England vs France, Euro 2012: Open Thread
England vs France: Noon ET
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Every two years, the question comes up whether England is a good football team or not. It’s ridiculous really, but England always has to prove themselves, not only to the press and soccer fans abroad, but even to the England supporters in their home country too.
Today, England faces a stern test against a French side that has been lauded by the soccer aficionados and British press. It’s a team that, on paper, should trounce England.
But we all know that soccer matches are more complicated than that, or are they?
England team: Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Young, Welbeck
France team: Lloris, Debuchy, Rami, Mexes, Evra, Nasri, Cabaye Diarra, Malouda, Ribery, Benzema.
Join us today before, during and after England’s first match of Euro 2012. Post your rants, raves, observations and questions in the comments section below.
96 Responses to England vs France, Euro 2012: Open Thread
ok, everything aside, low expectations, my wanting a different manager and squad selection, when it comes down to it, i don’t know any Englishman that doesn’t root for their country. COME ON ENGLAND!
Nice is to see the whole England team singing the national anthem for a change.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
absolutely… another shocker….I really hope your right gaffer. I really hope i’m wrong…aahhhh come on!
Yeah, but isn’t it ironic to hear the English supporters “booing” the French national anthem. After all that hysteria about “racism” in the British press.
You can’t equate booing with racism. That’s ridiculous.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Gaffer – I never did but it smacks of disrespect and chauvinism. Hardly – a good light from a country who’s press made a big, self-righteous stink about the potential bad behaviour of Eastern European fans.
I don’t like it, but people boo. The English fans are probably booing the anthem because they hate France. Nothing more, nothing less.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
“probably booing the anthem because they hate France. Nothing more”
Lol Gaffer, ya think?? They aren’t booing their lovely kits.
OMG!!!
Aaaargh!,
damn it Milner!
How many English wingers would have made that shot look easy?
Gerrard and Parker have both played piercing balls. I have to admit it, they are playing a more premier league style
McManahan’s habit of commenting in the form of questions is annoying.
Why does Hart just boot the ball down the pitch???
Lescott!!! yyeessss!!
YEAH, boys!!!
Gerrard tips his hand on the first kick that was blown dead, then kicks it in the same exact spot for the header. Beautiful.
great save, i don’t think Dempsey’s goal would have happened if Hart was in goal.
Lescott on the board and Joe Hart doing some fantastic work in the 35th. I have to say I like the particulars of this match at the moment.
Oh okay, if England HAD to give up the equalizer I guess it’s okay if Nasri gets it
Not liking the shape of things right now. England way too tentative.
Zzzz… what … a … boring … game. Please, can we send these two teams home?
I thought winning is all that matters? no style needed. what happened to that argument, hey chelski fan?
Well you are confusing me with someone else if you think I’m a Chelsea supporter
only going off your posts and defense of the horrible football chelsea played in the semi and final of the ucl.
You have a reference with me defending their football? All said is that Chelsea matched well against Barcelona and nobody should write them off.
The teams are there to win matches, not to entertain the viewing audience.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Well in previous games teams managed to do both. And the draw between Spain and Italy was very entertaining and had more quality. I hope the teams will pick up the second half. I don’t want to see another 45 mins of pedestrian football.
you can always change the channel.
the blone is doing a great job, much better than Bob Ley
england midfield way too deep. not applying enough pressure to france’s midfield and given how much quality they have there, it is not a good idea to do so.
England were playing to there own strengths which are mostly defensive at the moment, so they will soak up the pressure and try to hit on the break. Not to bad of a plan with what they had against France who have a decent attack but there defense is a bit dodgy these days. Good point.
the blonde is doing a great job, much better than Bob Ley
Her name is Rebecca Lowe.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
yeah, Rebeca, she sounds way more knowledgable and comfortable in-front of the camera.
Captain Terry vs Paedo Benzema. I wish both teams could lose.
Is this a French team? More of a North African team if you ask me, go England!
We do have a racism problem at Euro 2012 after all..
This is nothing against North African player, just a fact, Germany doesn’t look really German also, Khedira, Ozil, Boeteng, Podolski,Gomez…
England started well, Ashley young is not coming back for the ball, and playing behind welebck, ox is weak defensively exposing cole, terry is as predicted, slow.
I’ve been commentating on my own on another thread, thought everyone else was a little quiet.
Showing these french how to pass it about
Lescott is a bit of liability at times
WTF, who is paying these officials? England have got nothing in this game
england miss kyle walker.
actually the blond girl seem to be a better analyst than even Lalas who’s very generic(code word for “i don’t know anything”)
LOL true
Gerrard looks tired, sloppy, england again to negative, cmon!!!
ox was wide open, Gerrard turned the other way, cmon man!
The air’s gone out of this one. Two tired sides out there.
cmon defoe, get the winner
terry is such a laibility!
OX,Wellbeck,and Young very disappointing i thought they could have got one.
They weren’t disappointing. Have no clue what you’re talking about.
This ref is a joke
this ref is a joke
oh well, at least there is a new macbook pro with retna screen!
French should giver their man of the match to the ref, he’s been a disgrace
Are you done?
You can almost feel another French goal coming. Hope I’m wrong, but England look comatose.
Defoe should have started
its been just horrible football since the france goal, its like they are deer in headlights.
Hope I don’t have to watch England play like that the rest of the way. blech.
Lalas is such a muppet
Can’t believe Lalas feels the need to be a dick to every single commentator.
Ballack should just slap him and tell him to go sit on an MLS bench.
ballack slams england…and rightly so
Ballack is bonkers. Tiki-taka is just fashionable these days. Basically it’s more about style than results. If England win, who cares what the style was.
Maybe Alexi could pick up an injury and have to be replaced.
lol
I think neither team wanted to lose, we’ll probably see both of them play different in the next two games. Considering the ref gave absolutely nothing to England I think they can be happy enough, I know I would have taken 1-1 before the start
see this is gonna drive me nuts. this is “england’s” style…no its isn’t, it doesn’t have to be, this is roy…aarrgghh
It’s Roy’s philosophy being implemented and look good today. England could have won. Yay!!!
Pretty underwhelming and toothless effort by the Lions. But, there is the matter of Sweden and Ukraine not being much as far as sides go. Seems like the strategy became to squeeze a point out here with a view to outpointing Sweden and Ukraine.
Would rather have Rooney back for Sweden than for Ukraine, but you take what you can get. I think Sweden was pretty decently up in terms of the FIFA rankings – not too far below France last I checked.
England had their chances today. They played well.
From what I’ve seen England should comfortably qualify from this group. French were not impressive at all and they will struggle against Ukraine who are known for playing the same dreadful uninspiring football. England should be able to handle Sweden and do just enough to get a 1-0 win. Just don’t listen to Steve McMahon and treat Swedes as a lesser side.
England didn’t play “dreadful uninspiring football” today. They played well. Were sound. I like their style.
Btw meant both England and France
Ok I take that back. Ukraine is known for playing the same sound tactically astute football. Does it sound better?
Oh shut up Lalas. I like how Ballack was just looking at him like he is an idiot. Which he is.
Click. I’m gone. Can’t take anymore of Lalas talking over Ballack.
Ballack doesn’t get out his words fast for TV, which is why Lalas butts in to end the dead air time.
Dead air? He jumps right into the middle of Ballack’s commentary! Just rude.
i watched the ITV coverage at the same time and there was a Gerrard piece in the build up, where he says I would take a draw.. Hardly the attitude you want from a captain before the game has even kicked off. if after 809 mins it looks like a draw then fine but cmon!
Damn long match there, dust.
LOl exactly, thats how long you should wait before accepting anything less than a win…never!!
English media and social media, plus the English fans on it, cost England a few goals every tournament. I’m sure it.
England played well today. Could have won it with some good fortune or Milner shooting a little better.
Good effort, good tactics… way to go England.
I was happy with the play, we look pretty tight, made the french shoot mostly from distance and we caused the french a few problems ourselves going forward, Milner should have put that chance away, The French have good players going forward but I still think their defence is poor, you can’t really see them keeping clean sheets.
lalas is just taking swipes at England’s talent, he is such a moron, i think the players in the team can play better and more attacking, football just as they do for their clubs every week in the premiership. Lalas is wrong that england don’t have the talent, maybe not is this squad or with this manager but to just write us off as a football nation which is what he is doing, is just wrong. Weather you like it or not, you know harry would have had us playing much better football.
when a german as dull as Ballack says you are dull that has to be bad!
Well so much for everyone saying the french were going to wipe the floor with England, We’ll go and smash these other two teams and win the group. Get Rooney back and start dominating. We’ll probably win the whole thing now
Two more “sound” performances like this one and England will be traveling home. There had better be something else in the tank.
I have seen some posters saying Welbeck was poor but when you actually look at the game, I’d say he did very well. First lets consider Roy’s instructions : Keep the shape! That is why you don’t see Welbeck press like he does for United.
Second, Welbeck got good tactical knowledge as he makes intelligent runs and always make himself available to receive the ball.
if england had a good midfield and players of similar ilk, England would would scored more than the lone goal they scored today.
So what do the fans want? Play Carroll who’s an inferior player to Welbeck and doesn’t require other players to have any tactical knowledge: Just hoof it up and cross it so Carroll could get on the end of it.
Defoe? Another product of england philosophy about football: Take a shot at goal whenever, however, and often.
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Sir Alex doesn’t do charities. If he look at his players during training and still decided to play Welbeck over chicarito(and berbatov) then that should tell you something.
New Siri for iPhone does the EPL now, so cool.
What, does it give you an update in an English accent?
Man City 2-0 England and France
Very encouraging by England. It was a thing of beauty to see two lines of 4 frustrate a good French team. Tactically Hodgson was spot on and its starting to look like the FA was onto something when they ignored Redknapp who is a right pain in the a*se. We also had our moments going forward and are more of a goal threat than the stats suggest. But the best thing about England today is they finally look like a team prepared to play for one another. We were every bit as good as Germany and Italy today yet when they play defensively its some sort of masterclass. Well haters, England are going to be tough to beat in this tournament so get used to it.
I am all for England, but today’s performance did not make me feel confident. I’m hoping Roy has a “Plan B” prepared, because if he doesn’t it is going to be a short tournament for England.