OT - UEFA Euro 2008

[Angstrom]

You didn't actually read my post at all did you.
try again

... the English team are worse than everyone at the Euro2008 championships.
.... there is a world of difference between having a few half-decent players and having a competitive team. Example: England.

IE: England has a few half-decent players, but they do not have a good or competitive team. England are a shit team, really fucking crap. They don't win anything and they don't even get to show up sometimes.

But the shambles England beat the US, that tells me you are even further off the pace than we are and we are fucking miles off being a competitive team

You can't start claiming that the US is on the rise until you can beat such pathetic teams as England comfortably.

[thelike5]

It's official!

Croatia 2 Germany 1

Can't wait to see this one on TV replay tonight!

[Tone Deft]

You didn't actually read my post at all did you.
try again

... the English team are worse than everyone at the Euro2008 championships.

there is a world of difference between having a few half-decent players and having a competitive team. Example: England.

IE: England has a few half-decent players, but that does not mean they have a good or competitive team. England are a shit team, really fucking crap. They don;t win anything and they don't even get to show up sometimes.

But the shambles England beat the US, that tells me you are even further off the pace than we are and we are fucking miles off being a competitive team

it is kinda early here, for my lazy ass at least. internets is a bad form of communication, I read it with a different slant. there's two ways of looking at it, where the team is, and how fast it has come around. our rate of growth in the sport is huge, I was alive when the US couldn't even make the cup, you fucks have been in it AFAIK from the beginning and your growth is stunted.

I wouldn't say England has a shit team, when they play people take notice, they're not Australia, Iran, China, Japan, Jamaica and the like that makes the cup.

as I wrotebefore, I felt that the last US team was worse than the one from two cups ago but not even the Americans think we have a chance to win the whole thing, maybe make an OK showing, a few upset matches.

the whole point is that the US is not ignorant about soccer even though we have a retarded name for it and it's overshadowed by 'sports' with big dumb cars turning left for 8 hours on end.


so, where is your women's team?? I like how you've ignored that point. FAIL!

seriously though, I'm nobody to argue with a Euro about futbol, you lot get way more exposure to it, I'll give you that, just don't count us out.

[8O]

It's official!

Croatia 2 Germany 1

Can't wait to see this one on TV replay tonight!

Arse! What the hell happened there? Germany were slow and barely awake. Well done Croatia, they really made the most of their chances, really put Germany under constant, niggling pressure, successfully disrupting their game and, fair play, really deserved to win. Well played!
Shame about Schweinsteiger's red card, a bit harsh, I thought, but was really his own fault for getting riled.
Hut ab, Kroatien!

[8O]

I wouldn't say England has a shit team, when they play people take notice, they're not Australia, Iran, China, Japan, Jamaica and the like that makes the cup.

England's a funny case. They always promise so much and their fans always think that this time they're going all the way, but they always mess up at the crucial moment. Perennial underachievers. Relative to the teams that qualified for Euro 2008, they are pretty rubbish. In the qualifications they were worse than Croatia and Russia and only marginally better than Israel. Scotland and Ireland also won at least as many games in their qualifiers, but also didn't get in. Anyway, I'd say the gist of it is that England is currently a pretty low reference point.

[8O]

seriously though, I'm nobody to argue with a Euro about futbol, you lot get way more exposure to it, I'll give you that, just don't count us out.

Yeah, I reckon another 10-15 years or so and you'll be giving us a serious run for our money. Once you get the grass-roots going, structures for the kids to develop and regular fixtures against better opposition, it's just a question of time before you're up there with the regulars. Really depends on that though - kids need to play it and then they need somewhere to go when they're older.
I liked Lemond and Armstrong's invasion into a euro-dominated sport - it'll be interesting to see when you really turn your minds to it in football.

[plexiglass]

f*** howard webb!

[mdk]

i thought he was spot on with the penalty decision, also it kind of balanced the goal earlier that was offside.

still both teams didnt look that good, well, Guerreiro looks like a decent player, maybe a bit too much style-over-substance but still fairly decent and Boruc is a great keeper.

who knows, maybe now Croatia have qualified they'll put out a weaker team for the next match, probably rest Modric, Kranjcar, Olic, Pletikosa, Kovac and maybe a few others...

now im just hoping for some kind of miracle for Romania to beat Italy tomorrow

[smartass303]

Austria - poland 1:1

What a waste of power for both teams. The penalty was a lucky thing for germany...

[8O]

Round-up of predictions after last night.
Croatia 2 - Germany 1
Austria 1 - Poland 1

How did we fare...?

Croatia 1 - Germany 3
Austria 1 - Poland 2

Croatia v Germany 1-2
Austria v Poland 0-2

Croatia 2 - Germany 2
Austria 1 - Poland 0

Croatia 1 Germany 1

Everyone was off! Both matches were entertaining to watch, I thought, though it was very frustrating to watch Germany get completely rattled by Croatia, especially after such a good performance against Poland earlier. As for tonight, based on my prediction history so far, I have absolutely no idea... Italy 1 Romania 0; Netherlands 4 France 1 - see? No idea! What do you folks reckon?





PS:

I'd like to see Croatia 5 Germany 0 though...!!!

...almost!

[aeon]

i usually dislike football and don't watch anything apart from international matches. it's nothing personal - except i live in England so rejecting the dominant cultural hegemony is a real pleasure. the focus on football here is just... baffling.

Euro 2008 has been stunning so far though. almost every game i've watched has been really interesting... croatia/germany was swell.

[six_o_clock_crow]

As a Pompey fan I am unofficially supporting Croatia due to Niko Krancjar being in both teams. Yep, I've bought into the BBC's hype about still being able to enjoy the tournament even though England aren't there

I jest, of course. I've enjoyed most of the games so far, particularly last night's Croatia/Germany match. There is something satisfying about coming home from work and there being footy on the telly.

In terms of the England team, I agree with others who say we have some competant and sometimes excellent players, but we are unable to play as a team. This isn't helped by the selection players on the basis of reputation rather than by who fits into the team dynamic. You should pick a system or a style of playing and then choose the players that fit into that.

In terms of why England is obsessed by football... I don't know why, but personally I love following the lower leagues too. I was thrilled by Havant & Waterlooville's cup run as I live near to that team (it's very near Pompey) and have watched them many times.

[Corn Swabler]

ARE YOU FUCKERS TALKING ABOUT PING-PONG?

[see the light]

As a Pompey fan I am unofficially supporting Croatia due to Niko Krancjar being in both teams. Yep, I've bought into the BBC's hype about still being able to enjoy the tournament even though England aren't there

I jest, of course. I've enjoyed most of the games so far, particularly last night's Croatia/Germany match. There is something satisfying about coming home from work and there being footy on the telly.

In terms of the England team, I agree with others who say we have some competant and sometimes excellent players, but we are unable to play as a team. This isn't helped by the selection players on the basis of reputation rather than by who fits into the team dynamic. You should pick a system or a style of playing and then choose the players that fit into that.

In terms of why England is obsessed by football... I don't know why, but personally I love following the lower leagues too. I was thrilled by Havant & Waterlooville's cup run as I live near to that team (it's very near Pompey) and have watched them many times.

HAHAHAHAHA - i'm from Pompey!

Did you watch the final on the common? I went to the parade as well as i'm 5 minutes away from Fratton park - i figure something like this happens in the city once in a lifetime!

I went to the H&W against Swansea, my brothers went up to Anfield as well...they said it was surreal.

[six_o_clock_crow]

Blue Army!

I didn't watch the final on the common, but I did go down for the parade. Waited for about 4 hours in the sun but wow, so worth it. Absolutely amazing scenes. I watched the final elsewhere - not the best game but, really, who cares?!?!

I too live about 5 mins from Fratton Park! Small world

I went to the H&W/Swansea replay too. Probably the most drama in a game I've attended. When they went 3-0 up I was just with my mate laughing at how absurd it all was. Another mate of mine is a die-hard H&W fan: comes down from London for every home game and follows them to away games etc. I actually recorded the crowd at West Leigh Park a few years ago and used it in a track.

I couldn't afford the Anfield trip - so wish I could have gone. I was listening to the radio and watching Sky Sports News though, and when they went ahead Jeff Stelling's face on SS News was just so funny!!!