KingsX

The kind of signing we need to make. And a clean buy; Chelsea retain no rights.

Pickford is every bit as lucky as Southgate.

Southgate waits until everybody forgets this thing exists, then installs it at the edge of the penalty area. And you guys call him predictable.

Making cash, bollocks. They are paying LCFC in dogecoin.

Not many years ago, you could tell yourself with every justification that LCFC stood above other clubs as a footballing entity, as a business, and as a rare football club with a beating heart that connected with its community. Lately, there's no kidding yourself, we're just as shitty as most other clubs. And now in 2024, worse than most.

Here’s to the founder, and also to the admins, past and present Since Mark is incentivizing me to post even more shite to win a prize, here is my favorite “Our Founder” joke @Mark, I’m curious … what did you have in mind when you started FT and where did you envision it going? Just a place to chat with mates? an alternative LCFC forum? or a major forum on par with those of clubs like West Ham, etc -- which it has become?

End to end, from kickoff to the last second. Capped by the save of the tournament at the death. Quality wasn't perfect, but that was nonetheless proof that the beautiful game still exists

Weren't we looking seriously at Demiral to pair with Cags? "Build the Turkish wall" and all that?

Rangnick must put Icy Hot in these guys' jockstraps before he sends them out for the first ten minutes of each half.

More action in 5' than the entire group stage from England

Great strike or poor attempt at a save?

Romania vs Netherlands Stats: The Key Insights The Opta supercomputer makes the Netherlands favourites in this one, with the Dutch victorious inside 90 minutes in 63.0% of its pre-match simulations. This will be Romania’s first knockout-stage match at a major tournament since Euro 2000. The Netherlands are looking to avoid becoming only the second nation to lose four consecutive knockout matches in the tournament’s history, after Yugoslavia from 1968 to 2000. While it might not be a surprise to see Romania and the Netherlands facing each other in the last 16, it perhaps is to see them in this fixture after the former came top of their group and the latter finished third in theirs. That’s what happened, though, with Romania topping Group E on just four points ahead of Belgium, while the Netherlands came third in Group D on the same number of points, below Austria and France. This is the first time Romania have reached the knockout stage of a major tournament (World Cup/Euros) since Euro 2000, when they were eliminated by Italy at the quarter-final stage. The Tricolorii have only progressed from one knockout tie in major competitions in their history, beating Argentina 3-2 in the 1994 World Cup last 16. The Netherlands have lost each of their last three knockout-stage matches at the UEFA European Championship, beaten by Portugal in the 2004 semi-finals, Russia in the 2008 quarter-finals, and Czech Republic in the last 16 of Euro 2020. They could become only the second nation to lose four consecutive knockout matches in the tournament’s history, after Yugoslavia from 1968 to 2000. It was a tricky group stage for the Dutch, coming from behind to beat Poland 2-1, before a 0-0 draw with France was followed by a chaotic 3-2 defeat to Austria. They led for just 12 minutes and 27 seconds across their three matches, the fewest of any side to qualify for the knockout stage; only the eliminated Czech Republic (7:20), Hungary (2:01) and Serbia (0:00) were ahead for less time among all teams in the group stage. Despite an impressive 3-0 win over Ukraine in their opening game, and finishing top of their group, it has not been an easy journey to this stage for Romania either. They were beaten 2-0 by Belgium before a 1-1 draw against Slovakia as they won a historic Euros group, the first ever to see all four teams finish level on points (four each). Only Georgia (71) faced more shots among sides to qualify for the knockout rounds than Romania (46). However, the average xG per shot faced by Edward Iordănescu’s side was just 0.07, above only England (0.04) and Belgium (0.06) in the group stage, meaning the average quality of the shots they faced was the third-lowest of any team. Cody Gakpo has been the main threat for Ronald Koeman’s men, scoring two of the Netherlands’ four goals in the group stage. The Liverpool forward could become the sixth Dutchman to score three or more goals in a single edition of the finals, after Marco van Basten (five in 1988), Dennis Bergkamp (three in 1992), Patrick Kluivert (five in 2000), Ruud van Nistelrooy (four in 2004) and Georginio Wijnaldum (three at Euro 2020). Memphis Depay impressed on Matchday 3 against Austria, however, leading the line well after there had been calls for him to be dropped. Only Denmark‘s Rasmus Højlund (129) applied more pressures in the final third than him (108) in the group stage, with Depay recording at least 66 more than any other Dutch player, ahead of Gakpo as the next closest with 42. Razvan Marin has scored two of Romania’s four goals, including an emphatic penalty in the draw with Slovakia. The only players to score more in a single edition of a major tournament for the country are Florin Raducioiu (four at the 1994 World Cup) and Gheorghe Hagi (three, also at the 1994 World Cup).

Austria vs Turkey Stats: The Key Insights Austria are predicted as the most likely side to win inside 90 minutes by the Opta supercomputer, which gives them a 49.3% win probability. This will be the first meeting between Turkey and Austria at a major men’s tournament. They last met in March of this year, with Austria winning 6-1 in a friendly match in Vienna. Perennial dark horses Turkey meet genuine dark horses Austria in an enthralling Euro 2024 last-16 tie on Tuesday. Austria beat the Netherlands 3-2 to seal top spot in Group D ahead of the Oranje and tournament favourites France. Turkey, meanwhile, bounced back from a 3-0 defeat to Portugal by beating Czech Republic 2-1 and sealing their progress from Group F as runners-up. These teams have landed in the kinder half of the draw, with a quarter-final against Romania or the Netherlands up for grabs. And you can expect a full-throttle encounter. Rangnick’s side are a brilliant pressing unit. Only Germany (8.8) had a lower PPDA in the group stages than Austria (9.0), while they were second for tackles (61) behind Georgia (63) and top for fouls conceded (49). Turkey love to get on the front foot, too. Indeed, only Portugal (5.8) and Spain (5.4) had a higher non-penalty expected goals (xG) total than Turkey (5.2) in the groups, while Vincenzo Montella’s team were also third for high turnovers (28), behind Croatia (34) and Portugal (30). Rangnick’s interim stint in charge of Manchester United did not go well, and some eyebrows were raised when Bayern Munich approached him earlier this summer. Yet on the evidence of Euro 2024, Rangnick has still very much got it. His team have been fantastic, and were worthy winners of Group D, scoring six goals across their last two fixtures in the first round, and only going down to France due to an unfortunate own goal from Maximilian Wöber. Since Rangnick’s first game in charge in June 2022, only three European nations – Portugal (73%), Spain (67%) and Netherlands (64%) – have a higher win percentage than Austria (60%), who have won 15 of their 25 matches under him. Austria have qualified for the knockout stages of a major tournament for only a fourth time, also doing so at the 1934 and 1954 World Cups and Euro 2020, losing 2-1 to Italy in the round of 16 in the latter. So it is hardly like the pressure is on, but given their displays so far, there is a feeling they can really go deep in this tournament. Turkey were well fancied at Euro 2020, but ultimately flopped as they crashed out in the first round. This is just the third time they have reached the Euros knockouts, after 2000 and 2008, reaching the semi-finals at the latter tournament, which of course was co-hosted by Austria. However, they have yet to win a knockout tie in 120 minutes in the competition. They progressed past Croatia in the quarters on penalties 16 years ago, before losing 3-2 to Germany in the last four. But this new generation holds no fear. Only Ukraine (25 years, 281 days) had a younger average age of their starting XI in the group stages than Turkey (26y 170d). In fact, should Kenan Yildiz (19y 59d on the day of the game) and Arda Güler (19y 128d on the day of the game) start, it will be just the second time a nation has started two teenagers in a knockout stage game at the Euros, after Hungary against Denmark in 1964 (Ferenc Bene and Zoltan Varga). Güler may well be crucial, especially when considering that playmaker Hakan Çalhanoglu will miss this match through suspension. Real Madrid youngster Güler is already his country’s bright new hope, but he could make himself a hero here. https://theanalyst.com/na/2024/07/austria-vs-turkey-prediction-euro-2024-last-16-match-preview/

That's how I read the thread title until reality bit.

It's gonna be Southgate/Kane v Georgia in the final isn't it. FML

Nonsense. Nobody ever regretted posting a thread about Southgate being bollocks.

Air Pearsons?

GTFI YOU POLKA HEADS !!

What I love about England is their composure.

xG stats for most keepers are Expected Goals for our Danny, it's Extra Goals

Even worse -- he’s among our worst ever re-signings. The club have overpaid for him three times. (1) We paid Liverpool many times his market value in 2018 (2) … we then paid him Prem wages for three years to make a dozen or so appearances, not a single one in the PL (3) … and finally gave him the new 4 year contract in 2021. You don’t even have to add in the financial hit of being relegated in the only year he actually played (I use "played" loosely) to conclude that he was a ruinous signing.

Speaking for every neutral in the world, We could handle this combination of absurdly lucky draws and lousy football the first time. But it’s EVERY f***ing tournament under Southgate. And it’s only getting worse, not better, and we are fed up to the teeth. Now if something happened and yours started playing crisp, beautiful football? Playing as if they had a clue what they and their teammates were trying to do? Playing like they wanted to win and actually believed they could? That could change some attitudes … Too bad the chance of that is exactly the same as the chance that Gareth Southgate gets wiped out on the practice field by an asteroid.

What does it matter which guy plays where, or anything else your godawful coach does? You are playing world #45 Slovakia. Portugal, France and Belgium are in one quadrant of the bracket, so only one can even make it to the semis -- to match up against Spain. Meanwhile your path of greatest resistance to the final would be Italy (a declining #10) and the Netherlands (#7). A cakewalk to the semis, where a very good (not great) opponent will await. Looking forward to your media playing up this continuation of the most unwatchable underachievement in tournament footballing history as "an historic run" by the great Three Lions. And to some of you getting caught up in it because, well, you're English.

If this ref sends Ronaldo off, I'm awarding him the Golden Bollocks for this Euros