Thetownend.com

Before the Lord Mayor's Show today: we have two flawed sides in Croatia v Spain and one fairly significant mismatch between France and their alpine neighbours Switzerland.

Not seeing many goals today.

Given what we've seen so far would you put it past the Swiss to shock the French? I think they have a pretty decent side so might do better than some think.

Slightly off topic but after the absolute shambles of the last season I'm really enjoying this tournament. Some good games, great goals, generally consistent refereeing, VAR seemingly being used sparingly and properly, the 'minnows' giving it a good go. Even play acting seems to be less in this tournament as the refereeing standard is so high.

Of course we have England to go out to Germany on Tuesday to endure but i'll get over that quick enough.

Honestly no. Comparing to the Czechs/Dutch game yesterday, the French are a much better managed and less obviously flawed team than the Dutch and the Swiss have fewer players of quality than the Czechs. Would be a much larger shock I think.

Yeah I am inclined to agree. The sulky tantrum French of old appears to have gone and they appear to be a well oiled machine. I can't remember what game it was in the Group stage but there was one game where Pogba who had been playing really well suddenly turned into an arrogant dick trying flicks and worldy balls, trying to dribble around everyone etc. If this mindset gets into other players heads then that could be the chink in the armour that the Swiss need.

The Swiss are a well organised side and indeed, in the Group stages, frustrated the Euro Final-bound French back in 2016.  Not to be written off.

You are right about the sulky days being behind France.  However, I think Pogba for France is very different to Pogba for Man Utd and he is a big "team" player for them off, as well as on, the pitch.  

I did have a ticket for this last 16 tie in Copenhagen, Croatia v Spain as it turns out.
No option but to take the refund earlier this year.
A shame, the Little Mermaid will have to wait.

Hopefully will be able to catch a random game or two in Germany in 2024.

Didn’t realise it was in Germany next time, assumed this new structure was here to stay.

Good to get it back to how it was

Kovar, is that you ?

 :D :D:  Kovar wouldn't have been that c!ose.

Yowzer! That’s some OG

More like the Fryer backpass I reckon.

I've very much done this as a keeper (as Tails and others could attest) and it's an absolute nightmare. I'm not an international keeper mind...

Decent equaliser that.

Comparing every goalkeeper fuck up with Kovar is getting a bit tiresome. Get some new material people.

I'm glad all Kovar...

Morata is an absolute Huddy. How does he get in the Spanish side? Have they really no better strikers then him?

To be Frank, Haffey Swindon other suspect goalies in the past?

False 9 false 10 will we ever see a false no1😀

How has Cesar Azpilicueta ended up as the furthest man forward? Decent run that.

Waiting for the commentator to say he's a false right back

What kind of twat has a bomb emoji tattooed on their fucking neck?

Definitely more $$$ than sense.


#Brezovic

Spain back in the groove😀

Everyone but Morata scoring it seems.

Legolas wasn't happy about the goal they conceded.

#Vida

But contributing well

Oh yeah, plenty of successful international teams haven't had a pure goalscorer. Giroud lead the line for France last WC, many of those Spain teams played without a striker - even back to Guivarch in the France teams of the 90s. Only really Germany with Klose and Podolski are the dynastic teams with great strikers in recent years.

Croatia goal! This could be a great finish.

 :nod:

Wow Boo I love live TV😀

Oh yes

oh yo oh mi!

Lolz you daft prick  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Great game.

Well well well.

This is a lot of fun.

 :clap: :clap:

I wonder if Spains' fifteen minutes of fame is over

wow

This match had shades of how Croatia responded to England leading v them in the World Cup.

Spain should've headed the warning...

Somehow, you're still in it!  :D

Spain's game management was so bad when 3-1 up.

What a save

Simon 1-1 Simon, indeed.

So Morata can score then  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Morata just waiting for his moment.

Low full backs never heard that saying before!

Who has got the balls (or vadge or both) to bet on Croatia equalising again?   :eek:

Hmmmm :eek:

Even now. I bet a cheeky £1 returns a fruity figure?  :D

 :eek: :eek:

I am enjoying this a great deal.

Excellent game and England take note hardly any backward football

Or alternatively, Croatia and the Czech Republic's knockout performances suggest England's ability to control a game is actually pretty good. As great a game as this is I'm not sure it's good for either team's long term prospects!

Great game (for the neutral).

Shit commentators. I swear they're making up more new phrases than I do!

She does go on no wonder she was struggling to get her breath back earlier!

Was trying to think of the reply and you wrote it.

Yep, I'd take a more measured and closed approach. As BO said, Spain's game management is terrible. Whoever they face next will exploit that (or should). You'd be confident going a goal behind to Spain. Seeing as they appear to need a two goal buffer...are they Town (2020/2021 vintage) in disguise?

I just feel England pass back too often but agree game management is key so we will find out tomorrow

I'm talking about both of them. Nothing to do with the gender.

The fella (Joe Speight I think), just said "...Spain really know how to keep the ball..." in a match he's watching where they had absolutely awful game management for the last 15-20mins of normal time.

I don't want Spain to score a 6th. They don't deserve it and it'll only flatter them. Cunts.

Bring back the peseta  :D

Saw the last 10 mins and extra time. Great game!

Well, follow that France and Switzerland.

Yessss :pint: :pint:

Oh my

Too early

ITV Hub is the absolute worst.

I didn't realise that Aden Flint had defected to Switzerland...

#Zuber

In other news, TV rights holders will show us all the unfolding of a near death experience but won't show us the freedom and liberation of a streaker/pitch invader...what a sad world.

I'm guessing that they were draped in a Pride flag?

Edit: No flag from this image but a suspect bumbag. Maybe was off to a rave later? Looks harmless. Shouldn't have needed 4 to take him down :hmmm:

It saves any awkwardness in case it's a ladyboy!

Shane this game isn't 45 minutes long really

Who is Shane and why did he believe a match lasts 45mins?  ;)

Everyone's at it these days!

ooooh. big moment for the Swiss

Hang on Batch hang on!

fucked it. awful penalty

Fucking hell😡

I’ll second that. Go on to Live Tv to get ‘Oops.something has gone wrong’

Bollocks

Shit

and the Swiss misery is complete.

1-1 benzima

Noooooo

2-1 benzima.

I'm off to play COD

Ally McCoist. Thought I'd heard shit commentary in the first fixture tonight. That fella talks "absolute" wet.

And I think his pants might be after creaming next to Clive, after Benzema's first.

Ha, i've just been skimming the comments and it's like an STFC matchday thread

Edge of the seat stuff😀

That's a strike. Goal, of the tournament.

Not sure about the Tai Chi moves though...

Great goal, fair play. He's such a cock though.

Good game this

Surely not again?

The commentator over here has just referred to Sissoko as a hard worker. Must have written those notes next to the wrong player

Yep.

Fucking cracking move.

WTF is going on today

Terrible day of football

If England Germany is anything like this I will need many, many stiff drinks. What a day.

I reckon both games tomorrow will be absolute borefests.

Fucking stay on your feet Swiss defender... jeeez!

2 cracking games tonight. You just know England v Germany will be a snoozefest.

I really hope Batch isn't still playing COD.

*Shouts to Batch upstairs*

"Batch, Batch, Simon, Simon, Batch it's gone to fucking extra time. 3-3 again!"

Well….

The betting curse continues by the way - I had under 87.5 goals for the tournament or something like that. Think we had something near that today alone...

Playing limping to avoid taking a penalty ?

What is this thing with having your socks over your knees

To be fair, I prefer that to the ones who wear them rolled right down like they are in a training session. Also shows how poorly protected some players are. I swear loads of modern pros wear those cheap tiny white vacuum formed ones.

RE high socks. I know Thierry Henry used to do it a lot.

Bet Rodrìguez is praying this doesn't go to penos!

I wish we heard the fucking audio for the officiating teams like we do in other sports. Would put any suspicion to bed.

Not just for VAR but everyone would get a better understanding of why certain decisions are/were made.

Or is it that some people in football need the controversy as they would be out of a job otherwise?  :hmmm:

Better than round your ankles. Jack Grealish for example. Class A cunt. That shin pad is more like an ankle protector.

We're getting penalties here, aren't we?

You're still in my version of the Sweep!

I would say France may win the shootout. There is something about Lloris that annoys me, goodness knows what though

I have France in my work one, so it's win:win I suppose.

Incredible that it's got this far.

Yeah I said similar above. The ones I used to wear were literally like leg gauntlets 😂

Ahh no wonder you're so chilled   ;D

I've got a feeling Mbappe misses his penalty (if he's taking one).

Yyyyyyeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss

good call!

Fucking told you. He'd been off all game.

Pizza Hut calling...

Zut Alors. PSG mentality.

Wow. just wow

3-1 down and did that!

Group (of death) F could all be out before the quarter finals.  Come on England!

:D

Nice. Spain have a lot to be worried about.

Lee Power pulling strings for a Swiss win!

Let's go fucking emmental,
Let's go fucking emmental,
La, la, la, laaaaaaaaaaaaa!

What a day of football. I hope tomorrow is nowhere near as dramatic.

2 crackers today, let's hope tomorrow is another boring 1 - 0

Who would have thought France would be out already. MBappe has been so disappointing this tournament that its not too surprising he missed his pen. Well done Switzerland - well deserved

In all fairness the Swiss should have been 3-0 up against the French before they scored their first.

Yeah they were much the better side. It was a bit of an odd game, the French were lacklustre but then the missed penalty seemed to wake them up and they were unbelievable for the next 25 minutes or so. They then went back to sleep and the Swiss fully deserved the equaliser and ultimately the penalty victory.

Fair play to the 'smaller' teams in this tournament, they've all given it a right go, nobody has been embarrassed and they can all be very proud of their performances.

yeah. on another day Austria could have taken out Italy in normal time.

it's a wide open tournament