England vs Slovakia
I’ve been watching a lot of football this Euros. More than ever before. Partly, well… no, completely, for therapeutic reasons, if I’m honest.
But putting aside my own baggage, and getting back to sports…
I’ve watched every single match, thus far. And I’ve generally enjoyed doing so. There is one consistent exception to this. Watching England play. It’s excruciating!
As I type this we are 0-1 down to Slovakia. And it’s the second half already. Southgate has made no changes, and it’s still the samo’ samo’. Are we going out with a whimper?
Even at this very instant, we’re extremely lucky not to go 0-2 down, with unbelievable sloppiness in defense.
All the pundits and commentators are stressing that changes must be made. And yet none were. That’s just plain bone-headed-ness, on Gareth’s part.
Everyone wants to believe in Southgate and his team, but he’s simply not delivering. We’re nearing 15 minutes to go. And, frankly, it’s f*cking abysmal!
Gareth’s gamble with a young team isn’t working. But he’s not willing to face that fact, and make the necessary changes. The clock is running down…
* Is she the reason Slovakia are currently beating us!? A former Miss Slovakia contender, turned sports commentator, she’s referred to online as ‘working with the national team’.
It’s so painful to watch I may not be able to bear it. Will I be glad when we’re out, so that I no longer have to endure such depressing football? Hard to say.
Holy heart-attacks, Batman… Jude Bellingham just scored a real peach of a goal, to keep us in the tournament. The match now goes to extra time. More torment? Penalties?
…
Say wha’!? Kane scores a header, just one minute into extra time. And the game is transformed. Will we sit back, like we usually do? I hope not. Maybe a couple more subs, and another goal or two (for us!)?
Jeez… being an England supporter – and I guess I kind of must be? – is a roller-coaster ride. I wish we could be a lot better. And consistently so.
Spain vs Georgia
Later on the same day, and Spain vs Georgia has more quality football and excitement in the first 20 minutes than there was in the entire England vs Slovakia match, even with the added time.
I’m glad we won. But Spain, and even Georgia, make us look very lucky/boring. Spain’s team play – esp the lightning fast one-touch passing – is sublime.
Spain totally dominated the game, with far more time on the ball than Georgia. But the plucky underdogs showed, on the counter, that when they had the ball, they had plenty of balls.
What a hi-octane game. Whereas the England game was sluggish, and excruciatingly painful to watch, this was sooo exciting, and such great fun to see.
Pictured above, Olmo celebrates the fourth and final Spanish goal (well, fifth, if you are include Le Normand’s own goal!). As the commentators said, Georgia in defeat were still brilliant. What a match.