Barnsley V England

Barnsley sometimes I can't bear to watch and it does my head in, England I get bored more often than not and switch off.
Of course I want England to win but we've been let down.
Barnsley well their like a member of your family, the nerves the intensity etc etc.
You know.

 

I've grown to love this England team, they're all extremely likeable lads who clearly want to play for the country and all seem very grounded. 5 years ago I'd have said I'm not bothered about em.

 

Agree. Trouble for me is this new Italy team under Mancini are the same - a bunch of young guys by and large full of running and enthusiasm with a great team spirit ( apart from the issue that they take the histrionics to a whole new level)
I will be going up to our small town square on Sunday where they are screening the match. The porchetta will be plentiful and the outside bar sells the artisan beers on draft from the local micro brewery literally next door and we'll be surrounded by enthusiastic friendly locals (hopefully still so if England win).

In all honesty I am in a win/win situation as I am not really that bothered who wins as long as it is a good match and the best team on the night wins.

Until the semis I fancied that Italy would win as their pace would overwhelm England but now -especially as they lost Spinazzola. through a bad injury- I am not so sure as England looked very positive and lively against a very physical Denmark side, who IMO, who were allowed by the officials to get away with all sorts of 'Shithousery'. Whilst he kept the game flowing and let a lot go there should have been at least two or three bookings in the first half alone.

Oh! and IMHO the VAR footage and constant replays from multiple angles on RAI TV clearly showed that Sterling was clearly brought down (although he did not make much of an effort to stay upright!) as the first tackle his foot was clipped and the player got nowhere near the ball followed immediately by being obstructed and pushed over by the second player with no attempt to play the ball). Re Kane's first penalty shout - I do not understand why VAR ruled it as no penalty as contact was made with his foot and the defender was nowhere near the ball, although it was marginal as to whether first contact was inside or outside the box. His reputation for going down easily though probably did not help.

 

I'd go Barnsley but I was pacing the floor for the last hour of the match last night and cheered as loud as I would for any Barnsley goal (though I go much more nuts when I see Barnsley score in person).
I wonder if there's a generational element to this. I grew up watching football in the late sixties and seventies. I was 10 when we went to Mexico as World Champions in 1970 and were, arguably, the second best team there. A team full of pretty down to earth but excellent footballers like Moore, Hurst, Peters, Charlton. It was an era when the Home Internationals were a big thing and the annual game against the Scots was massive. It was easier to like the players back then. I think if I'd grown up watching England in the last thirty years it would be much harder to really identify with the team. Players on hideous wages, their arrogance, propensity for assault and battery. The misbehaviour and, at times, utter lack of class of some of the fans. I struggled to hold on to my youthful enthusiasm when Rooney etc were playing but this lot and Southgate as a person have made them much easier to like again.