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Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

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FFS people, this was a good thing. take the win.

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Celebrate the fucking wins.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

You are here: Home / Sports / England v Russia Open Thread

Reader Interactions

71Comments

  5. 5.

    humboldtblue

    @LesBonnesFemmes: I was reading some comments from a professor at Manchester University who is an expert in police response to crowds and such and he said that the French decided to go heavy handed from the git-go instead of a more measured approach in moving crowds apart and away from each other and they actually enflamed the crowds.

  7. 7.

    LesBonnesFemmes

    @humboldtblue: You’re right. That very well could be the case. But England’s past makes it hard to give them the benefit of the doubt. ON THE PITCH: England look very bright these first ten minutes.

  11. 11.

    Tony J

    Very bright start from England, already enough chances to be a couple of goals to the good. Keep this up and the Russians are bound to crack sooner rather than later. The only cautionary aspect is the one that will undoubtedly dog us for however long we stay in the tournament, in that defensively we’ re quite slow and stolid and prone to hilarious cock-ups.

    Keegan Solution – Just score one more than them.

  13. 13.

    Tony J

    Lallana….. Misses. Such a lovely touch, vibrant and silky smooth all over the pitch, but put him in front of the goal and he’s like a 15 year old on his third date.

  15. 15.

    humboldtblue

    Joe Hart, the youngest Manning brother. Same giant white forehead same pained look in distress, the missing Manning boy hails from Shrewsbury.

  16. 16.

    raven

    @Tony J: You got that right, I watch the hell out of Futbol but I’d be lyin if I said I knew what was goin on. Amir got me to order “Inverting the Triangle” but it escaped me.

  18. 18.

    raven

    @Amir Khalid: It’s not your fault I’m dense about the game. On the other hand, there is something to be said for just enjoying what happens.

  19. 19.

    humboldtblue

    Lallana with his outstanding work rate and footwork again. They bring Vardy in against some tired legs in the second half and ya gotta like England’s chances, they have shown they can open that Russian back line like a door.

  20. 20.

    LesBonnesFemmes

    Well, this is best England has looked in a major tournament in forever. But, look at the scoreboard. They might end up regretting those missed chances.

  22. 22.

    Tony J

    @raven:

    Far from an expert myself, which is why I appreciate the better class of pundit who can explain what it was I just saw happen and how.

    In American terms I suppose you could say that England have a massively potent offensive team full of hungry young pistols who have no fear and the skills to crack open any defensive line, but at the same time we’ve got a defensive team of little quality or confidence that knows its the weak link.

    So, just keep the ball in the opposition half and when we lose it everyone but the main striker races like hell to get back and win the ball before the opposition gets near our goal. So far we’re doing that successfully, and a goal is coming.

  26. 26.

    humboldtblue

    @Tony J: I think you’re underrating Smalling and Cahill and both fullbacks are good defenders who can run. If they can push up the field and press like they have the Russians they won’t have to worry about the defense.

    England’s balance is excellent, you’ve got skill and pace on both wings and three very crafty mids, if the Russians get a point they will have defended like Balaclava.

  28. 28.

    LesBonnesFemmes

    @raven: I love Ian Darke telling a story about the Russian coach having his playing career end because he tried to rescue a cat from a neighbor’s tree! Did I get that right?

  30. 30.

    raven

    I suppose I could see how the CC works for live soccer. We watch all the Brit shows from Shameless to Happy Valley and I’d be sunk without them!

  35. 35.

    Tony J

    @humboldtblue:

    They’re both professional footballers and probably the best available to us but they’re not world-class. England are doing so well in this game precisely because we’re keeping the ball up the other end and the Russians don’t have any idea how to change that. But you saw from that early free kick Russia won that we’re very vulnerable to set pieces and anything that forces the defense to think and act quickly. Later in the tournament, against higher quality opposition, we’re going to be tested.

    OTOH, I would be very happy indeed if they proved me wrong. That would be just great.

  36. 36.

    humboldtblue

    And for some reason Balloon-Juice slows everything down on firefox I can’t keep it open and get a steady, quality stream. Fix it, Cole, you bastard!

  37. 37.

    Tony J

    @Amir Khalid:

    Not going to happen for a while, I think. Woy’s tactical plan has Kane flanked by Ali and Lallana and so far it’s working -almost – perfectly. If Sturridge gets on the pitch it will only be to replace Kane, late on, or if the formation has to be changed.

    Ooh, that’s the closest the Russians have come to carving us open, ball up the other end, please.

  39. 39.

    Amir Khalid

    @Tony J:
    The plan is working except for the most important bit — the failure of the round thing to go into the rectangular thing.

  41. 41.

    Tony J

    @raven:

    Anything I say that sounds smart or informed comes from the minds of people who know what they’re talking about, but you watch enough football you get an idea of what should be happening, even if you can’t quite say why or how.

    Back in the day when they first showed the Superbowl over here and I’d stay up to watch it it was only after each play when the pundits talked through it that I had any idea of what I’d just seen. Even then I was still baffled by the terminology. I mean, don’t the big guys just run into each other so the slightly less big guys can run through the gaps? How complicated can THAT be?

  42. 42.

    Tony J

    @Amir Khalid:

    Exactomundo. And notice Rooney is getting that frustrated, snarling look on his face. Take him off, pop Wiltshire in there to take advantage of the massive amounts of free space Rooney’s been not really exploiting and see what happens.

  43. 43.

    LesBonnesFemmes

    Oh, what a save on Rooney. Rooney has not looked horrible in midfield. Lots of long balls from him.

  44. 44.

    raven

    @Tony J: I took a fellow from Manchester University to a Major League Baseball game. He did ok with what was going on in the game but he was really lost listening to the post-game analysis on the radio. That really drove home the specificity of the language of sports.

  48. 48.

    Amir Khalid

    If Woy wants to sub Mickey Rooney off and bring on Studge, now would be a good time.

  49. 49.

    Tony J

    Get the frigging hell into that netted thing! Forgot the guy from Twilight was playing but well done you beautiful glittery person!

  52. 52.

    beer time somewhere

    F*ck (4 Scottish grandparents)
    It’s in my blood – canna cheer for England.

    ETA: if England draw/lose this game, the English papers will be a hoot to read

  54. 54.

    Tony J

    @raven:

    That’s why I have such respect for the coaches and managers and on-the-pitch playmakers who can watch a game happening and see everything important. It all happens so fast but they just GET it, and, more importantly, know what is and isn’tworking and how to change it for the batter. That’s a skill.

  56. 56.

    Tony J

    @Amir Khalid:

    Watching a game like this I am – so – glad we offloaded Sterling to Man City when we did for all that lovely cash. Pace, skill, more pace, but the delivery and finishing of a highly varnished cheese-board.

  57. 57.

    beer time somewhere

    @raven: Nope, 2 day drive up I-75 north of Atlanta.
    Got lost in Athens back in the late 80’s – coming in on 441N, missed a turn, drove around and ended up looking at the entrance to the University.

  65. 65.

    Tony J

    Dominated the game, but stupid defensive mistake at a time when we should just have been playing keep-ball up the pitch and Poof! That well earned victory and three points? They gone, baby. Now we HAVE to win against Wales (who looked capable) or Slovakia ( who looked like they’re going to need that 23 man squad to get to the last group game with 11 available players). We’ll qualify, just, but that result was SO frigging England.

  67. 67.

    burnspbesq

    Wales will need much better performances from Ramsey and Allen against England.

  68. 68.

    Montanareddog

    Breaking: the entire England squad convert to Catholicism and adopt as their patron saint, Our Lady of Inevitable Disappointment.

  69. 69.

    pseudonymous in nc

    Soft goal. Lots of chances, not enough converted. Should really have brought Vardy on to provide sufficient counterattacking threat.

    Now the Russian nutters are giving the England fans a taste of how Putin would treat the UK post-Brexit.

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