EURO 2012

[HappyDayRiot]

I echo the sentiments about Spain/Barca above*. I've found Italy far more entertaining in this tournament and would gladly see them through at Spain's expense.

You have the Sun/Mirror/Mail to thank for the England nonsense as well. The latest spin this year is 'we're so shite maybe we really will win it this time because no one expects us to do anything'. A theory driven by Chelsea's Champions League run, no doubt.

*thanks to the 'Swanselona' team down the road, I have to put up with hearing about how wonderful the tippy-tappy-pass-pass-pass-goalkeeper style even more than normal since it got them to the Premier League. I've seen this style of play in person, twice. It's dull whoever does it.

 

[Jax]

You have the Sun/Mirror/Mail to thank for the England nonsense as well. The latest spin this year is 'we're so shite maybe we really will win it this time because no one expects us to do anything'. A theory driven by Chelsea's Champions League run, no doubt.

People always say ENG are either shit or amazing...Both are clearly untrue.

We regulary qualify for tournaments and more than not make it to the knockout stages so were an above average team BUT sadly there are several teams above us who are OUTSTANDING. Were not going to win it but we have exceeded my personal expectations TBH and if we can knick top spot then no reason why we can't make the semi finals and go out to Germany

 

[Roger Wilco]

Well, in my prediction #1 from group D faces Spain in the quarter finals...
But even if it's Italy or even Croatia, England's probably the underdog either way.

But you're right, if Uruguay can make it the WC semis and Turkey to the Euro semis, there's no reason why it shouldn't be at least conceivable for England to do it as well. And once you're there, then anything's possible in 90 minutes...

That's the good thing about football - there's always hope.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Wow, now Germany actually is one goal away from being eliminated if Denmark scores. What kind of sensation would that be?...

eta: ok, the thrill didn't last very long.

 

[JayOwl]

That's actually one of the main reasons I hate the English team so much. It just annoys me to no end because it's so incredibly stupid.
WW2 references because of football, really? Makes me wanna puke.

I've never noticed this to be honest but it doesn't surprise me. Yes, it is sickening. That said, I don't think that too many of the new English team are that bad personality wise. Yes, we still have Rooney and Terry (twats) and I'm sure there's a few others like that but players like Parker and Gerrard seem like decent guys from what I've seen.

Life is so unfair, huh? First the English single-handedly win WW2 (or something like that) and then Germany keeps beating them on the pitch?! How rude, right?!

Besides, we all know America single-handedly won WW2

When they actually turned up in the last year or so they were pretty useful, yes.

 

[{ Emilia }]

That's actually one of the main reasons I hate the English team so much. It just annoys me to no end because it's so incredibly stupid.
WW2 references because of football, really? Makes me wanna puke.

I've never noticed this to be honest but it doesn't surprise me. Yes, it is sickening. That said, I don't think that too many of the new English team are that bad personality wise. Yes, we still have Rooney and Terry (twats) and I'm sure there's a few others like that but players like Parker and Gerrard seem like decent guys from what I've seen.

Oh, to be fair it's more the media and part of the supporter base than anything else. I don't hold grudges against specific players. I can't say I particularly like any of the English players but if they happen to win the tournament I won't feel bad about it.

 

[Count Zero]

Apparently, I'm the only one who likes the Spanish tikki-takka style, despite its silly name. I find it quite fascinating and impressive. I'm surprised it has such a negative reputation on here. I don't particularly like Spain as a team, though, never have but that's solely an intuitive thing.

I can't believe I missed probably the best game in this tournament so far, England vs. Sweden because I was on the road. Even Welbek scored. I hope they also play as exciting in the quarter final.

So much excitement today. Somehow, this German team always likes to keep things exciting. I hope it won't ever get as constantly dramatic as with England.
I still can't believe Holland went out with 0 points. What the hell happened? Well, at least Ronaldo finally got his big day out of it. I now think that Portugal has a good chance to get quite far in this tournament.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Yes, we still have Rooney and Terry (twats)

Did you catch today's classy comment by Rooney about Capello? Apparently, Hodgson is much better because "finally we understand what the coach is saying", which is about one step above "damn foreigners, stealing English jobs from English-speaking English people".

 

[Jax]

Yes, we still have Rooney and Terry (twats)

Did you catch today's classy comment by Rooney about Capello? Apparently, Hodgson is much better because "finally we understand what the coach is saying", which is about one step above "damn foreigners, stealing English jobs from English-speaking English people".

To be fair "Capello's" english was bad, in interviews I caught only every other word.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Well, seems like Rooney should have been practicing to improve his Italian, then.

 

[{ Emilia }]

Yes, we still have Rooney and Terry (twats)

Did you catch today's classy comment by Rooney about Capello? Apparently, Hodgson is much better because "finally we understand what the coach is saying", which is about one step above "damn foreigners, stealing English jobs from English-speaking English people".

To be fair "Capello's" english was bad, in interviews I caught only every other word.

I always thought that was part of his strategy to keep the media at distance to be honest. Also: Use an interpreter whenever possible. Makes criticism a loss less fun.

 

[JayOwl]

Yes, we still have Rooney and Terry (twats)

Did you catch today's classy comment by Rooney about Capello? Apparently, Hodgson is much better because "finally we understand what the coach is saying", which is about one step above "damn foreigners, stealing English jobs from English-speaking English people".

No, I didn't. Sounds like him though. Capello's English wasn't great but there's no need to drop comments like that in there.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Life is so unfair, huh? First the English single-handedly win WW2 (or something like that) and then Germany keeps beating them on the pitch?! How rude, right?!

Besides, we all know America single-handedly won WW2

When they actually turned up in the last year or so they were pretty useful, yes.

Uh, the US army turned up in the last year in WWI, not WWII. WWII lasted for 3 or 4 years after the US joined.

 

[JayOwl]

Yes- Pearl Harbour '41, I know. I was more refering to D-Day, where they really got involved in Europe bar Italy. Still, it came across as inaccurate of me and I apologize. I was only continuing the cheap joke. I don't want this to go off track- the world wars have nothing to do with football.

 

[NCC1701]

Yep, Holland my former home country got eliminated with 0 points, how unexpected . Bunch of amateurs.

One thing I don't get - I've just been following the tournament online - is how Greece got through in Pool A ahead of Russia even though they were on the same number of points and Russia actually had a +2 goal difference advantage, and Greece had none. Somebody more in the know care to explain?

 

[Count Zero]

Yes, the Euro has rather weird rules in the case of teams having the same amount of points. The first criteria then is the direct comparison - which Greece won. It gets mor complicated after that.

 

[{ Emilia }]

Yep, Holland my former home country got eliminated with 0 points, how unexpected . Bunch of amateurs.

One thing I don't get - I've just been following the tournament online - is how Greece got through in Pool A ahead of Russia even though they were on the same number of points and Russia actually had a +2 goal difference advantage, and Greece had none. Somebody more in the know care to explain?

If 2 teams end up with the same amount of points the winner of the match between those 2 teams goes through to the next round regardless of goal differences in the other games.

Greece beat Russia.

Goal difference only matters if 3 teams end up with the same amount of points.

 

[Ayelbourne]

Bye bye, Oranje. You just don't deserve to win with a defense that's MIA during all games.
You even made C.Ronaldo look good! Unforgivable!

 

[Angel4576]

@Rooney, what an utter twat.

It's also a bit rich having a go about Capello's English when it's only marginally worse than his!

Shame for Denmark tonight, although at least they didn't finish bottom, which most people were seeming to predict before the tournament. Portugal will likely make the SFs now. The Netherlands - oh dear. Less said the better, but if I were the Coach I'd be packing my bags already!

 

[NCC1701]

Yep, Holland my former home country got eliminated with 0 points, how unexpected . Bunch of amateurs.

One thing I don't get - I've just been following the tournament online - is how Greece got through in Pool A ahead of Russia even though they were on the same number of points and Russia actually had a +2 goal difference advantage, and Greece had none. Somebody more in the know care to explain?

If 2 teams end up with the same amount of points the winner of the match between those 2 teams goes through to the next round regardless of goal differences in the other games.

Greece beat Russia.

Goal difference only matters if 3 teams end up with the same amount of points.

Ah I see, thanks for the clarification, guess it sorta makes sense, not the way I'd do it buy hey!