[Archived] euro12 thread

[Stuart]

Just saw that Blues Bar was showing the quarters and offering drink specials. Would be a good opportunity to remind everyone we still want Kean/Venkys out. Protest shirts snuck in under England tops!

It'd be like the least surprising flash mob - ever!

[cn174]

Oh I will do....just saying if anyone spots it then stick it on here just incase I havent spotted it as quickly.

What was Poland like for prices of beer then?

Cheap!! Most places sell it between 8-10zl which works out at somwhere between £1.50 and £1.90.

The only thing is at the fanzones they only sell Carlsberg and at the ground it's non alcoholic so dont bother!

[Audax]

I'll keep it short, Lawro and 1 of his guests predicts a shootout between Italy and England. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18512447 Italy Spain went to a shootout in '08 as did Turkey Croatia in the knockout rounds, I think those were the only 2 in '08. This really does seem like a good possibility in the England Italy match and I'm sure the 2 teams are practising PKs. Hope it doesn't go to that. Nobody likes shootouts.

France does have some good players and so I think France with the right game-plan have an outside chance to unseat Spain. France Spain is another old rivalry though you have to wonder why France got it handed to them by Sweden.

Czechs will have a semi-home game advantage from what I know. Their country is right next to Poland, speak similar languages. Not that I expect the Czechs to win but they do have that going for them.

Noone thinks Greece will win, the only thing I find in their benefit is that their old manager who developed their style that they still use some was the German Otto Renhagel.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

italy have been far from impressive, they got a deserved point against spain but they didnt exactly push the spanish, they scraped a draw against the croatians and were very unimpressive against the irish, who had a couple of great chances, we have been far from impressive too so i would rate this game at 50-50, that being said we CAN beat them but we will need to raise our game.

I was more impressed with Italy than I was with Spain in their game, and by their defence, midfield and attack. I'm sure they knew a draw would be a good enough result in the end and it was similar for both sides like your game with France. Although Italy certainly had enough chances to win the game. Croatia were certainly harder opponents than the likes of Sweden and Ukraine and I was impressed with them again in the first half although not so much after Croatia altered their formation to stop Pirlo. I only had one eye on the Ireland game as I was watching the other one mainly so I can't really comment on that. From what I saw, Ireland looked a much better team than they had previously but I'm sure Trappatoni knows all about Italian sides.

I have not really been impressed with England at all. I can never see you beating the actual elite international teams (Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina) but especially so this time. I'm not sure how Hodgson will set his team up but unless it centres on nullifying the threat of Pirlo then I wouldn't be that confident at all. Your ball retention has been poor and I'm sure Italy will set up as best as possible to not be caught on the counter. Italian sides can be extremely difficult to break down and the only real threat I can see you causing is crosses into the box. I would be tempted to start Carroll tbh with Rooney dropping back into midfield when you don't have the ball. Then perhaps Downing and Walcott on the wing. Downing for his crossing ability and for the fact that although he played very bad for a lot of the season, he didn't always and most of the time he just had nobody to cross to. (He was also excellent at Villa where the fans rated him higher than Ashley Young and he got player of the year their last season/2 seasons ago whatever you want to call it). Bring on Ashley young though whenever. If only Bentley was still in the England team.....if it was him crossing for Carroll, then you might win it.

[Manc Rover]

Little known fact... Danny Welbeck's Dad, Stan, is one of the army's top bomb disposal experts.

That may take a while!

[Tom]

It's not that little known they were talking about it on commentary at the last game

[Manc Rover]

It's not that little known they were talking about it on commentary at the last game

Fair enough, i'm a bit off the pace!

[Rovermatt]

Little known fact... Danny Welbeck's Dad, Stan, is one of the army's top bomb disposal experts.

That may take a while!

Ha ha. I like it.

[Tom]

I just got it 2 days after I heard it

I'll get my coat

[gumboots]

Jonathan Pierce "that's what we've all been waiting to see" as Ronaldo hits the post. Think he meant the turn and shot but actually I really get more fun out of ronaldo missing.

[Tom]

Ronaldo gets his goal

He's such a stroppy bugger but an unbelievable player

[DE.]

Wish Russia had gone through... would have given Portugal much more of a game than this. Czechs have been pathetic.

[Stuart]

Most one sided game I think I've seen all tournament!

[cn174]

Most one sided game I think I've seen all tournament!

And most one sided commentary! Flimmin heck - thought I'd tuned into BBC Portugal. I'd just become accustomed to listening in Polish and tonight I had to make do with Jonathan Pearce and whoever that dweeb was with him.

[RibbleValleyRover]

And most one sided commentary! Flimmin heck - thought I'd tuned into BBC Portugal. I'd just become accustomed to listening in Polish and tonight I had to make do with Jonathan Pearce and whoever that dweeb was with him.

Martin Keown.

[Stuart]

And most one sided commentary! Flimmin heck - thought I'd tuned into BBC Portugal. I'd just become accustomed to listening in Polish and tonight I had to make do with Jonathan Pearce and whoever that dweeb was with him.

To be fair, there wasn't a lot they could say about the Czechs, they hardly had the ball!

Great use of the word 'flimmin' though.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Ronaldo gets his goal

He's such a stroppy bugger but an unbelievable player

Good player but what a Sherman tanker.

[Hughesy]

Awesome movement by Ronaldo for the goal.....Portugal v Spain in the Semi? Germany and England in the other???

Hope so!

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Ridiculous commentary tonight in a fairly entertaining game, particulary in the first half an hour or so.

"Baros and Bruno Alves were tugging each other all over the place there"

"He jumps like a NFL basketball player" - It obviously has a B in it somewhere

"I think he's stubbed his ankle"

"Their formation has opened up like a flower"

I hate how they just concentrate on a team's best player and act like he's the only decent one. It was Ronaldo tonight but my worst is Barca on ITV and the Messi wankfest because apparently they've never heard of Xavi or Iniesta. Or how after a goal is scored they make it all about the finish when a lot of the time the goal is made by the assist like Ronaldo's the other day.

[gumboots]

TV football commetary is not for those who know anything about football and actually watch it - it's for those who only watch tournaments like the euros and need to hear about names they recognise from OK and Heat

[Mattyblue]

Jonathan Pearce babbles on without respite for 90 odd minutes.

Polish architecture, the politics of eastern Europe, anything apart what is taking place on the pitch.

[Clitherover]

Jonathan Pearce babbles on without respite for 90 odd minutes.

Polish architecture, the politics of eastern Europe, anything apart what is taking place on the pitch.

How can anyone take him seriously?, I'll never get over the fact that he used to commentate for Robot Wars.

He reminds me of that other nutter Stuart Hall although not quite so mental.

[A cup of beans]

Team news: Prandelli chooses a four-man defence, Balotelli to start

Blue arrows

Towards England-Italy: Fitness seems to be on our side

We reveal a UEFA study: We run more than the English

Marchisio is our marathon man – he’s run 35km in three games

http://www.gazzetta.it/

Goes without saying, I'll be suporting The Azzurri on Sunday (family reasons).

Regardless, I'd find it hard to get behind this England side,

For numerous reasons;

Capello was forced out! the FA wanted rid of him. They wound him up and were just looking for an excuse.

The Spoilt, Ego-tistical attitude of Englands' players, in every tournament since Euro 96 have been a disgrace.

I detest many of England's players - for obvious reasons. They are over hyped.

Italy have the better players,(also many likeable characters in there- Buffon, Pirlo, Marchisio,

Antonio Di Natale (Name translates as Tony Christmas! ) but England's style.. could upset them .

Italian sides are always worry about playing English sides.

Chiellini will be a big miss. He's brave,good in the air and he's style of play is more English than Italian.

[roverandout]

italy don't have better players at all, man for man we are slightly better, italian football isnt all sweetness and light, match-fixing?, italian football has been cynical for years, ie shirt-tugging, diving, not knocking the italian game, obviously they are alot more successful than us and deserve respect but their current team is nothing more than mediocre (not saying our's isnt)

[adopted scouser]

He reminds me of that other nutter Stuart Hall although not quite so mental.

Stuart Hall is God