Branston Pickle 3,657 Posted June 21, 2016 .....our side of the draw now includes Spain, Italy, Germany and France (a rather tasty Round 2 game of Italy v Spain is in the offing for Monday, winners play Germany). I''m not sure if Roy''s stupid selections could have made things any harder for us, but the other side of the draw looks like a comparative walk in the park. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katie Borkins 1 Posted June 21, 2016 BoooooooooooooHODGSON OUTTEAM''S IN CRISIS, BRIAN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,749 Posted June 21, 2016 maybe....but even as hosts France and also Germany have done as much as they can by winning their groups and theyre in this side of the draw too.having said this, if we get Portugal in the last 16 we won''t even get that far as we''ll probably be knocked out on penalties Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hairy Canary 703 Posted June 21, 2016 Must be a bit dim but why is it certain that Spain play Italy? As runners up Spain play the winners of group E, which could still be either Italy or Belgium? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KiwiScot 1,443 Posted June 21, 2016 [quote user="Hairy Canary"]Must be a bit dim but why is it certain that Spain play Italy? As runners up Spain play the winners of group E, which could still be either Italy or Belgium?[/quote]Italy have already beaten Belgium so if they are level on points then Italy will be top for that reason. They are already through as group winners. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,749 Posted June 21, 2016 Italy have definitely won their group...even if they finish level on points with Belgium, it is head to head result first, goal difference second Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Branston Pickle 3,657 Posted June 21, 2016 I think Italy will be top - the result between the teams is the first deciding factor in the group stages; the Beeb shows it as a fixture next Monday, k-o 5pm, England (''s loss to Portugal?) is at 8.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,534 Posted June 21, 2016 If you''re right and only one of Italy, Spain and Germany can get through why is that bad? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJP 79 Posted June 21, 2016 You''ve got to be able to beat what is put infront of you whether it comes in the last 16 or the final. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Branston Pickle 3,657 Posted June 21, 2016 ....that''s true, but the fact is we''ll have to play one them earlier. Had we won our group, we''d have had a far ''easier'' route to the final; France, Spain, Italy and Germany would have now been on the opposite side of the draw. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,749 Posted June 21, 2016 [quote user="nutty nigel"]If you''re right and only one of Italy, Spain and Germany can get through why is that bad?[/quote]presumably had we have won the group and been on the " other " side of the draw we could have avoided playing all of these and France until the final??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AJ 1,219 Posted June 21, 2016 No harm in playing a good side, we''ll find out how good our Hodgson England side truly are!Wales must be loving it though, not looking a bad side of the draw to be in at the moment! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,534 Posted June 21, 2016 Well I guess we could but how was woy to know how the other groups would pan out? I bet the Spain managers in hot water for manufacturing Italy in the next round :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Branston Pickle 3,657 Posted June 21, 2016 Tbh you didn''t need to do a lot of looking to realise how the draw was going to be, even before a game was played: the side finishing second in our group was always likely to face the hosts in the q-f and then Germany; I guess at least it is now Germany or Spain. Still, at least we know that if we win the thing we''ll have deserved it!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted June 21, 2016 Jeez, can''t we just stop fretting and grumping and enjoy the football? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
? 0 Posted June 21, 2016 History apart, Germany hold a less of a fear factor than in previous years. They have looked very ordinary,a dull draw v Poland and a 1-0 victory against NI, and a poor 2nd half showing in that game. Bring em on, we got to beat the best to be the best! Worry about our defence though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,749 Posted June 21, 2016 "if" there is a positive about all these teams being on the same side of the draw at least it means that one of Italy or Spain will go out in the next round , and if we were able to get past France in the quarter finals, then one of Spain or Germany will have gone out by the semi final stage....meaning that if we were to get to the final by beating the winner of that game, then there would be a relatively "lesser" team in the final waiting...i.e Belgium?......meaning that we would "only" have to beat 2 of France/Germany/Spain/Italy to win the tournament...and not 3 of them ?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellowbeagle 0 Posted June 22, 2016 Got to beat these teams sooner or later, might aswell play them sooner at this stage. Not saying we will though., we are way to wasteful infront of goal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 274 Posted June 22, 2016 england remain 3 wins away from the final and that was inevitably going to be against good sides shock; if we win monday its two games, one probably v France and should we win that against only one of france. italy or spain - all tough but thats why winning the euros is about being the best team. As for enjoying the football, nothing from england has matched the best from Spain, Italy, Belgium or particularly Croatia; however we are no worse than any of the other teams that is through. Bring it on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted June 22, 2016 Stroke of genius from Hodgson I''d say now that we know the final sixteen and the routes to the semis are mapped out. [:D] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jools 584 Posted June 22, 2016 [quote user="Ron Manager"]History apart, Germany hold a less of a fear factor than in previous years. They have looked very ordinary,a dull draw v Poland and a 1-0 victory against NI, and a poor 2nd half showing in that game. Bring em on, we got to beat the best to be the best! Worry about our defence though![/quote]Ron, Germany are merely cantering - they''re going to win this f*cker hands down [:(] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jools 584 Posted June 22, 2016 [quote user="westcoastcanary"]Stroke of genius from Hodgson I''d say now that we know the final sixteen and the routes to the semis are mapped out. [:D][/quote]Am I the only one concerned that Iceland play a similar style of football to us only better? [:O]Rather of drawn Portugal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted June 22, 2016 Are there any teams we might have played in the last sixteen which wouldn''t concern you Jools? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STFU 0 Posted June 23, 2016 Iceland''s back-up striker is a 37 year old whose last stint in English football was a pretty nondescript one at Bolton a season or two ago. No I''m not concerned. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Van wink 2,994 Posted June 23, 2016 Jools"Rather of drawn Portugal"Watch the grammar there Jools or Katie will be along to correct it for you.😄 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 274 Posted June 23, 2016 there are only a couple of teams that look a cut above the rest a couple that look ominous and a few that are in the could do category.For me Spain and Croatia look the cut above teams with a first XI Italy and Belgium looking the omnious side. I expect them to provide three of the semi finalists.France ourselves and Germany are the could bes.But the draw only looks lopsided if you view it with historic glasses - each team is where it deserved to be upon its results and the the team ethics of those plucky underdogs. Long may this tournament continue to thrill, and bring on an Epic Monday - top quality and drama to unfold. Iceland to take and lose a lead - again... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 274 Posted June 23, 2016 Interestingly the last 16 includes 5 sides from outside fifas top european rated sides (in order Wales, Croatia, Poland, Repulic of Ireland and Iceland) with only the last 3 who should not be in the last 16 on their version of "form". 2 of the "weak" 3 are in the apparently strong side of the drawOf Fifas top 8 sides 3 are on the weak side of the draw while 5 on the left so its not that unbalanced - had england and spain gone to form the disbalance would have been the other way round. England remain 3 games from the final; the first two we can win, any semi was going to be harder... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's Character Forming 1,160 Posted June 23, 2016 With a tournament like this, it''s normally some of the traditionally established teams (basically teams that have won something in the past) that come good in the later stages and the winner comes from one of them (the only exception I can remember is when Greece won). All of those teams are in the same side of the draw as England. So, there''s no getting away from it, the manager''s amazing decision to re-shuffle his team for the 3rd game has backfired. If we were in the other half of the draw, we''d have a real chance of getting to the final without coming across one of the big nations. But, there it is. England always make it hard work, and our expectations before this tournament were probably as low as they''ve ever been. So, all we can do now is enjoy the football and the fact that so many of the home nations are through. N Ireland will really fancy they''ve a chance against Wales, Ireland are through thanks to Norwich, etc etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jools 584 Posted June 27, 2016 [quote user="Jools"][quote user="westcoastcanary"]Stroke of genius from Hodgson I''d say now that we know the final sixteen and the routes to the semis are mapped out. [:D][/quote]Am I the only one concerned that Iceland play a similar style of football to us only better? [:O]Rather of drawn Portugal. [/quote] [:|] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jools 584 Posted June 27, 2016 [quote user="STFU"]Iceland''s back-up striker is a 37 year old whose last stint in English football was a pretty nondescript one at Bolton a season or two ago. No I''m not concerned.[/quote] [:|] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites