Internationals June (Euro Qualifiers + Nations League Finals)

When and where is the trophy parade lads?
 
Should never have got to penalties, but we remained calm and stuck our penalties away well.

Would have obviously liked to get into the final, but the Nations League and World Cup has shown how much England has progressed in the last couple of years.
 
So, England fans.
Was this a glorified friendly or a worthy competition? I keep seeing conflicting views.

Edit: I should add if it were wales who Made it Into the top pool and then this friendly knock out next year I’m sure we would have liked to win it and treated it a bit more serious than a friendly
 
Zlatan 7 said:
So, England fans.
Was this a glorified friendly or a worthy competition? I keep seeing conflicting views.

Edit: I should add if it were wales who Made it Into the top pool and then this friendly knock out next year I’m sure we would have liked to win it and treated it a bit more serious than a friendly
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I was a competition that contained The Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, England, Germany, Iceland, Poland, Croatia, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. The games were played in a very competitive manner, despite the naysayers claiming to the contrary. To come third is fantastic for England and continued progress. We beat Spain and Croatia to win our group. OK the game against Switzerland was a foot off the gas a bit but I think winning a penalty shootout was good for us, especially having so many different players scoring across this one and the one in the World Cup. The pressure was off in this one but it will give those players that little bit more confidence if they have to take one in a bigger game.

I think the competition will grow in prestige. Some of group games were brilliant because of the way the mini leagues were set up it disincentivised stinking the place out. Add to that you only had the top sides playing each other and there was very little spoiling.

I think the problem for it going forward in England is that it's on subscription TV so it won't be an event the nation watches. I think football fans will watch it because the quality of the games have been so good for the above mentioned reasons.


 
Walters_19_MuFc said:
Who would you say the 'really elite players' are then?
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Ronaldo. Griezmann is usually good in big tournaments aswell. Hazard etc.

Sterling isn't far from that level but just seems he's restricted in an England shirt for a few reasons.
 
GDaly95 said:
Really looking forward to the final later.

Be interesting to see how Ronaldo decides to approach it, will he try and isolate De Ligt in the air? It's so hard to get anywhere against those two centre backs.

I hope Portugal set themselves up better than they did the other day. It does seem to me that Bruno, Felix and Bernardo Silva all naturally occupy the same space so its probably hard to get the best out of all of them.

Felix can't be deployed the same way. The position he was in appeared to make him so pointless against Switzerland. I don't know the player very well, but I can't imagine he plays on the shoulder of defenders twice his size for Benfica, he was always going to get bullied.

And as much as anything else, I can't wait for De Ligt and Bruno Fernandes to put an end to their sagas. Assuming that happens quite quickly after the match. Maybe I'm too optimistic.
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We’ll play the same way.

We’ll get outpossessed and outplayed, only question is if we get outscored or not. It’s going to be the same Portugal of the past 4 years, we aren’t suddenly going to change in the final.

De Jong will run the show in midfield and Van Dijk and De Ligt will make life extremely difficult for Ronaldo. I’d take penalties so hopefully we can hold them off, without Pepe that’s going to be tough though.
 
Peyroteo said:
We’ll play the same way.

We’ll get outpossessed and outplayed, only question is if we get outscored or not. It’s going to be the same Portugal of the past 4 years, we aren’t suddenly going to change in the final.

De Jong will run the show in midfield and Van Dijk and De Ligt will make life extremely difficult for Ronaldo. I’d take penalties so hopefully we can hold them off, without Pepe that’s going to be tough though.
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I'd love to see Ronaldo rise above VVD for a goal. Seeing him do a job on these central defenders in general would be absolutely majestic.

Here's hoping!
 
Patricio; Semedo-Fonte-Dias-Guerreiro; Danilo-William-Bruno; Bernardo-Guedes-Ronaldo

No Félix. Very defensive with Danilo and William together, @SCP will get so pissed :lol:

I like the lineup though.
 
Peyroteo said:
Patricio; Semedo-Fonte-Dias-Guerreiro; Danilo-William-Bruno; Bernardo-Guedes-Ronaldo

No Félix. Very defensive with Danilo and William together, @SCP will get so pissed :lol:

I like the lineup though.
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I would have liked to see Moutinho, but I’m happy enough.
 
Bruno starting in the middle of the pitch today. Let’s see if he puts on a better show.
 
Id wish the resident Portuguese posters good luck, but Id be lying. I hope we thrash you ;)
 
Imagine we get to 2022 and Pepe and Fonte are still in Portugal squad. :lol:

Can't remember the last time they didn't play a CB in their mid 30s.
 
FootballHQ said:
Imagine we get to 2022 and Pepe and Fonte are still in Portugal squad. :lol:

Can't remember the last time they didn't play a CB in their mid 30s.
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Wouldn't be surprised if Bruno Alves gets a call-up as well. :lol:
 
@Peyroteo @SportingCP96 , how do you rate Nuno Gomes at his peak? He's one of the most memorable players when I think of the Portuguese national team (after Ronaldo, Figo and Rui Costa).
 
VorZakone said:
@Peyroteo @SportingCP96 , how do you rate Nuno Gomes at his peak? He's one of the most memorable players when I think of the Portuguese national team (after Ronaldo, Figo and Rui Costa).
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The winners vs England in 2000 and vs Spain in 2004 are some of the biggest goals ever scored for Portugal. He's the best striker for the national team in the past 30 years and one of the few Benfica players I admired.
 
Peyroteo said:
The winners vs England in 2000 and vs Spain in 2004 are some of the biggest goals ever scored for Portugal. He's the best striker for the national team in the past 30 years and one of the few Benfica players I admired.
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Also scored in 2006 in 3rd place play off v Germany.

From memory in that period Pauleta was starting striker in most of those tournaments. Had great record in the qualifiers but could never seem to score in the majors.
 
FootballHQ said:
Also scored in 2006 in 3rd place play off v Germany.

From memory in that period Pauleta was starting striker in most of those tournaments. Had great record in the qualifiers but could never seem to score in the majors.
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Pauleta only played well vs Andorra and Kuwait for the national team. He pretty much always disappointed in important games.

He was fantastic for PSG though.
 
Peyroteo said:
The winners vs England in 2000 and vs Spain in 2004 are some of the biggest goals ever scored for Portugal. He's the best striker for the national team in the past 30 years and one of the few Benfica players I admired.
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Pauleta was better but I agree with everything else though.
 
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