UEFA Euro 2008

[Thunderbird 0]

Turkish seem to be the specialist of this Euro cup in turning bad situations around into positive ones, not the first time they win a match in such a way.

Congrats to them, eagerly looking forward to the match opposing them to Croatia.

(Offensive match for sure).

Quote[/b] ]What a disappointment tonight...Scolari really is a dumbass when he thought that we could build a starting 11 with 8 new guys...wtf was he thinking about at the halftime?? lets keep watching this embarrassment? The Portuguese bench was the more expensive bench from the entire Euro08 i suppose..

Scolari's decision is intended to allow to the main Portuguese players get some well-deserved rest after the first 2 intense matches they had to face, this is a common choice most of team managers tend to go for in a case of 'Qualification within the first 2 Matches: 6 Points'.

Therefore, I don't see the need of pushing the zeal that far.

Regards,

TB

[whisper 0]

Exactly. Not even needed to win that match, just let the players rest.

And that's exactly why neither France nor Italy will go to the quarterfinals, whatever their result (which will probably be a draw anyway )

[Thunderbird 0]

Unlike Portugal, Dutch substitutes have the same level than the main players chosen by Van Basten to start the match (Van Persie, Robben, Heitinga...), additionally, the dutch game is since 20 years pretty offensive, mainly affected by Johan Cruijff way of playing, as he's the direct advisor of Van Basten.

All in all, we better focus on the match against Italians and attempt to trust Holland, despite its defeat during the qualifications phase against Romania.

Maybe time comes to get your revenge Oranjes.

Regards,

TB

[whisper 0]

I can only hope you're right, though I'm pessimistic by nature

[quicksand 0]

Quote[/b] ]And that's exactly why neither France nor Italy will go to the quarterfinals, whatever their result (which will probably be a draw anyway

May the gods heed your words  

But seriously,I hope and pray that the Dutch team will bring their best 11 players on the field,the same players that brought Italy and France to their knees.They will have less motivation,rest themselves and avoid injuries at all cost.If the Dutch bring their reserves,who are by the way great players they will play to win,shine and prove their worth against Romania-

Fortza Romania!

[ShadowY 0]

As for offside, I watch it again and again, I can't see it.

You see, you don't even like to take goals against you. You're going to have to learn to deal with it, I'm afraid, seeing your defense.

Not when they're made in an offside position

I took the time to capture two images, one just before the pass on Henry, the second one just after Sagnol gives the pass. Watch the positions of both their feet. The defender with Henry is the closest to the line = last defender. Both show Henry ahead of the defender = offside.

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/_hosted/digitalwarfarestudios/other/snapshot20080614_1.jpg

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/_hosted/digitalwarfarestudios/other/snapshot20080614_2.jpg

And the most important man to call it offside or not is where?

Check again where the linesman(grensrechter) is

When in doubt don`t flagggg

When he would had called offside then he probably only guessed and not really saw it

Poor chechs....with such a keeper you better play with 11players and no keeper

Normaly they would had won....anyway now the Germans or Croatians will finish the crappiest team off

[raedor 8]

@thunderbird: I highly doubt that Robben counts to the "substitutes", he just was ill or injured or whatever

Anyway, today's Austria vs Germany, two of our professors (one german, one austrian) will be watching the match today with us students in one of our lecture rooms via video projector...

[JdB 151]

Unlike Portugal, Dutch substitutes have the same level than the main players chosen by Van Basten to start the match (Van Persie, Robben, Heitinga...), additionally, the dutch game is since 20 years pretty offensive, mainly affected by Johan Cruijff way of playing, as he's the direct advisor of Van Basten.

All in all, we better focus on the match against Italians and attempt to trust Holland, despite its defeat during the qualifications phase against Romania.

Maybe time comes to get your revenge Oranjes.

The subs will want to prove their value, but despite this they might still very well lose, as even the first choice lost against Romania.

I think players like Sneijder and van Nistelrooij will get benched, with players like Affelay and Huntelaar replacing them. Ooijer might go out as well (one yellow card away from suspension), Boularouz moving to the center, and either Heitinga or Melchiot taking Boularouz's place. Maybe even van der Sar won't play (just my opinion, as it would be a good time to let his future replacement get some experience on the highest level).

Robben and van Persie are not substitutes, they were meant to be in the starting eleven, however due to injuries/lack or recent played matched, they were benched since we weren't playing some two bit amateurs.

The attacking style originated earlier, and was although heavily influenced by Cruijff, the brainchild of Rinus Michels in the late 1960's at Ajax, the coach that led Holland to the European Cup in 1988. Recently due to a conflict between Cruijff and van Basten (the new Ajax coach next season), he is said not to be so closely involved anymore because van Basten disagreed with some of the new policy for the Ajax youth academy.

All in all the team won't be weakened that much, especially as Romania is not as strong offensively as France.

[whisper 0]

All in all the team won't be weakened that much, especially as Romania is not as strong offensively as France.

I doubt Romania is the kind to miss opportunities.

That's what I'm not ready to forgive to our "great" offense. They are fast, move correctly, open opportunities. But when it's time to actually score, no one is present.

We'll see what Mutu will do when he has the occasion to score.

As for Romania having already beaten NL in qualifying, if I'm not mistaken, the NL team has changed much since, isn't it?

[NoRailgunner 0]

Watched match Turkey vs. Czech but turkish players seem to have bit luck that referee didn't see high-kick against czech player and give penalty.

Anyway lets see if Germany will get back to Euro Cup would be good to see them at least playin in semi-finals.

[kavoven 4]

I bet Holland will play with ther "B-Team", too and I bet again that they will laugh their head off when Romania wins and neither France nor Italy will procede into the finals.

Anyway, Austria - Germany today... That will be a fight for suvival and I think Austrias team is slightly more motivated than Germanys. Never the less, everyone really expects Germany to win! (I placed my bets on Austria proceding and Holland winning the Cup)

Let's see, but Germany didn't proof itself worth playing in the finals after that match against Croatia!

[JdB 151]

As for Romania having already beaten NL in qualifying, if I'm not mistaken, the NL team has changed much since, isn't it?

Well the team itself came up with the 4-2-3-1 system that they feel is more tuned to their specific qualities, such as 2 defensive midfielders (but still with attacking capabilities) to ease the strain on the defense, since we have offensive midfielders that are out of position most of the time in case of a fast enemy counterattack and unable to respond. Before there used to be a large distance between the defense and midfield, making it too easy to isolate our offensive capability. The positions on the pitch are now far more equally divided, rather than the islands of the qualifying matches.

Mutu is the only player that I'm a little worried about (well not really worried, since we're first in our group whatever happens), he might seem lazy (haven't seen much defensive work being done by him, and I watched both of Romania's matches), but he's the only player in the Romanian squad that I really don't want to see in a scoring position. The other strikers haven't impressed me at all.

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

Me being half-portuguese I shouldn't feel good about Switzerland having won yesterday, but I do. I only feel bad about HOW they did it, and it was 100% the referee's fault (I had no hopes whatsoever for the portuguese secondary team as a whole) . My other half being german I of course hope that "ze germans" kick some austrian a.. ummm... "derriere" even if it's just revenge against the said referee (Paultz) who is an austrian...

[whisper 0]

I bet Holland will play with ther "B-Team", too and I bet again that they will laugh their head off when Romania wins and neither France nor Italy will procede into the finals.

Yes, because these players play just to laugh their head off at the expense of other players...

Or maybe they're not like you?

[kavoven 4]

I bet Holland will play with ther "B-Team", too and I bet again that they will laugh their head off when Romania wins and neither France nor Italy will procede into the finals.

Yes, because these players play just to laugh their head off at the expense of other players...

Or maybe they're not like you?

wowow, no need for becomimg instulting, mate

[Placebo 28]

July 15, 8pm HFC Harrlem v Sheffield Wednesday. That's the next match which interests me in any shape or form, you Euro types can all keep yer fancy Euro 2008 stuff!

Oh and stop getting angry and bickering with each other, we don't let rule breakages slide just because your team sucks in some tournament, if 100s of English people can get banned every 2 years then so can the rest of you

[hardrock 1]

we don't let rule breakages slide just because your team sucks in some tournament

This one should go for a quote

Looking forward to the matches tonight. Hopefully Croatia won't make it too easy for Poland.

[kavoven 4]

Allright, Germany reached the finals. We had a strong first half and deserved the goal, but then everyone became slower and less offensive and I think we wouldn't stand a chance against a team like Portugal or Holland with the effort we put into the game after the goal, especially regarding the very poor executions of our chances.

[whisper 0]

I bet Holland will play with ther "B-Team", too and I bet again that they will laugh their head off when Romania wins and neither France nor Italy will procede into the finals.

Yes, because these players play just to laugh their head off at the expense of other players...

Or maybe they're not like you?

wowow, no need for becomimg instulting, mate

If you find me insulting, when all I do is pointing out your own reaction, then maybe I'm not the one insulting?

Anyway, Germany definitely deserved the win, even if after the goal, there was no match anymore

The best part though was both coaches being sent off

[raedor 8]

Kepp cool, guys.

Yes, it was very funny to see both being sent off, we had our laugh. We'll see how our professor acts in the next course... better all Germans have their homework done Well, what can I say? The "2:0" was clearly not offside, if you ask me, but who cares anyway.

[Rhodite 3]

Been a strange championship this year, almost like it had to warm up before we saw the drama we usually see in international competitions.

My money is on Holland or Portgual based on current form, although I never rule out the Germans.

Italy and france have lost the plot.

Should be an interesting matc tonite if nothing else.

[JdB 151]

My money is on Holland or Portugal based on current form, although I never rule out the Germans.

Luckily they'll be playing each other in the first quarterfinal match

I'd put my money on Portugal for that match, but you never quite know. The Germans could play exactly as bad as against Austria, and still miraculously win like they've done before.

[Messiah 2]

The Italians have been moaning to the press about being hard done by. They even dragged up the old corpse of being knocked out in the last Euro because Denmark and Sweden drew

They claim the match was fixed, which they have already claimed Holland and Romania will do (lets face it, tacticly, it makes a hell of a lot of sense for Holland to play a lesser side to 1. preserve their better players and 2. Keep two 'normally' good teams out of the competition. Might not be fair, but thats life)

I wonder if they'd ever thought about just playing better, winning their group as world champions should do, and not have to resort to flinging accusations in the press about how hard done by they are. I'll be glad to see them out of the competition to be honest.

[whisper 0]

They are rooting for their team.

I can play the cool guy saying "duh, we lose because we've screwed up all our occasions to score" right now, I'm pretty sure, if things go ill, I'll be moaning and cursing tomorrow how we've been robbed

[JdB 151]

The Netherlands line-up for the match against Romania:

Stekelenburg

Boulahrouz - Heitinga - Bouma - De Cler

De Zeeuw - Engelaar

v. Persie - Afellay - Robben

Huntelaar

9 changes from the line-up against Italy and France. Still a pretty good team.