EuroCup 2008 AKA: YAY FOOTBALL!

[Sporkman]

Answers it great haha

Amazing from the Dutch, I do love being wrong. Brilliant performance once again. Thought they would perform similar to Spain did today. They are giving off a really good team spirit.

Spain did just enough today, thought Sweden might have done enough to draw the game though. The swedes looked extremely tired toward the end of the game and thought the substitution of Zlatan at half time was an odd enough, providing he isn't still injured.

Czech Republic (or Republic of Czechoslovakia if you're David Pleat:freak vs Turkey has shaped up fantasticly. Goes to penalties if it's a draw.

EDIT: So has Italy vs France. So I don't forget to mention, props to the Romanian boss, 4-3-3 against the cattenacho (sp?) and actually making a good game of it. Didn't know if I wanted Mutu to score or miss that penalty. They've beaten Holland before in qualifying so the Group of Death looks extremely tasty. Though I want Holland to win the Tournament, I'm hoping Romania go through with them. Really don't like France and Italy don't do much for me (but their anthem is AMAZING, even got it on my mp3 player).

 

[~N9NE~]

David Pleat. What a ledge lol.

Was the Spain game any good? I missed it. Happy to see Torres on the score sheet.

Looks like the champs are out.

 

[Sporkman]

Not particuarly exiciting. Nothing like yesterday's stuff. Mostly just the goals and the penalty appeal that I can think of.

 

[Rici]

Group C is pretty interesting right now. You see, if Holland wins of Romania with 3-0 and France-Italy stays 0-0, then all three of them has exactly the same score and goal score(don't know how to call that in English). Even their results against each other are all draws. Does anyone know what exactly they are gonna do when this happens(which is very unlikely, but possible). I heard something vague about who did best in the qualifying gets to go through, or who did best against number 1 in the poule would go through, but in this case even that would be the same.

Anyone knows anything about this?

Also, some of the people here in the Netherlands are saying that we should lose to Romania because that would mean that both Italy and France are out of the tournament. I say we should always try to win because I believe that when you want to be the champion, you need to win of everyone. Luckily our coach feels the same way about this. Sure, some of the top players who need rest won't be playing, but the core of the team should be the same to get more experience for later matches.

 

[Linkje]

Also, some of the people here in the Netherlands are saying that we should lose to Romania because that would mean that both Italy and France are out of the tournament. I say we should always try to win because I believe that when you want to be the champion, you need to win of everyone. Luckily our coach feels the same way about this. Sure, some of the top players who need rest won't be playing, but the core of the team should be the same to get more experience for later matches.

those guys are n00bs. we will probably let out robben and van nistelrooy to spare them, let them rest.
de jong and ooijer have a yellow card so it would be great if they would be let out of the game.

I smell Huntelaar coming up + Jan vennegoor of Hesselink

 

[Virgilijus]

The only time I see intentionally losing as a positive for the future is in the NBA; the draft of the best players is based on a lottery with the teams with the worst record having the best chance of winning. My team, the Memphis Grizzlies, are perennial losers and some times towards the end of the season when they know they have absolutely no shot and are close to being the worst team in the league, they play a lot more of their reserves. Now, they aren't intentionally tying to lose (they always say they are resting their stars so they don't accidentally get injured in a meaningless game), but every one knows that they aren't trying their best so they can get better players next year.

I don't know if European football has something analogous to this. However, tanking in a tournament when you have the best record never helps; if you lose then you get out of the rhythm that you had and start the next round having to regain that momentum.

 

[Witchking_of_Angmar]

My comments to the Euro '08:

I was happy with Germany in the first game, they did really well. But the second game oh my god. I am so happy that I wasn't there to watch the second half, but the first half was bad enough to me. I could seriously kill Bastian Schweinsteiger, bull**** like that red card (which he deserved) make the whole team look bad. God****.

Holland looks amazing. Freaking 7 goals in two games... and they ***** Italy and France, which kind of annoyed me because Henry and Ribery were the only two people that did anything on the French team. Everyone else was just messing up, not working hard, and just doing bull**** in general.

Italy sucks. Greece sucks.

Portugal looks cool as well, they did good. Most likely Germany is going to face them in quarter finals if we move on, so that's going to be a tough match and definitely one worth watching.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

This is the reason why i go to sleep late, so i can watch the games, but man they've all been great.

Spain!

Viva España!

 

[Sporkman]

WH AT A ****IN G GA ME

EDIT: Virgy, I think I've only seen one occasion where it is better for a team to lose than win. It is pretty much always better to win. There's no draft like in most American Sports (the MLS has a draft though). In this situation the Dutch would benefit by resting their players, minimising injury possibilities. They'll be competitive but they won't play a full strength team. I don't think so anyway. Portugal rested players today, it's just the advantage of qualifying with a game in hand. Holland really have nothing to gain from having France and Italy go out as any team that reaches the knock out has usually done so on merit. Domestically it's usually cup games where people will see it as beneficial to lose as it eases fixture congestion.

Hope I didn't make to much of a mess of that. But yeah, the only thing Holland will worry about against Romania is getting their players injured.

 

[Virgilijus]

What happened!? I couldn't find it on TV

 

[Sporkman]

Quick run down Virg.

Czech Vs Turky. Winner goes through. Draw will result in penalties due to GD, GF and GA all being the same.

Czech take lead, good goal by Koller, 1-0 about 30 min in I think.

Second Half

Turkey have player (Central Defender) getting treated on sidelines, he is ready to come on but there isn't a break in play, the czechs score from him missing out in defence as Plasil gets on the end of a cross. 2-0.

Turkey come forward and Arda scores around the 70th min. 2-1

10 min left

Turkey player crosses ball, Cech comes to collect, fumbles it, Turkey player behind him slots it in. 2-2.

Straight away Turkish player beats the offside trap, sides foots around Cech, hits underneath of the crossbar and in. 3-2.

Czech come forward. Koller chases ball. Turkish keeper, Volkan, pushes over Koller. Volkan gets sent off. Turkey have made all their subs and Tuncay has to go in goal.

Bit of madness with both benches being told to sit down and Baros (on the bench) getting yellow carded.

Full Time.

EDIT:

FAO Riciardios: If in seperble by Head-to-Head and GD, GF, GA, winner is decided by qualifying coefficient unless the two teams are playing each other, in which case it would immediatly go to penalties. In your situation Italy would go through (better coeffecient).

 

[Rici]

Ah thanks dude, has been bugging me for a while now.

And OMG TURKEY!! What the hell! Unbelievable that Cech made that mistake. Kinda weird that Turkey wasn't playing like they did on the end, in the beginning of the game.

Really didn't see that one coming.

 

[GoldShadow]

The last several minutes of the Turkey game were pretty amazing.

 

[~N9NE~]

What a miserable season for Cech.

Predicting that the Germans will end up as second place in Group B. That would mean Portugal vs Germany and Croatia vs Turkey in the quarterfinals..

Predicting Portugal (just) and Croatia to face each other in the semis.

 

[Doodx]

This is the reason why i go to sleep late, so i can watch the games, but man they've all been great.

Spain!

Viva España!

hell yeah someone is with spain!!!
Viva SPAIN!! 4-1 was awesome win lol

 

[Wikipedia]

I am so putting my money on the Netherlands. Did you guys see how they did against Italy? WOO

 

[JonBeBonanza]

Idk wiki... Spain isn't going to be a walk in the park, the orangemen can do it, but i don't think they will. But who knows Netherlands got the momentum on their side after that victory, but either way it is going to be a goooooooooood game. Keep your eye on van Nistelrooy and Casillas, i see big plays and saves coming from these two.

 

[JediKnightLuigi]

Van Nistelrooy isnt retired yet??
I hope austria makes a miracle happen, i love cheering for the little guys! it kinda reminds me of cheering for australia during the last world cup!

 

[JonBeBonanza]

Van Nistelrooy isnt retired yet??
I hope austria makes a miracle happen, i love cheering for the little guys! it kinda reminds me of cheering for australia during the last world cup!

No he isn't retired... if you ask me he's in his prime.
Austria is playing Germany i really don't think thats going to happen, there needs to be a big miracle.

 

[JediKnightLuigi]

exactly why i said 'miracle'

 

[Witchking_of_Angmar]

Austria is fouling Germany like crazy.

 

[Wikipedia]

Such a good game.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

Austria is fouling Germany like crazy.

Yea i know, what's been going on with the reffing at these games?

 

[Witchking_of_Angmar]

Yea i know, what's been going on with the reffing at these games?

Yeah, it's really strange. They call the mildest bumps at corners, but don't see much mroe serious stuff. Did you see that slap that Podolski got? Ref just gave the Austrian a warning.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT A GOAL. That was a ****ing canon... Ballack does it again, omg nice.

And lol at the dude with the mindgamez from austria letting the ball go out for the goal kick.

Bad *** goal though.

And austria had their chance right at the beggining of the second.

 

[Sporkman]

One Word.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

One W ord.

canon

Spoiler

10goals

 

[Slhoka]

Yay, Germany won \o/

I hope that France will beat Italy tomorrow =D

 

[Virgilijus]

Poland didn't even win a game...

I mean, I wasn't expecting them to go far, but still

 

[Goldberg]

One Word.

Ballack!

Deutschlaaaaand!

*sigh* Chelsea needs Mourinho back...

 

[~N9NE~]

Bulletfoot. What a miss by Gomes.

My prediction is a Holland vs Croatia final.

 

[Knyaguy]

Tomorrow the "Group of Death" will be finalized!!

 

[~N9NE~]

Well done Italy, but they're going to lose to Spain.

Feel sorry for Ribery.

 

[Sporkman]

Well done Italy, but they're going to lose to Spain.

Bookmarked.

 

[Remzi]

Go Croatia and Turkey!

Who saw that astounding comeback against Czech?

 

[Knyaguy]

I cried after Ribery got injured,
I cried after Abidal got red card,
I cried after Pirlo scored,
I cried after Henry "scored",
I am crying now.

 

[Witchking_of_Angmar]

I cried after Ribery got injured,
I cried after Abidal got red card,
I cried after Pirlo scored,
I cried after Henry "scored",
I am crying now.

Same here....

Did you see Henry's face after that goal? He was devestated. Seriously, he looked a million years older.

Tomorrow is Portugal vs. Germany, I think Portugal is gonna win 2-1, although I really hope Germany pulls off a win. Unfortunately, Frings and Podolski are injured, so I don't know if they're going to play. They're two of our best players, so if they can't play...... well we'd be kind of screwed.

I feel so sorry for Gomez, he's really not doing well at all. Normally, Gomez scores a ton of goals, but he's messing up so much now. I think it's his first big tournament though, so there's a lot of pressure on him from..... well, everyone. After he went off for Hitzelsperger, he was crying.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

I word.

Schwienstiger. Germany is gonna do just fine.

 

[Goldberg]

What about Odonkor and/or Kuranyi?, Germany showed in the World Cup that resorting to its reserves gives great results.

I just hope Klose can get it together and score.

 

[JonBeBonanza]

Puebla!!!!

Well yea that's true but having Schwien (hope i'm spelling it right) proves a big difference, and with the already deep bench of Germany, they should go to the finals, i see no reason for them not going.