Euro 2012 Thread

[fishfly]

I beg to differ Italy had great chances to get back in the game, Cassilis did what buffod did to germany, he saved Spain from Italy equalising... but when Italy went 10 man down that was game over.

Question i have to ask is:
Why did panderlli persist with Mario who only gave 15 minutes effort each game - i would have juatbused him as a impact sub.
Why did he start with Chellini when he was bared fit to play
Why did he sub Motta who was struggling with hamstring injury...
Why didnt he play Diamanti?
Cant take anything away from Spain they took away their usual ref crowding, roll around on the floor, pass pass pass the ball into the back of the net strategy and actually played attacking football

[thestaggy]

Italy looked lost the entire game.
Nothing in midfield - really disappointed.
Not that I was rooting for any real team, but was looking for a good game and I always like the underdog.

Anyway - well done to Spain.

When you play Spain you are not going to do anything in the midfield. That is where they win games.

[RexxGrim]

Was watching X-Men First Class. Just got the score updates, was going to watch the last 20min, but looked at the scoreline and didn't bother.

Gratz to Spain!

[craigdoepie]

spain came to the party at the right time ..i still slept during the 2nd half for few minutes tho

I still had my hopes up with the beginning of the 1st half, but after Motta went off injured. The game just died and basically Italy decided just to finish the game for the hell of it. I am sure if they could walk off the field, they would of. But take nothing away from Spain, they deserved to win the game.

England FTW 2014

[thestaggy]

England FTW 2014

If Hodgson acknowledges that the 4-4-2 died a painful death six years ago and gets with the times, then I could see England making the quarterfinals.

[smokey]

Words cannot describe how much I hate Spain, honestly. Props to them though, they playe great, albeit boring, football and they are the best team in the world.

I think as a United supporter I finally understand why everyone hates United. I mean before Euro 08, there were probably 2 Spanish supporters in South Africa, if that. Now they're wherever you look. Bandwagon supporters of note.

I have a good few friends who have abandoned the international teams they supported before 08 just to support Spain.

o.O

Seriously? How can anyone be classified as a bandwagon supporter of an international team? They are picked from some sort of allegiance, or preference of play. Also, the more teams are eliminated, the quicker you change those allegiences. It's not club football... I mean honestly.

[samr1wp]

I still had my hopes up with the beginning of the 1st half, but after Motta went off injured. The game just died and basically Italy decided just to finish the game for the hell of it. I am sure if they could walk off the field, they would of. But take nothing away from Spain, they deserved to win the game.

England FTW 2014

If Hodgson acknowledges that the 4-4-2 died a painful death six years ago and gets with the times, then I could see England making the quarterfinals.

last 16 and QF is very realistic

getting pass that is whats needed

o.O

Seriously? How can anyone be classified as a bandwagon supporter of an international team? They are picked from some sort of allegiance, or preference of play. Also, the more teams are eliminated, the quicker you change those allegiences. It's not club football... I mean honestly.

before messi started winning trophies for barca ...no one knew that barca existed

thats the bandwagon

[Stickfigure]

o.O

Seriously? How can anyone be classified as a bandwagon supporter of an international team? They are picked from some sort of allegiance, or preference of play. Also, the more teams are eliminated, the quicker you change those allegiences. It's not club football... I mean honestly.

I see it as exactly the same. Like I said, before 08 no one supported Spain. As soon as they start winning trophies, everyone abandons Brazil, Argentina etc. to support them.

Look at me and Holland. I support them whether they make the final, or they don't win a single game in the group stages.

[thestaggy]

last 16 and QF is very realistic

getting pass that is whats needed

England will almost certainly make the Round of 16 at the least. Their ranking generally keeps them away from a major European or South American power, so their biggest concern in the group stages in recent years has been to avoid banana peels. It's once they get the meaty part of a major tournament where their archaic tactics are the end of them.

[fishfly]

I see it as exactly the same. Like I said, before 08 no one supported Spain. As soon as they start winning trophies, everyone abandons Brazil, Argentina etc. to support them.

Look at me and Holland. I support them whether they make the final, or they don't win a single game in the group stages.

I support Italy even tho they got hammered... now we have people saying they didn't deserve to be in the final and it should have been Germany...

Italy was depleted once they reached the finals... Marchisio, Pirlo, Bonnuci, Barzagli, Balzaretti and Montolivo ran 6 matches in 3 weeks

plus Cassano, Chellini, De Rossi and Motta were carrying injuries.

Playing in a completely different style of football they used to.

Respect!

[thestaggy]

I support Italy even tho they got hammered... now we have people saying they didn't deserve to be in the final and it should have been Germany...

Italy was depleted once they reached the finals... Marchisio, Pirlo, Bonnuci, Barzagli, Balzaretti and Montolivo ran 6 matches in 3 weeks

Playing in a completely different style of football they used to.

I think you will find the Spanish players were under the same duress . . .

That change in style didn't seem to be a problem when the cast Germany aside.

Italy got dismantled by arguably the greatest football team in history. There are no ''ifs'' and ''buts''.

And I don't even like Spain.

[fishfly]

I think you will find the Spanish players were under the same duress . . .

That change in style didn't seem to be a problem when the cast Germany aside.

Italy got dismantled by arguably the greatest football team in history. There are no ''ifs'' and ''buts''.

And I don't even like Spain.

Italy played 120 minutes against England - then faced off against Germany and dismantled them convincingly

Against Spain they looked depleted - no I'm not making any excuses because they played their socks off and knocked the tournament favourites off their perch on their way to the finals

[Greylor]

It all doesn't matter. I watched the match at a pub in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, Spain. If Italy won it would have been awesome but my passport would probably have dissapeared. Spain won, so the place went absolutely bonkers. Win/win scenario was win/win!!!

As for the match, it was a straight up thorough beating. Well played to Spain...they deserved it. They shut down Pirlo, completely took Super Mario out of the game, and ran circles around us in the passing game. Whenever Italy got the ball they would try some kind of long pass forward that would inevitably hand possession back to Spain. When Italy was on the attack they looked like they were hoping for a mistake...when Spain were on the attack the waited FOR the mistake. It was total dominance and they deserved to win.

2nd place in the Euro is nothing to scoff at, so kudos to both teams...it was the best 2 teams of the tournament in the final and the better of the two on the day won.

Now, back to the holiday

[JungleBoy]

last 16 and QF is very realistic

getting pass that is whats needed



before messi started winning trophies for barca ...no one knew that barca existed

thats the bandwagon

Really, I would have thought that most people started taking notice of Barcelona again during Frank Rijkaard's tenure.
Messi wasn't even a big factor then. The likes of Ronaldinho, Deco, Samuel Eto'o, Rafael Márquez, Ludovic Giuly, etc and the current crop of Spanish players today (Víctor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta) were promoted to the Barca first team during Rijkaard's reign.

[samr1wp]

Really, I would have thought that most people started taking notice of Barcelona again during Frank Rijkaard's tenure.
Messi wasn't even a big factor then. The likes of Ronaldinho, Deco, Samuel Eto'o, Rafael Márquez, Ludovic Giuly, etc and the current crop of Spanish players today (Víctor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta) were promoted to the Barca first team during Rijkaard's reign.

messi played under rijkaard

the barca i enjoyed and watched way before the likes of ronaldinho and co was the dutch stars ..de boer bros, overmars , cocu , riiziger, kluivert and they had spanish players but yeah

oh and rivaldo and figos time as well

they werent as good as the current but that was nice to watch