Euro 2012

When I picked France to win it all, I thought they might actually try this time around. I guess locker room fits are more important.

Looking forward to Portugal v Spain though. Portugal should give them some serious trouble.

And come on you Roys boys.

 

England lose on penalties in a major tournament again. Is that really news? I'll say this...even though the Italians had some very good chances, the Englsh defended like their life depended on it.

 

Was sad to see Roy go out but didn't see either team beating Germany.

 

Watching England play today was painful. Pirlo's penalty, I dont have the words, but I knew it was over for England when I saw it. Hart is the only English keeper with confidence and he took it away with that kick.

All my teams are out so I'm rooting for Portugal and Germany.

 

That was a horribly boring game.

 

Echo Mo's comment on Pirlo's penalty (they were behind at that point, but you just knew). Can someone explain how both Germany and Portugal get 2 EXTRA days to rest and get ready?? I just assumed they way they had it scheduled that Portugal was going to play Germany, :doh:

 

A bag full of cash can get any country a gob of things...including extra rest. Effin' UK, they were fortunate not to concede many times in the match but to eke out the penalties in a resilient showing and then, well... Cole? And damn it... I haven't the words. Congrats to Italia for clutching up.

 

Well one thing is clear, Italy sucks at bribery. They can't go five years w/o getting caught fixing matches and then they get the short stick in the Euro semis. Seriously though, I imagine it had more to do with catering to tv than anything.

Agree about England, that was tough to watch for a neutral. :sleeping-sleep:

 

:text-lol: Matt


Incompetence and UEFA is an oxymoron. So their reasoning is that they didn't want teams from the same group playing in the semis? It's not brain surgery, the winner from Thurs plays the one from Fri... or even better since there was co-hosts have a doubleheader on the same day. I thought the lineman standing 4 feet away and missing the goal was going to be the biggest embarrassment of the tourney, but this takes it by a mile. Can Spain and Italy advance? Yes, but that's a ridiculous advantage to try and overcome.

 

Some people saw the Euro semis today. All I saw was floppity-floppity-flop. Ninny (17, Portugal) especially. The announcers said there might be some issue with his contract at ManU. Hopefully it sees him out of the Prem. I hate players like him and the sad part is that he's so insanely talented he doesn't even need to stoop to that crap.

I feared this with 3 of the 4 semi teams being from So Europe. Hopefully Germany can dispose of Italy and the final will be somewhat free of this garbage.

And what was the Portuguese mgr thinking on the pk assignments? :shock: First he pulls a guy back only to send him up next (he missed) and then Ronaldo doesn't even get a shot? That's a good way to get sacked.

 

No Ronaldo on the PKs is insane.

 

Really stupid but the one defender should have tucked it in vs. trying to Nani it

 

Agree. And the game was almost as boring as Italy v England. Glad some people are finally calling out Spain's game as being boring. I've thought that for a while. I've watched enough keep away for my tastes. I hope Germany can crush them if they meet in the final. If it's an Italy v Spain final, I might not even watch.

 

I'll go one further and say if it's Italy v Spain, I will definitely not watch.

I agree on the Spain/Portugal match being boring. I like Spain's strategic philosophy of "the other team can't score if they don't have the ball". I prefer that to Roy's strategy of parking 10 men behind the ball and absorbing pressure. But in keeping the majority of the possession, you have to significantly outchance your opponent. Otherwise, what's the point? Holding 70% possession and ending the period nil-nil is terrible. If Spain had peppered them with chances and the Portuguese had stood on their heads defensively, that's one thing. But what they did, while strategically more sound, was actually more boring than England/Italy. At least in the latter match we got to see England defend like mad.

Every time the World Cup and Euros come around, I get excited for them and by the time the tournament winds down I'm so sick of the antics & tactics in Int'l football that I hardly want to finish watching it. You'd think I'd learn. I'm reminded why 90% of the football I watch is the Prem with the USMNT, a little Bundesliga and even less MLS thrown in. It is an event though, so I'm sure I'll watch future WC's and Euro's as well. :angry-banghead:

 

:text-+1: Word



Drank the kool-aid and expected to see a great advertisement for the sport, but got the most disappointing match of the tournament. 2 CB's taking PKs? :doh: Moment of the match was Meirles leading a 3 on 1 break and had Pretty Boy wide open, but his crap pass led to a wild shot very late in the second half. Will give Spain credit since in the extra time they looked like the team with a couple extra days rest not vice versa. Maybe lower expectations will result in enjoying the Germany-Italy match.

 

Italy was entertaining today. I take it back, I will watch Italy v Spain.

Italy's performance v Germany certainly makes Roy's result look better. I know the transitive property doesnt really apply in soccer but it still does make Roy look better.

And thankfully, Low stayed away from any little tantrums today. Makes me wonder what was up previously

 

Worst match I've ever seen from Germany. They looked lost most of the match. Hats off to Italy though. Their D was stout.