Dugout Discussion
10 July 2016 2104 comments
Paul Paul
Share:

Euro 2016 comes to its conclusion this evening as France take on Portugal in Paris.

The hosts are firm favourites to triumph after seeing off Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals on Thursday evening. Didier Deschamps’ side have scored at least twice in five of their six matches over the tournament – indeed, a goalless draw against Switzerland in their final group fixture was the only occasion that Les Bleus have failed to chalk up a victory.

Portugal’s road to the final has been less convincing. Fernando Santos’ side didn’t win any of their first five fixtures in normal time before defeating Wales 2-0 over 90 minutes.

Delving into the data, the two nations boast very similar threats in the final third. In terms of minutes per attempt over the tournament, France just edge it by 5.3 to Portugal’s 5.5, whilst they also have the slimmest of leads for shots on target (36 to 34).

The home side have been far more clinical. Deschamps’ troops have netted 12.3% of their opportunities compared to their opponents’ 7.1%, which equates to 13 goals to eight.

At the back, the pair have served up three clean sheets apiece, with France’s defence slightly more resilient, having conceded four times to Portugal’s five. Given that they are also near-identical for shots inside the box conceded (33 to 31), though, tonight’s clash may not be quite as one-sided as many anticipate.

Paul Is certain he won't make the same mistakes next season. Follow them on Twitter

2,104 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ronaldo and Clattenburg

    So 90-120 minutes of who can get the most TV time between them

    1. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Clattenburgs has has a bet on Ronnie not lasting 60 mins 😉

  2. Forza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    I wonder how Clattenburg's gonna mess this one up.

    1. KingNidge
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Doesn't often mess up that's why he's been given the job

      1. THE Wild Rover
        • 16 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        This, gets far too much unwarranted bad press

        1. Bøwstring The Carp
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 1 month ago

          Yeah he's not a bad ref as such but he does love the attention to be on him a lot of the time 😀

        2. KingNidge
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 1 month ago

          Best ref about lets the game flow as much as possible takes no nonsense and respected by the players for it

    2. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Send off Ronnie and Greaseman would be quite funny....

  3. Jay_
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Only good thing for me is, if Potugal fail, us West Ham fans can say we won the Euro 16 just like we won the World Cup 66 😀

    1. Leaf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      But Giroud & Kos don't play for Wist Am

  4. Dušan Citizen
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Cmon nobody!

  5. Jazz!
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    I smell a Koscielny header tonight.

    1. La Roja
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Pogba*

    2. Optimus.
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Well he's a defender so he should get many headers

  6. La Roja
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Nani fail

  7. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Nani just over.....

  8. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    William Carvalho looks like some throwback from the late 80s with that moustache

  9. Somalion
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Some great clearances from both teams early on.

    1. Davido989
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Pulis must be proud.

      1. Somalion
        • 16 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Shame it was the strikers 😯

  10. Somalion
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ronaldo dead 😯

    1. Fergies fledgling
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Quick get the bullet out!

  11. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Payet. Tut tut.

  12. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ronnie d e a d...."

    1. Syd.
      • 17 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Dare to Dream

  13. Somalion
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ronaldo resurrected.

    1. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Quick ego injection, works wonders

  14. Jay_
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Great save, great football, excluding Pepe

  15. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 17 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Big save

  16. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Save point closing in now

  17. La Roja
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Beautiful save

  18. Jay_
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Patricio save 2

  19. Fergies fledgling
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Great header Griez. Good save

  20. Optimus.
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Thankfully Griezzman didn't score there as I could do without seeing that stupid celebration

    1. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      I presume he's doing his Drake impression?

      https://media.giphy.com/media/7e0EvlBD7nxZu/giphy.gif

  21. Somalion
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Tournament winning saves there.

  22. Mull
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Did Wild Rover enjoy the tennis chat over the last two weeks? 😆

  23. Syd.
    • 17 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Sissoko > Pogba

    1. Somalion
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Agreed, he definitely has more letters in his name. Good spot.

    2. HVT
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Lol, 1 plays for Newc the other for Man Utd!

      1. Syd.
        • 17 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Championship > Serie A

        1. HVT
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 1 month ago

          😉

  24. Jay_
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Do you think FPL should have a rule that if your captain goes off injured inside say 15 minutes, then you automatically switch to your vice?

    1. La Roja
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Erm

      No

    2. HVT
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      No

    3. Davido989
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Nope. Part and parcel of the game is a captain fail.

    4. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 17 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Could have scored before injury.

    5. Somalion
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Nope. If you want to avoid this, don't captain a player who gets injured. Simple.

  25. Weeb Kakashi
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    So its down to

    Evra Koscielny for me

    Fonte Mario +1pt to my rival

  26. KingNidge
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Griezmann playing himself into Ballon d'or contention imo

    1. Davido989
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Suarez should be the front runner for that but we all know it won't be given to anyone outside of Messi or Ronaldo.

      1. Wilshere Knowledge
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Suarez or Sakho eh Berbs? 😉

      2. KingNidge
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Suarez been exceptional but Ronnie scored 50 plus goals too and 16 on the way to winning the CL.. in other words take a back seat Luis

    2. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Na.

      Messi should win it.

      1. KingNidge
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Lucky to make top 3 this year

        1. Wilshere Knowledge
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 1 month ago

          😆

          Messi in midfield, Ronaldo up front. Messi clearly offers more than Ronaldo outside of goals and assists, and has scored more goals and got more assists.

          1. KingNidge
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 1 month ago

            Not sure what you find funny.. Ronaldo will be ahead of him for certain this year.. Suarez has out performed him.. and like i said above Griezmann could well too

            1. Wilshere Knowledge
              • 13 Years
              10 years, 1 month ago

              Messi- 34 goals, 23 assists.
              Ronaldo- 32 goals, 11 assists.

              Messi also scored one of the best Copa goals ever scored in the final, on top of winning La Liga.

              Nobody who watched Spanish football could in their right mind choose Ronaldo over Messi given their 2016 thus far.

              1. KingNidge
                • 11 Years
                10 years, 1 month ago

                Pretty similar numbers as is the case every other year.. then factor in the biggest club trophy of all the CL.. Ronaldo 16 goals and winner.. the only way to separate the two over the years has been the most important silverware as both have been scoring at ridiculous rates.. History will tell you that.. Now Suarez won exactly what Messi did but out performed him in numbers... and going back to my original point for the third time Griezmann club season factored in with top scoring on the way to possibly winning these Euros puts him well in the mix

                1. Wilshere Knowledge
                  • 13 Years
                  10 years, 1 month ago

                  Those 16 goals weren't all in 2016, and 6 of them were against Malmo last year. Modric and Bale were both more important, and Ronaldo didn't contribute in either semi games, or the final.

                  And importantly, Messi has been effectively playing in midfield. Messi minus goals and assists contributes to the team. Ronaldo minus goals and assists is detrimental to the team. Given Messi outperformed in terms of goals and assists, how can Ronaldo be ahead?

                  Griezzman isn't close to Messi, despite what people who have seen him once or twice might say.

                  Suarez scored more goals, but Messi is still the star of the team.

                  Do you regularly watch Spanish football?

                  1. KingNidge
                    • 11 Years
                    10 years, 1 month ago

                    He won the CL in 2016 he single handedly dragged them through their quarter final from 2 nil down with a hat trick in 2016

                    It isn't an award given on numbers alone how many times do i need to stress this point.. for the last 10 years Messi and Ronaldo put up ridiculous numbers that no one can get close too ( Suarez has this year) and so the award is decided by the most important silverware.

                    I'm not suggesting Griezmann is better than Messi im suggesting he is more than worthy of consideration after a sensational season and if he fires his country to euro glory it eclipses anything Messi has achieved this season it's not rocket science

                    Yes Suarez has scored more goals but they don't count do they not? numbers only important when comparing Ronaldo and Messi above?

                    1. Wilshere Knowledge
                      • 13 Years
                      10 years, 1 month ago

                      It's decided on who is the best performing player in that year

                      'Yes Suarez has scored more goals but they don't count do they not? numbers only important when comparing Ronaldo and Messi above?'

                      I was addressing just Ronaldo and Messi, and Messi minus goals and assists contributes to the team. Ronaldo minus goals and assists is detrimental to the team. Given Messi outperformed in terms of goals and assists, how can Ronaldo be ahead?

                      And Ronaldo's hat-trick was an absymal free kick that went through the wall, a deflected cross that gave him a tap-in, and a good header. Not Ballon D'Or worthy.

                      I'm done now. Cba.

                      1. KingNidge
                        • 11 Years
                        10 years, 1 month ago

                        Take it easy mate

    3. HVT
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Possibly a big transfer move too kn, @ 25 looks s great buy.

      1. KingNidge
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Could well be mate

    4. Fergies fledgling
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Can't believe he's played 70 games this season

      1. KingNidge
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Wow that's crazy

  27. Grounderz
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Does anybody have a good stream? Every stream here I've been is laggy.

  28. La Roja
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ronaldo struggling

  29. VS10_
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ronaldo 🙁