Euro Cup 2008

[icewind]

Netherland!!!!

I chose France and Italy in group C but I'm a fan of the orange team and after the first game I hope that my choice are wrong...if Netherland pass in front of France and Italy I will be really happy...I don't think Netherland will go far but anyway it's my team!!!

 

[SexyNadya]

Dear Icewing, your selection just maybe a good choice ! The way the played today ! Perfect execution, and with a hot Keeper like Edwin Van der Sar, still very much Energies following his fantastic season with
"" Man U "" then anything is possible my friend ! Remember the Dans !!!

 

[master_bates]

Les Oranges also have some key injuries, imagine when everyone

has healed. Watch out!!

I'm not shocked and also happy Italy lost their 1st game.

Teamwork wins games.

They are lucky it was only 3 goals,could have been worse.

Worst match so far was France and Romania. What was that?

Hopefully Greece tomorrow will be able to defend their title with

class vs the swedes

 

[SexyNadya]

I agree Mater Bates, the game between Greece and the Swedes should be a very very good one. I favor Sweeden ! Master Bates I beleive that France and Italy, might not even get out of there groupe !! Italy will not recover from a 3goal deficit. The way I see it. If Romania is able to get one more tie and a win, they are in !!! The Orange with VS France on Friday the 13TH !!! Expect much of the same ! 2 - 0 Les Oranges !!!

 

[Latinofreak]

Italy got gangraped, it was a surprising first match, pretty much like the 2002 worldcup where France lost to senegal 1-0. It's odd how things turn out sometimes.

 

[redstorm]

Happy to see Holland beat Italy but not so happy to see France tie.

The Dutch were too fast and well organized. Yes, all I am going to hear today is that the first goal was offside. Well that is football (soccer). Italy was playing the wrong formation (4-3-3). Mattarazzi is terrible and playing against some creative midfielders was not expected.

France, well, no one thought it was going to be a cakewalk. Romania always plays tough and had nothing to lose. Big deal if you have most of the possession, it is the putting the ball into the net which counts.

Greece plays anti-football. I hope they get knocked out the first round. Spain better show up today. Sweden will hopefully win today. Russia will be interesting.

How about my Germans? 2-0 with Podolski netting two. Czech and Croatia got off lucky. Poor Switzerland losing their best player and captain with a knee injury.

Well, England did not deserve to be there. The coach was an idiot and we do not have any strikers. The reason why Capello is our new coach is he is defensive and boring. Hopefully we will be there in South Africa in 2010.

Looking forward to Friday with France and Italy. Who knows what else will happen by then.

Been watching the games on RDS and RIS to help me with learning French.
Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the tournament.

Redstorm

 

[rollingstone]

France-Romania was such a crappy game I regret taking the time to watch it from work. I actually wish I had gotten some work done during that time instead!

Nederlands-Italy was amazing. Its so good to see Van Nistelrooy (sic) and Van Basten patched up their differences. Well it seemed like that anyway. I've never been a great supporter of Italy because of their defense oriented play. However, much respect to Donadoni for trying to shift Italy to more attacking style football. Some growing pains associated with that are to be expected.

A lot of officials are saying Panucci kept Van Nistelrooy on side in the first goal. I was surprised at that, but I guess you learn something new every day.

 

[master_bates]

Greece plays anti-football. I hope they get knocked out the first round.

Please elaborate

Dont tell me its because they play a boring defensive style and win all their

games by 1 goal.

 

[redstorm]

The last Euro against Portugual, the Greece team plays to defend not to score.
Yes, they don't have any superstars but the criticism can be compared to the trap style in hockey. It's easy to win when the other team doesn't have the ball. They concentrated on set pieces which I don't think is wrong but playing 4-5-1 with defense as the priority all game well.

They didn't even qualify for the World Cup in 2006. Seems teams figured out how to bypass the masses in midfield. Okay now they are playing 4-3-3 so maybe they realized they can't just sit back and hope to win by one goal.

Watching the 2004 Euro final was heart wrenching. I'm not a fan of Portugual but I was hoping they could unlock the tight defence of Greece who didn't want to lose instead of trying to win. Fortunately, there are no ties in the final.

Let's see how Spain does today against Russia. Guss Hiddink always has a way to take an average team far into a tournament (ie. South Korea)

Redstorm

Sidenote: Welcome back Annabelle, great to hear about your vacation.

 

[SexyNadya]

Texte book Football played by both Spain and Sweeden !!! Very impressive !!! This lost from the Greeks will be a tought one to recover from knowing how good Spain is playing !

 

[mrmike]

SexyNadya - A true sports fan and hot as hell, if I was your man, you would never be able to get me out of the house : ) Les Bleu always my sentimental favorite.

 

[SexyNadya]

Ho Thank you !! I like Les Bleus Sweetheart...However I'm just not sure about this year Sweety. Injuries to key players is playing hudge againts Les Bleus. Lets say things as they are, I give them little chances to even make it out of their Group. Kisses xxxXXXxxx

 

[poonyman]

Now that Round one has been completed, I think its a tough call from Holland, Portugal, spain and Germany. I dont fancy Italy or France.

Just like their Women and Cars you can rely on Germans to deilver the goods, so I am going with them.

 

[SexyNadya]

Germany is the Favorite. However I was impressed by Portugal. They have the worlds best player !

 

[Porter]

Orange, surprise upset, creative and well organized, good control. Italia, needs to regroup and rethink strategy, however its a bit late in the game.

The Swedes showed up and won, just loved the first strike, a very very nice goal.

I did not have a chance to watch the other matches, but hopefully I can get around to seeing a few more.

Yes Romania, might do very well, just from the highlights that I caught

Nice start, its going to be very interesting..

Forza Italia !!

 

[redstorm]

Finally Spain is showing it's true colours. Yes, it was Russia but Villa's transfer free just doubled after his performance yesterday. Too bad Torres didn't get into the action (Liverpool fan here)

Well, 5 defenders for Greece and yet they still lose 2-0. Seems here in Greektown in Toronto there are no celebrations. Wait til they play Spain, can you play 9-2-0???

If you follow the rules word for word than Van Nistleroy's goal was onside.
Putting on the big screen doesn't help, too bad for Luca Toni hope the yellow doesn't affect his play.

Portugal should wrap it up today against the Czechs today since they were lucky against a Frei-less Switzerland. I see a draw in the Switzerland-Turkey game.

Thank you for participating in the thread Nadya. It's nice to get feedback from someone who isn't a fan because of Beckham or Christiano Ronaldo.
I only found women in Europe who are truly into football (soccer).

Have a great day and enjoy.

Deutschland, Allemande, Germany !!!

Redstorm

 

[SexyNadya]

The Worlds Best Player provided the World with a Fooball Clinic today ! Both with his skills as a player and with the Spirit of a true Leader ! Portugal never looked any better. Its early in the tourney, however Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated why he is the Best !

 

[master_bates]

They didn't even qualify for the World Cup in 2006. Seems teams figured out how to bypass the masses in midfield.

Yes we didnt qualify in 06 but we were the top qualifying team of 08

It's hard to get non-immigrants to enjoy soccer. They see as boring and dull.

Thats one of the most ignorant things I've ever read in here

I'm not an immigrant as I was born and raised here iand

appreciate the euro,world cup and the champions league

tournaments each time they roll around

 

[redstorm]

I'll edit the remark. I apologize for stating all non-immigrants hate soccer.
I am Asian and I used my own experiences as a blanket statement.

I have lived in Toronto all my life. I grew up in an Italian neighbourhood.
I played soccer with my friends and have been a fan since I was kid.

I worked in offices where soccer was considered boring and didn't understand
why I was so passionate about scoreless draws. I had to explain that outside North America, soccer was more than a game. I told him it was their Stanley Cup and World Hockey Championships rolled into one.

I visited Europe and was very fortunate to watch a few Premiership games.
The fans, the atmosphere, the noise. Here, the Toronto FC has that same feeling but you have to admit the popularity was somewhat based on the David Beckham cool factor.

The radio stations here are asking why these idiotic fans are clogging up the streets, blocking traffic, yelling, waving flags after every game. They say go back to your own countries. If I see who is making these comments, it is the hockey loving, anti-soccer loving fans. Guess not winning the cup for 41 years gets to these guys.

That is what sparked me off.

About Greece. Nations get better, players come and go.
Timing is everything. I have a lot of Portuguese friends and they were celebrating on how Greece lost, saying the truth comes out. I argued
saying, they had to do what they did best. They had the firepower but unfortunately the ball didn't end in the Greek net.

Qualifying doesn't really matter. You only had Turkey in your group.
Bosnia, Malta, Modova, Hungary and Norway aren't really that good.
You still have a chance to make the next round unfortunately Spain is actually stepping up. Good luck.

I hope my comments don't diminish this thread. There are some great posts regarding this. I don't post much but when it comes to soccer, I tend to go a bit long.

Germany has a tough one against Croatia. They won't talking big.
Austria and Poland, Poland shouldn't have that much trouble since they lose they go home.

Still trying a way to figure out to defend against Portugual. Will be interesting.

Have a good night.

Redstorm

 

[Porter]

Redstorm,

Born and raised in Canada, I love both soccer and hockey not to mention our NA football.

Do not let the bigots bring you down to their level, instead educate and watch them enjoy the game like so many of us.

Have fun,

Porter