Today's Game

[Vegas Claret]

So much quicker than it’s done here too.

it's made me a lot more hopeful that this is the way it will be implemented in the PL next season. Even Stuart Attwell made a correct decision today in less than 10 minutes

[Spijed]

The problem with VAR that can never be eradicated is the initial doubt when a goal is scored.

As Antonio at West Ham said that you'll never be able to fully celebrate a goal ever again.

[Loyalclaret]

Not sure that's a penalty

[Spijed]

Who says VAR is better if penalties are given for soft tackles?

[HunterST_BFC]

Still find it a bit amusing seeing Refs running about with a Dildo bouncing around the back of their shorts... (spray device)

There has to be a better solution ...

[boatshed bill]

this game is nuts. great to watch

[KRBFC]

Spain are gash

[chekhov]

Steve Bower, one of the better commentators. So much preferable to Jonathan Pearce, Sam Mattaface or Clive Tyldsely.

[Duffer_]

Lebandowski fouls Laporte in the same way that Llorente did Mee - it's a shove. I wanted the goal to stand for the spectacle of the game but it should have been chalked off. Ref has just given a foul against Lebandowski for the same offence but on the edge of the area.

[Duffer_]

Yellow card for T'Pau - he pushed too hard.

[KRBFC]

Now that was awful, Enrique out

[KRBFC]

Enrique is clueless, at least he once won the Champions League though. What was he thinking with this ridiculous anti Real Madrid bs?

[boatshed bill]

The ref did well to keep this 11 a side

[Rileybobs]

I saw a feature on Spain by Guillem Balagué before the tournament started. He said that they don’t have the quality to dominate possession in games so Enrique likes to get the ball forward quickly and play more directly. I think he was right about the lack of quality, but the ponderous possession game is an incredibly poor imitation of prime Spain.

[yTib]

poland did well to get a draw there though spain lost the plot after about 20 minutes.

[KRBFC]

I saw a feature on Spain by Guillem Balagué before the tournament started. He said that they don’t have the quality to dominate possession in games so Enrique likes to get the ball forward quickly and play more directly. I think he was right about the lack of quality, but the ponderous possession game is an incredibly poor imitation of prime Spain.

Shocking, ex Barca manager selects 0 Real Madrid players, he should've been fired for that alone.

[tiger76]

Big chance for Wales to top the group here, 8 changes for Italy, and 3 for Wales, Ben Davies, Chris Mepham and Kieffer Moore left out, sensible move by Rob Page as all 3 are a booking away from suspension.

However there is a huge incentive for Wales to top the group if they can, as the group winners will play their last 16 tie at Wembley, so that's the carrot if they can pull off a famous win, and given the results this Welsh side have delivered in recent years you'd never write their prospects off, especially with that man Gareth Bale in their ranks.

[Winstonswhite]

Do they “only” need to win to top the group or is it goal difference?

[Top Claret]

Just turned the TV on and the Italians are blasting out their national anthem it was a joy to watch, unlike Mings who stands chewing gum

[Rileybobs]

Do they “only” need to win to top the group or is it goal difference?

It’s head to head I think.

[Winstonswhite]

Italian reserves looking just as good as the first team.

[Vegas Claret]

I'm still holding off real judgement of this Italian team as they still haven't faced any sort of attacking threat but going forward they are great to watch and they win the ball back so quickly.

[taio]

Italy look very good. They are on course to go 30 matches unbeaten and 10 without conceding a goal. Impressive.

[Winstonswhite]

I'm still holding off real judgement of this Italian team as they still haven't faced any sort of attacking threat but going forward they are great to watch and they win the ball back so quickly.

I think it’s hard to judge any team- given the way competitions are seeded these days and no one cares about friendlies - until you reach the business end of a tournament.

But it takes some doing going 30 matches unbeaten…

[KRBFC]

I'm still holding off real judgement of this Italian team as they still haven't faced any sort of attacking threat but going forward they are great to watch and they win the ball back so quickly.

They'll get sliced apart defensively by the better sides. Looking like world beaters in the group against poorer sides doesn't win you trophies.

[Top Claret]

Find little enthusiasm watching Wales, whereas always want England to win being English, and now due to Crankie want the Scots to get beat

[Winstonswhite]

They'll get sliced apart defensively by the better sides. Looking like world beaters in the group against poorer sides doesn't win you trophies.

You could be right. It’s strange during the 30 games they’ve not played any friendlies against the big nations.

[Vegas Claret]

extraordinarily soft red

[ClaretMat]

This ref has been very poor indeed. Given some very soft free kicks and that's a yellow, not a red

[Claret]

extraordinarily soft red

Accidental trod on foot. Not really a sending off

[minnieclaret]

There have been plenty of stamps in the tournament, most if not all have been yellow. Ampadu’s was very late and what annoys me with most stamps is they are not trying to play or block the ball. This was clearly nowhere near the ball.
Tournament over for Ampadu.

[yTib]

definitely a yellow.

purely accidental was that.

[Taffy on the wing]

They'll get sliced apart defensively by the better sides. Looking like world beaters in the group against poorer sides doesn't win you trophies.

Contrarian nonsense!

[evensteadiereddie]

Definite red, that was potentially an ankle=breaker with no attempt to hold back.

[Taffy on the wing]

Pointless challenge.

[taio]

I don't want to see red cards for that but it seems the ref and VAR applied the rules as per the pre-tournament instructions.

[Vegas Claret]

how many games does he miss for that ?

[Colburn_Claret]

Monkey hangers promoted to League 2, on penalties.
Should make Jeff very happy.

[yTib]

omg how much space did bale have and he proper fluffed it.

[ElectroClaret]

Glorious chance for Bale.

[Vegas Claret]

so poor from Bale

[minnieclaret]

definitely a yellow.

purely accidental was that.

You are very generous. These are pros. As Paul Scholes said after retiring, “I’ve never done anything on a football pitch that I didn’t know what I was doing”. This was in response to a question about his tackling being like a forwards.

[yTib]

You are very generous. These are pros. As Paul Scholes said after retiring, “I’ve never done anything on a football pitch that I didn’t know what I was doing”. This was in response to a question about his tackling being like a forwards.

well i for one can't believe that a 20 year old would jeopardise his playing in the rest of the tournament for a meaningless stamp.

but i suppose only he knows the truth.

[Winstonswhite]

You are very generous. These are pros. As Paul Scholes said after retiring, “I’ve never done anything on a football pitch that I didn’t know what I was doing”. This was in response to a question about his tackling being like a forwards.

You’re quoting someone who couldn’t tackle admitting to purposely fouling?

That was a mistimed tackle, yellow at most. But I get that a lot of fans these days think any contact = “legbreaker!!!”

[Taffy on the wing]

so poor from Bale

He thinks it's all about him!

[Vegas Claret]

fair play to Wales, didn't think they'd get out of that group let alone finish second

[Top Claret]

What a fantastic team spirit Italy have they all look like they're enjoying themselves. No pressure on taking the dreaded knee, they did what they wanted, some did some didn't, unlike our Zombies

[Pstotto]

BBC web- Wales players averaging about 4.7 for the team, keeping it to 1-0 against Italy in Rome in the European Championship and going through to the last 16 just, as Switzerland only can win 3-1.

... Yeah. BOB.

9?
10?

4.7.

[Pstotto]

No joke.

[evensteadiereddie]

You’re quoting someone who couldn’t tackle admitting to purposely fouling?

That was a mistimed tackle, yellow at most. But I get that a lot of fans these days think any contact = “legbreaker!!!”

I'm not a fan who "these days" thinks any contact equals a legbreaker. Have another look at it, I'm not convinced it was accidental - the lad made no attempt to pull out of what was, clearly, a lost cause and was lucky not to cause his opponent serious injury. If that foul isn't a straight red it's hard to imagine what might be.