In The End It Was Out And Out
Jun 28th, 2016 by 'holic
A day later and there is no numbing the effects of England’s abject surrender to Iceland at the Euros. At the outset let me add to the congratulations I offered to Iceland on Twitter at the final whistle. The better team on the night did indeed win, and deservedly so.
England were gifted an opening goal from the penalty spot inside five minutes. It should have been the platform for a comfortable passage to a quarter-final meeting with France, but within a minute the equaliser arrived when an international defence was plunged into chaos by a long throw-in. Less than twenty minutes were on the clock when Joke Hart allowed another tame effort to avoid his clutch, and although we didn’t know it at the time Iceland had just clinched victory against a dispirited and gutless opponent.
Roy Hodgson did the decent thing at the end of the match. His resignation was inevitable but it has to be said the players who had delivered a faultless qualifying campaign were quick to throw him under the bus. It was the players who failed to capitalise on their possessional advantage in the group matches. Three wins became one and then came last night’s tame surrender. Some of the senior players who are rumoured to have pointed the finger at Hodgson should not be retained under the new regime.
Lest we forget Iceland included the Netherlands among their victims in qualifying and remain undefeated at the tournament proper. They are very well organised, disciplined, and full of desire. It would be a surprise if they went on to beat the hosts on Sunday, but don’t rule it out. For sure the Icelanders themselves haven’t.
A similar story had played out earlier in the day as the much-fancied Spaniards were sent packing by the Italian team with no star names but an admirable work ethic. On a bad day for Manchester goalkeepers David De Gea gifted Italy their opening goal just past the half hour mark. He spilled Eder’s free-kick into the path of Giorgio Chellini, the unlikeliest of goalscorers. To be fair De Gea kept his team in contention with a string of saves either side of the goal.
The azzuri wrapped up a deserved triumph in the closing minutes when Southampton’sΒ Graziano PellΓ¨ surely guaranteed a bid from Liverpool with a close-range finish. The result earned the Italians a quarter-final date with world champions Germany on Saturday. The Germans have never beaten Italy at the finals of a major tournament. Immovable object, meet irresistible force.
The other quarter-finals pair Poland and Portugal on Thursday, plus Wales and Belgium on Friday. The Welsh celebrations back in their hotel last night didn’t offend anyone I know, I hope. As the last of the United Kingdom’s (but for how much longer?) representatives they are guaranteed my support for as long as they remain in the tournament. Aaron Ramsey is enjoying a fine run of form and the inconsistent Belgians are by no means a shoe-in to proceed to the last four.
Good luck, Wales.
67 Responses to “In The End It Was Out And Out”
Drink!
Yes good luck to the Welsh and the Icelanders and to all our players left in the tournament . Almost a day afterwards I am still stupefied by the poverty of that performance even though I had no expectations of anything resembling success for that shower of shit. I always enjoy these post- mortems especially when people who know nothing about football loudly try to diagnose our faults .
Frankly so much is wrong that it will take a miracle to fix it. But the Eddie Jones / Trevor Bayliss experience does show what can be achieved with a good man at the helm. All we need is a top- class Australian coach?
Has Ramsey become an albino Wale? (As in Wales, plural, and Wale, singular.)
Rooney insists England players didn’t lose faith in Hodgson
——-
He’s not wrong, they lost faith in themselves (although some would argue they had very little to start with).
But we all know what a spuds heavy side can(not) do!
With the exception of maybe this chap : http://tinyurl.com/jze9797
π π π
Italy and Iceland prove yet again that it is the better team that wins not the better eleven players. Hodgson failed at the first hurdle of management: pick a system to fit your players or the players to fit your system. He did neither.
Evening H
Trust you are well.
I would thoroughly recommend an article written by Barney Ronay in the Guardian re England’s demise against Iceland.
It encapsulates everything that relates to our continued failure at International level.
What is truly terrifying is that Gareth Southgate is apparently the front runner to be the new manager,having won a half arsed England under 21 Tournament in France recently.
Harry Redknapp God bless him,has even suggested Tim Sherwoood as a possible candidate.!!
That Barney article is a good read. He can turn a phrase with the best football writers these days:
“For the next few months a postβRoyxit vacuum beckons.” Ha!
Homer
if you scroll down the Guardian football page to the ‘ In depth’ section,there is another acerbic article from Barney that he posted about Roy Hodgson,that was also superbly written.
AW is a front -runner for Hodgson’s old job apparently. No doubting he knows more about current English players than any other likely candidate after 20 years in the Prem … I mean, didn’t he pick a whole bunch of them to be the future of Arsenal a while back? Oh…
…a whole bunch of them and a Welshman…
I love my national sport of handball
I love my national sport of handball too
indeed
I find the restrictive nature of ‘holic’s computer based wanker-catcher software to be a drain on my what is already a depleted consignment of brain cells . I vote that just for now the national sport of Ireland is Boot in the Balls and ‘holic’s tech wizard is first up . The spanner !
and as we all know
spanner stays on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC7PEQnjKl4
Iceland, Ireland. Little wonder the spam spanner was confused, my friend. π
Γfram Island! ??????
Now why would a Scot be in Iceland this week, I wonder? π
That Bath is a glory hunter! Next stop Caerphilly!
Apparently Wenger is being talked up for the England role and Higuain wants to leave Napoli when his contract expires in two years.
What a perfect world we live in π
King GT
I am available and I believe I would bring the same level of flair and panache to the post as Roy of the Rollovers did .
To whom should I send my application ?
Just a quick mention of Arsenal Ladies on BT Sport 2 tonight. Semi-real football, as an antidote to all this international shite.
AAPTS @21
All apps should be sent to the ‘Flop HQ’!
Preferably on ‘floppy’ disk format!
π
So it seems Zlatan is going to sign for ManU after all.. this should be good… would love to see a bust up between him and the Moaning one!
The only reason we are not linked to anyone yet is because they are all still involved in the Euros (at least that is what I would like to believe!)
π
Arsene for England??… The FA must be REALLY desperate if it comes to that… π
He’ll most likely drop all the spuds… π
Chelski agreed to sign Michy Bat… hope he doesn’t turn into another Drogba!
If Moaninho does get Zlatan.. we should get Rashford!
π π π
Condolescences to the victims of the Istanbul terror attack, especially the dead and injured and their families, but this affects all of us in some way. Having travelled throught that airport, visited that lovely city, and been hosted by its lovely people, this is striking much too close to home for my liking. π
bt8. Great drink.
Cheers to that.
Bravo Bt8
Another awful disaster
The world is a deeply perplexing place at the noment!
Tony Adams and Henry back at the club as coaches!
Let us hope TA can instill some character and awareness of what the club stands for to the boys in his charge- and let’s hope they play like Thierry! Well the forwards anyway.
Guvna @18, heh. It was the Wife of Bath’s decision. I wanted to go to Crete!
TTG @19, too right. A short hop across the bridge and a great castle. Not keen on the cheese though.
Bt8 @26, knows.
“Roy of the Rollovers” (#21). Love it!
WORD OF WARNING
When I clicked on the sidebar link ‘Arsenal Blogs from Arsenal fans Worldwide‘ my anti-virus flashed up a warning ‘MALICIOUS WEBSITE BLOCKED’.
I checked all the other sidebars and they are perfectly safe.
Hello Chris,
Baffled by that. Gunners247 is a legit news aggregator and opens fine here on Mac and pc.
You may be getting a false positive on your AV?
Cheers.
Arseblog says we might sign a Japanese striker. If so here’s hoping he has the DNA of Godzilla.
Attacking acumen. Strength. Size. Unshakable confidence. Sounds just about like the right combination of top top quality. π
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYuIEa5DvJs
Quickness? We’ve got Giroud for that. π
So it is confirmed then..Zlat goes to Moaning!
Sign Rashford up!!
π
Good luck to ATG and terrible luck to Cristiano Ronaldo!!
bt8b@35: And probably has a hell of a throw-in on him…
NBN. He may have to be taught how to avoid hand ball violations. If the ball ever gets that high. π
Re #34 ‘holic: I have emailed you separately with details. No cause for alarm.
Thanks BT8
We huffed and puffed but hey at least we went out in pens! π
Proud of of our lads as for the Arse I’m still waiting for that signature signing……………………………………
Greetings one and all
Watching England play reminded me very much of watching Arsenal at times last season. We lacked ideas, especially when we were faced with well organised sides who want to defend.
Like many I know, my love affair with football started to dwindle a few years ago. Watching the tributes and memorials to those who were involved and lost their lives 100 years ago in northern France has been incredibly humbling. I’m bored stiff with all of the money and greed than engulfs the game today. The events of 100 years ago should serve as a reminder to those who profit handsomely from the game just how fortunate they really are. The odd dose of reality form time to time, touched with some gratitude doesn’t do anyone any harm. Lest we forget.
This has been sitting on my shelf for ages. Seems like a good time to finally read it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Football-Woolwich-Arsenal-Footballs/dp/1845134095
Very fine sentiments, Steve T @45.
https://twitter.com/Alexis_Sanchez/status/748541016672714752/photo/1
Alexis has been through the wars…!
Ouch!
steve T
talking about world wars is difficult
the talk of bravery
lotta poor fellas were herded to the slaughter
many i’m sure most
petrified not brave
some knowing their fate
some not
some not caring anymore
just an awful episode in history
and to take a wee nip outta yer post
“The odd dose of reality form time to time, touched with some gratitude doesnβt do anyone any harm”
.
Top Man Steve
.
and
Top Man ‘hol
for here
.
UP THE ARSENAL !
in other news
my rampant homemade drinkalism has resulted ?
in nonsense in another place
.
“I’ll see your pint of Stella ”
and raise you
“Ya Burberry scarf wearing No Surrender shouting beer belly owning blob ”
.
Nitwits
.
sad too
i hear yer man claude is missing
wouldn’t wish any ill on him
talks a lotta wank but
hope he’s found safe and well
No Surrender to fucking Stella Artois, cba
Although if she asked nicely I might change my mind
there’s only one cy – nic
one cy – nic
there’s only one cynic !
.
ya smart fucker
always liked ye
sharp as the sharpest
.
(any recommendations for another spy series)
Lest we forget indeed Steve T. Very impressive and apt coverage by BBC which brought home the futility and tragedy of war . CBA is right in his suggestion that many lads went as lambs to the slaughter for that is what that sort of combat was. I heard today of a 12 year- old boy fighting in the trenches for the British. Thankfully he survived.
I can make no connection between that and other events this week. The appalling English capitulation to Iceland and the events at Westminster this week.
Let us hope Wales can restore some pride tonight. I detest their rugby team but their football team are a credit to the nation
Spy series?
Hmmmβ¦
There’s one called Special Branch but it’s not on YouTube and it’s very camp. I think I mentioned it before. Derren Nesbitt, Fulton MacKay. The first two series are a bit spy/Cold War in tone and have things like anarchists and stuff in.
The second two series are more of a straightforward cop show with Patrick Mower and George Sewell.
There’s episode one
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21eveg_special-branch-s1-episode-1_shortfilms
Fulton MacKay comes into it later on.
M’lud
discussion of this such and some such
is made all the more complicated
as you know
by what i and many about me
decide what was a war
in my mind
tanks on the street
constitute a war
people in camouflage stopping you
throwing you against the wall
kickin the fuck outta ye
is not a sign of love
shooting you isn’t either
cheers cynic
I’ve run outta Callans
?
Why doesn’t Ramsey take our corners?
He has put across a couple of brilliant balls , one of which they scored from
He’ll have to get in the side first, TTG π
Ramsey 2 assists?!
We really need a proper striker…. got a team full of assistants!
π
The Wales performance gives the lie to the suggestions that the Premier League and the lack of a winter break is to blame for England’s demise, they are a side with a few very good players but the rest are reserves or Championship players but they have a team method, they have been solidly coached and they are showing immense pride in playing for their country
Belgium are a slightly more skillful England….! π
So Ramsey back for the finals then?!
π
Congratulations Wales you were absolutely magnificent. They were a credit to Britain , a massive credit to Wales and a great credit to themselves
Congratulations to Wales! What a spirited performance.
Their number 10, one Aaron Ramsy, looks like a fantastic player. We should sign him. π
This free-floating #10 role suits him the best, but unfortunately for him we have a couple of better players in that position. Will be interesting to see where he starts the season with us.
TTG @ 59: Rambo and Arteta used to be more involved in taking free-kicks and corners before Santi and then Ozil arrived. He has a good floating delivery but not the pinpoint accuracy of the other two.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>