The first Monday of Euro 2016 saw some great defending, some shocking forward play and some worse managerial decisions.
Here’s who’s coming up smelling of roses, and who’s just smelling, after Matchday four at Euro 2016.
Heroes
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
Andrés Iniesta
Old boy’s still got it. A lot of things may have changed since Iniesta scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, but age has not dimmed the midfielder’s talents. Iniesta was superb on Monday, and at age 32, might still lead his Spain side to an unlikely third European Championship in a row. Don’t bet against it.
Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images
Antonio Conte
The squad was meant to be mediocre. The team is thought to be old and over the hill. Verratti’s injury was supposed to kill off any possibility of Italy being interesting to watch. But thanks to Antonio Conte, the Azzurri have a real chance of a deep tournament run. Conte’s tactic of “play all the lads I had at Juve and hit them on the break” is well suited to tournament football, and the celebrations after each goal in the 2-0 win showed a team willing to run themselves into the ground for their manager. The thought of Conte taking his tactical fouls to Chelsea and Diego Costa next season fills us with equal parts excitement and dread.
Wes Hoolahan
Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images
The Norwich man provided a creative spark in the Republic of Ireland’s draw with Sweden. The Boys in Green were impressive in their Euro 2016 and qualification is still well within their means. Here’s hoping they can dodge, dip, dive, duck, and dodge their way into the last 16.
4am. Robbie Keane. Shirtless. In your living room. Scanning YouTube for a song he can't remember the name of. https://t.co/fExbyT2JzN
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) June 13, 2016
Robbie Keane
What a way to mark your 114th (yes, read that number again) cap for your country.
Whatever that adidas tournament ball is made of
There have been some superb goals in the tournament so far. Volleys, free kicks, thumping headers, you name it. For a tournament so low on goals, the average quality of what goes in has been rather special. The memory of the 2010 Jabulani ball still lingers, so credit to adidas for whatever went into this tournament ball. Every direct free kick seems like a real goal scoring opportunity. Love it.
Villains
(Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)
Álvaro Morata
With Diego Costa dropped from the Spain squad and the Premier League big boys lurking, Euro 2016 is meant to be a crowning occasion for Morata – a tournament to declare himself one of the next great European strikers. Instead, the Juve striker floundered in his game on Monday lacking that special something to put the Czech Republic to the sword. The tournament is young and Morata may still come good, but this was a game to forget for the promising young striker. Nice tackle mind.
Marc Wilmots with Romelu Lukaku. Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images
Marc Wilmots
Are Belgium playing like Raul-era Spain or Sven-era England? Either way, this is a squad that is performing well below expectations. Belgium were rotten on Monday, playing slow staid football with no width up against an Italian side happy to pick up tactical fouls if anything did materialise. Belgium might one day build on their promise as an international side, but it won’t happen with Marc Wilmots as coach. Yes the squad lacks proper full backs, but to break up one of the best centre-back pairing in Europe in Vertonghen-Alderweireld is ridiculous. Kompany for player/manager?
The 3rd place group placing
Another matchday, another 1-0 win. With goal differences across groups staying the same, deciding who will qualify from the groups gets more and more confusing. Here’s hoping we get some 3-1 thrillers today eh?
