*Official* Round of 16 thread

[Lillian Thomson]

That game possibly shows why inferior teams usually defend in numbers and spoil the game.

 

[Furball]

Belgium maybe, but Portugal are turd. Wouldn't really call them favourites against Poland. Nani almost comically bad at stuffing attacks up, along with his fluke assist the other night.

Poland are ****ing crap, they were 5 minutes away from losing twice to Scotland in the qualifiers ffs.

 

[GIMH]

That was impressive.

I wonder if the team that wins this half of the draw will win the thing as whichever one of France/Germany/Italy/Spain will surely have taken too much out of themselves to get to the final.

England tbh

 

[flibbertyjibber]

That was impressive.

I wonder if the team that wins this half of the draw will win the thing as whichever one of France/Germany/Italy/Spain will surely have taken too much out of themselves to get to the final.

You may well be correct there. Which is why it is so frustrating for an England fan that Hodgson has messed it up so badly putting them in the tough half of the draw.

 

[Redbacks]

Great header by Giroud, looking at the replay, the ball played to him was in the perfect position to engage the man in front and cause his marker to follow him.

 

[Tangles]

Not sure what to expect from tomorrow's games. Italy vs Spain could just be a tactical bore. England likely to provide drama by finding a way to struggle, go behind or have pens vs England though.

 

[Uppercut]

Belgium maybe, but Portugal are turd. Wouldn't really call them favourites against Poland. Nani almost comically bad at stuffing attacks up, along with his fluke assist the other night.

Portugal were playing a very good team tbf. They're better than Poland by miles.

 

[sledger]

Shame Hungary have been dumped out, I really rather enjoyed them.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The journo's are usually right and they have Sterling and Kane back tonight with Sturridge also playing and Lallana left out. Uncle Roy has a diabolical tournament record overall and never won a knockout match. Presumably if he wins tonight and then loses to France in the quarters he gets another contract.

 

[GIMH]

Sturridge playing is fine, but Vardy should be in over Kane and Lallana over Sterling.

 

[Uppercut]

I have England only slightly better than 50-50 to go through tonight. Feel like no matter how many times Iceland show on the pitch that they're a pretty good team, people still don't believe it because the country has a small population. They dominated qualifying, matched Portugal, and shaded Hungary and Austria. They're quite a lot better than the two teams England failed to beat in the group stages and their status as minnows has the potential to induce a trademark choke.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I have England only slightly better than 50-50 to go through tonight. Feel like no matter how many times Iceland show on the pitch that they're a pretty good team, people still don't believe it because the country has a small population. They dominated qualifying, matched Portugal, and shaded Hungary and Austria. They're quite a lot better than the two teams England failed to beat in the group stages and their status as minnows has the potential to induce a trademark choke.

They're just so grim though (I realize this charge should be levelled at England too). Lagerbäckur is a true believer in defence.

And they ended up runners-up to the Czech Republic in qualifying, and look how that team turned out

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Shame Hungary have been dumped out, I really rather enjoyed them.

all the jokes about Király did get on my nerves tho

Fabulous character but time to hang up the sweatpants lad

 

[Uppercut]

They're just so grim though (I realize this charge should be levelled at England too). Lagerbäckur is a true believer in defence.

And they ended up runners-up to the Czech Republic in qualifying, and look how that team turned out

Careful now, you're starting to sound like Ronaldo.

They're only moderately grim, all things considered. Nothing approaching NI vs. Poland and Germany. There's a lower limit on how grim a team with Gylfi Sigurdsson can be.

 

[sledger]

all the jokes about Király did get on my nerves tho

Fabulous character but time to hang up the sweatpants lad

They did rather, but I just kind of toned them out, they got old for me when he was still playing in England many moons ago. They were made even more annoying, of course, by the fact that he was still really rather good.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

If you're playing Hungary and have Gylfi and Kolbeinn in the team you could probably afford to open up without too many consequences though.

 

[GIMH]

They're quite a lot better than the two teams England failed to beat in the group stages and their status as minnows has the potential to induce a trademark choke.

Quite a bit worse than the team we did beat, too, though. Not sure it means anything.

England will win tonight.

 

[sledger]

I fully expect England to win tonight as well. But I imagine it will inevitably be a fairly arduous watch.

 

[Uppercut]

**** ye's, I need Iceland to go through as the last team in an accumulator, so it's happening.

 

[harsh.ag]

Left the Belgium-Hungary game at 1-0 in the second half. Damn they can play! So many chances. Vermaelen to miss the next game though. Was an absolutely unnecessary challenge too.

Tonight rooting for Brexit.