Euro 2016 thread

[aaron1867]

Joe Hart is one of England's most over rated keepers ever.  He has had an extension to his soft rein with Butland's injury.  The clock is ticking Joe enjoy it while it lasts.

First time I've 100% agreed with you. Be really isn't a top class goalkeeper, just good. I'm sure if City thought they could get better they would. Let's in the odd stinker and quite a few soft ones. 

Would have had Butland over him anytime.

[hhyftrftdr]

Lol Hart is comfortably England's best keeper, and has been for a number of years. If Butland gets anywhere near Joe's level he'll have done very well for himself.

[david3103]

Lol Hart is comfortably England's best keeper, and has been for a number of years. If Butland gets anywhere near Joe's level he'll have done very well for himself.

Is that your unbiased opinion based on a careful study of the relative merits of the candidates?

[hhyftrftdr]

Lol Hart is comfortably England's best keeper, and has been for a number of years. If Butland gets anywhere near Joe's level he'll have done very well for himself.

Is that your unbiased opinion based on a careful study of the relative merits of the candidates?

It's my opinion based on having watched him week in week out for numerous years, seen him pick up the golden glove for 4 of the past 6 seasons, seen him make some stunning saves and keep City in various games across all competitions. Look at some of his performances in Europe if you're in any doubt about his ability. Butland is a decent keeper and could go far in the game but he really isn't at Joe's level yet.

Who would you have starting vs Russia, Hart or Butland?

[arbboy]

Jack will never start for England playing for Stoke.  Woy is a big 6 only type hence all the lolapool's in the squad.   If Jack leaves Stoke for a bigger club he will be England's number 1 immediately i would imagine.

Pretty hard for anyone neutral to say Hart was better than Jack last season in the EPL prior to his injury surely?  Butland was sensational for virtually the whole season.   Stoke's form dropped right off after his injury unsurprisingly.

[david3103]

Lol Hart is comfortably England's best keeper, and has been for a number of years. If Butland gets anywhere near Joe's level he'll have done very well for himself.

Is that your unbiased opinion based on a careful study of the relative merits of the candidates?

It's my opinion based on having watched him week in week out for numerous years, seen him pick up the golden glove for 4 of the past 6 seasons, seen him make some stunning saves and keep City in various games across all competitions. Look at some of his performances in Europe if you're in any doubt about his ability. Butland is a decent keeper and could go far in the game but he really isn't at Joe's level yet.

Who would you have starting vs Russia, Hart or Butland?

Hart obviously. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35918252

I'm indifferent as to the choice between Hart and Forster though.

[rinswun]

Hart is pretty average. No surprise that Pep is looking to replace him according to the media reports. Can judge a player alright.

[Archer]

Jack will never start for England playing for Stoke.  Woy is a big 6 only type hence all the lolapool's in the squad.   If Jack leaves Stoke for a bigger club he will be England's number 1 immediately i would imagine.

Pretty hard for anyone neutral to say Hart was better than Jack last season in the EPL prior to his injury surely?  Butland was sensational for virtually the whole season.   Stoke's form dropped right off after his injury unsurprisingly.

Just seen your post on the transfer thread about short-term results, variance and sample size.  What are your thoughts on this (without using outfielders as examples because the context is different) bearing in mind Butland has an all-time sample size of 37 Premier League starts?  

Which "lolapools" in the squad would you remove and who would you replace them with?

[arbboy]

Jack will never start for England playing for Stoke.  Woy is a big 6 only type hence all the lolapool's in the squad.   If Jack leaves Stoke for a bigger club he will be England's number 1 immediately i would imagine.

Pretty hard for anyone neutral to say Hart was better than Jack last season in the EPL prior to his injury surely?  Butland was sensational for virtually the whole season.   Stoke's form dropped right off after his injury unsurprisingly.

Just seen your post on the transfer thread about short-term results, variance and sample size.  What are your thoughts on this (without using outfielders as examples because the context is different) bearing in mind Butland has an all-time sample size of 37 Premier League starts?  

Which "lolapools" in the squad would you remove and who would you replace them with?

Comparing sample sizes for these two things is pointless.   Just because Butland (or Harry Kane last year) only had 37 EPL appearances doesn't make any difference.   It is pretty obvious from a small sample of games from top level performers at this level that they are the real deal and highly likely to stay that way and are hugely progressive still because of their age.  OBviously they can become gambling addicts, fail a drugs test or go off the rails with a WAG at their side but this can happen to anyone.  A sample size of 40 games at EPL level at his age is usually a solid guide to future performance especially when you are playing in a bang average side like Stoke were last season.   He was the main reason Stoke were not in a relegation battle tbh.  God knows how bad Stoke's -14 GD would have been without him last year yet they still run like god and finished 9th.

You don't need a sample size of 200 games to realise guys like Butland (who is like an unexposed 2 year old in horse racing terms and still open to any amount of improvement) is only going one way performance wise all other things being equal.  He was the stand out English goalkeeper in the EPL last season playing most of his season in front of a banged up defense adjusting to life without Huth and an injured Shawcross for most of the season.

Most of the LFC players in the England squad are 'jobbers' and it is highly probably that no LFC player starts any game at the Euro's anyway (Milner included but he is a Woy fav and will probably start - bet 365 make him a flip to start the first game) but get the 'safe' nod on the bench because of their big club status (from the 1980's).  So their inclusion is mainly to pad out the squad and they will play very few minutes combined but it says more about the mindset of Woy and how demotivating it must be for players who don't wear the big clubs badges on their shirts in order to get a run in the England team.  The EPL has never been more competitive and 'flat' in terms of money across the whole league yet the England set up is like a dinosaur concept of still thinking the big clubs are a million miles ahead of the rest of the league.

I wouldn't have taken Sturridge as a reserve forward.   Defoe would have gone for me instead as he is bang in form. Henderson is so marginal and pointless to the squad he might as well stay at home anyway and we just go with 22 players.  Woy, true to form, sticks to the 'big clubs' he spends his whole life watching.

[hhyftrftdr]

Hart is pretty average. No surprise that Pep is looking to replace him according to the media reports. Can judge a player alright.

Yes it was in The Sun and Mail so it must be true.

Since his wobble a couple of years ago when Pellers dropped him, he's been pretty much rock solid. Like every keeper, he does have the odd moment, but his crucial and often world class saves more than offset this.

Look at his performances in the Champions League. In the biggest games, against the best players, he is more than up to the task. England need big game players and that is exactly what Hart is. We are very lucky to have a keeper of that calibre at City.

[Nakor]

Loads of story's floating round this afternoon that Spain have sent 4+ players home, due to a historic sexual assault case.
De Gea and Isco could/maybe facing charges and are thought to be 2 of those sent home - can find no validation of the story yet, but likely to have implications on price/progression if true.

[arbboy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3635405/David-Gea-sent-home-Euro-2016-caught-prostitution-scandal.html

[hhyftrftdr]

After robbing donuts a few years ago this was inevitable.

[rinswun]

Hart is pretty average. No surprise that Pep is looking to replace him according to the media reports. Can judge a player alright.

Yes it was in The Sun and Mail so it must be true.

Since his wobble a couple of years ago when Pellers dropped him, he's been pretty much rock solid. Like every keeper, he does have the odd moment, but his crucial and often world class saves more than offset this.

Look at his performances in the Champions League. In the biggest games, against the best players, he is more than up to the task. England need big game players and that is exactly what Hart is. We are very lucky to have a keeper of that calibre at City.

Of the teams in the top 10 of them premier league table, he'd only get into West Ham and Liverpool as first choice keeper imo.

[david3103]

Hart is pretty average. No surprise that Pep is looking to replace him according to the media reports. Can judge a player alright.

Yes it was in The Sun and Mail so it must be true.

Since his wobble a couple of years ago when Pellers dropped him, he's been pretty much rock solid. Like every keeper, he does have the odd moment, but his crucial and often world class saves more than offset this.

Look at his performances in the Champions League. In the biggest games, against the best players, he is more than up to the task. England need big game players and that is exactly what Hart is. We are very lucky to have a keeper of that calibre at City.

Of the teams in the top 10 of them premier league table, he'd only get into West Ham and Liverpool as first choice keeper imo.

Bit harsh.