[Archived] euro12 thread

[BRFC95]

If it ain't broke don't fix it - a good motto the Rovers owners also should have learnt when they took over 20 months ago.

Did wonders for Ray Harford

[DE.]

Spain aren't boring all the time, just some of the time. I don't see how last night's game disproves that. They were excellent and a joy to watch, for sure, but it ain't always like that. You only have to look at their group game with Italy to see that.

Still, they win and that is all that matters. A truly remarkable team who have rightly cemented their place in history.

[Mattyblue]

They are one of the all time great teams, without question.

I wonder how much Brazil 1970 would have been slaughtered in the age of forums and Twitter.

[roverandout]

best team on the planet by a million miles, i still think germany have a better overall squad than them but spain make passing look so easy, i still beleive once xavi and iniesta have gone then spain will be a spent force, a bit like when france lost zidane and viera but they are certainly one of the all time great sides, in the top 3 in my opinion, along with brazil 1970 and brazil 1982.

[Audax]

To me, Spain threaded those passes, their passes were geometric and without being an expert, that was a difference between the "anti-football" as seen in the past. The Anti-Footballers were Sloppy and regressed into their own side of the pitch, sometimes deeply, I don't think Spain did it, it was more like an instrumental interlude in a song, a solo, a fine tuned machine and I'm not speaking up for Spain at least vs. Portugal who I wanted to win everything but Spain nonetheless were a fine tuned machine.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

best team on the planet by a million miles, i still think germany have a better overall squad than them but spain make passing look so easy, i still beleive once xavi and iniesta have gone then spain will be a spent force, a bit like when france lost zidane and viera but they are certainly one of the all time great sides, in the top 3 in my opinion, along with brazil 1970 and brazil 1982.

Their rest of their team is fairly young to be fair. And Iniesta is only 28 so he as at least another 2 tournaments. Casillas at 31 is not old for a keeper, Pique is 25, Javi Martinez is quality and he's 23, same age as Busquets and Jordi Alba, Pedro and Juan Mata are 24, Fabregas is 25, David Silva and Sergio Ramos are 26, Torres, Llorente, Soldado and even Negredo are under 30.

David Villa and Xabi Alonso are 30 so will not have too much time left and Puyol is 34 now and might not make it to the World Cup but they didn't seem to miss him as Ramos looked much better defensively imo at centre back than he does at right back, where he can get caught out of position. They will not miss his attacking instincts too much as they have Alba on the left.

They've got some cracking young players coming through like Thiago Alcantara, Iker Munain, Bojan, Cristian Tello, Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Canales and Ruben Rochina haha. I'm sure there are others. Barca's youngsters have looked unreal when I've seen them play in La Liga and the Champions League and I'm sure Madrid have some of their own.

I think they will be a force for sometime yet. Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara will be their new Xavi and Iniesta. Not too far ahead of the likes of Germany though.

[ThatRabbitsDynamite]

Italy certainly rebounded from their showing in the world cup but, Spain are to much for anyone especially when they get up a man. They botched a few passes which goes down partially to Italy's hard work. Spain are a treat to watch when they're on.

One of the best ever? Yes. They have to be up there. I always find it it hard to say "the best ever" about anything. Once thought Jimi Hendrix was the best ever but, as the years went by i realized that there are many who are great in their own right.

Spain got what they deserved and so, did Italy.

It was nice to have full coverage of the Euro's here in the states.

[roverandout]

are you saying the spain players are homosexuals?

[Audax]

Their rest of their team is fairly young to be fair. And Iniesta is only 28 so he as at least another 2 tournaments. Casillas at 31 is not old for a keeper, Pique is 25, Javi Martinez is quality and he's 23, same age as Busquets and Jordi Alba, Pedro and Juan Mata are 24, Fabregas is 25, David Silva and Sergio Ramos are 26, Torres, Llorente, Soldado and even Negredo are under 30.

David Villa and Xabi Alonso are 30 so will not have too much time left and Puyol is 34 now and might not make it to the World Cup but they didn't seem to miss him as Ramos looked much better defensively imo at centre back than he does at right back, where he can get caught out of position. They will not miss his attacking instincts too much as they have Alba on the left.

They've got some cracking young players coming through like Thiago Alcantara, Iker Munain, Bojan, Cristian Tello, Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Canales and Ruben Rochina haha. I'm sure there are others. Barca's youngsters have looked unreal when I've seen them play in La Liga and the Champions League and I'm sure Madrid have some of their own.

I think they will be a force for sometime yet. Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara will be their new Xavi and Iniesta. Not too far ahead of the likes of Germany though.

Right I think Spain will be good for the foreseeable future, their big star only 6-8 years ago was Raul. Now Spain is just loaded with countless world class level players and not to take away from Raul but the current players are probably even at a higher level.

Spain sure could take the 2014 World Cup, awesome in that final.

[Audax]

Salgado is a hero: Your commentary has been very insightful. Thanks for all that. International Play is exciting.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Right I think Spain will be good for the foreseeable future, their big star only 6-8 years ago was Raul. Now Spain is just loaded with countless world class level players and not to take away from Raul but the current players are probably even at a higher level.

Spain sure could take the 2014 World Cup, awesome in that final.

I agree that Spain will be a major force for some time yet.....they didn't even have David Villa....I'm just glad other countries are still within touching distance as I wouldn't like one team just to dominate. Same goes for Barca. In Europe, Germany should be the biggest threat to them as they probably have a younger side with their own world class players.......I would love a Brazil vs Spain final in the next World Cup......if it's not going to be Scotland that is which I tremendously doubt to say the least.

Salgado is a hero: Your commentary has been very insightful. Thanks for all that. International Play is exciting.

Much appreciated, I have enjoyed your posts as well. I too love International Football.....for me it is the pinnacle of the game and my favourite thing to watch......it has all the best players but they are also playing for their country which I imagine for the majority is the thing they care most about........I don't have a problem with anyone who is club-over-country I just can't imagine being like that myself.....don't get me wrong I love Rovers but nothing makes me happier than seeing my country win......although that might be because Scotland win even less than Rovers do.

This tournament for me has been one of the best in recent years......the vast majority were very good, entertaining games. Spain vs France was the only one I didn't really enjoy. I am not old enough to have seen Brazil's team in the 1970s but this Spanish side is certainly the greatest international side I have ever seen.

Player of the tournament - Iniesta

Runner up - Pirlo

Special mentions to - Xavi and De Rossi

Goal of the Tournament - Ibrahimovic against France

Runner up - Blaszczykowski against Russia

Special mentions to - Khedira against Greece and Balotelli's 2nd against Germany

Game of the tournament - The final surely

Runner up - Italy vs Germany

Special mentions to - Greece upsetting Russia and I enjoyed Italy vs Spain in the Group Stages

Flop of the tournament - Van Persie, Benzema or Rooney

Surprise package - Glen Johnson

Favourite moments - Balotelli's touch near the sideline in their first match with Spain, when Poland equalised against Russia due to what it would have meant to their fans, any attractive girl picked out of the crowd, Denmark fans against Portugal chanting Messi's name, Ukraine's Shevchenko-inspired comeback against Sweden in front of their own fans, any Kean Out banner, almost every time Pirlo had the ball, Olsson in the occasions he done well, Buffon singing the national anthem, originally having Dzagoev in my fantasy football team and Torres winning the Golden Boot.

[AllRoverAsia]

The Germans would beat the best from Italy and England combined.

OK, hands up in abject surrender, got that massively wrong.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

New Fifa World Rankings out:

1 - Spain

2 - Germany

3 - Uruguay

4 - England

5 - Portugal

6 - Italy

7 - Argentina

8 - Netherlands

9 - Croatia

10 - Denmark

11 - Brazil

12 - Greece

13 - Russia

14 - France

17 - Sweden

23 - Australia

26 - Ireland

36 - USA

38 - Wales

48 - Panama

49 - Scotland

Hmmmmm Brazil go 11th due to friendly losses to Argentina and Mexico where they played an U23's team......England are officially better than Italy.........Scotland drop 8 places to 49th although I double checked and we had risen 7 places previously after a 5-1 loss to USA.

[M-K]

4 - England

That's completely mental! The only one of the top 10 that wouldn't give England a complete ass-tonking is Croatia. How do they figure this stuff out?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

That's completely mental! The only one of the top 10 that wouldn't give England a complete ass-tonking is Croatia. How do they figure this stuff out?

It's meant to be done on results (including friendlies) in which the standard of the opponent and what competition it is in is taken into account. But in my experience, teams go up and down based on apparently nothing and England always seem to hover around the top 6. But there's a lot of talk about how teams from outside of Europe and South America get rated higher to give the impression that football is a global game.

It's kind of meant to be a table based on results, not just who is the best team, but there are too many things to take into account. For instance, to mention England again should they be considered among the best if they can never beat the best? I presume England rose due to winning their friendly matches then not losing a game apart from on penalties but does that really tell the whole story?

[Stuart]

I'm English but 4th best team in the world is bobbins.

We'd stuff Uruguay.

[DE.]

New Fifa World Rankings out:

1 - Spain

2 - Germany

3 - Uruguay

4 - England

5 - Portugal

6 - Italy

7 - Argentina

8 - Netherlands

9 - Croatia

10 - Denmark

11 - Brazil

12 - Greece

13 - Russia

14 - France

17 - Sweden

23 - Australia

26 - Ireland

36 - USA

38 - Wales

48 - Panama

49 - Scotland

And this is why the FIFA rankings mean sod all. England in 4th ffs

[Audax]

I'm keeping my post short, not really... anyway.

Getting 2 wins in the Euro surely is a good feat as England did. Also, it seems when teams draw, there is little if any drop in the ranking equation for the team. England drew Italy, one-sided but still a draw. England drew Portugal back in '06, same sort of deal, not much of an effect on the rankings.

Have to say, maybe it would be a good thing to get drawn into a group of death. Get the pain over with, either advance in the group stage vs. good teams or go home.

Supposedly I heard that Brazil's ratings have dropped because they are not playing qualifying matches because they are hosting the World Cup, so they can't grab points as easily, competitive games could be worth more per rankings equations, they should at least. Read this at soccerway. ( http://www.soccerway...-fifa-rankings/ )

ELO http://www.eloratings.net/world.html which uses the same equation as is used in Chess Tournaments has Brazil at .... #3, so that is a big difference though I'd have to study it to see where I would place them. I mean Argentina and Mexico did just beat them after all.

http://www.eloratings.net/Brazil.htm Brazil unbeaten 10 games before the loss to Mexico and then the next loss to Argentina.

Lastly for England, I guess you can say they are lacklustre but they don't lose often...

I've said this before other places, after the '06 World Cup, it seems England and Spain played in a friendly, 2 teams in similar positions, underachievers again, Spain was on a slight skid I believe but won vs. England, since that game, Spain went on that big unbeaten streak first and then, sky's been the limit.

Still to me at least, obviously, Italy, Portugal should be ahead of England. Brazil, Argentina too, well, it'd be nice if England Argentina played one on one, that is missing in International Play unless it's a friendly or tournament but not to take away from other teams. England might do quite well vs. Argentina or Uruguay. Uruguay has climbed up the rankings. Rankings don't tell the whole story but a system telling us a general order of teams seems proper, you need some sort of idea. http://www.soccerway.com/teams/rankings/fifa/ After the 2002 World Cup I think USA and Mexico hovered around 5th and 6th and one can even go back in time and check rankings I guess from that webpage. USA took a big tumble from drawing at Guatemala when that team scored late in the game. Sometime I'd like to see how often USA and Canada draw, they did on June 3rd in a friendly, seems that often happens. http://www.soccerway.com/teams/united-states/united-states-of-america/ I'll look it up some night.

[Rover_Shaun]

Spain got more points for beating Croatia than they did for winning the final !!!

[Rovermatt]

England's failings are all to obvious but when you think about it they tend to hover around the top 10 because they don't tend to lose very often.