I get the feeling there is a serious lack of expectation for England in these finals. Far less than any others I can remember. Even the media don't seem to be hyping our chances like they usually do. To be honest I think it's a good thing because England have flattered to deceive for decades, yet our chances always get blown out of proportion to the teams ability. Maybe if everyone in the England camp goes into a tournament with their feet on the ground for a change we might actually get a bit further.
The whole thing is like a team going into the Carling Cup, with very little intention/chance of getting very far. Not the team you'd pick if you wanted to do well.
i just think our games will be dire viewing - im a bit gutted about the England team as it looks like we are finally getting to a side without the hype and media hogging stars. Johnson needs to get out of Man City and crack on with his England career too
Considering we spent most of the game defending against mighty Belgium I doubt we'll challenge any of the fancied teams.
To be fair we didn't spend most of the time defending we allowed them the ball in non dangerous areas. On Adam Johnson he needs to buck up his ideas if he is going to make it at the top level. To be fair we have some good individuals just i think its naive to not take Ferdinand who is still our best centre half. Carrick and Scholes should of gone or at least one of them.
Get through the group stage in 2nd place behind France then get beat by one of the better teams in the 1/4 finals.
We beat Spain, Germany got battered by the mighty Spain and Holland lost 3-0 last night (I might have got the wrong team there but I can't be arsed to check, I think it's right). We BEAT the mighty Belgium and the mighty Norway while others were losing to arguably worse teams. How does that prove that we can't compete with them? Even with our injuries you'd fancy our squad against most others. France, Italy and Portugal have fallen behind their recent standards in the last few years (if that makes sense). Obviously none of these teams are invincible as results prove. How come it only provokes negativity about us? Surely the other good sides are just as ****? That would be about par for what you'd expect given the injuries and stuff. I'd fancy us to give Spain/Germany/Holland a game but I wouldn't think it was a disaster if they knock us out. I'd love it if we won but you have to be realistic. City finishing 17th in the PL was a success, wasn't it? If England get knocked out by one of the three aformentioned teams it is not a failure. Let's just enjoy it.
I prefer to think of it as realistic expectations. We've never ever been as good as the ****ing press have made us out to be, and the players we've had weren't as good as they thought they were either, and Im including Gazza in that statement. We got sucked into believing they were better than they were. So for that reason Im looking forwards to this Euros and fully expect us to win. *giggle*
Can't see us beating France - 2-1 to france there Think we'll draw with Sweeden 1-1 there Think we'll beat Ukraine 2-1 there France 7pts Emgland 4pts Ukraine 3pts Sweeden 2pts Still think we'll go through but don't think we'll get much further
i think weve always had a half decent team on paper, thats why expectations get too high, this time it even looks **** on paper tho, so nothing to hype up it annoys me the amount of people im hearing and saying how they hope spain, holland,etc win it...... they may be ****, but there our **** and we should still pretend to care a bit until we do get knocked out.
I'm not saying we will definitely beat France but I don't think they are better than us or such a massive test as some suggest. Again, I don't mean that it will be easy but everyone makes out we are underdogs. If people think we have been bad at recent tournaments what about France? They and Italy got knocked out of the groups stages at the last World Cup and France got one point and frankly embarrassed themselves. On paper is their squad any better than ours (even with injuries)? They have some good players but I don't think they have the general strength across the team that we have (and I think that's something forget about England) we don't have a load of standout stars of top, top quality (probably only Rooney, Hart and Cole) but we do have a strong player in every position, whereas other countries have significant weaknesses, particularly at the back where we excel (although losing Cahill won't help).
I think we will lose v France but can beat Sweden and the Ukraine so we should go through. Note to Roy, please don't play Milner on the wing, even if it means Downing playing and at least he has experience of playing on the right for Liverpool
Agreed, i hate it hearing our own fans saying who'd they'd like to win. They've probably all ready got the shirt for the occasion. I for one hope Spain, the Germans, the French don't win it. Not too bothered about the Dutch or Italy, but want England to do all of them. Unrealistic i know.
Would't it be fantastic to win with all the other things going on this year. What a fantastic feel good factor that would be. The Euro tournament I loved the most was the one in England when "football's coming home" was first out. I have looked on You Tube recently at footage of the crowd singing it when Frank Skinner and David Badiel were in the crowd joining in. Apparently the team had it playing on the bus going to the games as well. That really was great atmosphere at the time.
It's a great video of the build up at Wembley against the Germans, with that, "You'll Never Walk Alone" and the loudest GSTQ i've heard. Back in 1996, i was in primary school and can remember everyone singing "football's coming home". Even 2 years later for the France 98 WC & the re-done version with new lyrics, everyone was singing it. The team spirit and the spirit of the fans is completely different from then and now. I doubt you'd get these lot of players going out and performing the dentist's chair. Bet James Milner's a great laugh on a night out.
Not just Mullet who feels old after reading that. I am secretly hoping Milner/Downing get a pulled calf and Johnson gets called up, but seeing the way its going it would be more likely to be somebody like Cameron Stewart who got the nod, which would be fun for all city fans of course
World in motion. I will say no more. Those who know, know. That's obviously saying more. I'll say no more.
if we got to the semi final, they would do there best to unsettle it by digging out some story about half the players who did something naughty 20 years ago...
