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Haha, impressive. Portugal losing to the czech team... I guess it's a possibility, but I think Ronaldo will carry his team onwards. As for Greece, I highly doubt they can beat Germany. I don't think they can do a repeat of 2004, and they also has one of their most important players suspended for that game. England - Italy could really go either way, I just put Italy as the winner because I think they have more choices on the offense.
» Initiate a tactical withdrawal! «
#252
But England winning will mean England - Germany in the semi finals, and then Scoia will be very confused about who to cheer for.
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#253
It's actually dead easy. Just follow my simple rule - any team but England.
-It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end (Douglas Adams)-
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Nah, it's any team but Germany so that's quite easy Kir. But I don't really see England winning against Italy anyway so not really an issue.
The only game I could see go either way is Czech Rep vs Portugal tbh, the rest looks very clear imo.
May I ask why you are so sure Italy will beat England? I'm not saying they will not
Both have had a very similar Championship - Also you mention that Italy have more attacking options - That's not what I have worked out from the group phase
Both Italy and England have done well on the break - sure, Italy have held onto the ball better than England thus far but have not exactly been overly productive with the ball
#256
Well Italy at least have a track record of actually winning championships, whereas England do not.
They never seem to win the games that actually count, their skill level just doesn't seem to compare with a lot of other teams, and their mentality leaves a lot to be desired.
I've seen a lot of England games where I've just been bored to tears watching them pass backwards repeatedly or hoof the ball long hoping someone gets on the end of it.
So we are basing this on history rather than what has happened?
#258
Well that's a part of it but I just never feel optimistic about England's chances. I really, really hope Roy Hodgson does a good job and they actually play well so that I can watch them without falling asleep.
Last edited by corncobman; 20th Jun 12 at 1:29 AM. Reason: Actually, there were too many actually's in this actual sentence actually.
agreed lol
So far the last two England matches have been the most entertaining to watch, mostly due to England's shocking approach to defending which makes for some edge of your seat viewing.
#261
It's a good job Wayne Rooney didn't start until Englands 3rd match or they'd probably be out by now. All the English media are hyping him up because he 'scored' the goal against Ukraine when all it needed was a slight readjustment several inches off the goal line.
He looks unfit, he gives the ball away constantly, he wastes chances, this isn't nothing new, this is every tournament I've seen him in, I groaned when I heard he was starting tonight and he played to my expectations. The media always have the excuses on hand for him, he hasn't been playing, seems every tournament he's unfit because he hasn't been playing, or it's his meta tarsal. Put the useless lump back on the bench.
Roy Hodgson has done a good job. England were not expected to advance beyond the group phase. Everything from this point forward is a massive bonus. Englands mentality has probably been their best feature this tourny, they work as a team, do not get drawn out, and work bloody hard. Yeh its not entertaining, yeh it is a lot like Chelsea in the Champions League, they are grinding results but it does not matter because they are progressing. They are actually playing a style of football that suits our largely talentless team. If we played the exciting end to end football people clamour for England would be out because we do not have the players for that. I don't care if Italy make 200 more passes and have 65% posession, it counts for nothing if England beat them..
SpinDizzy, Rooney hasn't played a competative game for 5 weeks. He is going to be rusty, wastefully etc.. Suppose you forgot about 2004 when he was our best player by a long shot and our competition went to shit when he got injured?
#263
Man, I thought I was the only one who thought like this. Make the big eared goon sit on the bench until he can prove he is match fit and not a clumsy oaf. Reputation in 2004 or not, he lumbers around like a dancing bear sometimes.He looks unfit, he gives the ball away constantly, he wastes chances, this isn't nothing new, this is every tournament I've seen him in, I groaned when I heard he was starting tonight and he played to my expectations. The media always have the excuses on hand for him, he hasn't been playing, seems every tournament he's unfit because he hasn't been playing, or it's his meta tarsal. Put the useless lump back on the bench.
England need to cement their defense and stop displays of incompetent idiocy that are going to hurt us against better opponents. I know Codex commented that Roy will improve the zonal marking, but until it appears on the pitch, we're screwed. Ashley Young didn't even turn up to the match until 3/4 of the way through the second half. Oh... and already there's UK commentators screaming for Goalmouth tech to be immediately and instantly implemented for the premier league.
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@Kirjava, saw a headline on the back of one of the red top papers today i thought you'd appreciate: "Can England go all the Wayne?" :P
Well, im pretty sure no one was expecting England to top the group. I wanted England to beat Ukraine, I knew it would be our hardest match but I was half expecting a draw with the attitude "well it will get us through still". I felt a little bad for Ukraine as they were probably the better team, that said im very impressed with this new age England. I think once the rest of the old guard are gone, there really is the makings of something good for the future. Hodgson really is getting the most out of what he has. I'm not so sure on Wayne Rooney now. I'm beginning to think he just cant play for England. I know he got the goal last night, but even he couldn't have missed that! I think he would be better to come on as a power sub toward the end of the match but we'll see against Italy. All the pundits keep saying "he will only get stronger in this tournament", well with potentially only one match left for England, he wants to be stronger, because everyone else that has scored for England thus far, have played far better than him. I've been impressed with nearly all the players in the England squad so far, with the exception of Rooney and Milner. Gerrard's been a giant for us.
Italy is going to be the first real test for us. Like England, they have a fairly tough defence so it wont be a game of many goals. If Italy knock us out, it wont be that surprising but i do think of what could be if we won. This is the first England squad in years that genuinely seem honoured and happy to be there, not that feel they should be there.
EDIT: Just seen what @SpinDizzy said, I kind of agree with him. I feel we've played better in the first two games when he wasn't present. Do you honestly think he'd have got up there for the goal that Carrol scored?
#266
That's terrible. Which paper was it? The Daily Mail? =/@Kirjava, saw a headline on the back of one of the red top papers today i thought you'd appreciate: "Can England go all the Wayne?" :P
I'm glad that the BBC articles and pundits have largely been critical or at the very least unimpressed with Rooney, despite the winner. It's almost as if the people who write these slogans didn't watch the game and see he didn't look like a tournament winner.
In the end, we should just wait and see. Considering we can sit around for more than 5 games in the Premier League waiting for someone to shine and score goals again... you know Demba Ba only scored one goal since Papiss Cisse joined Newcastle, yet in the first half of the season Ba was scoring goals for fun. Now I understand that's partly because he relinquished the number 9 position but still, we should just have patience. You can't expect players to always produce stellar performances.
Originally Posted by Starblade
@Codex, it was The Sun. I remember two years ago, that paper was calling him the next Maradona.
Well considering Rooney's goal was the first for England in 9 months (and it was practically gift wrapped for him), how much patience should a fan have? As for the BBC, i think its good that they have a realistic opinion on the team. For too long have we allowed the media to try and dictate who should play, and they are ultimately responsible for the ridiculous hype the team has undeservedly gotten the last 10-15 years. I've been saying it for so long, its the foreign players in the Premiership that have been making English players look better than they are.
That said, im optimistic about this "new" England team. I can't imagine what Hodgson will have done with them come the 2014 World Cup but i'll be expecting big things then. Maybe i'm just an biased gooner, but Walcott and Chamberlain have looked fantastic in this tournie so far.
#268
Anyone want to put forward a best XI for the group stages?
4 - 3 - 3
GK: Casillas
Defence (with rossi out of position hah)
Debuchey, Hummels, Rossi, Lahm
Midfield
Pirlo, Cabaye, Iniesta
Forwards
Silva, Dzagoev, Gomez
(close and really ought to be there to Schweinsteiger, Pique, and Mandzukic)
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I'd go for an attacking 4-2-3-1
Steckelenburg
Debuchey K.Papapadapadoupupolis Lescott Lahm
Schweinsteiger Modric
Silva Sneijder Fabregas
Gomez
Mesut Özil maybe instead of Fabregas
#270
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnul...nto_bonus.html
Phil McNulty on England. Totally agree, except maybe about Terry...
#271
Steklenberg? Thought he's had a very poor tourney and was at fault for some of the goals they conceeded tbh.
Portugal VS Czechs was surely the worst game of the tournament. Portugal will get pasted by Spain/France.
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Ronaldo did play well and made the game slightly more entertaining than it would have been, particulaly his attempt at the end of the first half that hit the post and his goal were both stunning.
Portugal would get pasted by spain, but it really depends how Ronaldo plays. I don't rate France chances against portugal if they some how beat Spain, their defence is highly suspect at the best of times.
#274
Easiest draw of the QF for us tonight, don't really like those games where you're expected to win and "can only lose". Probably since supporting the FC means you're rarely in the situation of the favoured team
Usually can't resist cheap jokes, but since I hate the attempts to politicise football there'll be no "Euro" quips here.
Edit: Just saw that our offence will supposedly be exchanged for the second rate (not a fair description considering their quality), that might make us more vulnerable, but also harder to predict after the group stage games. Don't believe it's a move to preserve key players, and there are no threatening yellows as far as I know.
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#275
All yellow cards are wiped after the group stage.
What change i the offence your talking about? Sitting on a camping site in south france with shitty wlan my only news source is the infamous BILD . Klose for Gomez? I consider that as an increase in Quality.
But I fear the match tonight, there is not much to win and everything to loose.
#277
Wicked, Reus, Klose und Schürrle für Müller, den Gomet und den Prinz. Das mit der "Quality" nimmst du in dem Fall aber besser zurück
Hope you have the means to watch it still!
Codex, thought the wipe was after the QF to prevent double yellow suspensions affecting the final, is that one still in effect as well?
#278
No, no, you're right. I blame English commentators, misleading us...21.04 Single cautions from matches in the final tournament expire on completion of the
quarter-finals, and are not carried forward to the semi-finals.
21.05 Cautions and pending yellow-card suspensions from the final tournament expire at
the end of the competition.
http://www.uefa.com/multimediafiles/...7_download.pdf
#279
Germany 4:2 Greece - on to the Semi Finals!
The score is so not indicative of what actually happened on the pitch.
- sincerely, the Sign Painter
I was impressed with the spirit of the Greeks, they went down swinging. That first Greek goal, nice cross but there is no way that should have led to a goal. Poor defending.
But I had no doubt the Germans would win this.
#282
Schürrle's fault, and a penalty that was only given because the game was over already. Luckily it was easier than expected, didn't think the Greeks would give us that much room and a goalkeeper on a bad day as well. Victory was never in doubt. With Podolski it would've been a double-digit result.
Bring on Engl... Italy, most likely. That's going to be the real test I fear.
As a Gooner, Podolski is giving me great expectations for the beginning of the 2012-2013 Premier League.
@Sporty:
luckily they show the matches in the bar
Just missed denmark vs. Germany as they showed Portugal vs. Holland, but.
Wouldn't have brought Schürle and Reus, but I would take Klose over Gomez any day. What a boring match, time play from thd very fist minute of the game by the Greeks.
The game was very fair though, good to see that the bullshitting in the media hadn't affected the players
#285
boring? no way.
Also, it wasn't timeplay. It was defensive playing, relying on achieving goals through counters. Its how the greeks advanced through to the finals. doesn't work against a team, that confused the greek defence as much as the germans did however.
The game was thrilling to watch imo. And up until the 3-1, it really could've gone either way, because those greeks run like the devil is after them.
Also, that penalty because of Boateng was debatable. Boateng turned away before the ball was struck and did not see it coming.
Served to demonstrate, that Neuer doesn't kick as much ass as Cech though. I don't know if he'd have caught that ball, but Cech never seems to be far away from a ball, unlike Neuer who basically had no clue and just went for a random corner.
<3
#286
Their goalie caused several pauses in the game with only a few minutes played, guess that's what he's referring to. Considering the quality of his saves though, he probably wasn't faking it.
Glad you could get that kind of excitement out of it, was absolutely clear cut to me. A purely defensive effort from Greece that didn't even result in a good defence, the only thing preventing Germany from scoring more was our own offence. Switching out three from the starting eleven gave it the scent of a test match as well. Didn't think we played particularly well, esp. Schweinsteiger and Schürrle (not as important as he's no starter) had a rather mediocre performance, but Greece was well below the level of our opponents in the group.
Penalty was excellently placed, no use getting the right corner there. I trust that had it really mattered, the referee wouldn't have given it anyway
Flagg, high hopes for your squad and Podolski as well. He deserves the kind success that sadly isn't in reach of the most glorious 1. FC Köln for the next several years. Going to Müngersdorf in August for the friendly, hope it's not the last time he's playing there.
#287
Cech has had an otherwise terrible tournament and a mixed season though. He has only started performing consistently for Chelsea towards the end of the season (as with many of their players, minus Mata).
I enjoyed the game, if only to see some really good strikes and nice moves. Games that have a bit of quality, even if imbalanced, are better to watch than goalless draws or 1-0 counterattack wins... those can be excruciating.
#288
Obviously I know very little about football, but while the poor Greeks had plenty of spirit, it looked to me like it should have been about 6-2. I wandered out in the second half, but in the first half alone the Deutschlanders had about a million shots on goal- the Greek keeper did damn well to keep them down to just four goals overall.
Also, the Greek hoplite helmets some fans wear are awesome, though one wonders if it would be a touch more sinister if German fans showed up wearing the equivalent...
It was nice to see all the French players who'd be in the Prem next season, but otherwise very dull 2-0 to Spain.
If only Italy wins tonight all my predictions for the quarter finals will come true. Suck it, Arinax (and all you silly englishmen). :P
Sooo.... still anyone thinking that England will win this game?
Anyway, that's how it will end I'd say
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#292
Italy have missed many sitters. England were almost toothless in that second half. Pirlo started amazingly but is appearing to fade as he tires.
It may be all even and our first 0-0 at full time of the tournament, but hell we don't look good enough to advance.
Pfff! and Italy wins...so its the germans for champions for me only, the others are just lazy gypsy nations...
Steam Nick - Selfishfish
England are out on penalties. They started off ok in the first half and then fell apart, very embarrassing. Germany Italy will probably be the only semi worth watching if Spain try to bore Portugal to death.
#295
For a moment, for a small, tiny moment, i thought that England could actually win a penalty shootout in a tournament. But then normality was restored. In all fairness, Italy deserved the win.
#296
England being England
#297
Um. No more of this please.
Re: England, fuck me I'm glad I didn't bother watching that. I poked my head in to the living room where my dad had it on every now and again, and by all accounts if we'd somehow managed to fluke our way into the semis we'd have gone down 150-0 to the Germans.
#298
That is why i hoped for England to pull it off, Italy will give us a damned hard time as always.and by all accounts if we'd somehow managed to fluke our way into the semis we'd have gone down 150-0 to the Germans.
#299
I feel sorry for the England players, they worked their socks off for 2 hours, but in a game like their real ability is shown and they're simply outclassed at this level. It would have been daylight robbery if we'd won that penalty shootout, but then again part of you thinks isn't it about time we won a penalty shootout?
At least the better team won, I mean seriously Italy has 4 or 5 times as many shots on the goal...
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