England - the future....

[windermereROYAL]

I notice screenshots this morning of two balls on the pitch when Sterling collected the ball and the inevitable whinging from our noisy neighbours .
The actual rules state the referee should only stop the game if it interferes with play which it did not.

[Zip]

The bitterness coming from the Scots and Welsh really fills my heart with joy, beautiful.

We will get it again Sunday and it will be deafening if we lose.

There is nothing any of the other home nations can say to us, they have never been in a final and never will. Their mocking would be further proof of their jealousy, they hate England because we are better than them.

In fairness you should be better given the size of population and there are plenty of Welsh and maybe some Scots backing England

[Sanguine]

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Aside from the result and the penalty stuff, we actually played really well. Again. Was telling watching the huddle before extra-time, Southgate - that Gareth Southgate, for god's sake - holding the absolute attention of the entire squad, subs included, Bellingham leaning in and straining to hear his boss over the din of the crowd. The togetherness is clear.

Denmark looked like trouble for 20 minutes in the first half, but otherwise we bossed the game. Probably wasn't a penalty, for me, but then Kane should have had one earlier. Nevermind that, on the balance of play (not just possession), we were the deserved winners.

Whatever the result on Sunday, a core of Bellingham, Sancho, Foden, Saka, Rashford, Mount, Grealish - all 25 or under - is a terrific base to move forward with.

[Zip]

Raheem Sterling. What a player. One of the reasons why Southgate’s formation works so effectively with two CDM’s is this lad. His work rate is phenomenal. He constantly drops back to pick up the ball to then attack the opposition. If he isn’t doing that he is making runs all over the shop and often switches to the other flank.

He doesn’t always get it right but his intent on running at the opposition causes them huge problems. He is England’s most important player imo and Ian Wright was right to question why he wasn’t MoTM

[NathStPaul]

Work Teams chat unbearable this morning. Slagging off Kane and saying Sterling should have been taken off instead of Grealish. Just shut up.

[Snowflake Royal]

I notice screenshots this morning of two balls on the pitch when Sterling collected the ball and the inevitable whinging from our noisy neighbours .
The actual rules state the referee should only stop the game if it interferes with play which it did not.

It's almost like people, including some England fans, will do anything to undermine success.

[Brogue]

I heard somewhere we have the youngest squad at the Championship and the most inexperienced - lowest amount of caps on average than any other team. Is that correct?

[Sanguine]

I heard somewhere we have the youngest squad at the Championship and the most inexperienced - lowest amount of caps on average than any other team. Is that correct?

Third youngest (average 24.8 years), behind Turkey (24.6) and Spain (24.1 - isn't Pedri absolutely brilliant?).

Don't know about caps, but can certainly believe it. Of our 23 outfield players, 14 of them have 21 caps or fewer.

[Sanguine]

Sterling was brilliant last night. So much direct running and acceleration, much like Saka. They contributed to exhausting Denmark.

Actually thought though that our best player was Maguire. He was absolutely immense, everywhere in defence with crucial headers and blocks, and got on the end of three attacking corners too.

[NathStPaul]

Sterling was brilliant last night. So much direct running and acceleration, much like Saka. They contributed to exhausting Denmark.

Actually thought though that our best player was Maguire. He was absolutely immense, everywhere in defence with crucial headers and blocks, and got on the end of three attacking corners too.

Both Stones and Maguire have been excellent, even Mings was great when he played. Kyle Walker is also having a stormer, having his pace to cover the lack of pace Maguire has is a real bonus. A couple of times last night Walker bailed us out when the Danes got in behind.

[NathStPaul]

What a photo, so much to look at.

[Hendo]

Sterling was brilliant last night. So much direct running and acceleration, much like Saka. They contributed to exhausting Denmark.

Actually thought though that our best player was Maguire. He was absolutely immense, everywhere in defence with crucial headers and blocks, and got on the end of three attacking corners too.

Agree on Maguire, absolute rock at the back along with the other 3 as well, tbh.

No idea how Maguire got his booking though, probably a free kick but a booking is a bit much.

[Stranded]

. Guess if we beat Italy it will be "England had an unfair advantage with so many games at Wembley", which we're already hearing, as if no other nation has ever benefited from home advantage.
.

That must be the same as France Germany Italy and Arentina winning world cups in their own countries, so unfair.

Whilst I don't buy in to it too much - given that England aren't the hosts of the whole tournament, this is a bit different.

The semi finals and final were always going to be at Wembley so can't see that anyone can moan about that but I can see why some people might claim it as an unfair advantage that England were the only host nation who made round 2 who could then play a game at home.

Host who made the last 16 and where they could have played L16, QF games:

England: Wembley, Rome (1st), Copenhagen, St Petersburg (2nd)
Spain: Glasgow, Rome (1), Copenhagen, St Petersburg (2)
Denmark: Seville, Munich (1), Amsterdam, Baku (2)
Italy: Wembley, Munich (1), Amsterdam, Baku (2)
Netherlands: Budapest, Baku (1), Wembley, Munich (2)
Germany: Bucharest, St Petersburg (1), Wembley, Rome (2)

As 3rd place sides were allocated to the games in Budapest, Seville, Bucharest & Glasgow - it would have taken quite a bit of luck for a qualified host to have got a home tie.

So yep, using it as an excuse for why England have done well is a bit of a sour grapes but it is a fact that England had an advantage in getting an extra game at home in the 2nd round - it would have given a better view of "fairness" if England had played the early rounds of the knock-outs on the road just like every one else.

If nothing else, just from a travel mileage perspective - 6 games in one place with one trip to Rome is a lot easier physically than say 3 games in Copenhagen a trip to Amsterdam then on to Baku before getting to the finals at Wembley.

But whatever advantage there has been, England have used it to its fullest and have been nothing short of excellent during this tournament, particularly the knock-out stages - it's been a wonderfully judged run.

[Silver Fox]

No idea how Maguire got his booking though, probably a free kick but a booking is a bit much.

Got to agree with that having just rewatched the highlights, I thought last night that he'd been a bit aggressive but he really wasn't.

Also on rewatch I can confirm that Denmark's free kick was correctly given and the pen was soft as fook, it's not unlike Sterling to go down easily after all. However the result was totally fair, an absolutely blinding performance from Schmeichel kept the Danes in it.

[URZZZZ]

Work Teams chat unbearable this morning. Slagging off Kane and saying Sterling should have been taken off instead of Grealish. Just shut up.

It was harsh on Grealish but needs must at this stage of the tournament. You can tell the sort of respect Southgate commands as Grealish seemed to totally understand the decision

Would have been a mistake bringing Sterling off as his direct running was causing such an issue

[genome]

Well apparently Denmark's goal shouldn't have stood, as "Where three or more defending team players form a 'wall,' all attacking team players must remain at least 1 metre (1 yard) from the 'wall' until the ball is in play."

[Hendo]

Work Teams chat unbearable this morning. Slagging off Kane and saying Sterling should have been taken off instead of Grealish. Just shut up.

It was harsh on Grealish but needs must at this stage of the tournament. You can tell the sort of respect Southgate commands as Grealish seemed to totally understand the decision

Would have been a mistake bringing Sterling off as his direct running was causing such an issue

Agree, they changed formation and GS had to respond, which was one of his biggest criticisms in the World Cup when he didn't respond to Croatia, so someone had to be sacrificed.

[Sanguine]

Sterling was brilliant last night. So much direct running and acceleration, much like Saka. They contributed to exhausting Denmark.

Actually thought though that our best player was Maguire. He was absolutely immense, everywhere in defence with crucial headers and blocks, and got on the end of three attacking corners too.

Agree on Maguire, absolute rock at the back along with the other 3 as well, tbh.

No idea how Maguire got his booking though, probably a free kick but a booking is a bit much.

Contrastingly I've no idea how Delaney didn't get a yellow, felt like he was popping up with fouls all over the pitch. Thought this ref was great in the Germany game, but no so good last night. Their first foul, after about 10 seconds, was strictly a yellow, pulling back Sterling as he broke away, but he bottled it.

[NathStPaul]

Work Teams chat unbearable this morning. Slagging off Kane and saying Sterling should have been taken off instead of Grealish. Just shut up.

It was harsh on Grealish but needs must at this stage of the tournament. You can tell the sort of respect Southgate commands as Grealish seemed to totally understand the decision

Would have been a mistake bringing Sterling off as his direct running was causing such an issue

Sterling was unplayable last night, taking him off would have made life easier for the Danes. Keeping him high up the pitch meant their defenders couldn't maraud forward in the latter stages. Southgate made the right call.

Can see Southgate going on to have a Joachim Low type career with England, can't see him going anywhere for many years. He has eaned the right to coach the way he wants and to not be doubted. Certainly won't be doubting his selections going forwards personally.

[URZZZZ]

Sterling was brilliant last night. So much direct running and acceleration, much like Saka. They contributed to exhausting Denmark.

Actually thought though that our best player was Maguire. He was absolutely immense, everywhere in defence with crucial headers and blocks, and got on the end of three attacking corners too.

Agree on Maguire, absolute rock at the back along with the other 3 as well, tbh.

No idea how Maguire got his booking though, probably a free kick but a booking is a bit much.

Always thought Maguire was a decent player but prone to making mistakes and as a result, not quite worth the £75 United paid for him

But he’s been absolutely phenomenal every game this Euros. As said, it’s not just his defending which has been solid, he’s a massive thorn to the opposition with attacking set pieces and he’s very good at bringing the ball forward from defence which gives the attacking players more confidence in maintaining better positions up the pitch rather than constantly dropping deep to the take the ball off the CB’s