Vingegaard already 50 seconds behind Pogacar. Still a way to go but Team UAE did a perfect job today whereas Visma couldn’t prevent Vingegaard becoming isolated towards the top of Galibier.
'Banks replica' - was this 'one of great saves in Euros history'? There have been quite a few highlights of this Euro Championships but none at the moment have got you off your seat quite like the brilliant save the Turkish goal keeper, Mert Gunok made last night. Compared to the wonderful Gordon Banks save against Pele all them years ago, it was a save to behold...!!
And elsewhere, the old timer now, Jimmy Anderson, has made a wonderful start to his potential last ever cricketing season by taking a 7 for 35 against Nottingham at Southport, which is a shame for me as it is one of my local grounds, and i would have loved to see him in the flesh for one last time... What a player, what a bowler and what a career... Simply the best...
Agree, but I must say that I thought it was shambolic from UAE to allow Pogacar to go so deep 30km from home. If they had ridden sensibly he could have saved his big attack for the penultimate climb, and with the distance left, he could have judged his power much better. If the team play it correct, he will win the tour, but they need to play it like a grand tour, not a set of stage races. He could ride differently in the Giro, but this isn't beating up Old Man Geraint and Danni Martinez. This is racing against one of the smartest Tour De France riders ever.
Having been so uninspiring in the group matches you have to say England really turned up last night against the Dutch. For all his critics, maybe Southgate has finally moulded a team that knows how to win a tournament? Spain will be very hard to beat but England go there with every chance and I think they can do it
Yep, England got the better of a slightly disappointing Dutch side, but who cares...!! With each game played they do seem to be finding their feet, but they will have to beat this very pacey Spanish side who look very quick on the draw. One thing that i feel may go in our favour is the fact that this is a young side, with very little experience and maybe the pressure may get to them. That maybe wishful thinking, but we are in back-2-back Euro finals and have many of those players still here in this side...!! Fingers crossed then...
So the wait continues for our England team to bring home, (apparently its always been coming home listening to parts of the media and fans), a cup win that we are so desperate to get. Well, if that was meant to be our time with the right squad and right tactics were gonna be ticking off a lot of tournaments before that stat is broken...!! Just the 2 wins out of 7 played within the 90minutes tells you all you need to know about how well this team has performed, poor...!! Yes getting to the final is an achievement, cant deny that. But putting the fear of god into the opposition will always help you in tight games, and we couldn't scare a team of u16's the way we have played this tournament, so how the hell were the Spanish lads going to fear us...!! Saying that, we do have a good squad, and we do have good strength in depth, but we don't have the right man to get that out of them. So as much as Southgate has got England to consecutive Euro finals, and improved the status of the team, it is time for new blood in the hot seat...
Agree 100%, Red. Southgate's ridiculous insistence on starting with the same so-called offensive players in the Final. (e.g. Foden, who just was not 'at the races' IMHO). It really makes me angry when one looks at the squad and notes some of the guys who really would have made it much more difficult for Spain. Feel he should have put them on early, and had a real go at Spain. The England defence played well, especially when the fully-fit Shaw was able to play. End of mini-rant! Oh, nearly forgot to congratulate Spain on winning Euro2024. A talented squad of players managed by a quiet, but very efficient, manager/coach. He really did a great job for his country.
Couldn't have put it any better red time for Southgate to step aside. He's had a fair crack of the whip but has again made mistakes in this tournament and, worst of all, has bored the footballing world to death. Only start playing when we go behind and then, as soon as we equalise, go back into out shells. We only got the 2nd goal against Slovakia because they were absolutely shagged in extra time. I think that Spanish team can emulate the one from around 15 years ago and just become a title winning machine. Wonderful to watch them play.
England’s problems have been the same for the last 50 years- a poor manager who never develops a settled team well in advance of a tournament, and who tinkers about with changes virtually within weeks of the start. All a very large squad has done is to exacerbate this problem. In every match of the Euros, England were NOT a progressive, organised side. Despite his goal, Bellingham did nothing and was a ghost who had no position, and Palmer should have replaced him in the knock out stages. He did a bit better when advanced forward in the final but his arrogant petulance after the match said it all. The other ghost and hyped up player, Kane, was an insult to all honest footballers for his ‘writhing in agony antics’ to get a penalty in the semi-final after he had followed through on his shot. And the referee’s decision to award one was the most disgraceful act I’ve ever seen in a major soccer event. Yes, Southgate should go but who the FA will select next to accept the poison chalice is anybody’s guess. Perhaps they should repeat what they did in 1963 when they offered the job to a player who had never managed (Jimmy Adamson). Doubtless they’ ll find a face that fits their ineptitude.
