The Euro 2020 (football) thread.
- Thread starter Rack Kit
- Start date
Andrew C!
Been around a while....
Sterling has matured as a player. Sure, he has his foibles, but when he actually gets space and turns defenders you can see what they think of him.
This is why I'd also play Sancho in the final. The Italian mid-defence has been identified as slow - lets run em a bit and see how they cope.
This is why I'd also play Sancho in the final. The Italian mid-defence has been identified as slow - lets run em a bit and see how they cope.
ks.234
Half way to Infinity
Maybe, but seems quite a gamble. England will need to stop Jorginho bossing midfield, and running at them might allow him space. I feel England will need to press the spaces in midfield and try to close them down rather than trying to turn them.
Joe Hutch
Mate of the bloke
When it gets too intense (or too boring) the Irish part of me shouts 'Will ye shut up, the pair of yiz!'. He's a big bloke, so we pipe down then.
Agreed that Sterling has done pretty well for England. Unfortunately not well enough to justify £300,000 a WEEK. City fans, who predominantly come from a working class background, effectively pay these wages so I think that entitles them to be picky in their criticism. If he was paid £100,000 a week the difference would be enough to feed a small town for a week. His performances have seen him miss quite a few glorious goalscoring opportunities, failed attempts at dribbling, running up blind alleys, failing to keep on his feet, poor weight of pass etc. On the plus side I have noted his improvement defencively, his sharp darting runs off the ball and attempts at little through passes, taking responsibility and positioning, clearly, all of which he has learnt from Guardiola's coaching.
Don't agree when you say he has consistently excelled for England; in fact he has received the most awfull abuse from England fans in the past.
ks.234
Half way to Infinity
Yes. Or try to isolate him. When Italy have the ball, put Mount in front of him playing a number 10 role to stop the supply from the back four, and Phillips a bit further forward to stop the pass back from their forward midfielders. When we have the ball both players are capable of turning defence into attack.
The big danger of course will be when we get turned over.
England need Ngolo Kante
webster
Listen & enjoy.
If only.
Italy will work their socks off and are probably the best organised side in the competition - no surprise with Mancini in charge.
For that reason I don't see Grealish or Foden getting near the starting line up but both or either could come on and make a big contribution when legs are starting to tire.
kensalriser
pfm Member
Much drivel about Sterling here. Player of the tournament so far. City paid so much to Liverpool for him it was QPR's largest ever transfer fee until Palace bought Eze.
I don't suppose City fans pay more than one week out of a year's player wages. Don't forget your roots.
I don't suppose City fans pay more than one week out of a year's player wages. Don't forget your roots.
Alvarado
pfm Member
Yes indeed, grateful QPR fan here.
I wholly agree with @disco about the ridiculous wages but also with @kensalriser, highly unlikely 'working class' city fans are paying them. City's revenue dropped to £478m last year (2019/20, wrecked by Covid) for most of that time there were no crowds - however revenue only dropped by 11%.
More importantly the fact top footballers have money thrown at them is not Sterling's fault or any player's fault. The system is broken, football at the highest level is just a commercial circus. I used to watch City in the 80s (as you did Disco) but I've long since abandoned the PL.
I wholly agree with @disco about the ridiculous wages but also with @kensalriser, highly unlikely 'working class' city fans are paying them. City's revenue dropped to £478m last year (2019/20, wrecked by Covid) for most of that time there were no crowds - however revenue only dropped by 11%.
More importantly the fact top footballers have money thrown at them is not Sterling's fault or any player's fault. The system is broken, football at the highest level is just a commercial circus. I used to watch City in the 80s (as you did Disco) but I've long since abandoned the PL.
Look at his recent goal scoring record for England, the abuse has often been racial, stirred up by hateful rags like the DM.
City fans do not pay his wages, the biggest revenue stream is Sky & CL so it’s actually the likes of me who pay his wages.
He’s not had the best season at City but he is top player & a genuine role model.
With the Frenchman going to Milan, a Sterling replacement might not be such a bad idea (even if it would be a step down for the player). Sterling is a decent bloke but as a player he still hasn't been able to sort out his feet. I think he would prosper under a different club manager.
Jorginho is overrated - Spinazzola would have been much more of a problem - and he is unlikely to pose a major threat to England if we do a bit of man-marking a la Spain in the semi-final which means England will need to press more than in previous games. Hopefully our wing backs will be full of running.
I think it will come down to a battle of defences. There is space behind their ageing defence that is exploitable and their one-on-one defending isn't great. Ours will have to deal with an effective Italian break. Pressing their midfield, e.g Jorginho, will help in that regard but everyone will have to do some extra defending/running to stop the rapid breaks/counter-attacks. A calm, focussed Pickford will help.
Mentality will also be an issue - will Italian game-playing unnerve England (especially if we go 1-0 down - which we don't want) or will England's Germanic type metronomic snoozefest (at times) ball control get under the skin of the Italians? And will England's mental strength hold in a home final? I still back England.
Jorginho is overrated - Spinazzola would have been much more of a problem - and he is unlikely to pose a major threat to England if we do a bit of man-marking a la Spain in the semi-final which means England will need to press more than in previous games. Hopefully our wing backs will be full of running.
I think it will come down to a battle of defences. There is space behind their ageing defence that is exploitable and their one-on-one defending isn't great. Ours will have to deal with an effective Italian break. Pressing their midfield, e.g Jorginho, will help in that regard but everyone will have to do some extra defending/running to stop the rapid breaks/counter-attacks. A calm, focussed Pickford will help.
Mentality will also be an issue - will Italian game-playing unnerve England (especially if we go 1-0 down - which we don't want) or will England's Germanic type metronomic snoozefest (at times) ball control get under the skin of the Italians? And will England's mental strength hold in a home final? I still back England.
ks.234
Half way to Infinity
A role model off the pitch maybe, but on it, no. Trying to deceive the ref is not something we should be teaching our young players to do
Spot on, on all counts.
One of the earliest exponents of the ‘dive’ was another City player, Francis Lee. For some reason he has not been eviscerated in the same way Sterling has? He is looked back on with affection, a City legend.
Sterling is a role model who hasn’t forgotten his roots & is still very engaged with his old school & background. Most footballers in the EPL are lavishly paid & this cannot be held against them.
Sterling is a role model who hasn’t forgotten his roots & is still very engaged with his old school & background. Most footballers in the EPL are lavishly paid & this cannot be held against them.
PsB
Citizen of Nowhere™
I don't know much about football but I like watching Sterling. He's very fast, a good dribbler and he creates masses of opportunities: high entertainment value. He's also puts a fair % of balls in the back of the net for England. The team would be a loss less effective without his speed and skill. He does take a dive now and then, but that seems to be part of modern football and it paid off against Denmark.
Bob McC
Living the life of Riley
can’t let this rubbish about Lee go unchallenged.
Lee scored 15 penalties in his record penalty season. Only 8 of them were awarded for fouls against him.
When it comes to diving for penalties no one can touch Fernandez.
PsB
Citizen of Nowhere™
When I was a kid, teams would cut cards to get me on the team. The other team, that is.
I come out of the woodwork every two years to watch the Euro and the World Cup.