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I jest, of course, there’s a big General Election result dropping right now in the United Kingdom. But on the continent – and in the world of football, the best world there is – all roads today lead to Stuttgart at 5pm and then Hamburg at 8pm (BST), where two titanic Euro 2024 quarter-finals are about to play out.
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We’ll be across all the preview bits and bobs for Germany v Spain and France v Portugal today, with a sprinkling of England news for good measure too. Why not stick around and drop me an email with your thoughts? Let’s go.
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Important Events
It’s pretty scary for me The Germany match may now be Toni Kroos’ last professional match. He was and still is a great player, and he’s in great form.
That was just pointed out to me. Kevin O’Rourke noted that Labour won an overwhelming majority in 1966, shortly before England won their only major tournament.
The Three Lions also won the Tournois de France in 1997, thanks to a landslide victory for Tony Blair.
How you interpret that is up to you.
England selection discussions begin…
Amar Breckenridge can be reached via email at
On the sudden switch to a back three: France switched to a back three against Switzerland before Euro 2020’s round of 16 match and lost. Switzerland’s Murat Yakin did the same against Portugal in Qatar but lost 6-1. Switzerland played with a back three for several years under the previous coach and still do. The point is that the team needs time to get used to the system…
To balance things out, England switched to that formation against Germany in the last 16 of Euro 2020 and won 2-0.
Can England keep digging into the well and drawing something out? Gareth Southgate’s side have received a lot of criticism but the fact they reached the quarter-finals despite not playing well at all is testament to their mental strength.
Southgate told UEFA:
We showed great tenacity and great mentality to hang in there until the end and I think we deserved a draw after 90 minutes. If we had scored an early goal in extra time we could have been a bit more in control.
I need to get back to my pre-match mentality. [against Slovakia]You have to be ready to do whatever it takes to win, and you have to be willing to go to rock bottom again.
There are some interesting works in this genre. upon twitter I’ve been trying X for the past day or so and it might be the best.
I took my 93-year-old mother, who is registered as blind, to vote, and she asked in a loud voice: “Which box would you like Adam Wharton to play a few minutes in the Euros?” to cheers from waiting voters.
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) July 4, 2024
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I took my 93-year-old mother, who is registered as blind, to vote, and she asked in a loud voice: “Which box would you like Adam Wharton to play a few minutes in the Euros?” to cheers from waiting voters.
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) July 4, 2024
John Stones If you have a system like that, you will surely be comfortable.
“We’ve done it in previous tournaments,” the England centre-back said. “I remember [beating] Germany [in] “At the last Euros. And before that in 2018. I think it’s great to have this system when we have to play in it. What we shouldn’t underestimate as a team is how easily and seamlessly we can execute this system.”
Former Swiss midfielder Gelson Fernandes I am one of those who will question Southgate’s (potential) decision (as he would).
He said, BBC Sports:
Are they going to change their tactical game now that they’re already in the quarter-finals? For me it’s very risky.
You don’t test at that level. You can usually test in friendlies. That’s when you can make changes. It’s difficult at that level.
I don’t mean to criticise Gareth Southgate, I just say that as a player it’s good to have certain things you can be confident in, like when it’s two v two, whether you’re going to compensate from right to left, or push up, or come out.
In the final round, it’s better to know what you’re doing, because if you don’t, you’ll be in a difficult situation and you won’t have time to react and adjust on the pitch. It might be too late. But that’s not my problem, it’s England’s problem.
You may regret starting this discussion. As I always get a ton of emails I’d like to know what England fans think about a possible change of formation for the Switzerland game. Supporters are clamoring for a change but there’s quite a lot of agitation in ripping up the hymn sheets on the eve of a quarter-final…
I completely agree with your opinion on Spain’s Dani Olmo. When he says it could be a final against Germany, they are arguably the two best teams in the tournament and certainly the two most fluent.
(And despite my love of Spain, I secretly suspect Germany will win in Stuttgart).
Anyway, here we have RB Leipzig player Olmo having a conversation with our very own Sid Lowe from Donaueschingen.
preamble
Good morning. It’s a beautiful morning today. Hope is constantly rising and there is a refreshing sense of change in the air. It’s as if the shackles of the last few years are about to be released after all the tedious work… And that’s just the news that Gareth Southgate is considering a change to England’s formation.
I’m kidding, of course – the UK is currently heavily involved in the general election results – but across continental Europe, and the world of top football, all roads today lead to Stuttgart at 5pm and Hamburg at 8pm BST, where two epic Euro 2024 quarter-finals will be played.
Today I’ll be giving you a preview of Germany vs Spain and France vs Portugal, plus a little bit of England news. Read on and email me your thoughts. Let’s get started.
