| Ukraine 22:33 - Jun 29 with 4474 views | Boston |
Who? |  |
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| Ukraine on 16:15 - Jun 30 with 1547 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Ukraine on 15:44 - Jun 30 by kensalriser |
Sweden were down to ten men, that's why Ukraine looked less knackered. Until the red card Sweden were doing most of the attacking and looked far more likely winners.
Ukraine are a decent side, but they're probably the least decent side left in the competition. |
I agree that Sweden were doing most of the attacking. Completely agree. But I thought Ukraine looked the fresher and more dominant of the two from about the 60-minute mark, kensal, and the red didn't happen until the 100th. Thought their tactic saved their energy well.
Ukraine were also trading shots almost blow-for-blow in the two halves of normal time.
I think England should win, though. |  |
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| Ukraine on 16:51 - Jun 30 with 1473 views | sprocket |
| Ukraine on 16:15 - Jun 30 by BrianMcCarthy |
I agree that Sweden were doing most of the attacking. Completely agree. But I thought Ukraine looked the fresher and more dominant of the two from about the 60-minute mark, kensal, and the red didn't happen until the 100th. Thought their tactic saved their energy well.
Ukraine were also trading shots almost blow-for-blow in the two halves of normal time.
I think England should win, though. |
It's now or never for England surely?
This reminds me of when Leicester won the league when all the big teams had an off season. | | | |
| Ukraine on 17:19 - Jun 30 with 1424 views | MrSheen |
| Ukraine on 16:51 - Jun 30 by sprocket |
It's now or never for England surely?
This reminds me of when Leicester won the league when all the big teams had an off season. |
How about 2004? Semi-finalists were Greece, Portugal, Czech Republic and Holland, combined population about the same as Spain, less than England, Italy, Germany or France. Apart from penalties in the QF against the Swedes after a 0-0 draw, the Dutch only beat Latvia in their other four games. |  | | |
| Ukraine on 17:21 - Jun 30 with 1425 views | TGRRRSSS |
Are populations that critical?
It's really systems, development and application of what you've got.
Croatia already got to a world cup final beating a team who last got to a WC semi when they didn't exist (as it were) and have a population less than New Zealand. |  | | |
| Ukraine on 17:37 - Jun 30 with 1399 views | MrSheen |
| Ukraine on 17:21 - Jun 30 by TGRRRSSS |
Are populations that critical?
It's really systems, development and application of what you've got.
Croatia already got to a world cup final beating a team who last got to a WC semi when they didn't exist (as it were) and have a population less than New Zealand. |
Well, there was a reference to "big teams"!
I don't disagree, and it's noticeable that the Euros have been won by Greece, Denmark, Portugal and Czechoslovakia, all small-to-mid-sized countries, in my lifetime. However, the countries with the smallest populations to win the World Cup since Uruguay in 1950 are Spain and Argentina, both about 45m, though the Dutch (three times), Croats, Swedes and Czechoslovaks have been finalists. | | | |
| Ukraine on 17:47 - Jun 30 with 1398 views | TGRRRSSS |
Yet many of the very biggest populations have no real football pedigree, Indonesia, Japan, USA, China (this could change), India of course.
Africa too, despite Pele's assertion an African team would win a WC by 2010 it seems further away than ever.
However Croatia's relatively recent and big strides suggests you can go further, I know they didn't win it but still.
Obvsiously bigger populations coupled with the system surely helps.
Will USA get more successful in the next 30 years with the MLS getting more popular (in relative terms).
Could they get success by focusing more on parts of their population who are interested?
I'm thinking particularly the Latino population side of this for example? [Post edited 30 Jun 2021 17:55]
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| Ukraine on 18:19 - Jun 30 with 1364 views | aston_hoop |
| Ukraine on 17:47 - Jun 30 by TGRRRSSS |
Yet many of the very biggest populations have no real football pedigree, Indonesia, Japan, USA, China (this could change), India of course.
Africa too, despite Pele's assertion an African team would win a WC by 2010 it seems further away than ever.
However Croatia's relatively recent and big strides suggests you can go further, I know they didn't win it but still.
Obvsiously bigger populations coupled with the system surely helps.
Will USA get more successful in the next 30 years with the MLS getting more popular (in relative terms).
Could they get success by focusing more on parts of their population who are interested?
I'm thinking particularly the Latino population side of this for example? [Post edited 30 Jun 2021 17:55]
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Only my opinion but it might not take the USA 30 years to at least get more successful than they are now, they've got a fine crop of young players coming through at the moment plus home advantage in 2026 |  |
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| Ukraine on 18:39 - Jun 30 with 1333 views | BazzeR |
Interesting that both Swansea with Paul Arriola and Barnsley with Darryl Dikes were loaned in from MLS clubs last season.
Think Arriola suffered a serious injury on his debut but Dikes looked a real threat up front for Barnsley
I recently started watching some MLS games on TV and think the standard is similar to games in the Championship with less of the gamesmanship.
I don’t know if it’s down to the artificial pitches but many of the players show better ball skills than their UK counterparts. | | | |
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| Ukraine on 19:32 - Jun 30 with 1286 views | francisbowles |
England v Ukraine
will be screened live
across the UK except
in Scotland where they
will be showing episodes
of
'Wish you were here' | | | |
| Ukraine on 19:37 - Jun 30 with 1268 views | kensalriser |
I don't think the US has a serious chance any time soon as elite and potentially elite athletes will always be drawn towards the most popular sports. Without looking, it seems obvious that in every country that's won a World Cup probably ever, the most popular sport will be football. |  |
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| Ukraine on 20:03 - Jun 30 with 1225 views | welwynranger |
| Ukraine on 07:13 - Jun 30 by HAYESBOY |
We said that about Iceland. |
Exactly. And took the lead against Croatia. But I think this team has a different approach. At least I hope so | | | |
| Ukraine on 20:28 - Jun 30 with 1196 views | Boston |
| Ukraine on 19:37 - Jun 30 by kensalriser |
I don't think the US has a serious chance any time soon as elite and potentially elite athletes will always be drawn towards the most popular sports. Without looking, it seems obvious that in every country that's won a World Cup probably ever, the most popular sport will be football. |
Even more so with the recent ruling that college athletes can now accept money, gifts, endorsements.
Someone mentioned the ‘Latino’ community bringing a greater interest to football / soccer in the US, not really methinks. Working in an industry heavily populated by immigrants, I find they’re more likely to follow the NFL than an MLS team, their footie interest (like me), remaining with the club they supported when youngsters.
Not dismissing the standard over here though, I’ve thought it was fairly good for at least 15 years with a steady advance in the number of quality home grown players. I’d put a good high school team up against its British equivalent any day, trouble is half that squad will be picked off by other sports the minute they move on to college. It’s all about the ‘Benjamins’ baby. | |
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| Ukraine on 07:56 - Jul 1 with 1071 views | Hooparoo |
Great that you’ve got a monkey off your backs but beware of over confidence. I wouldn’t underestimate the Danes either if you get past Ukraine 😉 |  |
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| Ukraine on 10:55 - Jul 1 with 1008 views | PeterHucker |
| Ukraine on 17:19 - Jun 30 by MrSheen |
How about 2004? Semi-finalists were Greece, Portugal, Czech Republic and Holland, combined population about the same as Spain, less than England, Italy, Germany or France. Apart from penalties in the QF against the Swedes after a 0-0 draw, the Dutch only beat Latvia in their other four games. |
I don't agree that England had a better chance in 2004 than now.
Populations don't tell the whole story of 2004 there.
Portugal, Czech Republic and Holland all had very good teams in 2004. And the Greeks were no mugs either and they won it. I was at the match where they knocked out France and they were very good at shutting down the opponents, pressing and not allowing them any time on the ball, grinding out the 1-0s.
(I was also at England v France at the Stadium of Light a few days before, and I really wish that some of the precious darlings of our so-called Golden Generation had played like Greece did against France instead of looking frightened to tackle Viera / Makelele and allowing Zidane to stroll around picking out passes at leisure. Will always remember that when people go on & on as they do about how great Scholes / Lampard / Gerrard supposedly were!)
I would say that Portugal had better players across the team in 2004 than they did when they won it in 2018 when they had basically Ronaldo and some other people.
Figo, Deco, Rui Costa, Pauleta all great players. They also had Ronaldo back then of course.
Holland did well to get out of a group with Germany and Czech Republic and I would argue that the Czech Republic were the best team in the tournament that year. They had some world class players at that time Nedved, Koller, Rosicky, Galasek, Poborsky, Baros, Cech.
Holland got a draw with Germany in Porto (I was at that match) and it was viewed by everyone as a great result for them at the time. Certainly 1000s of wildly celebrating Dutch around.
A few days later Germany were knocked out at the group stage which doesn't happen very often!! No 3rd place teams going through back then.
I would not have fancied England's chances against the Holland team from 2004... Seedorf, Davids, Reiziger, Van Nisteloy, Jaap Stam, Overmars, Kluivert, Frank de Boer, van der Sar
Would much rather be facing the 2021 version of Ukraine / Denmark / Czech Republic rather than any of those 2004 semi-finalist teams!! |  | | |
| Ukraine on 12:50 - Jul 1 with 910 views | kensalriser |
Blimey Peter, if you remembered all that without looking up anything, I salute you! | |
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| Ukraine on 13:03 - Jul 1 with 895 views | daveB |
| Ukraine on 15:06 - Jun 30 by derbyhoop |
I've got Ukraine in the Euros 2021 sweepstake. 50€ to the winner.
I'm torn on who to support. |
Lets face it, if Ukraine beat England they are still not going to win it, they'll lose in the semi final so might as well support England |  | | |
| Ukraine on 14:03 - Jul 1 with 861 views | SimplyNico |
That's a great line. I have borrowed it - nice easy laugh out of it. | | | |
| Ukraine on 14:58 - Jul 1 with 826 views | TW_R |
| Ukraine on 13:03 - Jul 1 by daveB |
Lets face it, if Ukraine beat England they are still not going to win it, they'll lose in the semi final so might as well support England |
Didn't they say that about Greece and Denmark ?  |  | | |
| Ukraine on 15:54 - Jul 1 with 787 views | daveB |
| Ukraine on 14:58 - Jul 1 by TW_R |
Didn't they say that about Greece and Denmark ? |
yeah but you'd think whoever gets to the final will beat them, I quite fancy Denmark to win the whole thing.
I'm more nervous about the Ukraine game than I was the German one. It all felt a bit unrealistic a few days ago but now the path to the final is clear and it's doable I've absolutely shit myself | | | |
| Ukraine on 17:12 - Jul 1 with 733 views | wood_hoop |
| Ukraine on 15:54 - Jul 1 by daveB |
yeah but you'd think whoever gets to the final will beat them, I quite fancy Denmark to win the whole thing.
I'm more nervous about the Ukraine game than I was the German one. It all felt a bit unrealistic a few days ago but now the path to the final is clear and it's doable I've absolutely shit myself |
I had my doubts about our defensive qualities at the start but now that is receding fast, we will always have differing opinions in regard selections but Southgate has hit the nail on the head with the ways to keep the tactics and subs used to command a game.
We are maybe worrying about Ukraine unduly, good team admitidly but not one that sets the world alight, nothing can be taken for granted but losing to Ukraine would to me be a real set back, getting to the final is strongly on the cards, Sweden & Denmark again not exactly world beaters and I still feel GS is holding back a bit to keep progressing, if we do get to the final I'm hoping it lets them off the leash a bit more and really show just how good a squad we really have. |  | | |
| Ukraine on 19:09 - Jul 1 with 692 views | daveB |
| Ukraine on 17:12 - Jul 1 by wood_hoop |
I had my doubts about our defensive qualities at the start but now that is receding fast, we will always have differing opinions in regard selections but Southgate has hit the nail on the head with the ways to keep the tactics and subs used to command a game.
We are maybe worrying about Ukraine unduly, good team admitidly but not one that sets the world alight, nothing can be taken for granted but losing to Ukraine would to me be a real set back, getting to the final is strongly on the cards, Sweden & Denmark again not exactly world beaters and I still feel GS is holding back a bit to keep progressing, if we do get to the final I'm hoping it lets them off the leash a bit more and really show just how good a squad we really have. |
I don't think he's going to change, plan seems to be stay in the game and then win it late with the bench | | | |
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