Jimmy_D

Spain certainly very very deserved finalists, but they don’t look invincible.

THAT was the chance for France.

Blimey. That was a huge chance to level it up.

Interesting game now, Spain likely to keep attacking you’d think, but they’ve also looked vulnerable on the break, perhaps not surprisingly with the players they have out.

Ok, maybe not so difficult to break down (Although that is due to two incredible goals.)

Cracking goal!

Oh! German fans over the handball penalty that wasn’t given against him apparently, been a big part of the German reporting after they went out.

France likely to be extremely difficult to break down now! Have I missed Cucurella doing something? Crowd seem to be right on his back?

I read that at the time. It’s out of date now, the EU have been putting a massive amount of money into ramping up production since then, and Ukraine’s shell hunger isn’t an issue now. Russia have been making small gains in some areas, and are being pushed back in others. Between Ukraine now having authority to hit military logistics and materiel in Russia, the quality of North Korea’s supplies being sub standard, and Russia sending over 10000 troops to their death each week just to maintain their lines where they are, it’s no wonder that Putin is trying to get Ukraine to concede on the negotiating table.

If Ukraine can achieve that, Ukraine then joins NATO, NATO gains the most experienced army in the world with combined NATO, Soviet, and drone warfare, and any future attack on Ukraine becomes unfeasible for Russia.

Ukraine aren’t asking for other country’s soldiers to defend them, they’re asking for as much help as possible to defend themselves. Despite days like today, Russia’s ability to wage war is slowly being degraded. The fact that Russia is even talking about negotiations demonstrates that. (As well as several indications on the ground, not least Russia’s dwindling tank reserve stockpiles, the severe degradation of their anti-air capability ahead of the imminent introduction of F16s, and the increasing reports of Ukraine holding the advantage in drone warfare.) As far as I’m concerned, I’m all for giving Ukraine all the help that it’s possible to give.

I don’t want to live in a World where people like Putin can think “Let’s bomb a children’s hospital and they’ll start making concessions to us.” Bearing in mind that anything Russia agrees to is absolutely worthless, there’s absolutely no gain.

There’s absolutely no way Russia can be allowed to be seen to gain anything from this.

Even among the horrific acts Russia have been carrying out, this one… No words.

Ouch. Pedri apparently out of the semis and the final if they get there with a stretched ligament.

Switzerland have looked good before today but England managed to nullify that for the most part. It hasn’t looked pretty but I think people are underestimating how effective it’s been at stifling opposition. Wouldn’t bet against England being able to do similar against Netherlands and give themselves a chance of clawing their way to the final.

Feel like Turkey were unlucky not to take that to extra time but Netherlands won’t care!

Goal for Turkey!

I don’t even know how he did that

A perfect set of penalties! From England! GERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIN! Semi Final!

Don’t agree with them wanting to remove extra time myself in the slightest! Teams with the fitter players shouldn’t have that advantage reduced, and teams that manage to do well enough to win in normal time shouldn’t have that advantage reduced over the tournament. Not to mention it’d probably end up with teams wanting to make sure it at least goes to penalties from about 60 mins on.

At least Beckham had a pretty decent conversion rate. Ronaldo has what, 1 goal in the last 60 or so free kicks for Portugal?

Ronaldo on a free kick has to be the most over-hyped aspect in world football.

He’s done two different things that pick up a one match suspension, but there’s some ambiguity as to whether the first suspension (for accumulated yellows) that he first picked up being part of the second suspension (for two yellows leading to a red) affects it, and some ambiguity as to whether, if he does have two suspensions, due to the wording they both apply to just the semi-final rather than stacking to a two match suspension.

I don’t know. It doesn’t look like it’s being reported as two games suspended anywhere though. In Copa America the rules specify that they do stack, but the wording doesn’t seem to cover this case for the Euros rules. Might be that a ruling needs to be made by the competition on it.