Yes. Definitely!
Because France and Italy won by scoring really great goals in open play.
England could only score from a direct free kick in the D that was was slammed in by Eric Dier.
France and Italy are smarter, with superior technicians.
Having beaten Romania 2-1, France look strong enough to drop Pogba and still thump Albania by more than the 1-0 Switzerland achieved.
Antonio Conte, a very intense character, altready has the Italians playing with greater tenacity than I’ve ever seen before.
Their 2-0 demolition of Belgium was impressive.
Looking at that game made you think that tournaments are for managers.
Because Marc Wilmots is not incisive and doesn’t seem to be in charge in the way that Conte and Deschamps are.
Alf Ramsey knew exactly what he was doing in 1996, so did Bertie Vogts in Eiro 96, which he won with the most mediocre German team I’ve seen.
Their best player was Dieter Elts!! A lanky, clumsy midfield stopper.
Antonio Conte is one of those, so in the next week I’ll be looking out for a team that can give Italy a game later in the tournament.
The following week, I’ll be looking for a team good enough to beat Italy or France or both. Butg that team might be hard to find.
Cristiano Ronaldo was rubbish in last night’s 1-1 draw with Iceland.
As he was in the Champions League Final.
Nani was better.
When his header hit the leg of the goalkeeper in 27, I thought: Nani did everything right, he can score and he will score.
Four minutes later Nani slotted at the near post after a fast & sweet move on the right flank.
But the rugged underdogs fought back and five minutes into the second half the unmarked Birkir Jarnason hooked in a looping cross from that same flank
Portugal brought on Renato Sanches in 70 but the teenager was coming into (1) a game whose pattern was already set and (2) a pecking order where guys have been passing to each other for a decade or more. If they’d passed to Renato Sanches more, Portugal would have had a better chance of winning that game.
Hungary surprised everybody by beating supposed dark horses Austria by 2-1.
Bayern left back David Alaba was Austria’s best midfielder – and best forward.
Lovely to see that Hungary, the nation who produced the inimitable Ferenc Puskas, the elegant Florian Albert and the sparky Andras Torocsik, and many other world class players, can still play a bit
It’s really early days for Euro 2016.
It only started five days ago and there will be 51 games….