European Championship discussion thread! Americans keep out.

[Brother None]

Well, the first few matches were BORING AS HELL (whew, glad I got that out of my system), but not we finally kick off with this year's very ugly ball (a silver football? wtf?)

I mean holy shit.

I'm sorry for you English, but that was one HELLUVA match. I loved it! I suppose it was more boring for other people, but my French ties means my allegiance during these kind of competitions is always to both Holland and France, and I was cheering on France to the end.

But what a turnabout. I mean Jesus H. Christ who could've seen that one coming? That Zidane, if he didn't already, deserves a place amongst the soccer greats. And Barthez played a great one too.

On the other hand, what the fuck is up with Beckham? He played a damn half-arsed game, didn't he?

"SIR ALEX FERGUSON’S famous phrase — “Football? Bloody hell” — did not even begin to tell the story last night of the most astonishing game involving a team from these shores since Manchester United went to the Nou Camp."

Heh. Rooney pulled some nice ones, tho', but the boy is a bit insane

Tally-ho!

 

[Paladin Solo]

BTW way...it's spelled Latvia!

 

[Wooz]

Football fellates bovine genitalia.

No more "panem et circensis" for me, thankyouverymuch, the computer sedates me already enough.

 

[John Uskglass]

I'm stuck between Greece and Shit. I'm going Shit.

 

[Big T]

Re: European Championship discussion thread! Americans keep

Sorry, but I had to vote England. Generations of Blood and Culture compelled me to, even if logic states that it's unlikely.

I'm sorry for you English, but that was one HELLUVA match. I loved it! I suppose it was more boring for other people, but my French ties means my allegiance during these kind of competitions is always to both Holland and France, and I was cheering on France to the end.... Rooney pulled some nice ones, tho', but the boy is a bit insane

ME...Kill...Now!!!!
We really could do with some players with the passion of Rooney. We were winning up until the cock-ups. And I don't mean we had more goals, we were playing better than the Frogs too. It's funny to think that, after playing the best out of all the teams in our group, we are losing the group.

Tally-ho!

Uh...No-one says that y'know.

Commiserations to the English (Me ), the Portuguese (Briosafreak) and the Russians.

 

[Gus]

The English will find a great deal of support in their Hooligans and win. Unless they all get sent back home (Where they belong, fucking bastards.)

 

[Sander]

Hehe. I was wondering whether a thread like this would come up.
So....Greece v. Portugal was interesting. Mainly because Greece actually won. (CCR, shut up, you don't know football)

And England v. France was the best turn-around ever. Better than the Bayern Munchen v. Manchester United in the champions leaugue final a few years back. Fucking brilliant.
And yes, Rooney is completely insane.
And no, the English weren't playing better than the French. Especially during the first half, where the French were playing better than you. During the second half the French even got off to a very good start, but then their play degraded.
Still: the French played better, the English relied solely on counters.

That was the first big match, by the way, the next big match is tomorrow evening. Germany v. The Netherlands. INteresting.

PS: My Dutch blood commands me to say "The Netherlands" in this poll.

 

[Jebus]

France all the way, baby. As long as Zizu calls the shots in the French team, they'll be three sizes too big for the rest of the European teams.


But of course, if Belgium would've gotten to the European Championships, we would've kicked everyone's ass. We've demonstrated that with the Dutchies, you know.

 

[Role-Player]

Being Portuguese and all, i was severely shocked by the Portuguese team's game against Greece. O'course, when i say 'team', i actually mean 'group of 11 players kicking the ball around with no visible coordenation and awareness of each other'. Leave it to the home team to ruin the Euro 2004 inauguration by disapointing its fans like that.

As for the England - France, i think both teams played well, but the second half and those last few minutes with Zidane on the lead were just out there. Great work. And i have to agree with Kharn, Beckam was a bit obfuscated. Then again, so was Zidane for the larger part of the game.

I wish i could confidantly say Portugal will win, but i can't. And since i'm divided between Spain, Italy, France and England, i'll have to wait some more for the next results to give a better appreciation.

 

[Odin]

I'm supporting my brothers in genes, GO SWEEDEN!!

 

[DJ Slamák]

When does Who gives a shit play? Where is that country anyway?

 

[Odin]

Czech ?

 

[Briosafreak]

Being Portuguese and all, i was severely shocked by the Portuguese team's game against Greece. O'course, when i say 'team', i actually mean 'group of 11 players kicking the ball around with no visible coordenation and awareness of each other'. Leave it to the home team to ruin the Euro 2004 inauguration by disapointing its fans like that.

As for the England - France, i think both teams played well, but the second half and those last few minutes with Zidane on the lead were just out there. Great work. And i have to agree with Kharn, Beckam was a bit obfuscated. Then again, so was Zidane for the larger part of the game.

I wish i could confidantly say Portugal will win, but i can't. And since i'm divided between Spain, Italy, France and England, i'll have to wait some more for the next results to give a better appreciation.

What he said. I would write more but i`m working my butt off to finish things until 5:00 PM, when i get to see two games in a row. wOOt!!!!

My family is going to be evaquated to the beach (or maybe the countryside, still don`t know) the day the English are set to play in the Stadium close to my house. Just in case. I have to stay since i have a freaking exam, damn...

 

[Brother None]

As for the England - France, i think both teams played well, but the second half and those last few minutes with Zidane on the lead were just out there. Great work. And i have to agree with Kharn, Beckam was a bit obfuscated. Then again, so was Zidane for the larger part of the game.

Yeah, but Zidane came back with a vengeance, and had some great plays before scoring too. Beckham basically had one good pass in him, that's it...

Big T, I hate to break it to you but the English were *not* playing better than the French, and the French obviously deserved to win. If you think sticking to the back in a desperate attempt to stop all of France's brilliant attacks makes for good soccer, you should support Italy, not England. Ugh.

Ehehehe, can't believe England is ahead in the polls despite sucking badly, too, everyoe knows it's going to be France, Spain or Italy. It'd take a miracle to be anyone else.

It's funny to think that, after playing the best out of all the teams in our group, we are losing the group.
Quote:

Huh? I thought France now has a "no loss"-interland streak of 18 matches and didn't have one goal against them in the past 11 interlands, up until this one. While England just sucks, hahahaha.

 

[Big T]

The English will find a great deal of support in their Hooligans and win. Unless they all get sent back home (Where they belong, fucking bastards.)

Now that's not really fair. True we do have a problem with hooligans, but we're doing a hell of alot to try to counter it, and (fingers crossed) we should be on top of it this year.

Big T, I hate to break it to you but the English were *not* playing better than the French, and the French obviously deserved to win. If you think sticking to the back in a desperate attempt to stop all of France's brilliant attacks makes for good soccer, you should support Italy, not England. Ugh.

Meh. Obviously I'm somewhat biased, but I just don't think France were really doing anything. They kept hammering at our defence (and, yes, we weren't on the offensive as much as we should have been) but they didn't really do anything when they got there. Just kept pushing with no real co-ordination and with no actual tactics. I was actually impressed by how well the England team pulled back to effectively defend, as our defence seems to be a bit weaker than it should be.
Regardless of who played best, both of France's goals came out of our cock-ups rather than their hard work.

It's funny to think that, after playing the best out of all the teams in our group, we are losing the group.

Huh? I thought France now has a "no loss"-interland streak of 18 matches and didn't have one goal against them in the past 11 interlands, up until this one. While England just sucks, hahahaha.

I meant out of the group B games played so far, not in general. IMO we played better than France, and both Switzerland and Croatia played pretty badly, theirs was a rather dull game.

While England just sucks, hahahaha.

Unfortunately, I can't really dispute this. We have some very good players, and they've shown before that they can work well together. But they just don't seem to want to do it consistently.

 

[Brother None]

Regardless of who played best, both of France's goals came out of our cock-ups rather than their hard work.

One would argue that you were forced into these cock-ups by the unrelenting onslaughts of the French attack.

That said, your defence was actually pretty good, but it would've indeed not managed to hold out if the French had actually finished their attacks properly. But they couldn't...Pires simply doesn't know what to do from the right half, and Henry wasn't positioned right either. And Zidane *is* old, and has a harder time co-ordinating his attacks than in the days of old

But I think they picked up their own proper tactics now and will do better from now on.

I meant out of the group B games played so far, not in general. IMO we played better than France, and both Switzerland and Croatia played pretty badly, theirs was a rather dull game.

Meh, you're better than Swizzy and Croassie, but face it, you ain't better than France this year.

Unfortunately, I can't really dispute this. We have some very good players, and they've shown before that they can work well together. But they just don't seem to want to do it consistently.

Well you're not alone, the Dutch team also sucks something bad this year. But meh, as long as we get some good matches out of it I never mind.

 

[Big T]

Well you're not alone, the Dutch team also sucks something bad this year. But meh, as long as we get some good matches out of it I never mind.

Aye, I'd rather lose in an interesting fashion (tho' not 8-0 or something like that) than have 90+ minutes of faffing about like the Swiss-Croat game.

 

[Azael]

Well, I'm a Swede so I have no choice in the matter. The realist in me says that France will probably win it, although their efforts against England weren't exactly inspiring. They need a hell of a lot more creative football than that, they only won the game due to individual mistakes from the English. Possessing the ball doesn't mean shit if you can't move it forward fast.

 

[Role-Player]

Denmark is playing an excellent match so far.

 

[Sander]

Ehehehe, can't believe England is ahead in the polls despite sucking badly, too, everyoe knows it's going to be France, Spain or Italy. It'd take a miracle to be anyone else.

Yep. Like the Dutch playing like a bloody team for once (if they do, they could win it), or Portugal getting back up after Greece (very unlikely).
Czech Republic could win it as well, by the way. With the current team-play of the Dutch, they're probably the best team in D, and they've beaten France a while back (which was the last French loss up till now).