Ofcourse they're favourites, but their defense isn't impressive at all. And stranger things have happened. You gotta be optimistic, we have absolutely nothing to lose. Apart from a place in the semi-final! Well duh... but noone expects us to get there. We will have performed well even if we go out. Holland have much more pressure on them. And not to anyone in particular: Yes the referee was awful, but don't do what the Italians always do and solely blame the ref. He had a part in it, but Portugal were the better team too, don't forget that.

Ofcourse they're favourites, but their defense isn't impressive at all. And stranger things have happened. You gotta be optimistic, we have absolutely nothing to lose.

Maybe you should A couple of them did the same towards those who predicted they'd get knocked out in the group stages. Entertaining game, quite even too. Had Rooney not been forced to go off it might have ended differently. But I think that overall, Portugal deserved it. However I'd have prefered England to go through, since I think we'd have a much better chance vs them in an eventual semi final.

Yeah but now they didn't play the way they can, and the teams that went through played more entertaining football. So quit moaning about what might have been and try to enjoy Denmark and Sweden play instead. Denmark, the Czechs, Sweden and Holland are all teams who in this tournament have played attacking football, so these quarter finals should contain lots of goals and exciting football.

The table doesn't lie. The teams in first and second place in the groups deserved to go through, simply because they did. Big names in a lineup means nothing, football is a TEAM game. Hell, we (Sweden) have maybe 3 players who are considered "world class" (A loose definition) and that's Ljungberg, Zlatan and Larson. Italy could field 11 players like that. But we are a better team than 90%+ of all national teams. Look at where our players ply their trade... four in England, but not a single player in Germany, Spain or Italy. Several of them in the Swedish league, which haven't even had a club in the CL groupstages since 2000. Italy, Denmark and even Bulgaria outmatches us player for player, but yet we won the group. Just like we did in 2002 in the "group of death". But again, it's a TEAM game. I'm sick and tired of all the BS about how the "big" teams have some divine right to go through, and how it would feel sooo much better to beat Italy or whatever. Why would it feel better to beat a worse team? We may not be glamorous, we may not be a big name but we're a damn hard team to beat. You can't judge a team on how hyped their players are in the media, you have to judge them on their results. And I know I keep on saying this, but I can't believe how you can take a victory against Sweden for granted. You haven't beaten us since 1968. That's TEN games without a win, and we're a lot better now than the last time we met. And btw, I don't hate England or anything, but oh how I laughed when Zidane scored that penalty I love it when teams who take the lead are stupid enough to sit back and expect to make it, and then fail. Will people never learn??? Tommy Söderberg said, early on in his time as our manager, that we should keep on fighting "ända in i kaklet". Which I can't really translate well, but its "all the way into the tiles?(The material that the "walls" of a swimming pool are made of anyway), a metaphor for never giving up. And we never, ever do. Like vs Turkey away in the WC 2002 qualifiers. 0-1 down after 87 minutes, 2-1 up at the final whistle. Vs Denmark and Italy in this tournament. Like our national team constantly does in football, hockey (From 1-5 to 6-5 vs Finland), handball and so on. And that's what makes me proud of my national team, that's why we deserve all the "luck" we get. There is, IMO, no other team with the same never say die attitude, with the same team spirit and with the comittment. We don't have the skill of most other teams, but I honestly don't give a ****. Constantly winning/drawing games at the last minute isn't luck. Anyway, I've got a bad cold and it's 3am, I shouldn't be writing posts in this state so apologies in advance if it's really stupid... but it looks fine, if a bit patriotic and sobby, to me right now.

Thats fantastic! You mean if it had been a dead heat all the way down the different methods, Italy and Denmark would have had to have a penalty shoot-out this morning to decide who would go through!? That would be brilliant television! Would they have to get kitted up and sing the anthem and everything? No, if it would've been between Sweden and Denmark about who went through after a draw, and everything was equal; then it'd be a shootout. So if it's between the two teams playing; shootout, if it's between two other teams; lots.

Denmark have some excellent individual players, at least in this tournament. Tomasson, Gravesen, and it's always exciting to watch Rommedahl, Grönkjaer and Jörgensen down the wings. Except for when it's 1-1 and you so desperately need a point. Anyway, tomorrow ALL newspapers in Italy will be filled with how the game was fixed etc. But noone who watched the game can say that. I mean why would Denmark let us score and thus have to play the Czechs? And why would Grönkjaer do everything in his power to get Edman a yellow card?

Boohooo In the opening game, the Marsellaise was played first.... but I'm sure it was in fact the French booing their own national anthem? Yes, it's not like England have a history of doing that "unprovoked"... (Note that I'm not talking about the racist abuse by Croatian fans towards both English and French players)

Heh. As a Swede I really, really hope we get England if we get to the semis, for just the same reason. We'll be certain to get through to the final. As you probably know, we haven't lost to England since 1970 or whatever, and I can't see it happening now. Your style of play seems to fit us nicely. Maybe it's because our only real weakness would be full backs (At least right back) and you don't have a left winger

Yeah but that was like 4? years ago? And correct me if I'm wrong, but he hasn't actually played regular Serie A football for a while? And it doesn't help that he was played as an attacking midfielder either. But compared to say Babbel he still seemed a safer bet when he joined IMO.

As someone mentioned, you missed Sweden. But just as England may have nothing to fear vs these teams, they don't have much to fear from England either. After all you've lost to France, and until the Swiss had a man sent off they were more than a match for you.

Btw 78, I agree with at least one player on your list and that's Jakobsson. Although unrealistic as he quite recently joined Bröndby, he is just what we need IMO. He's reasonably quick, extremely reliable and consistent (Never makes any big mistakes) and he's a model professional. Not to mention that he's also good going forward, is a good passer, has a good shot and takes a good freekick. A very all round defender and likeable person. Would cost a bit though.

Difference being that Yorke had been out in the cold for quite some time. Baggio has lots of caps, but they are a while back and he hasn't played at the top level in a top team for a while. Since his time in the CL and in the German national team Babbel has suffered from Guillame Barres Disease, which kept him out for a year and even had him in a wheelchair for a while. Is it really that odd that he wasn't quite up to his old class after that? De Pedro on the other hand was a starter for Spain in the WC two years ago, he won (or finished 2nd? Either way it's good) the assist league the season before last, and scored in the Champions League this past season. There IS some difference. And even if we aren't completely broke, we don't have lots of money. This guy is proven quality, is available on a free and probably earns less than £15k. I think everyone here would've liked a young, exciting player like Vicente, Duff, or even someone half as good. But these players costs MONEY. A 22 y/o unproven Norwegian costs £2m, had he been in a big league it'd have been £3m+. Then imagine what we'd have to pay... Andy Reid reportedly costs £5m+, and we DONT have that kind of money. Instead we got a Spanish international with a great left foot and at least 2 more good years in him. I'm not complaining. We're not all blind optimists, I know that I'm certainly not one, but this isn't a bad signing at all.

Have only seen the odd game with him, but he's looked good. I've also seen highlights (Yea I know, doesn't say much) but he looked really, really good there. And the fact that he was a regular in the WC two years ago, as well as playing a big part in a team that only lost out to Real on the last day of the season should speak for itself. And apparently he's an excellent set-piece taker too, would be nice to have a left foot for those situations as well. He's no Duff who beats 2-3 men before sending in a pass for the strikers, but his crossing is better and he'll provide much creativity anyway. Good signing IMO.

It allows the opponents to move players, who would otherwise be offside, forward and stand as close to the goalkeeper as they want to. Now the new offside rule might mean that they wouldn't be offside if they stood with the keeper and with no defender on the post, but if the ball rebounds and one of those players score, it will be disallowed. And why take that chance when you might as well run towards the goal instead?

And then the police has a completely different version of it. Can't really trust either "side" to tell the truth in incidents like this.

IMO the result wasn't unfair. The manner in which the game was decided however was... harsh, to say the least. But the better team won IMO. You can't simply sit back and punt the ball upfield all the time, eventually the opponents WILL score. It's happened hundreds of times. You need to try and hold the ball for a while and move at least a little upfield. But at least you know how the Bayern Munich fans felt after "that" game

Wrong. They wore mostly Benfica shirt. i didnt say they mostly wore benfica shirts, i said they wore england gear, which they did, or at least some of them did You said they wore England shirts, he said they wore Benfica. So he never said that you said that they wore mostly Benfica shirts. follow?

It's OK to cause trouble and injure people as long as you don't kill them So don't worry, English fans hardly ever do anything wrong.

Maybe the Spanish have been the rowdiest so far, but that's also related to the fact that they have played a game already. I think the number of English fans will increase throughout the day, and especially if England lose we'll see some trouble. And playing it down and saying it was nothing etc. is just as bad as exaggerating.

One positive thing though was that his seemed pretty good with both feet.

I can now reveal my team Pauleta Totti (c) Henry Vicente Baraja Zanetti Rosicky Puyol Jakobsson Mellberg Cech The subs aren't very glamorous, though

Joined Confident of a very high finish, as my team consists of eleven players who are guaranteed to play if fit. The forwards are the three top contenders for the golden boot, and yet the defense and midfield are still good. And I haven't got a single player from England, Holland or Germany. I haven't got that in any of my fantasy leagues teams actually, and the only French player I have (In a couple of them) is Henry

What has Nissa done in three seasons to suggest that he can be a long-term successor to Short? Played very well at CB whenever asked to do so? It's not easy when you're called in every 15th game or so, and still he does it well. If he was to play 10+ games with a good partner then I'm sure he'd prove to be more than up to it.

Don't be so sure of that There's still McEveley and Johansson here, which for some reason pretty much noone here seems to be able to spell. I mean they're easy names. If we had Andres Guglielmenpietro or Pietro Vierchowood then I could understand it, but Johansson and McEveley are easy names. And considering peoples inability to spell Scandinavian names (Eriksson, Svensson etc) I bet we won't see the correct spelling of Morten Gamst Pedersen many times either.