spent an hour fixing the sink after my partner poured coconut oil down it, only for it to solidify. It did make me feel manly, so maybe that was my gift.
Phil Grey emails: “For superstitious Welshmen like myself the big tactical decision would seem to be whether to stick with the routines of the first two matches or assume Italy are going to win and munch a different flavour of crisps, wear the shirt inside out and only drink beer with our left hand.”
Just make a crisps and beer smoothy to cut down the faff.
Some intrepid reporting from our man in Rome, Ben Fisher.
Ben Fisher (@benfisherj)
#Wal fans gather off Via Cavour in Rome. Some have spent thousands following team from Baku to here: pic.twitter.com/Si4BlhbphQ
June 20, 2021
Right, Will Unwin is here to smooth your route through the next hour while I forage for food. You can email him here or tweet him here.
You can read more about that in this excellent piece.
Austria have assured everyone that when they meet Ukraine tomorrow, there’ll be no repetition of the collusion with West Germany that took both sides through to the knockout stages of España 82 at the expense of Algeria.
Seeing as we’ve come back to Wales, it’s been interesting to see how well Daniel James has played so far. His final ball still needs work – that high cross against Turkey, when a low one would’ve left Ramsey a tap-in is a case in point – but he’s looking confident, which just goes to show what consistent selection can do. His problem is that at club level, he’s unlikely to force his way past Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford, there seems a fair chance that Jadon Sancho joins the pool too, and behind him Anthony Elanga and Amad Diallo will soon need games. For the sake of his career, I wonder if he’ll be considering a move.
However: seriously Gareth?
The Scotland and Wales teams both seem to be having a great craic; so do England, now that I think about it, and Italy and plenty of the others. It’s actually really good to see because these are the days of their lives – they’ve worked hard for them, so it’s good to see that they’re not passing in a blur of seriousness.
This is great.
Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT)
Stephen O'Donnell revealed what went on between him and Jack Grealish on this morning's #ScotlandHQ – and the tips he'd been given from John McGinn... 😂
➡️ Catch up on the full episode here: https://t.co/UllsrqDI2E pic.twitter.com/OlQLksc6ZM
June 20, 2021
And here’s Rob Smyth’s piece on why Euro 96 was overrated. He’s right, as he usually is, though it was great time nevertheless.
There’s been a lot of Euro 96 chat over the last bit – on which point, Mike Gibbons’ book on the topic is well worth your time, an extract of which you can read below.
But the stuff about the which is England’s greatest tournament tune, World in Motion or Three Lions, ignores how good this one was. On Top of The Pops, introduced by Gina G!
The things is, cohesion generally – but not always – takes time, so even if Southgate changes things, that aspect might not improve. I still think, though, that he needs to give his team the platform to dominate, and both Bellingham and Mount are good enough to support Rice if he needs help.
I actually expected Southgate to insert particular players for particular games, but the problem he has is that he’s not inserting them into a thriving system. He might opt to stick to what he believes in and you could understand if he did, but it does look like a minor overhaul, 1986 and 1990-style, is necessary.
I’d expect Southgate to bring Walker back in – although James offers more going forward, it seems like Walker will play against the better teams – and I’ve no idea what’ll happen in front of that. I don’t think we’ll see Bellingham but might see Foden inside or Grealish come in. I doubt Sterling is left out, but I’d not be shocked if he was.
So who would we pick for England’s game against the Czech Republic? Now that you don’t ask, I think I’d go: Pickford; James, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Bellingham, Mount; Foden, Kane, Rashford.
Now we’re a bit more familiar with the players, managers and teams, it’s a good time to revisit this frankly incredible guide to all of them.
What was really interesting watching Wales the other day was the way they planned for Bale to drop deep and hit killer balls for Ramsey. We don’t really associate Bale with that kind of vision and execution, but as he showed, he has it. I wonder if it’ll work against Italy, or if it was a tactic designed specially to exploit Turkey’s line; if so, I’m looking forward to seeing what Robert Page comes up with for today. I’m not sure that short corner along the by-line will pass muster against a better and savvier defence.
As it goes, I don’t think Mancini was being disrespectful, deliberate or otherwise. The way I heard it – ok, read it, my Italian being limited to insults and swearing I’ve learnt watching Gomorrah – he was trying to explain that Wales are dogged and physical like Stoke, but also have plenty of quality.
To the unbridled mirth of Gary Bale, Roberto Mancini compared Wales to Stoke. Versions of “We pinned it up in the dressing room” and “he’s given my team-talk for me” are surely imminent.
Another goal BBC left off was Ronnie Whelan’s volley against the Soviet Union in 1988. It’s a shinner, granted, but he still had to get the body position and power, while hitting straight through the ball.
On the subject of Robson, here’s a piece about him, his goal at Wimbledon in 1993, and going the game with your dad.
Another goal I always loved came in this game, in which Bryan Robson took on the Netherlands of Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard and Koeman, keeping it level for 70 minutes.
I was meant to be going to that game, but my parents wouldn’t let me and my mates went without me. I appreciated it then as much as I appreciated it now.
The BBC have a show looking at the best goals from the Euros, and Suker against Denmark is one of them.
But let’s not forget the brilliance of this goal that never was.
Stop press: Kyle Jamieson has just trapped Virat Kohli leg before. It’s hotting up.
We’re underway on day three of the World Test Championship. Join Tanya Aldred to see how it unfolds.
Much as I enjoy Ally McCoist too, I think Hayes might be the best of them – though there’s no need to choose because we’re lucky enough to have both.
The manager of that side was Emma Hayes, whose punditry has been one of the pleasures of this tournament. She’s not just good on the telly either, and is just as informative, insightful and compelling on radio.
Back to likeable players, Tierney actually made it into the Guardian’s Premier League Likeable XI. What an accolade! I bet he was well chuffed!
Spencer Salt gets in touch to point out this Dwight Yorke panenka, which I now also remember.
When Football Was Better (@FootballInT80s)
25 years ago today:
Howard Kendall's Sheffield United are knocked out of the Fa Cup by Aston Villa following Savo Milošević's comedy fall and Dwight Yorke's "cheeky" penalty. pic.twitter.com/zwRcGZvSv8
January 28, 2021
Bit of contract and transfer news. Kieran Tierney is such a likeable player, and Arsenal did very well to get him; they’d do pretty well to get Ben White too, though I wonder if there might be interest in him from higher up in last season’s table.
“I decided to do it when I was taking my run-up.” As you do. Who knew that Joe Hart wouldn’t be able to psych out Andrea Pirlo?
I don’t recall seeing many of these growing up in the 80s and 90s; this might be the first.
On this day in 1976, Czechoslovakia beat West Germany to win the European Championships and the Panenka was born. I’ll never fully grasp why anyone would ever take a penalty like that, but what an addition to the game.
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