Euro's France 2016

[dem]

Jun 16, 2016 6:18:10 GMT franklinmarsh said:

Good to see whole chunks of stadia taken up with Euro-fans in team shirts - Switzerland's fans looked like blocks of jam, but the award goes to Sweden's cascades of molten butter. And talking of hooligan firms, anyone see the Geldof vs Farage aqua aerobics? Comedy gold enhanced by the Channel 4 news reporter greeting Sir Bob and chums familiar obscene hand gestures with "That's semaphore for....anchor."

Yo Ho Ho! Cap'n Sweary-Bob & bosomy bos'un Charlotte Church sure told Bloaty McCodface what he could do with his flotilla! And where was BlowJo when the chips were down? Shamefully, looks like we are to be denied a Battle of Brexit II as BpopLive has been cancelled due to sub-zero ticket sales a "spiteful vendetta" conducted vs. the organisers by petty bureau-fat-crats, the Electoral Commission. What a despicable insult to the fab four who won a nation's hearts, i.e., the mighty 'Fizz. It's political correctness gone mad.

Anyway, today's fearsome fixtures

Group B 14.00 England V Wales

Group C 17.00 N. Ireland V Ukraine

Group C 20. 00 Germany V Poland

[franklinmarsh]

Yes! YES!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not convincing, but a win is a win is a win.

[mattofthespurs]

Poo'ed my pants a little during that.
Should see us through to the next stage to be knocked out by some 'lesser' nation.

[franklinmarsh]

Hats off to Northern Ireland. Extra time goals are so fashionable right now.

[mcannon]

Jun 15, 2016 22:44:03 GMT dem said:

Game Of Shame: Notorious hooligan "firms" head for Lens.

Lordy, Dem, that pic is more horrifying than a boxful of Guy N Smith novels! It brought back terrifying memories of an evening in late 1976, when I ran headlong into a horde of several hundred Rollers fans in Sydney's Central Railway Station. Their idols were performing that evening just up the road at the Horden Pavilion and a seemingly-endless stream of tartan-clad tweens was pouring in from the suburbs - *shudder*.


BTW, while I've zero interest in the Euro tournament, I'm eternally grateful that it's diverted attention from the English Rugby team's current tour of Australia and the Wallabies ham-fisted capitulation in last Saturday's first Test. Oh, the shame.....

Mark

[ripper]

I felt a deep depression sweep in when Bale scored late in the first half. Glad to see Roy showed a bit of sense and took off Sterling in particular. The guy is clearly talented but, for me, he hasn't developed to any great extent since his move to the blue end of Manchester. Rooney, I think, has found his role for the remainder of his international career. Both subs paid Roy back in spades with vital goals. It's in our hands now to qualify for the knockout stage. I hope that Wales stuff the Russians...that would be so good to see .

Great result for Northern Ireland. There were many raised eyebrows over the sweeping changes the manager made but he was the one with the smile on his face when the final whistle blew. Pity, though, that Germany could only draw with Poland. NI would probably have wanted a German victory, then perhaps they would have rested some of their players. Still, you never know, and best of luck to our friends in NI--I would love to see them get through.

[dem]

Jun 17, 2016 3:52:18 GMT mcannon said:

Jun 15, 2016 22:44:03 GMT dem said:

Game Of Shame: Notorious hooligan "firms" head for Lens.

Lordy, Dem, that pic is more horrifying than a boxful of Guy N Smith novels! It brought back terrifying memories of an evening in late 1976, when I ran headlong into a horde of several hundred Rollers fans in Sydney's Central Railway Station. Their idols were performing that evening just up the road at the Horden Pavilion and a seemingly-endless stream of tartan-clad tweens was pouring in from the suburbs - *shudder*.


BTW, while I've zero interest in the Euro tournament, I'm eternally grateful that it's diverted attention from the English Rugby team's current tour of Australia and the Wallabies ham-fisted capitulation in last Saturday's first Test. Oh, the shame.....

Mark

And these Russian Ultra's think they're the last word in Clockwork Orange chic "hard." Hah! I've endured many a cauldron of hate in my time - Barnet V. Wealdstone (various), 'The Battle of Bognor,' Millwall V Orient, Radio 1 DJ's v "Celebrity" XI F.C., Nick Cave & the Cavemen at Brixton, Martian Dance at the Lyceum, a particularly hostile '90s Drac Soc AGM, etc - but an evening among the tartan terrors at local church youth club was just ... none more scary mate. I still have flashbacks. As mentioned elsewhere, can't remember if the Rollers liberated the multiple-scarf action from the terraces or vice versa, but a totally brilliant look.

England 2 Wales 1. There is some concern that the result will be declared null and void and England thrown out of the tournament as R*bb*e S*v*ge has complained to FIFA his compatriots were wearing "the wrong type of studs." Taking nothing away from Gareth Bale's audacious 30 mile toe-punt, but it was the biggest fluke ever and if our dandruff-free keeper hadn't been too busy checking his profile on the big screen we'd have gone in level at interval. England far from convincing, but Roy's inspired (and desperately necessary) substitutions saved his bacon, and as our man in the tactics truck says, "a win is a win."

N. Ireland 2 Ukraine 0. Hailstones the size of snowballs stopped play, but nothing could stop Martin O'Neill's "no hopers" who so richly deserved the win! Ukraine, normally such a handful, win prestigious first team to be eliminated from Euro 2016 bumper sticker.

Germany 0 Poland 0. Old foes strike truce to take piss out of England, stage a moment-by-tedious-moment re-enaction of our mind-numbing performance V. Algeria in South Africa World cup. Trust me, they've got it in for us.

Today

Group E 14.00 Italy V Sweden
Group D 17.00 Czech Rep V Croatia
Group D 20.00 Spain V Turkey

Anyhow, let's talk proper football for a moment. Newsflash for Pulphack from Leyton Orient site!

O's on the road to Grosvenor Vale in July.

The O’s will open their 2016-17 pre-season campaign with a trip to National League South side Wealdstone. Orient manager Andy Hessenthaler will take his side to Grosvenor Vale on Tuesday, July 12 (7.45pm kick-off).

[dem]

Italy 1 Sweden 0. Only caught the highlights, but seems the supposedly most crap Italian outfit since Ralph 'Gino Carlesi' Bates' suit with jumbo flares in I Don't Want To Be Born found the Swedes tougher tough-nuts to crack than they did the Belgian All Stars. Brazil-born Eder's 88th minute super solo effort proved decisive, though there there was still time for the Swedes to be denied a blatant penalty at death. The Azzuri progress to knock outs, Big Zlat's final tournament not going any better than previous ones.

Croatia 2 Czech Rep 2. High drama. Two up on the hour and rosy, the Croats somehow contrived to allow the Czech's back from the dead in a match that had just about everything but will mostly be remembered for pyrotechnics on the pitch and fighting between rival Croatia fans. Five minutes from time, Mark Clattenberg - trouble seems to follow that man around - led both sides off pitch until the smoke cleared. The Fiery Ones, clearly upset by the off-field goings on, needlessly conceded 93rd minute penalty when Peter Cech's routine punt down-field was handled in the box. Croat's become the third side to face the threat of expulsion from tournament.

Spain 3 Turkey 0. A routine walkover for deposed World champs determined to prove their calamitous Brazil campaign was just a blip. The Turks - who showed plenty of desire in recent meaningless Wembley friendly - downed tools after half an hour and generally gave impression that all is not well in camp.

Today

Group E. Belgium 3 Ireland 0. Groan. Missed it, and am grateful to have done so.

Group F 17.00 Hungary V Iceland

Jun 16, 2016 10:02:42 GMT Craig Herbertson said:

Football's been really enjoyable. Being Scottish though, I hardly recognise this new tactic of scoring.

Most impressive song has to be the Icelandic grunt. Absolutely terrifying - even, as some article pointed out, when there's only fifty of them

After their crushing 1-1 victory over CRybaby7 and his mates, the children of Freyr, the Great Boar God, prepare to unleash thunderbolts on a Hungary side who likewise impressed in their opening fixture. Our friends at Reykjavík Grapevine assure us that, having consulted the sacred runes, they already know who their fearsome warriors will obliterate in the final. "We saw a German flag flickering in the flames around the bonfire recently ...."

Group F 20.00 Austria V Portugal. Huge comedy potential if the Austrian's come good after flat-lining first time out. A contest that could see a card or two.

[mattofthespurs]

Ronaldo missing a penalty.
THE moment of the tournament for me.
But then I'm still bitter.

[dem]

Hungary 1 Iceland 1

"ÁFRAM FÖKKING ÍSLAAAAAAAAAAAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Consecutive crushing 1-1 victories for the fearsome Icemen. Much to their collective shame, seems "reformed" post-Blatter FIFA remain corrupt to the core, as despite scoring all the goals, Odin's offspring have scandalously been awarded only one point. There will be "Thunder on the Tundra" over this, you mark my words! Great game, BTW, particularly second 45 with impressive Hungarian's bombarding forward relentlessly.

Ronaldo-missed-a-penalty 0 Austria 0.

Yesterday

Group A France 0 Switzerland 0. Easy-rip Swiss shirts evidently bought as job lot from a striptease club. Most exciting aspect of decent if frustrating contest. Both sides through to last 16. French still in with huge shout of winning this thing if you want dem opinion.

Albania 1 Romania 0. A famous first-ever tournament win for team supposedly "only there to make up the numbers" but goal difference of 1-3 may not be enough for them to secure a best third team spot.

Today

Group B; 20.00 England V Slovia
Group B; 20.00 Russia V Wales.

[helrunar]

Team sports generally put me to sleep but this sounds like a long-lost Talbot Mundy novel.

Will Tros of Samothrace arrive to save the day?  Or will Odin's Offspring harry their hapless victims to a dark grisly doom???

cheers, H.

[dem]

From John Motson OBE's Motson's World Cup Extravaganza (Robson, 2006)

England 0 Slovakia 0
Russia 0 Wales 3

Wales, whose bat-eared superstar now has three goals in as many games, deservedly qualify as group winners after doing to Russia - and Slovakia - what England's exciting, if alarmingly goal-shy strike force couldn't. Roy's taking this cavalier lark to extremes now, and another new look line-up performed well in fits and starts but couldn't find a way past stubborn ten man defence (didn't help that their goalie, Matus Kozacik, played a blinder). Glenn "early doors" Hoddle's co-commentary briefly lifted the spirits - "It's not the elbow - well, it's slightly the elbow" after Ryan Bertrand clattered their no.2 in a welter of blood - but, as New Order succinctly put it 26 years of hurt ago, we want goals and we didn't get any. Surprised at Russia's elimination so early in tournament as they'd been on a decent run since dispensing with services of the lugubrious Fab Cappello. Wales now face a 'best 3rd place" side, England get runners up in Group F (one from Hungary, Iceland [!], Portugal or Austria). Slov's four points should be enough to see them progress as one of aforementioned best also rans.

Today

Group C 17.00 Germany V N. Ireland
Group C 17.00 Poland V Ukraine
Group D 20.00 Croatia V Spain
Group D 20.00 Czech Rep. V Turkey

[ripper]

I thought that England played quite well and dominated for most of the game, which was encouraging despite the changes Hodgson made. Sadly, with Slovakia obviously happy for a draw and not venturing forward much, our boys just didn't have the guile to break them down. If Slovakia had been going for the win and come out more then England may well have scored a couple, but Slovakia played well and stuck to their plan so well done to them. Our weakest area remains defence and that must be concerning.

Congratulations to Wales. I was so glad to see them thrash Russia and send them packing.

I just hope we don't get Portugal in the next round.

Good luck to NI. It would be great to get 3 UK teams into the next round.

[dem]

I reckon whoever we get from that group will be difficult, Rip, but yeah, agree, the Portuguese are a bogey ream, always capable of doing something slimy like beating us. Hungary have been good and deserve to qualify, Austria look to have recovered from a terrible start, and, much as I hope they prove me wrong, Iceland look on course to achieve a pyrrhic victory in going home without having lost a match (their warriors have, of course, been at an unfair disadvantage since match-day one due to FIFA's ludicrous prohibition of battle-axes on the field of play).

Seeing as we've not had enough blabbering mindlessly on and on about football recently;

Advertisement





O's fans - Your Cup Final falls early!

Sports Direct Stadium, Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip HA4 67Q

Battle of London! * Glam clash! Grudge Match! Tribal Rivalry! Bragging Rites! One Team In Harrow! * Raider Vs. Fatty Fryer!
Hear famous Bulla Roar! Meet the Dead Fox Corner Elite! Buy the Commemorative Mug!




Do Icelandic Crab Dance Now!

Also: July 2nd Sports Direct Stadium, Grosvenor Vale, Stones v. Q.P.R. under-21 Subbuteo XI

(* Pending enormous boundary change).

[franklinmarsh]

I enjoyed Slovakia's Psychobilly haircuts, but that was about it.