Euro 2008

[Blarghagh]

Nope. We won, and pretty convincingly if I may say so. 2-0. It was a good game, the other countries Bondscoaches must be green with envy about the amount of choice and talent Van Basten has for his A-List.

[Meshugger]

It is actually amazing on how Van Basten can create such an effective team without resorting to the big names. Bravo!

Edited June 17, 2008 by Meshugger

[Pidesco]

Holland will be eliminated by Italy in the semis. 1-0

[Xard]

I kept switching between Romaina-Holland and Italy-France

 

Great games. I'm now officially completely in Holland camp.

 

GO GO HOLLAND

[Gorgon]

Holland will be eliminated by Italy in the semis. 1-0

With 1 minuite to go, despite Holland doing all the attacking. Thats how they do.

[Guest The Architect]

And the winning goal will be from a penalty.

 

I tipped Romania because I thought the Dutch would let them win to keep Italy and France out of the knock-out phases but then that was a stupid thing to think since the Dutch already owned both teams so why would they fear them for?

[mkreku]

Yeah, the Italians will probably whine and dive and cry their way to another title. As usual.

[Guest The Architect]

Adios for Sweden.

[Hildegard]

Russia totally destroyed Sweden...well deserved win.

[Blarghagh]

It is actually amazing on how Van Basten can create such an effective team without resorting to the big names. Bravo!

 

I'm not sure I would call people like Huntelaar, Vennegoor-of-Hesselink or Affelay small names.

[Xard]

...I've never heard of them

[Pidesco]

^Because you suck.

[Pidesco]

I saw this coming from a mile away.

[Tigranes]

Huntelaar is a big name, Afellay and Vennegoor not so much.

 

He just has a very good mix of them all.

[Xard]

Fantastic first half

 

Here's hoping for Portugal emerges victorious

[Pidesco]

Portugal's defense is really dropping the ball. Which with these players is just unforgivable. And some kind of coaching feat.

 

I haven't seen Scolari's Portugal play with a properly organized defense yet. And I'm not just talking about Euro 2008.

[Tigranes]

Aaaand it takes just 2 minutes after half-time for Ronaldo to dive and cry again.

 

Seriously, look at him. Lies there for 2 seconds to see whether he's getting anything, *then* scrunches his face up and starts rolling around. It's just impossible not to hate the abomination.

[Pidesco]

While Scolari is a good leader of men, he really is a crap coach.

 

He singlehandedly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory at Euro 2004, didn't manage to get Portugal to play one single decent game in the 2006 World Cup, despite playing against such illustrious opponents as Iran or even freaking Angola, and couldn't get a defense composed of Bosingwa, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, and Paulo Ferreira to even defend competently. Chelsea is going to be a laughing stock next season.

 

I yearn for the day when Mourinho will coach Portugal.

[Tigranes]

Agreed. And now with Deco and (Pepe?) going away, it's not going to get easier - they really need a scorer of goals like Germany's had in Podolski this tournament.

[Pidesco]

Going away? They're not going anywhere.

 

I don't think the lack of a true goalscorer should really be such a big problem for Portugal. With the type of speedy, massively skilled attackers we've always had, Portugal should, in theory, be able to score more goals than it actually does. A Thierry Henry isn't necessary to score sitters now is it? Scolari's Portugal, even at its best, always had a problem with creating speed in its attacking movement. I mean, Deco's long range passing was great, but at Bar

[Tigranes]

Isn't Deco retiring from international football? I don't know where I got Pepe from, though.

 

And in theory, you are right, but sometimes you find that your skillful, speedy attack isn't quite working out for whatever reason (good solid defence, injuries, bad pitch, bad weather, bad ref), and you need someone who can take half a chance and stick it in the net, or create something out of nothing. Portugal lacked that today because for whatever eason, their attack was a lot less imaginative and sterile than normal. I think they were lucky to get even 2, as Germany really went to sleep for the first (but then, Germany was 'lucky' with the third, too.)

[Pidesco]

Isn't Deco retiring from international football? I don't know where I got Pepe from, though.

 

And in theory, you are right, but sometimes you find that your skillful, speedy attack isn't quite working out for whatever reason (good solid defence, injuries, bad pitch, bad weather, bad ref), and you need someone who can take half a chance and stick it in the net, or create something out of nothing. Portugal lacked that today because for whatever eason, their attack was a lot less imaginative and sterile than normal. I think they were lucky to get even 2, as Germany really went to sleep for the first (but then, Germany was 'lucky' with the third, too.)

 

Not that I know of. He's only 30.

 

 

But I'm not talking about just one game. It seems like every game they play Portugal performs as if it needs a first class goal scorer, and that shouldn't happen. Not every single game. Even against lesser teams during qualifying Portugal struggled with the goal scoring, and not because of the lack of a pure forward, but rather from a difficulty in creating enough chances, which, with these players is just unacceptable.

 

Also, while Nuno Gomes was never a particularly good player, he seems to come up with the goods at major tournaments, and I think he did that again at Euro 2008 even if he just scored one goal. He was an essential part of a few of the goals Portugal scored and generally was one of the better attackers in Portugal's campaign. So, if you ask me a lack of a true goalscorer was one of Portugal's lesser weaknesses. Dodgy defending, and a mediocre goalie were the real causes of Portugal's early exit.

[Xard]

OH **** IT ALL

 

**** YOU DAMN SCHWEINHUNDS, **** YOU

 

 

[Hildegard]

I really don't get Portugal....they entered the game and didn't play at all until the 35th minute allowing the Germans to play how they want....did Scolari analyze them at all? Germany in sports and war is the same, it's a machine with a define strategy, work and single minded way of thinking. If you're frighten of them and allow them to act in a such way you're finished...German players are not footballers at all, they're hardworking workers who are depending on running, hard play and the mentality I've mentioned. If you take the fearless approach of imposing your own gameplay based on quality and technique that German players don't have at all, those swines will be lost, uneffective and look like a clumsy bully on the pitch. Because when it comes to improvisation, creativity and current adaption, they don't have those virtues at all and never had them.

Victory against the Germany is won in the heads of their opponents more then on the pitch, Portugal failed to do so.

Edited June 20, 2008 by Hildegard

[SteveThaiBinh]

Go Holland!