[Archived] Euro 2008

[leftfooter]

A crunch game may very well end up that way. But 99 times out of 100? Come now.

Any 'dislike' I may have for England is irrelevant. I don't foresee any circumstance in which I would claim that England (an entirely respectable footballing nation) wouldn't deserve a place at something they were hosting.

I'm not being particularly forgiving to the Swiss rather I'm defending their right to be there. They are hosts and have regularly played in other international tournaments. Granted they aren't that good but that will happen with any such tournament, some sides are quality others are rubbish.

So why did you ring 'Engerlund' into it?

You seem to have the standard celtic, small man chip on shoulder, in that you introduce 'Engerlund' as a non sequiter during otherwise rationale debate.

BTW, would you care to support your claim that Switzerland were World Cup quater finalists? If so; when?

[Eddie]

Well, they do hold the record (along with Ukraine) for the dullest knock-out game ever to be played. Even the shoot-out wasn't good.

[leftfooter]

What?

The Swiss are hosts and thus deserve their place. England weren't good enough to qualify but they'd hardly look out of place if they did manage it.

So Matt, which World Cup did Switzerland reach the quarter finals?

[Eddie]

1934, 1938 and 1954.

[leftfooter]

Well, they do hold the record (along with Ukraine) for the dullest knock-out game ever to be played. Even the shoot-out wasn't good.

Switzerland and exciting are words not generally found in the same sentence; unless of course our Alpine cheerleader Rovermatt is writing it

[Eddie]

I also just noticed that their win against Portugal was their first ever win in a European Championship.

[Rovermatt]

Switzerland and exciting are words not generally found in the same sentence; unless of course our Alpine cheerleader Rovermatt is writing it

Now that's inane.

[leftfooter]

*yawn* That's exactly the point I was making: Switzerland are a whirlwind of movement, skill and slick passing. I don't know why I didn't just come out and say it. You're very perceptive...

In claiming that the Swiss are a respectable enough side, I am in actual fact claiming they are a truly exciting one. You're jump in logic is breath-taking.

And I stand by my original comment that drew your misinformed ire, namely: "...That's why there at least two Championship standard sides in the 'second most important football tournament in the world'..."

The inclusion of poor sides like the Swiss and Austria devalues the tournament.

I notice you're still avoiding any mention of Austria...yeah yeah, we know 'as hosts they deserve their place etc....ad nauseum'.

[leftfooter]

Now that's inane.

Well done Rovermatt; you've learnt a new word!

Let's do it again; I say it once, then you repeat it three times, there's a good lad

[Rovermatt]

And I stand by my original comment that drew your misinformed ire, namely: "...That's why there at least two Championship standard sides in the 'second most important football tournament in the world'..."

The inclusion of poor sides like the Swiss and Austria devalues the tournament.

I notice you're still avoiding any mention of Austria...yeah yeah, we know 'as hosts they deserve their place etc....ad nauseum'.

Christ, what a plonker. I said Austria were rubbish. Tournaments always have lesser teams in them. Big deal.

[LDRover]

So why did you ring 'Engerlund' into it?

You seem to have the standard celtic, small man chip on shoulder, in that you introduce 'Engerlund' as a non sequiter during otherwise rationale debate.

BTW, would you care to support your claim that Switzerland were World Cup quater finalists? If so; when?

I like that. Reminds me of the time I was playing poker online against a lovely bloke from Limerick. I played a blinder in one hand and took a fair amount of chips from his stack after which he berated my Englishness and then followed it up with a load of stuff about the potato famine and how I'd helped to murder his ancestors.

Not that I'm tarring all Irish citizens with the same brush you understand.

[Rovermatt]

You seem to have the standard celtic, small man chip on shoulder, in that you introduce 'Engerlund' as a non sequiter during otherwise rationale debate.

Whatever. Don't get me wrong, England were brought into it as an easy example of teams struggling to beat Portugal, which Switzerland did. Your claim that an international tournament is suffering because there are poor teams in it still holds no water. I mean what should be done about it? Ban rubbish sides from playing football and pick participants from the FIFA rankings? Granted this debate may have spiralled but your initial argument is flawed.

[Eddie]

England lost to Portugal twice on penalties in quarterfinals of major tournaments.

Switzerland beat Portugal in a dead-rubber tie.

Really going to make a serious comparison?

[Rovermatt]

Clearly you can't compare the ties. The point is that this allegedly awful Swiss team (and let's face it, they're not great) still managed to justify its presence at the tournament by beating a heavily fancied opponent. The original argument was that they are so poor that they do not deserve their place. Clearly they have a modicum of quality.

[Eddie]

I'm not going to get into whether or not they do or don't deserve their place, but I don't think they would have qualified had they been required to.

[blue phil]

I like that. Reminds me of the time I was playing poker online against a lovely bloke from Limerick. I played a blinder in one hand and took a fair amount of chips from his stack after which he berated my Englishness and then followed it up with a load of stuff about the potato famine and how I'd helped to murder his ancestors.

A potato famine followed by a chip famine ........

Thick Irish ..........

[Rovermatt]

You should hear what we say about you lot over here...

[brfcshabba]

Italys second goal

Motson: "For me it took a deflection"

As if he was the only one that saw it.

Clown.

[malk]

Italys second goal

Motson: "For me it took a deflection"

As if he was the only one that saw it.

Clown.

I've gone for the five live coverage to get away from the wastrel but Alan Green is really starting to get on my nerves. He normally does a good shout but bloody hell he's whingy tonight!

Plus, fair enough calling out players for diving but I don't hear it so much when you commentate on English games matey.

And ######, fivelive have gone to the Dutch game so I'm back stuck with Motson.

The boob.

No ###### eh? how about nuts, ball, plums or the contents of a scrotum then...

[American]

A potato famine followed by a chip famine ........

Thick Irish ..........

On an island - by definition surrounded by water - water which contains fish....

Ask Romania how difficult it is to beat a side with nothing to play for.

[philipl]

What a fabulous tournament this is turning out to be. Probably only two of the Group matches were less than compelling and we move into the quarters with only Turkey really in the no hopers camp.

Portugal v Germany, Italy v Spain and Netherlands v Russia will be titanic struggles with my gut feel saying Croatia could well come through to win it.

[grizfoot]

The Russians looked impressive tonight and I can see why people rate Arshavin so highly, he looks a terrific talent just a shame for Sweden this was the game he returned for after suspension had kept him out of the first two.

I was kind of supporting Sweden throughout this tournament in the end they showed that they didn't have enough quality to get through the group stages. You can't knock the Swedes for trying I just didn't think they had enough in midfield in terms of creativity. Didn't help matters by keeping their best midfield by a mile (in my opinion) in Kallstrom on the bench. At least when he came on he looked like creating something. Sweden's best two players were upfront unfornately they never got any sort of service throughout tonight's game.

I fancied the Spanairds to go all the way from the beginning of the tournament and I still think they can do so, although it's not going to be easy. Looking forward to some mouth-watering quarter finals well on paper at least.

[Rovermatt]

Russia were fantastic this evening. They are very wasteful in front of goal though.

[waggy]

really enjoying this tourney,no england and i am watching most games,russia looked awesome last night

[Exiled in Toronto]

really enjoying this tourney,no england and i am watching most games,russia looked awesome last night

Me too - it's fantastic stuff.

One fact I hadn't appreciated before is just how few of the players for the good European teams play in the premier league. We might have a lot of the good Africans but all the hoo-haa about the EPL being stuffed with the world's best players is proving to be hollow nonsense.

Also reassuring in a way that both Russia and Croatia have progressed into the last 8 and both are looking good.