Summer UEFA Euro 2012

[Bugzee]

France were poor. They had a few great chances to come back but the end play was terrible. Poor passes or mis-timed challenges. Cabaye is a really good free kick taker. He had a great effort on goal but it wasn't meant to be. xD

Portugal have their work cut out for them. It'll definitely be a great semi-final to look forward to but Spain are literally humiliating each opponent they face. No striker/forward in the starting line up shouldn't be questioned if you have a fricking awesome crop of attacking and technical group of midfielders at your disposal and what I love about Del Bosque is that he plays Torres sometime in the second half (usually)...nail in the coffin so to speak. Just when you've had enough running around in circles trying to chase the ball away from xavi, inesta, fabregas and the likes....you have Torres/pedro or another player to fricking deal with as a sub.

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

Don't really think that Spain was actually that better than France. Especially as the first goal was actually not due to some good play from Spain, but mostly due to an awfully error on Clishi's and Lloris's part. And penalty... well, it was an obvious penalty, but still we've seen several matches, where referee didn't give obvious penalties, so actually France was a bit weaker, but still my point states - Spain doesn't show to be strong and splendid as many footbal specialists claim. They are obviously better than other teams, but not as splendid as Barcelona last year and a year before.
Also we should take in account that France has internal problems and several players practically fought each other after the previous match, so it was obvious that they can't oppose Spain in such a condition and still France did have several great chances.

About today's match... Well, I believe England looks a bit better, especially when they've got Rooney back after disqualification. So today's match might be really the most interesting in quaterfinals. Hope both teams give us a good performance. I wouldn't even be against extra time, but I would like to see at least two goals.

 

[goldb]

The way France played, Spain didn't HAVE to be any better than they were. So far Spain have done just enough to get results, noone has REALLY pushed them except maybe Italy where you wondered where the goal would come from. I think for Spain to play a great game, they need to be pushed and France weren't doing that at all or consistently enough. Second half of that game seemed closer but that was because I felt Spain were lacking and became a tad complacent, rather than France having excelled.

@Ibra: I really think England can win tonight, but we'll see

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

The thing is that during all the qualification and all the tournament I've never actually seen Champion's game from Spain. They really lack performance more than playing just that much to get victories because they aren't pushed enough.
Maybe it just depends on our point of view.

 

[FrostyMouse]

Di Natale's been one of the most impressive strikers in this tournament so far, and Cassano and Super Mario have helped as well. I don't know. The match could swing either way. Rooney doesn't look completely match fit, but as we saw in the match against Ukraine, all it takes is being in the right place at the right time, not match fitness to score a goal. I mean, it was a header from like one foot out, but someone had to be there, I guess. There haven't been enough goals from England's front men for me to be comfortable.

I honestly see a 1-1 draw going to penalties, and I'm torn on that. If Lampard was here (although he missed one against Portugal), I'd be more in favor of England on penalties, but I think Italy's a little more solid in that department right now. I would say England's kickers would be Rooney, Welbeck (assuming he's made it on), Gerrard, Cole, and then someone else, maybe Scott Parker. Even though Buffon's old, I trust him in shootouts more than the untested Joe Hart.

The match is there for the taking for either team, however.

 

[Pat]

Italy vs England is one of those matches with no favorites. They weren't entirely impressive in group phase but they were good enough to get the necessary scores. I guess tonight will be no different and we'll see a hard-fought match. I think this may be first match that will be decided by penalties. If I had to pick a team, I would choose Italy though. Their defense seems more reliable to me and even though England probably has more talented players, Italy has better teamwork.

 

[BBB Banana]

Pathetic game by france yesterday and quite lacking game by spain. And don't give me excuses like "France didn't push them" when you are in a game that's either win or go home you won't rest until there's at least a 2goal difference specialy against a traditional team like france and france was playing badly enough so that a 2010wc spain could shove them at least 3goals down their throats.
Spain has been below 2010 since the beginning only those who don't want to can't see it.

 

[Jorge D. Dragon]

For now I would say that England against Italy seems as the best game so far. Both teams are attacking and have interesting moments. And for now both italians and british guys look interesting. Hope they will show us some interesting performance. I'm still ok with extra time, even though I'll have to get up at 6 a.m)))

 

[ibra87]

Wow, minute 90, 0-0 and Italian coach DIDN'T PUT DI NATALE AND INSTEAD SUBBED IN MAGGIO!? Amazing how Balotelli yelling can garauntee him a place in the team.

Hopefully the extra halves will be better, but I have a feeling it'll go to the penalties. And let me just say how Happy I am Rooney has come back to England.

 

[FrostyMouse]

This has been the most boring game of the Euros, and at the same time, the only match which has gone to extra time, and almost certainly penalties.

Just a narrow miss for the offsides there, but why is Di Natale not playing?

---------- Post added at 05:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:10 PM ----------

Penalties are upon us. Will the luck of Chelsea bleed over into the English squad, or will Italy be the sacrificial offering to Germany?

---------- Post added at 05:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

Poor miss by Montilevo, and then Rooney gets the advantage goal.

Pirlo makes a beautiful penalty.

---------- Post added at 05:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

Italy wins it. They completely deserved it.

 

[xi0]

...dear god

 

[ibra87]

YES YES EYSEYSEYSE SYE SYE SYESYE SYEAS

YAEAHEHAEHAHEAHEAHEAHEHAHEAHEAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

ASHLEY DOUBLE FAIL + BUFFON EPICNESS =DDDDDDDDDDDDDD


HAHAHAHAH IAM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:25 PM ----------

Aka, I'mma apologize in advance for the deja vu feeling you guys gonna get

 

[xi0]

Why would Young expect to be able to take advantage of Buffon with THAT?..

---------- Post added at 05:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:30 PM ----------

And why did we need 4 days for this round? Give a huge advantage to those who played earlier...ridiculous

 

[goldb]

Oh England, how terrible we were. Didn't see much of the second half but we deserved to have lost before extra time; after first half we just didn't play at all, I have no clue what we were doing.

I would've preferred us to have lost in normal time than penalties, that just kills us.

 

[jorped]

Why would Young expect to be able to take advantage of Buffon with THAT?..

---------- Post added at 05:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:30 PM ----------

And why did we need 4 days for this round? Give a huge advantage to those who played earlier...ridiculous

True ... talking about Spain's case in particularly, they are going to have less 2 days than Portugal ... but we also had 1 day less of rest compared to Czech, and Spain did had 1 day more to rest than France ... ofc 2 days is different but still .... at least they have 4 days to rest which is acceptable and reasonable imo.
If it's kinda unfair it is ... still it won't be a reason to justify anything that will happen.

 

[xi0]

Not even for a team like Italy, which is mostly veteran? I can't say it will mean nothing for them.

 

[BBB Banana]

Oh come on most players are used to play twice a week. 4 days is more than enough to rest. It's been always like this due to games in different days some teams always had less time to rest. Is like this in every tournment why should spain be different?

 

[ibra87]

Actually quite a few players are from Juventus who only had Series A to play this season. Not to mention the last couple of seasons too (;'(). So it's kind of a low blow especially againsta a well rested Germany.

 

[xi0]

Oh come on most players are used to play twice a week. 4 days is more than enough to rest. It's been always like this due to games in different days some teams always had less time to rest. Is like this in every tournment why should spain be different?

So? Regardless of the amount, each team should be given as equal amount of rest as possible in my opinion. I'm not sure if it's the same as other sports, but sometimes too much rest isn't a good thing either.

 

[jorped]

So? Regardless of the amount, each team should be given as equal amount of rest as possible in my opinion. I'm not sure if it's the same as other sports, but sometimes too much rest isn't a good thing either.

Exactly ... Portugal has 6 days ... which might be also too much time. 4 days is enough ... special since the players who achieved the semifinals are almost all on really competitive leagues .. where playing a game each 4 days is absolutely normal.

Cüneyt Çakır will be the referee of Portugal vs Spain's game, the same that back at the game between, my team Porto vs Manchester City, clearly helped City ... with a really bad performance ... i just hope it's a good game with no polemic cases at all !