UEFA EURO 2024 (Group Stage) - On Optus Sport

[Bradesmaen]

Pickford and Dunk with massive howlers for Belgium's goals. Bellingham missed two easy opportunities before he scored late. Mainoo's composure on the ball is amazing for his age. Southgate will probably pick Henderson in the Euros squad instead.

Personally don't rate Mainoo, think he's decent at the moment but he's not threatening with the ball. As old and slow as Henderson is, he threatens with the ball more from deep. Mainoo is just a shuffler and does get beaten esily in the midfield and does have a habit of losing possession more easily than others. I'm sure I'll get shouted down by the regulars because a critical opinion is not allowed.

 

[ioppolo]

That's a brutal group on Albania. Meanwhile some of those other groups should be a coast for the strongest team in them.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Personally don't rate Mainoo, think he's decent at the moment but he's not threatening with the ball. As old and slow as Henderson is, he threatens with the ball more from deep. Mainoo is just a shuffler and does get beaten esily in the midfield.

I reckon he's mostly playing quite conservatively. He often just makes a sideways pass to retain possession. But other times he will slot it through the lines to launch the attack. Then if you look at how England got their penalty he spins past a couple of tight players before moving it on to Bellingham who found Toney. I saw him lose the ball one time but he immediately battled to win it back.

 

[RPCB]

Poland with 0 shots on target. They really should be doing better against Wales who are mostly Championship players

They did. They qualified.

 

[Bradesmaen]

They did. They qualified.

Better than going to a penalty shootout*

 

[RPCB]

Better than going to a penalty shootout*

Eh, the main priority is qualifying.

 

[Bostonian]

Pickford and Dunk with massive howlers for Belgium's goals. Bellingham missed two easy opportunities before he scored late. Mainoo's composure on the ball is amazing for his age. Southgate will probably pick Henderson in the Euros squad instead.

How was Dunk a howler?

He got a boot to the ball then got back in the play and stood Lukaku up.

The person to blame for that goal was whoever didn't check Tielemans run.

 

[Bradesmaen]

How was Dunk a howler?

He got a boot to the ball then got back in the play and stood Lukaku up.

The person to blame for that goal was whoever didn't check Tielemans run.

Are you serious? He went sliding in and completely ballsed it up. He's not up to standard, he makes Maguire look adequate.

The person not tracking Tielemans was the great Declan Rice. Switched off, he was 5m in front of Tielemans, thought he was out of it and then Tielemans goes 10m past him.

 

[Bradesmaen]

I reckon he's mostly playing quite conservatively. He often just makes a sideways pass to retain possession. But other times he will slot it through the lines to launch the attack. Then if you look at how England got their penalty he spins past a couple of tight players before moving it on to Bellingham who found Toney. I saw him lose the ball one time but he immediately battled to win it back.

According to the stats he lost it 4 times (in tackles), and he gave it away a few times passing. He hit 0 long balls into the space when he had Bowen to aim at (who loves to run onto a long diagonal). Conservative maybe one way to put it but I can guarantee you if he was playing for Sheffield United no one would give a s**t about him. Playing for Man United (and only playing ok) just seems to make everyone cream their pants about you like all their other wonderkinds such as Chong, Gomes, Macheda, Shoretire, Elanga etc etc.

 

[Frank Bunn]

How was Dunk a howler?

He got a boot to the ball then got back in the play and stood Lukaku up.

The person to blame for that goal was whoever didn't check Tielemans run.

Dunk had 5 yards on Lukaku but was outpaced then panicked and lunged for the ball instead of putting it into touch.

 

[RPCB]

Personally don't rate Mainoo, think he's decent at the moment but he's not threatening with the ball. As old and slow as Henderson is, he threatens with the ball more from deep. Mainoo is just a shuffler and does get beaten esily in the midfield and does have a habit of losing possession more easily than others. I'm sure I'll get shouted down by the regulars because a critical opinion is not allowed.

Said after Mainoo was awarded the player of the match. Not really covered yourself in glory here.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Said after Mainoo was awarded the player of the match. Not really covered yourself in glory here.

Proof is in the pudding there. He wasn't anything great in the match, but of course they were going to award it to him. The media have done nothing but spruik him for the last 6 months and have not cast any critical eyes because it's the UK media. Tielemans scored 2 goals and really with his long diagonal set up his own 2nd (to Lukaku and back)

Let's look at the who scored ratings... Mainoo 6.35. That put him midpack of England.

 

[RPCB]

Proof is in the pudding there. He wasn't anything great in the match, but of course they were going to award it to him. The media have done nothing but spruik him for the last 6 months and have not cast any critical eyes because it's the UK media.

I didn’t watch this particular match but what I do know is he hasn’t put a foot wrong for his club. The English media will go overboard at times so that’s true but it’s not like Mainoo hasn’t played very well at club level.

 

[Bradesmaen]

I didn’t watch this particular match but what I do know is he hasn’t put a foot wrong for his club. The English media will go overboard at times so that’s true but it’s not like Mainoo hasn’t played very well at club level.

He has had some bad games at United, he's played some good games but he's not played any elite level games.

 

[Bostonian]

Are you serious? He went sliding in and completely ballsed it up. He's not up to standard, he makes Maguire look adequate.

The person not tracking Tielemans was the great Declan Rice. Switched off, he was 5m in front of Tielemans, thought he was out of it and then Tielemans goes 10m past him.

Got a piece of the ball, held Lukaku up rather than letting him run on on goal.

It's a howler if he misses the ball completely and Lukaku just walks the ball into the box.

So as you pointed out it was Rice who actually cost the team the goal.

You'll be able to point out in all the game day threads however when players get a cross into the box it's considered a howler by anyone who lets the cross come in.

I'll wait...

 

[Bradesmaen]

Got a piece of the ball, held Lukaku up rather than letting him run on on goal.

It's a howler if he misses the ball completely and Lukaku just walks the ball into the box.

So as you pointed out it was Rice who actually cost the team the goal.

You'll be able to point out in all the game day threads however when players get a cross into the box it's considered a howler by anyone who lets the cross come in.

I'll wait...

What he could have done was use his left foot and put the ball out of play. It was a howler because of that and the fact he barely got a piece of it and allowed Lukaku to do that. Dunk is not an international level player. But then again Southgate isn't an anything level manager

 

[Bostonian]

What he could have done was use his left foot and put the ball out of play. It was a howler because of that and the fact he barely got a piece of it and allowed Lukaku to do that. Dunk is not an international level player. But then again Southgate isn't an anything level manager

What you consider a howler is vastly different to what I consider a howler.

Even if it was Maguire in that play I'd never call it a howler.

Not reading anything about Rice and howler in the same sentence.

Dunk has been absolutely fine in his previous International games so to suggest a single play means he's not international level is ridiculous.

 

[Bradesmaen]

What you consider a howler is vastly different to what I consider a howler.

Even if it was Maguire in that play I'd never call it a howler.

Not reading anything about Rice and howler in the same sentence.

Dunk has been absolutely fine in his previous International games so to suggest a single play means he's not international level is ridiculous.

And you have a go at moomba for defending the indefensible... Pot, kettle, black

 

[Bostonian]

And you have a go at moomba for defending the indefensible... Pot, kettle, black

Indefensible?

Using your theory on what a howler is there's 20 howlers in an EPL game every week.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Good to see Georgia qualify for their first ever major tournament. I was going for Greece as I wanted to see a repeat of 2004 where they beat Portugal in the opening game and in the final of Euro 2004, in Portugal. Games vs The Czech's who they played at Euro 2012 and especially against Turkey would have been interesting. Not to be.

Happy for Ukraine I was going to back them but they dropped from $1.60 to $1.40 the next day after opening so I couldn't be ****ed. Happy nonetheless they should have taken Italy's spot in all likelihood but you never know with Donnaruma in goal he may have saved that stone wall pen.

Happy to see Poland too instead of Wales * em.

France, England, Brazil all good friendly games and Portugal's unbeaten run comes to an end although Slovenia are no slouches and I think a loss may actually be good for them. Maybe an unbeaten run could build some pressure when the going gets tough. Better now than at The Euros.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Mainoo set to take the mantle from Messi and Ronaldo given Brades track record analysing player abilities.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Brazil had a pretty depleted squad. Not a very good outing for England leading up to the Euro’s. But as you said, they will be very good at the tournament. Just too much talent not to go far.

Yeah I overreacted mate it doesn't mean s**t. Friendlies are useless for the most part. I knew we'd be good at the world cup even after finishing bottom of the group in The Nations League getting spanked by Hungary 4-0 at home lol. A draw with Italy at home, who lost 5-1 to Germany ( I think it was after they played us ) and losing to them in Italy. Yet also after The World Cup we beat them there for the first time I believe in a competitive fixture, and beat them 3-1 at Wembley coming from a goal down. We'll be ok at the Euros I'm backing us in we'll get the job done this time finally!

We're going to beat Germany in Germany if we play them like they did to us at our Euro in 96. Time to flip the script!

 

[Bradesmaen]

Mainoo set to take the mantle from Messi and Ronaldo given Brades track record analysing player abilities.

Like Bolasie, DCL and Sigurdsson did?

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Like Bolasie, DCL and Sigurdsson did?

If you s**t on everyone you'll occasionally be right. Clock right twice a day stuff.

 

[Bradesmaen]

If you s**t on everyone you'll occasionally be right. Clock right twice a day stuff.

Forgot we're not allowed to be critical of players from certain teams. Such a snowflake, should have expected that from a tory