It's only a matter of time now before England win a major tournament

[Hectic]

Some promising highlights from England in the Euros this year and some encouraging and very surprising match stats below:

England Euro 2020 Highlights
England vs Italy Match Stats
All England Goals
Manager/Player Interviews after the penalties
All England Full Matches
Player Social Media responses to the final
Full Penalty Shootout Highlights
Gareth Southgate Interview

 

[SirAnderson]

Next year, la.

 

[Tony Babangida]

A matter of time yeah. About 60 years.

 

[Sandikan]

That was the chance.
It aligned almost perfectly.

Not a tournament we hosted but still end up with almost all games at home.
Favourable draw.

Other teams took out France and Belgium for us.
Germany as weak as they've been for 25 years.

That was certainly the chance.

 

[FootballHQ]

Won't a better chance than this in a long time.

England due a hard route to final now so fully expect a Brazil/France to end in England's quarter at next world cup and will be no Wembley this time to balance out things, rather some air conditioned stadium in Doha.

Only positivity is Germany went SF-F-SF-SF before finally winning world cup 2014 so at least getting tournament consistency now and squad is still young ish and can be improved in so many areas with more positive management.

 

[el3mel]

Not really, no. It's not every tournament that you will keep on getting such easy draws.

 

[Lay]

Almost all games at home? Check.
Dodgy penalty? Check
Easy run in? Check
Final at Wembley? Check

All these in their favour and still can’t win a damn thing

 

[mu4c_20le]

That was the chance.
It aligned almost perfectly.

Still can't believe Southgate's luck, but it had to run out some time

 

[SCP]

Won't a better chance than this in a long time.

England due a hard route to final now so fully expect a Brazil/France to end in England's quarter at next world cup and will be no Wembley this time to balance out things, rather some air conditioned stadium in Doha.

Only positivity is Germany went SF-F-SF-SF before finally winning world cup 2014 so at least getting tournament consistency now and squad is still young ish and can be improved in so many areas with more positive management.

That tournament will be unique, so 18 months from now it's a mistake to predict a clear favourite. I would put on a first group Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France. It's not based on what they are playing now (except Italy perhaps), or the number of quality players they are producing, but 1 or 2 of this teams I mentioned when they arrive at that competition they just know how to win it. Maybe I am wrong who knows.

 

[Red00012]

England won’t get a better chance to win it , every game at Wembley bar one , a knockout draw with decent teams on one side and England and the rest on the other.
Final at Wembley.

only thing going for England is that they’re young. I don’t think Southgate will be the one to bring it home though

 

[The Hilton]

Yeah but we don't have a measurement of time big enough.

We'll never ever have a better chance than tonight, with huge home support against a team there for the taking. England will never win anything with Southgate in charge, as he doesn't know how to manage games or how to use a squad.

 

[Red4Ever]

Football doesn’t always work that way

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/25765975

 

[BluesJr]

I know it’s comforting to think that way, but that will scar that group of players I’m afraid. Maybe the next generation.

 

[11101]

The players are good enough but we're not going to do it with such a limited manager in charge. Mancini showed us what's missing now.

 

[FootballHQ]

Portugal another one who had ridiculous number of near misses in penalty shootouts and semi finals from 2000 onwards.

Also trauma of losing to Greece in home turf. That was 2004 and they finally won in 2016 so 12 year span.

 

[Theonas]

Portugal another one who had ridiculous number of near misses in penalty shootouts and semi finals from 2000 onwards.

Also trauma of losing to Greece in home turf. That was 2004 and they finally won in 2016 so 12 year span.

Right! What is it with the Euros and host nations losing finals? Consolation for England is the last two went on to win major trophies.

 

[padr81]

We've had nice draws which can't last forever but we've got a good team. Like winning the CL, there is no guarantee that just cause you've a great team you are going to win anything (ask England early naughties or current Belgium). Would be nice to win one but if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen.

 

[SCP]

Portugal another one who had ridiculous number of near misses in penalty shootouts and semi finals from 2000 onwards.

Also trauma of losing to Greece in home turf. That was 2004 and they finally won in 2016 so 12 year span.

Even worse. We lost the first and last game of the tournament against Greece. At home. After beating Russia,Spain, England and the Netherlands. It was incredibly painfull and to this day if I had to choose between 2004 and 2016 I rather choose to win a tournament playing at home (let alone that team was better anyway). But yes, even yesterday Brazil lost the final of Copa America, France in 2016, etc.

 

[Lay]

Even worse. We lost the first and last game of the tournament against Greece. At home. After beating Russia,Spain, England and the Netherlands. It was incredibly painfull and to this day if I had to choose between 2004 and 2016 I rather choose to win a tournament playing at home (let alone that team was better anyway). But yes, even yesterday Brazil lost the final of Copa America, France in 2016, etc.

Don’t forget your club losing to CSKA Moscow mate

 

[SCP]

Don’t forget your club losing to CSKA Moscow mate

Pff, 2005. I had the chance at that time to watch the match on the stadium but refused a invitation by a friend to watch that. Even worse, we had lost the League 4 days before the Final at Estádio da Luz. Must be really terrible to be in the Stadium when you lose a final.

 

[croadyman]

This team is still lacking that player who can control the midfield area and the worrying sign is they don't appear to be coming through anytime soon, people talk about the likes of Skipp & Bellingham but still doesn't feel like that Modric/Pirlo who can control the tempo and put their foot on the ball at important points like the second half tonight.

 

[TrustInOle]

This team is still lacking that player who can control the midfield area and the worrying sign is they don't appear to be coming through anytime soon, people talk about the likes of Skipp & Bellingham but still doesn't feel like that Modric/Pirlo who can control the tempo and put their foot on the ball at important points like the second half tonight.

There is also a promising young kid named Garner

 

[redshaw]

England as a nation have to do a bit more to convince. We could have to wait another 50 years.

I don't see where the manager is coming from and comparing ourselves to France Italy Spain Germany records in Euros/World Cups is quite alarming how as a country we don't have what it takes. Italy going into this had 4 World cup wins and a Euro in the bag, they now have two Euros. Last night was England's only second final appearance. We're doing a lot wrong for International football and could easily slip away.

Hopefully this is a step but our English players have to be smarter and in general England need to produce better coaches to one day manage the national team as they will more than likely be picked even if we have the odd foreign one. National team management is an odd job of infrequent games and tends to rely on its countrymen to manage.

 

[Beans]

Being solid defensively is a ticket to success in cup football. But you’ve got to have some courage. I worry that Southgate doesn’t sacristy believe his team can beat the best, and that he has to defend for his life and hit on the counter.

If Saka and Sterling had run wide at Italy all game, I think England would have had more joy.

 

[Hectic]

Well I'm glad none of you clicked those links in the OP then or I'd feel pretty bad about all the sincere replies.

 

[Beans]

This team is still lacking that player who can control the midfield area and the worrying sign is they don't appear to be coming through anytime soon, people talk about the likes of Skipp & Bellingham but still doesn't feel like that Modric/Pirlo who can control the tempo and put their foot on the ball at important points like the second half tonight.

I can’t help but think of the 442 United played with Scholes and Carrick in the middle, we were great at playing wide through Ronaldo, Nani and Giggs. You don’t need Scholes to play long balls to do this, and Sterling and Sancho are probably the best two attackers for England with Kane, and can provide the creativity and penetration, with Grealish and Saka coming on to run at tired defenders in their place.

 

[Kaos]

England will be genuine competitors for WC2022 and beyond if they upgrade Southgate and their midfield. They need to start blooding Bellingham more since they're not winning anything with a Rice-Phillips partnership, and they need a manager who actually embraces the embarrassment of attacking riches they have, and not bringing them on for 3 minute cameos.

 

[Pscholes18]

England will be genuine competitors for WC2022 and beyond if they upgrade Southgate and their midfield. They need to start blooding Bellingham more since they're not winning anything with a Rice-Phillips partnership, and they need a manager who actually embraces the embarrassment of attacking riches they have, and not bringing them on for 3 minute cameos.

FA will keep him and just like every other England manager he'll stick to his guns and philosophy and will win feck all in 22.

 

[croadyman]

I can’t help but think of the 442 United played with Scholes and Carrick in the middle, we were great at playing wide through Ronaldo, Nani and Giggs. You don’t need Scholes to play long balls to do this, and Sterling and Sancho are probably the best two attackers for England with Kane, and can provide the creativity and penetration, with Grealish and Saka coming on to run at tired defenders in their place.

We never ran at their older defence most of the game which I found a real shame

 

[littleman]

Unfortunately I think this Euro was all the planets perfectly lined up for England.

WC 2022 is just 16 months away and I don't think England will have an easy a ride.

Really depends if Southgate continues to turtle.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

This is the second time we’ve blown a major match having taken an early lead. Hopefully this will promp Southgate to not be overly negative and have the guts to go for the kill, Italy were on the ropes for a good 30 minutes. Losing a major final is tough to take but losing when you know you didn’t quite leave it all out there makes it so much more frustrating. We’ve got the squad to compete at the top, time for the manager to step up.

 

[lefty_jakobz]

A talented squad needed a more talented manager.

 

[Abraxas]

They've still got chances. They are going to be more difficult chances, that is for sure. But there are so many players within this squad that can only get better. I think they really need Bellingham to live up to some of the big talk around him because that's an area that probably caused issues throughout. It's hard to feel that confident if Southgate remains manager due to the strange decisions but there is certainly some optimism to be found within the players.

 

[Giggs86]

France lost the Euros final at home and went to win the WC after two years. England can do the same if they bring in a half decent coach and find a way to improve in midfield.

Plus, the Wembley advantage is a myth. It felt that it added more pressure on the players.

 

[FatTails]

Need to let go of the Catenaccio and start using your midfield, rather than constantly bypassing it altogether.

 

[Ali Dia]

I think the fans and media put too much unrealistic pressure on the team and noise around them. They really need to get a win in soon and maybe things will chill out around them. I agree with Croadyman. The difference in midfield is pretty big. Even Denmark gave ye a good match in there. It needs more than just legs. It’s a confidence thing to take the ball on under real pressure recycle and move, keep it simple but keep making yourself available until the gaps appear. Play that beautiful pass through into the space and through the defence. It’ll come. I think this generation will improve together but might be overhyped.

 

[Sky1981]

This year supposed to be your year.

But you lot are so cringey tempting fate 3 times a day even the god of fortune had enough.

 

[Beans]

We never ran at their older defence most of the game which I found a real shame

As an Italy fan that's what I was worried about!

 

[bosnian_red]

Not as long as Southgate is here. Parking the bus won't work as well in future tournaments. You won't get this lucky of a draw and everything to align like this again.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Not with Southgate in charge.
The absolute audacity to not even send your best attackers in an all important Euro final to get some goals and win it and then take it all the way to penalties due to sheer incompetence and then keep your regular players away from penalties. while sending kids to slaughter, everything is just absolutely ridiculous.
I mean I am not even a die hard England fan and I couldn't believe my eyes when Southgate did it in semis and followed it up in finals.

I don't think England will be lucky like this with draws again. The next tournament will be tough and trying to be highly defensive and try for a 1-0 win is not going to cut it.