Euro 2024 Qualifiers

[Satchmo Distel]

Two queries on Italy v England tomorrow:

1) Is it the first time the finalists from the previous Euros are both in the same group?

2) Did England want to play their most difficult group game as their first fixture in the group?

[Ray de Galles]

Nations have no input on their fixtures any more, it's all centrally scheduled.

[Ray de Galles]

I didn't realise that Ireland were home to Latvia in a friendly tonight. I presume the visitors see it as a suitable warm-up for playing Wales.

There is a strange sound on the coverage, like reverb or the noise from building work. I wondered if it might be some kind of echo off empty seats but the commentator has just lauded the size of the crowd.

[Ray de Galles]

Just had to turn it off as the audio was genuinely making me feel ill. It's like something from a CIA psyop.

[Ray de Galles]

The sound is fixed and Latvia have come back from 2-0 with two long range strikes that the Irish keeper looked pretty ropey on.

[elguapo4]

Typical recent Irish performance. Start well and look impressive, then concede a goal from nothing, and heads and shape disappear. We'll probably nick a late winner, although France on Monday is not one I'm looking forward to.

[elguapo4]

Genius substitutions by Kenny, Johnson hits the post with his first piece of play, then Ogbene puts away the rebound ,both within a minute of coming on.

[Ray de Galles]

I'd need a Football Cliches Adjudication Panel verdict on it it was Johnston's "first touch" when he ran about twenty yards with the ball prior to shooting. I think we would have had an own goal from the Latvian defender who prodded the rebound goalward for some reason had Ogbene not finished it off.

McLean looks like he's spent his time at Wigan sampling the town's most famous product, he was out of breath running on the pitch as sub.

[Ray de Galles]

I thought Latvia were worryingly competent there.

[Sam]

One to watch for the England game: I am told Mateo Retegui is in with a chance of starting up front for Italy. He's an Argentine who's been scoring plenty of goals for Tigre on loan from Boca for the last year and a bit. At the start of this year (the new season) he opted to stay on loan at Tigre rather than return to Boca because while he's definitely the best centre forward currently contracted to Boca, he knew he'd probably just end up sitting on the bench all the time there because their manager's a dick. He's seemingly got a few big European clubs sniffing around, and accepted his Italy callup a couple of weeks ago because he's fully aware he'd be approximately fifteenth choice centre forward for Argentina. If he does get on the pitch at all it will be at once fully deserved for him, and a bit of an indictment of Italy's strength in attack. I sort of want him to score against England just to embarrass Boca a bit more.

[Mr Beast]

I don’t want to overhype him but Evan Ferguson has incredible potential. Whereas Scotland’s striker options make me want to burst into tears.

[ursus arctos]

La Gazzetta thinks that Retegui is going to start against England, but not all Italian sources agree.

Mancini said yesterday that Retegui reminds him of Batistuta when he arrived in Italy, so no pressure on the kid.

[Ray de Galles]

Italy will have a tribute to Gianluca Vialli on the inside collar of their lush new Adidas shirts tonight, as well as the European Champions badge ;

https://twitter.com/azzurri_en/status/1638955058724503552?s=46&t=YPTuyXx_pzpV4Wjm6pdF-Q

[Gangster Octopus]

Well there's a turnip.

[Guy Profumo]

Not so smug now, are you, twat?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...-flag-29536045

[Ray de Galles]

Allegedly it's the guy behind the 'White Lives Matter' banner at Burnley, who is a supporter of Tommy Robinson.

There's something of a manhunt being conducted on Italian football Twitter to track him down in Naples.

[Ray de Galles]

Italy are as poor as expected, sadly. Dreadfully dozy defending for the goal.

[ursus arctos]

Was about to say the same.

What a mess.

[Gangster Octopus]

Oh, goodie. VAR...

[ursus arctos]

This may be the worst Italian team of my lifetime

[Ray de Galles]

Have switched to Denmark v Finland, the Italy game is just miserable viewing.

[Mr Beast]

Decent half from England. Pity we have to hear that anthem.

[jameswba]

Luxembourg have forced Martin Dubravka into two good saves in the first-half in Trnava. Slovakia are awful. 0-0 at HT.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Decent half from England. Pity we have to hear that anthem.

Why don't they just learn the fields of athenry and sing that song over and over and over and....... over and over and over....... and over?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

By the way, what the fuck was jack grealish doing with that chance?