Euro 2016 - Last 16 Continued
France 2-1 Republic of Ireland
We saw as many goals in 90 minutes in this game as we did in 90 minutes in all of Saturday's games put together. This was definitely the closest game of the three, but it was also, paradoxically, over quicker than the Belgium game. The second that Antoine Griezmann ran in on goal and finished for his second goal of the game, it was over. Ireland's pain was only confirmed a few minutes later, when Griezmann got in again and Shane Duffy was forced to see red to stop him killing the game entirely.
Make no mistake, Griezmann was the difference. Once he was allowed to stop playing on the right hand side, and tucked in close to partner Olivier Giroud in the central role that he loves to play for Athletico Madrid, he was entirely different player, danger personified and scoring two wonderful goals, a fantastic bullet header and a clinical low finish, to turn this game on its head. Yes, France created a lot of chances after Griezmann's double, but it was Griezmann who had the cool head and finishing capacity to score both goals, and the movement to get Duffy sent off and kill Ireland as a force in this game. After that, everything was academic, France could have gone on to score four or five, Ireland never looked like getting into the game, and even if they could have snatched an equaliser that never looked likely to come, there was a sense of painfully inevitability that France would have scored again.
And it's a shame, a real shame, because Ireland were easily the better side in the opening half, looking incredibly comfortable, with France barely able to test them. All of France's good play, led by Pogba and Payet, was in front of Ireland, who were getting stuck in, defended tremendously and counter attacked with pace and threat. I was worried that Ireland would be tactically naive in this game, but any chance of that happening was gone after two minutes, when Ireland went 1-0 up and ensured that this game would probably end up being attack against defence.
So what changed in the second half? A number of things. Partly, Ireland just couldn't keep up the intensity of their play in the first half, and after Duffy's red card they quickly looked exhausted and out of ideas. France scoring early in the half also deflated them, shifting the momentum quickly onto France who never looked back. But actually, Deschamps deserves a lot of credit for his changes. Throwing on Coman down the right hand side gave Ireland something new to think about, but more importantly it freed up Griezmann to play the more central role he so craved, and by putting undeniably France's best goalscorer in the position where he likes to score goals had the effect of...well him scoring goals. It sounds simple, but France simply haven't done that enough in this tournament.
France were awful in the first half and very, very good in the second. But it remains to be seen whether they'll have what it takes to throw off, no disrespect to Ireland, a genuinely good side. As for Ireland, they absolutely worked their socks off and poured their hearts into it, but in the second half they just ran out of steam, ran into a brick wall and were battered and bruised. They've done well to reach the last 16 and put in a good performance in this tournament, but like their Irish neighbours, it's over.
Germany 3-0 Slovakia
If France were largely unconvincing, then the Germans were nothing but convincing. The second that Jerome Boateng thundered a sumptuous volley into the bottom corner with less than ten minutes gone, the game was already over. And the Germans threatened to get somewhere close to top gear at times in this game, as Julian Draxler turned up to the party with a wonderful run before finding Mario Gomez two yards out for an easy finish, before scoring himself with a clever hooked volley into the roof of the net off a set piece. And it could so easily have been even more for Germany, as Ozil missed a penalty, Kroos missed a sitter, and even more chances were carved out.
The thing that made this performance so completely ominous was how utterly effortless it was. The Germans never looked under any pressure, never looked like they were breaking sweat. Even when Slovakia came forward (and looked dangerous when they came forward), Germany never looked like conceding, with Neuer forced into one half-decent save which he made look easy. Germany didn't look as if they were trying that hard. They never really seemed to hit top gear, this was not their best work. And that's the most terrifying thing for other teams. Germany never seemed to be quite at full throttle and yet won in such an accomplished, simple, easy fashion, as to make football itself seem effortless.
Toni Kroos in the middle of the park was phenomenal, Ozil was busy, Muller is a class footballer, the full backs played excellently again, Boateng and Hummels were faultless at the back, and Julian Draxler was the best player on the pitch. And all of this without ever quite clicking.
Yes, Slovakia were not great defensively, but I wouldn't say that on paper this Slovakia side are significantly worse than Ireland, it's just that Germany wiped them away. I don't mean to sound hyperbolic but if Germany meet France in the semi-finals, it's going to be a massacre. The idea that France can compete with this German side to me is genuinely laughable, and I'm prepared to nail my flag to the mast on this point. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, come at me, but the idea that France are the favourites for this tournament is genuinely baffling to me. Can I see Germany slipping up in their quarter final against possibly the Spanish? Yes. I think Spain are the only side in the tournament capable of stopping them. But then I equally think either Iceland or England stand a good chance against the French, so I suppose we'll see. For now, let's just say that for me, Germany will walk this tournament if they turn up from here on out. They should be scared of nobody and everybody should be scared of them.
Hungary 0-4 Belgium
On paper, I should be waxing lyrical about Belgium. A convincing 4-0 win against a Hungary side that topped their group should dispel any notions that this Belgium side aren't as good as people think they are. And yet. And yet.
Okay let's start with the good stuff, because any team that wins 4-0 must have done a lot of things right. Hazard and De Bruyne were phenomenal. They were next level class, as they ripped holes in this Hungary side. Hazard scored a wonderful solo goal, and both men grabbed assists of pure class, balls into the penalty area that were almost undefendable. Frankly, the two of them are absolutely lightyears ahead of the rest of this Belgium team, apart from Toby Alderweireld at the back who had another good game, managing to get on the scoresheet. Late goals from the young and talented Batshuayi and Athleti man Carrasco were the icing on the cake.
But make no mistake, this was far from a perfect performance from Belgium, and 4-0 is a flattering scoreline, as they added three late goals to pile misery on a Hungary side who deserved much better. Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens in particular were as utterly dreadful as Hazard and De Bruyne were excellent, they lack any semblance in solidity in their central midfield and their back four looked shaky. Despite scoring early, and dominating the first half against an alarmingly open Hungary side who kept going for it, Belgium were only 1-0 up at HT. And from there, Hungary will question how on earth they didn't equalise as for large swathes of the second half they bombed forward, leaving themselves increasingly vulnerable at the back, as they tested Belgium's defence time and again, only for Belgium to eventually take advantage on the break.
So here's the crux of it. Wales will not be that open. Wales will simply not make it so very, very easy for Belgium to rip them apart, and with maybe a quarter of the chances that they had in this game, I can't see Belgium scoring more than one goal, two at a push. And Wales also have Gareth Bale, who will be itching to get at this Belgium defence. Give Bale or Ramsey the same kind of space and time as Szalai and Dszudszak had and Wales will score.
However, Belgium remain one of the most dangerous teams at the tournament, and despite their poor record against Wales, and their alarming weaknesses in this game, they still managed to put four goals in the back of the net, Hazard was in frighteningly good form and they sent out one hell of a message in this game, that should not be underestimated.
The Hard and Fast Section
- ODI washout. England 1-0 up with two to play.
- £36m for Mane including clauses. Give me strength.
- Sterling set to start for England. Give me strength.
- Messi quits international football. Give Argentina strength.
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