Euro 2012

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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
I missed that one, but the number of good games is vastly encouraging. Both games today have the potential to be very good.

I'm looking forward to the Guardian's minute-by-minute coverage beginning at 4.45. God I'm bored at work.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Bendtner scored! Not a highly rated player in England to say the least but a good goal. Admittedly he waited until Denmark were 2-0 down to do it. Another good game so far anyway.
 
e/y

e/y

Well-known member
Least likeable team for me - Pepe and Ronaldo especially. Really dull to watch, too.
 
F

franz

Well-known member
i'm not convinced by anyone so far. Russia yesterday? there's a team that looks like they could get torn to pieces by an enterprising offensive team. Poland was menacing with them in all kinds of 2 on 4 and 3 on 5 situations (including the goal).

Varela looked great, as he did in his brief time against Germany.
Generally i have this feeling with Portugal that they play like less than the sum of their parts. If they can perform better in less isolated situations, i can see them getting places. They have to integrate Ronaldo much better... he is looking the same kind of inept within that squad that he did at the world cup.

would love to see a team distinguish itself as world class in the next few games, but i suppose you have to remember how cagey things often are in the early stages of these tournaments.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Dunno if cagey is exactly the right word - there's been loads of goals. I just think it's hard for teams to stand out because they're all on a fairly similar level. Mistakes can get punished whoever you are.

"Not convinced by Portugal, I have to say. Can see them being ripped apart later in the tournament."
Click to expand...
Not sure they will get through anyway. Gonna need another result for sure.
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
IdleRich said:
Well I think that's bye-bye to Netherlands although not mathematically yet.
Click to expand...

If the Dutch beat Portugal and the Danes lose to Germany – a far from impossible outcome, especially if the Dutch maintain their second-half form – everyone's level on 3, having (currently at least) lost/won matches by 1 goal.

Is it then down to highest scorer or is there some weird mechanism about who's beaten who?
 
B

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
If everything is level including goal difference and goals scored, it's, somewhat unbelievably, their UEFA national team coefficient rankings (search me) that will separate the teams. Unlikely however.

I think the Dutch still have a big chance. Germany should eviscerate Denmark if they can be bothered, and then if Holland win vs Portugal by two (quite possible if RVP and Robben decide to turn up from the beginning, and Portugal hardly convinced when letting Bendtner - Bendtner! - score two), they're through. I'd almost put money on that very outcome.

Hoping for Germany vs Poland in the quarters - could be a cracking football match quite apart from the atmosphere.
 
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P

paolo

Mechanical phantoms
So, who's going to win the midfield battle tonight - Whelan and Andrews or Xavi and Iniesta?

(Sorry, couldn't resist. Also I think that Croatia will beat Italy)
 
F

franz

Well-known member
i dunno if the thought is that Balotelli and Di Natale are incompatible? i would have taken off Cassano instead. He looked pretty uninspired after the break. Just generally though Italy stopped clicking in the offensive end after a while.
Two very good sides either way. Croatia are pretty beastly, and they should look to use that again against a small Spain side as they did today.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
I was kinda thinking that. Still, all to play for while it stays like that I guess. You never know. Except sometimes you do.
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
Maybe it's harsh, cos they've been up against some very decent sides, but Ireland look like the worst team in the tournament by a distance. (Tempted to say Sweden, though they'll no doubt redeem themselves with the traditional draw against England tomorrow).
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Isn't it more traditional for them to beat England? It will certainly be trampling over a long-established and noble custom if we actually beat them.
 
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