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Euro 2012 |OT| of England? You're having Olaff

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Wilbur

Banned
Back from the stadium, Kiev is celebrating whole night today! What a great evening! Very brave game from Ukraine today, athmosphere at the stadium was so amazing, excellent performance from both sweden and our fans. Hope still lives!

Really happy for you! Shevchenko must be nearing fucking god status in Ukraine.
 

Kinan

Member
Really happy for you! Shevchenko must be nearing fucking god status in Ukraine.

He is, he is. He prepared last two years for this evening, healed his troubled knee, played only very selectively, which we all tolerated,
Because we knew, he needs to be ready for this tournament. It was a high gamble, but it is paying off. SHEVAGOD IS NOW IMMORTAL!
 

Wilbur

Banned
Some Euro 2012 reaction gifs, courtesy of Sunhi:

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Wilbur

Banned
Müller winking is mine bitch.

I like to think it was directed to me

I didn't acknowledge you on purpose because I hate you
this is a cue for you to post the ibra gif although I'm relatively sure you're going to post the muller one. I hate you
 

Fry

Member
I didn't acknowledge you on purpose because I hate you
this is a cue for you to post the ibra gif although I'm relatively sure you're going to post the muller one. I hate you

ibpnWB3oZFV1J1.gif


Love you too, babe.

Ibra >>>>>> Villa
 
did you really had to image quote all the pix from mediotiempo.com instead of img quote a few of them and link football-gaf there??

Yes, Yes he had to, and I am thanking him for it.

I love this fuckin Sport!
I love this fuckin Tournament!
I love this fuckin Thread!
I love those fuckin gifs my Sunhi
I love that one Müller winking gif by Fry8
I ..... I love...bro hug everybody!
 

willooi

Member
Some thoughts from over the weekend:

- Italy - For the first time ever, I found myself supporting Italy in an international tournament. Not that I dislike Spain, but Balotelli & Cassano up front - you really can't beat that in terms of madness/genius, and watching - waiting patiently - for either of them to pull off a moment of brilliance or insanity is just so entertaining. And nobody can dislike Pirlo, really.

- Spain playing without a striker, albeit with Cesc's false-nine role eventually paying off with his goal, really is quite frustrating in terms of tiki-taka-walk-the-ball-into-the-net, and I now see how so many people can actually dislike watching Barca, which I used to think was just silly or excuses haters in denial. But in the absence of a Messi, you can't beat great centre-forward play, especially when you have the likes of Llorente and Torres on the bench. And I'm NOT talking about a long ball hoisted up in their general direction, either.

Spain looked so much more dangerous with Torres (and Jesus Navas) on, and even though he missed all his chances his intelligent movement was promising - like the Torres of old...so maybe it was a deliberate ploy to change up the style of play and stretch the Italian defense late in the game?

All that being said, it was a great game and good luck to Spain and Italy. Really hoping for Balotelli to score a ludicrously good goal later on in the tournament, get sent off unnecessarily, whip out some funny/offensive slogan on his inner t-shirt and then Cantona-kick fans in the crowd who abuse him right before burning down the team hotel later that night before donating hundreds of thousands to the poor and unfortunate in Poland/Ukraine. Haven't been so entertained by a bonkers player's antics since Jens Lehmann.

- Holland - growing up on Bergkamp, Kluivert, Overmars, Seedorf, Davids, the De Boer Bros, i.e. that brilliant side in 98 and 2000 which really should have won those tournaments...this current Holland side is just...hard to watch. Probably doesn't help that they're captained by that thug Van Bommel - and don't even get started about De Jong. Robben, as great a player as he is, is so selfish and dirty, and overall their style of play lacks dynamism or unpredictability. It's pedestrian, even. On paper a great team as always, just now quite boring and unreliable when it really matters and full of dislikable characters.

- Sweden vs Ukraine - Ibrahimovic unlucky to be on the losing side, but can't deny the class of Sheva. Regardless of how far they go, great to see him thrive in the glory of a home tournament where he deserves to be remembered as the legend he is rather than for those terrible Chelsea years. Will never forget the way he tore up teams in 97-99 in the Champions League (and when Kiev should've played against Man Utd in the 99 Final instead of Bayern), and then went on to do it in Serie A.
 

kitch9

Banned
Sweden can still make it out.

This England is poor...Ibra can slice them open better than Benzema. Sweden's defence though needs to be more organised.

Ukraine are in a good place mentally even if physically we all know there are issues. The mental strength needed for these competitions is always a major factor. It's just not something you can account for.

All in all I think its a 3 horse race between France, Sweden and Ukraine.

I've seen some crazy stuff posted in the various Football threads, but nothing quite like this.


You're dismissive but Ukraine, Sweden and France all tried to actually play positive football today in one form or another.

We're seeing the same England that just gives up the midfield...and hopes to nick goals from set-pieces and the odd counter-attacking opportunuty afforded to them. It's the same England that when they score first are just happy to sit back and soak it all up.

The last time I can remember England had a team that tried to play football and dominate games in these competitions (not friendies or qualifiers) and not give up the midfield was under Hoddle...since then it's just been the same England just turning up at these competitions and not putting in the effort to do anything other than wallow in self-pity "Oh the shirt is too heavy". The pre-game interview with Gerrard was yet another self-pity exercise. "I'm not an England legend"...

Leave that shit at home...

This is the problem right here. "Fans" think that the team who is pressing forward and making lots of passes that never seem to go anywhere should win over the team who sits deep but vigorously holds their shape as they think it looks better and the pressing team has more of the ball.

Fact is they are both legitimate tactics which have both been proven to have high levels of success. If you are pressing high up the pitch and making runs to create space you also have to problem of your rear being exposed and you are creating gaps to run through or for the opposing striker to beat the offside trap with a well timed pass. If you sit deep (Or park the bus.) and let the opposing team pass the ball about in front of you it doesn't look pretty but it makes you extremely hard to break down and you can take advantage of any gaps and quick through balls that are on.

The real problem is when your tactics no longer work and the game becomes open and desperate which can look great to the fans as the game goes backwards and forwards but this is the definition of bad football and for England that did not happen last night, when in tournaments it usually does.

If Chelsea were not disciplined they would not have won the CL final as their main strength is their defensive unit, if they let their defence lose shape Bayern would have cut through it like butter. You win a football match by scoring more goals then the other team, you don't win it by making more passes or having more shots from 30 yards out simple as that my friend.
 

gurasa

Member
I honestly can't see Ukraine or Sweden beating England. Judging by last night's games, England looked solid defensively and they were far better than both Ukraine and Sweden in the technical and physical departments. Mentally, I think England are happy with the draw against France, and have players with great international experience. As it stands, France and England are my favourites to qualify from the group.
 

kitch9

Banned
I honestly can't see Ukraine or Sweden beating England. Judging by last night's games, England looked solid defensively and they were far better than both Ukraine and Sweden in the technical and physical departments. Mentally, I think England are happy with the draw against France, and have players with great international experience. As it stands, France and England are my favourites to qualify from the group.

One thing that was immediately apparent in the post match interviews was that the England players were smiling and joking with the interviewers. They looked completely relaxed discussing what had happened whereas previously they'd be frowning and trying to dodge the bullet questions that were being fired and couldn't wait to get out of there.

Maybe I'm clutching at straws, I dunno but things certainly seem different to the norm.
 

bjaelke

Member
I've seen weirder things. Like Greece knocking out France.

It's not whether they can win or not. It's the amount of goals. Only one time over the past 2 years have they managed to score 3 goals in the same match and that was against Malta (3-1).
 

Nyx

Member
Just want to say that if the Dutch go out in the 1st round, I will be cheering for the Ukraine.

Loved the way they played.

''2-1 for us ? fuck this shit, we want 3-1''

Oh and Shevchenko, what a boss.
 

Blablurn

Member
Just want to say that if the Dutch go out in the 1st round, I will be cheering for the Ukraine.

Loved the way they played.

''2-1 for us ? fuck this shit, we want 3-1''

Oh and Shevchenko, what a boss.

its just a nice story that out of all people, sheva scored. really nice
 

Arjen

Member
Just want to say that if the Dutch go out in the 1st round, I will be cheering for the Ukraine.

Loved the way they played.

''2-1 for us ? fuck this shit, we want 3-1''

Oh and Shevchenko, what a boss.

Same, such passion and fighting spirit, really amazing.
 

PaulLFC

Member
More brilliance from Duncan Jenkins:

'A big blow to Ronaldo's self of steam' - Duncan Jenkins reviews the first round of Euro 2012 matches

Hullo and welcome to Duncan Jenkins' review of the opening round of fixtures at euro 2012, with me Duncan Jenkins.

The football world has now seen every team at euro 2012 and that includes me. my mam met another new fella on friday night and i am delighted to report she’s hardly been home since, meaning i’ve seen every kick of every ball. My mam’s not coming home - football’s coming home L.O.L.

A turner for the books

In my "day one preview" I put my head above the parrot pit and said the prospect of the first two games was totally boring. for all intensive purposes I was bang wrong and late on friday night I was forced to eat a huge slice of crumble pie after a great pair of opening games.

Poland’s keeper Woichejch Szhechesny saw red in a 1-1 draw, but the Poles will be annoyed they didn’t make the extra man count against ten man Greece, who also had a man sent off.

Russia said "auf weidersehn pet" to the cezchs blowing them away 4-1 in a game that was evenly balanced firmly in russia’s favour. on that evidence i have a feeling the russian's could well enjoy a really good run in the tournament unless they get knocked out, while the Cezchs look a team going nowhere. they'll be going home soon.

The gruppa del morte

Day two brought us to group B, which is known in the industry as "the gruppa del morte" . Holland and Denmark met in a repeat of the last time they faced each other but with a very different result this time.

The Danes shocked "de oranges" 1-0 after R.V.P and co missed literally hundreds of guilt edged chances. They will probably be a bit disappointed with that but on the other hand I can only imagine the amount of Danish pastries that were consumed during the wild celebrations in Denmark that night. Probably hundreds and rightly so, they are absolutely deliscious.

Germany took there time against Portugal in what was a very dull affair. Gomez missed a few chances but julie obliged with a 72nd minute header to win the game for the Germans and improve on there 100% record so far.

Portugal once again failed to get the best out of C.R.7 who spent most of the game demonstrating with his team mates. ronaldo is the greatest portugalese footballer ever imho onion, even better than eusebio A.K.A "the black pele", and i feel the camp Real Madrid star needs to be at the centre of the tension. he should play as a false nine instead of a winger, and the fact the useless postiga was preferred up front must of been a real blow to Ronaldo's enormous self of steam.

The third group, group c (3)

Defending champions Spain changed there national anthem from "viva espanya" to something very poor and deservedly paid the ultimate price with a 1-1 draw against italy. vincente del bosque could not resist showing off his tatical mouse with the tournaments first false 9. i absolutely love false nines and was delighted to see the false nine – cess fabregas - score the goal.

Slovia failed to qualify but there deadly rivals croatia looked a side with ability and lots of temperament when they beat the republic of ireland 3-1. The Irish will be staring deep into there stew with Spain and Italy coming up and they need to pull a real miracle out of the fire now.

Jools rimay is still breathing

England got an increditable draw against France but it was not pretty. Roy Hodgson set out his stool and it really stank the place out, but it worked for the English players who look like they've bought into Roy's idea.

In the groups other game the Ukraines took on Sweden in the birth place of the chicken kiev, Kiev. The home team ran out 2-1 winners with veterinarian striker Andrei Shevchenko scoring both goals.Itt was a superp way to end the first round of games and the tournament is really cooking with gas now.

Opening round conclusion

That concludes my round up of the opening round of matches.

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