Okay, so who are you supporting in Euro 2008?
- Plasmodium
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This really is turning out to be a great tournament, isn't it? I just hope it doesn't patter out towards the final...
Germany are picking up speed. They handled Ronaldo as well as pretty much anyone else has, and you've got to bear in mind that Ballack probably has about another 5-10% in there he's still not using. They'll have Frings back for the semi as well.
Croatia v Turkey - this is a pretty weak tie, IMO. Whoever goes through will be dead meat for the Germans. Croatia only looked good against an unusually unfocused Germany, and rode their luck in the other two games. Turkey are all willpower... Croatia to go through, but no further.
Russia v Holland - I still remain unconvinced about Russia, Sweden were unimpressive (Spain's late goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of them. Arshavin is class, but they aren't going to stop that Dutch attack.
Spain v Italy - Italy, for me no doubt. They're picking up speed (like Germany) and they've got to the quarters without playing to their full potential, and with a lot going against them. Spain will attack all-out for half an hour, and then panic, with the Italians destroying them on the counter-attack.
I can't see any of the potential semi meet-ups resembling the group games particular, either.
Germany are picking up speed. They handled Ronaldo as well as pretty much anyone else has, and you've got to bear in mind that Ballack probably has about another 5-10% in there he's still not using. They'll have Frings back for the semi as well.
Croatia v Turkey - this is a pretty weak tie, IMO. Whoever goes through will be dead meat for the Germans. Croatia only looked good against an unusually unfocused Germany, and rode their luck in the other two games. Turkey are all willpower... Croatia to go through, but no further.
Russia v Holland - I still remain unconvinced about Russia, Sweden were unimpressive (Spain's late goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of them. Arshavin is class, but they aren't going to stop that Dutch attack.
Spain v Italy - Italy, for me no doubt. They're picking up speed (like Germany) and they've got to the quarters without playing to their full potential, and with a lot going against them. Spain will attack all-out for half an hour, and then panic, with the Italians destroying them on the counter-attack.
I can't see any of the potential semi meet-ups resembling the group games particular, either.
- Ozz
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Yeah, Germany - Italy in the final doesn't look unreal now. I actually thought Portugal would go through, but seeing Germany made it, I'm happy. Next time they play, Portuguese should really start the game with putting Schweinsteiger out of it. Six goals for Germans in two matches, and he either scored or assisted in all of them.Cliffjumper wrote:Italy, for me no doubt. They're picking up speed (like Germany)
-Okay, the bomb's dropped. Life goes on. No amount of sulking or worrying changes that. We've got our own lives to live. In that regard, in five minutes time, I am using the autopilot on the Midnight Runner and taking it down the pub. If I go on my own, I go on my own.
-Well. Wait up, you horrible English git. While I'm around, you don't have to go anywhere on your own.
And, one by one, the others follow.
And, one by one, they begin to smile.
-Well. Wait up, you horrible English git. While I'm around, you don't have to go anywhere on your own.
And, one by one, the others follow.
And, one by one, they begin to smile.
- AndyTurnbull
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It's been a much better tournament than the world cup two years ago. Germany/Italy final would be the smart choice. Holland are maybe the only other team in with a shout but it depends how they do when placed under a bit more pressure, which is somehing they've not really had to deal with up until now.
Andy
Andy
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Euros usually are better than World Cups, seeing as there aren't teams from continents that don't have any or many good ones, but still some must play in the finals. Euro 2000 is probably the best tournament I have seen. I regret not remembering much from the ones in 1988 and 1992, cause they too seemed interesting.AndyTurnbull wrote:It's been a much better tournament than the world cup two years ago.
-Okay, the bomb's dropped. Life goes on. No amount of sulking or worrying changes that. We've got our own lives to live. In that regard, in five minutes time, I am using the autopilot on the Midnight Runner and taking it down the pub. If I go on my own, I go on my own.
-Well. Wait up, you horrible English git. While I'm around, you don't have to go anywhere on your own.
And, one by one, the others follow.
And, one by one, they begin to smile.
-Well. Wait up, you horrible English git. While I'm around, you don't have to go anywhere on your own.
And, one by one, the others follow.
And, one by one, they begin to smile.
- AndyTurnbull
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Totally disagree with you on that one. The last world cup was disappointing mostly due to the European sides and their complete inability to play for a win. They were hellbent on not losing and caused an absolute snorefest in several games. The highlights of the world cup in 2006 where the african nations such as Ivory Coast and Trinidad and Tobago as those teams played to win. Teams like Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, France and Italy were all absolutely diabolocal to watch and killed my interest in it.
Andy
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I dunno, the Dutch are looking solid - the Romania game was something they could have blown, but it went excellently for that sort of thing - a tricky team battered with peripheral players (compare and contrast to Portugal losing against the Swiss - it seemed to carry over to their confidence, even with a much-changed team).
Re: the World Cup, yeh the European teams weren't much cop, and some of the non-European teams were fantastic. The problem for me is more the magic carpet ride to the finals the likes of Saudi Arabia and South Korea get. Even the likes of the US, whichever teams that aren't Brazil and Argentina from South America (Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay) and even my beloved Japan are doing little other than making up the numbers, and there's usually half-a-dozen vastly superior European teams that have been funnelled out (Denmark for one spring to mind last time around). Some of the FIFA areas really are very, very weak whereas some are very competitive (and just to show I'm not being a Little European, I feel Africa deserves more places than it gets).
Personally I think the best solution would be a two-stage system, with regional qualifiers to weed out the minnows, and then a worldwide system - FIFA can afford to lay on transport costs. The G14 would probably never let it happen, but it'd be nice to have a World Cup with the 32 best teams in the world rather than one ordered to quota.
Re: the World Cup, yeh the European teams weren't much cop, and some of the non-European teams were fantastic. The problem for me is more the magic carpet ride to the finals the likes of Saudi Arabia and South Korea get. Even the likes of the US, whichever teams that aren't Brazil and Argentina from South America (Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay) and even my beloved Japan are doing little other than making up the numbers, and there's usually half-a-dozen vastly superior European teams that have been funnelled out (Denmark for one spring to mind last time around). Some of the FIFA areas really are very, very weak whereas some are very competitive (and just to show I'm not being a Little European, I feel Africa deserves more places than it gets).
Personally I think the best solution would be a two-stage system, with regional qualifiers to weed out the minnows, and then a worldwide system - FIFA can afford to lay on transport costs. The G14 would probably never let it happen, but it'd be nice to have a World Cup with the 32 best teams in the world rather than one ordered to quota.
Actually Trinidad is from the Caribbean. My Mom is from there, so I was following them very closely at the '06 World Cup. The funny thing was that their 0-0 draw with Sweden in their opening match was a bigger moral victory than any other win in the country's history. Ah memories...AndyTurnbull wrote: The highlights of the world cup in 2006 where the african nations such as Ivory Coast and Trinidad and Tobago as those teams played to win.
- AndyTurnbull
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My geography sucks!Blitzwing wrote:Actually Trinidad is from the Caribbean. My Mom is from there, so I was following them very closely at the '06 World Cup. The funny thing was that their 0-0 draw with Sweden in their opening match was a bigger moral victory than any other win in the country's history. Ah memories...
I desperately wanted them to beat Sweden in the opener.
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- AndyTurnbull
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I deeply apologise.Cliffjumper wrote:See, now in the light of you bringing those two shower of gits up, I'm blaming you for tonight's entertainment...
If Turkey can wangle this to pens, they'll win - Rustu is class, Pletikosa is Pletikosa.
Rustu is a top keeper, one of those who've been great for years but never gained the plaudits he deserved.
Andy
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- Plasmodium
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Happy with that one, TBH. IMO Croatia have been massively over-rated. Turkey deserved it on effort alone. Agree that the Germans will take them apart, though - just about anyone else I'd quite fancy them against, but Germany can match their sheer determination and beat them on skill.
Chuffed for Rustu, though - it would have been harsh for him to go out like that.
Chuffed for Rustu, though - it would have been harsh for him to go out like that.
- CounterPunch
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I don't see how Croatia has been over-rated. At least here it's considered that they beat Germany only because Germans played a very weak game.Cliffjumper wrote:Happy with that one, TBH. IMO Croatia have been massively over-rated. Turkey deserved it on effort alone.
I don't have anything against Turkey winning the match, but had it ended with 1-0 to Croatia I'd have thought it being a "fair" result.
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I think Croatia get a big rep over here for knocking out England (the same way a lot of English pundits will go on about what a great goalkeeper Ricardo is, when aside from with penalties he's pretty poor)... This tounrament's sort-of put in perspective how bad the English team are Croatia probably played pretty much as England would have done, funnily enough - never quite finding the right gear, coasting through the group due to one good performance, a bit of luck and the ineptness of others, and then flaking the first time they come up against solid opposition (I have no idea what exactly happened to Germany in the group game, but they were ntohing like the side we saw in their other games).
Agree with that on the game... in a way, the feeling reminds me of South Korea's World Cup run - they didn't particularly deserve it, but it's hard to begrudge it to them. Croatia didn't help themselves with the OTT celebrations with a couple of minutes still on the clock - that was just asking for trouble, and I wasn't actually that surprised that Turkey equalised.
With the suspensions and injuries I don't see how Turkey can give Germany much trouble, TBH. At full strength they might have given them something to think about, but Germany will really punish any lapses of concentration they have - Rustu mixed the brilliant with the daft all night; he does that against Podolski, Klose and Ballack, they'll pounce on every mistake he makes.
Agree with that on the game... in a way, the feeling reminds me of South Korea's World Cup run - they didn't particularly deserve it, but it's hard to begrudge it to them. Croatia didn't help themselves with the OTT celebrations with a couple of minutes still on the clock - that was just asking for trouble, and I wasn't actually that surprised that Turkey equalised.
With the suspensions and injuries I don't see how Turkey can give Germany much trouble, TBH. At full strength they might have given them something to think about, but Germany will really punish any lapses of concentration they have - Rustu mixed the brilliant with the daft all night; he does that against Podolski, Klose and Ballack, they'll pounce on every mistake he makes.
- Plasmodium
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