Euro 2020/21

[Piglet_Phoenix]

Can farmers be freemasons?

[howoldboy]

If they can provide a goat.

https://forthrightspace.files.wordpr...8.59.32-am.png

[Piglet_Phoenix]

I should be a pundit.

After my unparalleled success in the predictocmp (who else has won it twice?) for a start.

Tipping Italy (12/1) at the time and Denmark as my dark horse (34/1) for this tournament looks pretty sound punditry at the minute. Those 50p bets don't look so foolish now

Anyway, I also back Portugal e/w on advice (the same advice which won me enough for a can of Fanta or two on a Biden election victory) but always had a few doubts about them defensively. And the Ferran Torres top scorer bet looks four years optimistic, but you can't win them all.

The dullest team in the tournament? England - by a mile.

[howoldboy]

All 5 bets still in play but guaranteed to lose at least one tomorrow night (Belgium v Portugal).

Germany (14/1).
Netherlands (14.5/1).
Belgium (8.4/1).
Portugal (8.8/1).
Ukraine (90/1).

I usually lay them if/when they drop to half the odds so Germany already covered at 7/1.

[Piglet_Phoenix]

I've enjoyed watching Germany, although they've been a bit toothless in attack for two out of their three games. I like their tempo and they have a good bit of width. Sane had a shocker in their last game. I can see the game against England being 0-0, especially if England start with the same formation with Rice and Philips and midfield and Kane isolated by himself up top.

Holland have had good results, but they've bored me quite a bit (although not as much as England).

The Ukraine bet's an interesting one, where did that come from?

[howoldboy]

Holland were really poor tonight.

I must confess that, apart from Ukraine, the bets were placed more on what I thought was reasonable value for money rather than any strong confidence behind the selections.

I picked Ukraine because I liked their attacking style when they played (and occasionally looked dangerous) against Holland.

At the time I thought 90/1 were pretty good odds, but subsequent events have proved me wrong as they are now available at 110/1 (Betfair).

[Piglet_Phoenix]

Holland lost their heads after that dumb-ass got himself a red card.

Surely you go to a 4-4-1 in that situation, wait until the Czech's over commit and look to hit them on the break with your pacey players. I'm not sure what De Boer was thinking. It was like watching John Barnes trying to reorganise Tranmere when they went down to ten men at Brunton Park back in 2009.

Again I was really disappointed with Belgium. All those attacking players and you play unforgivably negatively, if you're Portugal you'd be extremely disappointed you had all the football but weren't good enough to score.

I'm not sure I'd rule Ukraine out quite just yet, especially in knock out football. As we've seen today, a red card or a refereeing decision can swing things in your favour quite easily. If nothing else they've looked an honest side.

[Piglet_Phoenix]

Now then Howoldboy, you're on a hiding to nothing with Ukraine now.

England are very beatable, Germany only have themselves to blame for their defeat with the chances they missed.

[howoldboy]

Now then Howoldboy, you're on a hiding to nothing with Ukraine now.

England are very beatable, Germany only have themselves to blame for their defeat with the chances they missed.

Ukraine's chances must have improved significantly now that they are playing England.

Especially as England will be playing away for the first time and it should be nice and hot in Rome on Saturday.

Nevertheless using the same logic as for Germany, I laid them at 44/1 last night.

[howoldboy]

The Italian national anthem is lively and always seems to give the team a lift pre kick-off.

In comparison the dirge that is God Save The Queen can't do much to lift England.