Euro 2008 - we support our local team

IdleRich

IdleRich
Every neutral has to support the Turks but surely, surely the fairy-tale is finally going to come to an end tonight.
 

jenks

thread death
Sorry I cannot bring myself to support the Turkey team

They really haven't played that well and I can see the steam roller of Germany claiming yet another final berth
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Well, everyone said that Russia wouldn't lose four - one again and I guess they were kinda right. I didn't see it because I was playing football at the time, how was it, were they worth 3-0?
 

hucks

Your Message Here
Spain absolutely caned them second half, especially after the first goal. Russia just gave up. First half was a bit more even, Russia had a couple fo ecent chances, but second half Spain were brilliant, Fabregas, who came on as a support striker, in particular.

Also, Spain defended really well. Ramos and Puyol were solid, and Senna marked Arshavin out of the game. They haven't let in a goal in the last two games now.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Well, fair play, everyone thought that Russia might give them a game but on aggregate it's 7-1 and Spain have won every game (unless you say they drew against Italy). They have to start as favourites for the final don't they?

"Ramos and Puyol were solid"
Something I never expected to read.

"Senna marked Arshavin out of the game."
Senna's been very good in the tournament but for me the one who really makes things happen for them is Silva.
 

crackerjack

Well-known member
it was fairly even, slightly in Russia's favour, until Fab replaced Villa on 35 mins. From that momnet on they passed them off the park.

It was illuminating hearing the commentary before and during on Arshavin. Beforehand on Radio 5 everyone seemed to be questioning the scouts for failing to spot this incredible talent until he was 27, but no one ever asked the question, what if he's only a good player who's just had two outstanding games. Then about 80 mins in Pleat said he'd never seen anyone come into a match on such scintillating form and fall off so sharply, which seemed a bit harsh.

Anyway, Fabregas and Iniesta were amazing, Xavi fairly average apart from the goal, Torres ran the defence ragged but misfired his few chances. Ramos had one of his best games and Silva and Senna just destroyed them, barely gave the ball away all night.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
"It was illuminating hearing the commentary before and during on Arshavin. Beforehand on Radio 5 everyone seemed to be questioning the scouts for failing to spot this incredible talent until he was 27, but no one ever asked the question, what if he's only a good player who's just had two outstanding games. Then about 80 mins in Pleat said he'd never seen anyone come into a match on such scintillating form and fall off so sharply, which seemed a bit harsh."
Yeah, this kind of thing bugs me but it always goes on. I remember when Arsenal and Inter were in the same group in the Euros a few years back and Inter thrashed Arsenal at home. All the papers were filled with talk of how it demonstrated the relative strengths of the teams involved, of the leagues etc a few months later Arsenal went to Inter and won them 4-1 - suddenly the premier league is way stronger than Serie A, Arsenal are a quantum ahead of Inter etc etc - I know "you're only as good as your last game" is a saying in football but people actually seem to believe it to a ridiculous extent.
 

mos dan

fact music
another enjoyable game!

i was joking with my housemate about the abysmal itv commentary, and the whole 'liverpoolsfernando torres' shtick, and about fabregas and the 'they call him' meme, i.e. 'they call him spain's gerrard/lampard/etc' - but then we both realised that this comparison wasn't really fair on cesc, and that arguably every single member of the spanish midfield (and let's bear in mind cesc doesn't even get in this midfield as first choice!) has better ball retention than every england midfielder.

and that this is perhaps an integral reason why we aren't in these championships. our qualifying campaign was just an endless litany of needlessly giving the ball away, it was horrifying to watch.

even my team, wimbledon, always had awful ball retention when i was a season ticket holder in the 90s, but that didn't really matter because they didn't need to hang on to it - there was only one way they were going: forward, quickly. and england haven't even been able to do that in recent years.
 

crackerjack

Well-known member
He's making a bit of a case for doing so now though isn't he?

Villa is out of the final, so Spain will almost certainly start with the 11 who were on the pitch at half time. Eeven if Villa was fit, it would be a bizarre decision to start with Xavi instead of Fab, but that was obvious before last night and apparently made no difference to Aragones.

Guiza looked ace when he came on, but by then the Russians were so knackered I would;'ve fancied my own chances upfront.
 

don_quixote

Trent End
Sorry I cannot bring myself to support the Turkey team

They really haven't played that well and I can see the steam roller of Germany claiming yet another final berth

guffaw

i only wish they'd had justice :-(

they played really well against the czechs as well, and not just the last 15 mins, they played pretty well against the swiss until the heavens collapsed and i didn't watch the second half because it clashed with the apprentice.

the croatia game they defended for their lives because, huh, croatia were a damn good team. and contrary to what the commentary told you they dominated extra time and croatias goal was very much against the run of play.

and the ban of volkan for two matches was a disgrace in my opinion. that a 17 stone giant can go down that badly after being pushed by a man half his size is absurd. volkan pushed him because koller didn't attempt to get the ball and tried to take him out. oh yeah he shouldn't have done it but he's barely the villain a two game ban justified.

and germany. urgh, germany. what a dreadful team. i don't understand why commentators don't seem to see the cheating that germany do - they're ALWAYS throwing themselves to the ground but it seems that since klinnsmann we're asked to ignore it. and the berating of the ref. and i can't believe none of their players got booked on wednesday. i was fuming.

and lahm was shown up to be one of the worst fullbacks in international football on wednesday (ashley cole is (or maybe was) far far superior. in the last world cup he was englands best player by a mile and his champions league final performance for arsenal was a different class. unfortunately i missed this cl final because i was stuck on a train from sheffield to chesterfield for 3 hours). just a shame he scored the winning goal.

i'm so gutted turkey are out. i love turkey.
 

crackerjack

Well-known member
and lahm was shown up to be one of the worst fullbacks in international football on wednesday (ashley cole is (or maybe was) far far superior. in the last world cup he was englands best player by a mile and his champions league final performance for arsenal was a different class. unfortunately i missed this cl final because i was stuck on a train from sheffield to chesterfield for 3 hours). just a shame he scored the winning goal.

I thought Lahm had looked quite good, though i didn't se Weds and attacking fullbacks always look better than they are because you remember the good bits (ie the attackng) and overlook the shit defending. If he's that poor, I look forward to Ramos, Silva, Fab and Liverpoolsfernandotorres taking the German's aprt.

I'm already feeling rashly overconfident about my bet, this is a bad sign.
 
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