Thetownend.com

Do goals for Stirling and Dumfries yesterday bode well for Bonny Scotland? We'll find out at 2pm

Also our first view of Spain, to find out which players haven't been ruled out with COVID exposure.

So important question... England fans, do you a) Want Scotland to win when not playing England b) Want to Scotland to lose at all times c) Not really care either way?

I've always wanted Wales/Scotland/NI to do well, but I'm aware that's not a universal opinion (and certainly not reciprocal)

Scots and Welsh to lose every time.......

I prefer if they win - unless it's at our expense. That's probably partly down to having a Scottish grandfather. 

Want NI to win. The other 2 can fuck off!

I like to see all of the home nations and both Irelands to do well

I'll support any team which embraces Marxism.

Currently managed to watch none of the football. :(

You have to back the minnows  :)

Joking aside, I'm 41% Celt so don't particularly hate them, as long as England beat them I don't really care. Out of them it's Wales I'd rather see struggle.

In the major tournaments outside of England I’ll always root for the underdog.
Love it when the likes of Greece or South Korea or Costa Rica etc have a good run

I have no issue with the other home Nations doing well as long as it’s not at England’s expense

I don't have much of a problem with the Welsh. Scotland to me are the international scummers. Had a big fucking issue with them going back to 74  Love to see them fucking up year after year. They rarely disappoint.

How come Wembley didn’t even attract the full reduced capacity yesterday?

My nephew went.

Fair play to Scotland, most passionate singing of national anthem by far so far.

TAE THINK AGAIN

Scotland 1-0 up on the anthems

That's the game won then  :)

Like watching a couple of average Championship sides

Oops.  :-[

Aight I agree. Still it’s an improvements on watching the dross that Town produced for most of last season I guess.

Should be some better stuff later, Spain and Sweden are playing.

Looking forward to France v Germany tomorrow

Moi Aussi. That's the first proper clash of the titans.

Why was the keeper virtually on the half way line

Great goal.

Scotland remind me a bit of the Town, lots of the ball, do naff all with it & then concede a couple of goals.

That second is the longest goal scored in the Euros since 1980, apparently.  50 yards.

The bit in the Czech goal where Marshall jumps into and gets tangled in the net seemed very gifable.

I know Man Utd fans get all a lather about Scott McTominay but he has been gash here!

Scotland were absolutely dreadful, particularly the right WB and the CBs. Should be a complete mismatch on Friday.

Czechs looked better than the Croatians for me, but will be interesting to see them play each other to see if that was just a function of the opposition.

Fun game though, Scotland weren't without chances. Bit like a cup tie with a lower league side giving a good account of themselves but losing out by not having quite the same quality of finishing.

Wonder if the Czech fans sing this when he scores...they should.

"Aaaahhhhhh..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXgSHL7efKg

SCO 0 - 2 CZE (Patrik Schick x2)

Scotland lost cos Matt Ritchie isn't there innit  :)

NB:
Schick value before Euros c£40m
Bayer Leverkusen prepare to sell Schick after Euros c£200m  :pint:

The Czech keeper did make 2 or 3 very good saves and there was some good defending by the Czechs and Hendry also hit the bar. Scotland don't really have much up top, I thought Adams looks decent and will probably start against England. McGinn has to play further up the field as well surely?

Robertson sticks out like a sore thumb in that team.

The usual ‘heroic failure’ for he Jocks.

They will probably beat Croatia and still go out, so could well be Aud!

Not a gif, but this made me smile.

(https://scontent.fman4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/201147122_4036550883058654_8710564125957928162_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=OIa3MCzt5DUAX8msx53&tn=NCsx_8rXnYHCMiGP&_nc_ht=scontent.fman4-1.fna&oh=ed84571d6e2586b843e3a93d1591e961&oe=60CC3D79)

Easy Tiger, we haven't played them yet.

Anyone remember Iceland?

Poland have been Kovar-ed

Slovakia 1-0 up against Lewandowskiland, that should make things fun.

Is that the best co commentators ITV could find

Yeah. Soporific stuff. Who’s the female pundit? She’s terrible.

Fuc*ing awful I say  :zzz:

I was listening to the Jocks on five-live on MW693 earlier. My god, they had another woman co commentating, did my fucking head in, sorry if that upsets some of you but, nah, I’d switch off next time. For me it’s the same with radio, they fucking all prattle on and it drives me nuts so I just switch over or off.

Emma Hayes, Chelsea women’s manager. From the bits I heard I thought she was good (albeit a bit quiet), and from what I’ve seen the general social media consensus is the same

Bloody hell! Easily pleased, some people. Sounds a real droney, boring voice.

Same here she comes across so boring even if she is knowledgeable and give me Graame Le Saux anyday😀

This is a role often fulfilled by Jermaine Jenas, Andy Townsend or Robbie Savage, co-commentary is generally dreadful.

I was about to say, there have been plenty of male commentators and pundits who could have done with  Graham Norton's Red Chair treatment over the years.

I don't particularly like Tyldsley, but him and McCoist work well together. Its often quite positive and interesting. But on the whole yeah a lot of co-commentators are dull city, Hoddle is probably the worst IMHO.

I have to say, NBC's cohort for the Premier League games are usually pretty good together - Arlo White with Dixon and Le Saux.  Dixon completely changes his approach when commentating for them, it's a bit like listening to an odd fan/player combo.

I’m not comparing her to others. Standing alone she is a dreadful co commentator.

I didn't want to speak ill of Hoddle but you are right. The list of good ones is essentially McCoist, Gary Neville and Carragher. Either it's surprisingly hard, a lot of people phone it in totally or the producers on the BBC/ITV have strange expectations.

The TV companies want a ‘name’, irrespective if they’re good enough or not. Chuck in the need to be ‘inclusive’ and the quality continues to drop.

Here in Spain they don't have pundits at all. The program starts 10 minutes before kick off with line ups and then anthems.

By the way, Spain outside bet to go out in group stage, they can't score.

I never watch the build up anyway so that suits me.

Are they relying on Morata up front?

Yep 😁

Half time all advertising, 2 minutes after final whistle program ends

Tyldsley and McCoist are the dream team

FACT

They have to show the anthem, so all the Spaniards can join in the singing of it.

When the passing game isn't working you need wingers to attack the defenders at pace and who will put crosses into the box....plan B😀

I would like to retract this earlier comment.

You assumed wrongly😀

you've got to hold and give, but do it at the right time

 :D

Tbf, it seemed like a fair shout earlier in the day.

When did Sweden turn into an effective Faroe Islands?  I'm not sure I have seen a top tier game with one side having less than 20% possession.

Should be winning too, if berg didn’t fluff his lines

That's the Spain & Barcelona and Real Madrid of old.They haven't got the quality they used to have

More John Barnes JQ  :)

 :clap: :clap:

Told you

I heard somebody refer to Welsh fans as the 'Red Wall'.  :girlgiggle:

Co Commentatatots is a bit like food music films etc it is all down to personally choice and what the individual likes is i suppos. Shelley Kerr yesterday foe example was brilliant yet i have seen a few saying she was shit. I like Hoddle as i think he talks tactically and is usually spot on

Agreed, i like Jermaine Jenas but people seem to give him shit as well.  Even though i think he is a dick, Gary Neville is one of the best co comms

Andy Townsend is the by far the shittest and most annoying.

Yeah I think you are spot on here, horses for courses.

Universally i think that is agreed BUT i heard him for the first time in about 3 years the other day and realised there are  a lot worse out there

Andrew Hawes is the best that I have heard recently. I personally think he made last season slightly more enjoyable co-commentating on Town's matches.

Hawes is the play-by-play guy as the Americans would call it, no? Hartley is the co-comm, and does a perfectly reasonable job by local radio standards.

oops! Sorry you might be right. I was impressed with both of them on Ifollow last season to be honest. It must have been mightily depressing commentating on the shite Swindon were serving up last season and I thought they did it with good grace and humour for the most part.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E33awUCWEAMNvh5?format=jpg&name=medium)

Martin Keown is the worst.

No, actually its Robbie Savage I hate him as much as Chris Sutton and the absolute prick Jimmy Bullard.

Does Bullard do co-comms? I thought he just acts like an 11 year old boy on Soccer AM these days?

I have hated Chris Sutton since he came out and said that Celtic Reserves were a bigger club than Leicester City, the year they won the Prem.  Knobhead.  Robbie Savage not much better.

I suspect its not a popular choice, but I quite like Danny Murphy as he is so calm and dry!

Bar the England game, Spain-Sweden was the first match I have watched all the way through, what a mistaka to makea

Spain v Sweden was the first I have watched, albeit the last 55 mins.  :suicide:

The Spain game was comfortably the most boring of the tournament so far that I have watched.

What I have enjoyed is that by and large, teams have tried to win their opening games rather than setting up not to lose. The refereeing has been good with games being allowed to flow as much as possible.  Proper use of VAR has also been a plus; only checking if absolutely necessary and not looking for mm offsides - EPL take note!

Emma Hayes has been brilliant so far - pundit, co-comm and written stuff. Shame she has a proper job outside of tournaments unlike most of the clowns.

Each to their own, I suppose. Like listening to the speaking clock to me.

Tone isn't great, but spoke more insightful content in the opening 5 mins than Jenas or Clinton Morrison have ever uttered.

That’s what probably put me off, tbh. There aren’t many decent pundits about. Those that are OK are contracted to Sky.

No you are right he doesn't I was on full on rant mode at that point. And you do 11 year old boys everywhere a disservice.

Also - Vicci Sparks as a main commentator, very knowledable but her voice just grates my ears, nothing to do with her gender, but she has the voice for a sports column in a newspaper

I am with you also for Danny Murphy

I'll raise you Andy Gray

Last World Cup Phil Neville :zzz: