The EURO 2012 Thread

[Chin Strain]

One more goal for Balotelli should seal the top scorer. I had a small wager at 100-1

[Graffito]

even the Germans who are all super duper are struggling to mark Pirlo

italians 2-0 up against Germany and he is yet again pulling the strings

But they're not super duper are they? They learnt nothing from the England game and put nobody on him. What a superb player though.

[Thedelldays]

But they're not super duper are they? They learnt nothing from the England game and put nobody on him. What a superb player though.

You do realise they had kroos man marking him

Spain could not stop him despite playing with 6 midfielders in order to try and stop him

To say "why didn't we man mark pirlo" is simplistic in the extreme

[Turkish]

You do realise they had kroos man marking him

Spain could not stop him despite playing with 6 midfielders in order to try and stop him

To say "why didn't we man mark pirlo" is simplistic in the extreme

If it was as simple as that everyone would do it and he wouldn't be a world great. I'm surprised people struggle to understand it.

[Graffito]

You do realise they had kroos man marking him

Spain could not stop him despite playing with 6 midfielders in order to try and stop him

To say "why didn't we man mark pirlo" is simplistic in the extreme

Apparently that might have been the tactic. If so he made a pig's ear of it.

[Graffito]

If it was as simple as that everyone would do it and he wouldn't be a world great. I'm surprised people struggle to understand it.

It's an echo!

[Frank's cousin]

Difference (with respect to England) was Germans edged pocession and created more chances but Italian defence was emmence and German defence apalling for those two goals... Italy looked in control for most part, and Germans did not put them under enough pressure throughout... clear that Schwiensteiger was not fit and they should have started with Reus and Klose... but these things happen. Italy deserved it, but Germans still a young side, who were found wanting in experience on the day...

... I do believe I thought Italy would do well - cant be arsed to find the post though

[Thedelldays]

Apparently that might have been the tactic. If so he made a pig's ear of it.

pigs ear for the best teams in the world...funny that

[Graffito]

pigs ear for the best teams in the world...funny that

Sorry mate you've lost me now. Is it cryptic?

[pap]

[alpine_saint]

[GAS]

You do realise they had kroos man marking him

Spain could not stop him despite playing with 6 midfielders in order to try and stop him

To say "why didn't we man mark pirlo" is simplistic in the extreme

You honestly think Spain played 6 in midfield to stop Pirlo? They are playing with 6 midfielders because teams will mostly defend against them and this leaves no space upfront for the strikers to move. You might have noticed Fabregas has been breaking through from midfield in a Messi type role (granted, not comparable). The Spain v Italy game was probably one of the better games this tournament.

[Thedelldays]

You honestly think Spain played 6 in midfield to stop Pirlo? They are playing with 6 midfielders because teams will mostly defend against them and this leaves no space upfront for the strikers to move. You might have noticed Fabregas has been breaking through from midfield in a Messi type role (granted, not comparable). The Spain v Italy game was probably one of the better games this tournament.

even so, 6 midfielders, 2 holding midfielders, some of the best in the world and he still managed to pull the strings...

[Thedelldays]

the 2016 Euros will now have 24 teams...slightly lowering the standard IMO
now, platini suggest that from 2020, there will be NO host nation and games simply played across europe.
no team would qualify as hosts but 1 stadium per city would submit a bid and looking at 12 cities across Europe for the one tournament


fecking christ.

[alpine_saint]

the 2016 Euros will now have 24 teams...slightly lowering the standard IMO
now, platini suggest that from 2020, there will be NO host nation and games simply played across europe.
no team would qualify as hosts but 1 stadium per city would submit a bid and looking at 12 cities across Europe for the one tournament


fecking christ.

24 team tournaments are crap.

You either have 4 groups and too many matches, or you have 2nd round groups like in the WC in Spain in 1982 of three teams, where one result seals the destiny of all 3, just like W. Germany beating Spain caused Englands departure.

[Dark Munster]

24 team tournaments are crap.

You either have 4 groups and too many matches, or you have 2nd round groups like in the WC in Spain in 1982 of three teams, where one result seals the destiny of all 3, just like W. Germany beating Spain caused Englands departure.

Or the top 2 from 6 groups go through, along with the 4 best 3rd placed teams. 16 into the first knockout round, no problem.

Agreed that 24 team tournaments are crap, though.

[Thedelldays]

My team of the competition
Using a diamond formation


Buffon

Jao pereira
Hummels
Terry
Alba

Pirlo

Gerard
Khedira

Iniesta

Ronaldo
Balotelli

[Thedelldays]

Best game - Sweden v England
Best player - Pirlo
Best entertainment - balotelli

Worst game - Portugal v Spain
Worst player - Richard dunne
Biggest let down - holland

[alpine_saint]

Best game - Sweden v England
Best player - Pirlo
Best entertainment - balotelli

Worst game - Portugal v Spain
Worst player - Richard dunne
Biggest let down - holland

Thats a fair effort. Could agree with all or most of those.

[Graffito]

even so, 6 midfielders, 2 holding midfielders, some of the best in the world and he still managed to pull the strings...

Did he really pull the strings in that match? Italy played well but Spain had something like 2/3rds of the possession. Difficult to pull the strings when you're not flying the kite. My recollection of that match was the number of chances Torres missed when he came on, his lack of confidence and Villa's absence being two of the reasons why Spain have played 6 in midfield.

[Graffito]

Best game - Sweden v England
Best player - Pirlo
Best entertainment - balotelli

Worst game - Portugal v Spain
Worst player - Richard dunne
Biggest let down - holland

I thought Spain v Italy was a good match and England v Sweden a poor match, though more exciting to watch. Agree with the others.

[Lighthouse]

Not the best 11, but players who have impressed me this tournament.

Buffon

Maggio
Terry
Hummells
Strinic

Gerrard
Pirlo
Dzagoev

Yarmolenko
Balotelli
Ronaldo

[S-Clarke]

Best game - Sweden v England
Best player - Pirlo
Best entertainment - balotelli

Worst game - Portugal v Spain
Worst player - Richard dunne
Biggest let down - holland

Would agree with most of what you said there, although for worst player, it has to be Given. At fault for almost every goal they conceded.

[Thedelldays]

any thoughts on best goal...?

maybe Ibrohimovic against France?
or Lahm against Greece..?

I will go with the moody swede

[S-Clarke]

Ibrahomovich, without a doubt. Unbelievable goal.

Although I also loved Balloteli's against Germany (his 2nd). Awesome finish.

Carrolls header wasn't too bad either...

[Thedelldays]

Ibrahomovich, without a doubt. Unbelievable goal.

Although I also loved Balloteli's against Germany (his 2nd). Awesome finish.

Carrolls header wasn't too bad either...

actually...I would go with all three.
all three very different but excellent goal

1. Ibrohimovic
2. Balotelli
3. Carroll

[S-Clarke]

actually...I would go with all three.
all three very different but excellent goal

1. Ibrohimovic
2. Balotelli
3. Carroll

Maybe a 4th....that Polish guys goal against Russia where he cut in and hit it from 30 yards.

It's been a great tournament to be fair, will be sad to see it over. The Euro's will never be the same after this one.

[Lighthouse]

VdV against Portugal was a pretty sweet effort. Probably the highlight of Holland's tournament.

Mario's goals against the Krauts and the Paddys were all pretty good.

[alpine_saint]

Maybe a 4th....that Polish guys goal against Russia where he cut in and hit it from 30 yards.

It's been a great tournament to be fair, will be sad to see it over. The Euro's will never be the same after this one.

Maybe England will stand more of a chance with the new format.

[S-Clarke]

Maybe England will stand more of a chance with the new format.

Doubt it! It'll just make us more prone to going out against ****e teams.

[alpine_saint]

Doubt it! It'll just make us more prone to going out against ****e teams.

Probably right, I'm just clutching at straws.

Our tournament return for our place in footballing history is a national disgrace.

[Monk]

£10 on Mario to score anytime and Italy to win.

[Saint J 77]

Spain a head already, surely not another trophy! At the moment I can't see it changing.

[Saint J 77]

Bugger..game over, Damm Spain!

[RonManager]

CBBC commentary on the red button is bonkers!!!!!

[Saint J 77]

CBBC commentary on the red button is bonkers!!!!!

Lol I didn't even know they did that haha. I was thinking about switching off as this match looks like playing out rather predictably, but I might have to watch it now with the CBBC commentary. It might actually make the game interesting

[colehillsaint]

CBBC commentary on the red button is bonkers!!!!!

Really funny. Spain out of this world as they are doing a chant phone in and all cracking up.

[Thedelldays]

spain have been utterly amazing


now, just wait for the phone ins about how england should be playing like that lol

[Jimmy_D]

What an incredible time it must be to be a Spanish supporter.

Three major tournament wins in 4 years.

[Graffito]

spain have been utterly amazing


now, just wait for the phone ins about how england should be playing like that lol

Couldn't agree more about Spain but I'm a bit confused now, didn't you have the earlier Spain/Italy match as the worst of the tournament?

[alpine_saint]

Balotelli's next competitive game is against us.

I do hope he gets some anger management support over the next few weeks....

[Graffito]

spain have been utterly amazing


now, just wait for the phone ins about how england should be playing like that lol

Oh and one more thing, that's how to play Pirlo, keep possession [see earlier today], which England can't do, and close him down, which England could have done.

[Thedelldays]

Oh and one more thing, that's how to play Pirlo, keep possession [see earlier today], which England can't do, and close him down, which England could have done.

easy when you are spain and you are probably the best team ever in the history of international football
for any other team on earth...bit harder...no..?

they did not keep that quiet in the first game...


anyway, its all over now...Spain were utterly amazing..when you look at the bench it was frightening and their all time top scorer was out injured.

[S-Clarke]

They are a special football team, no one will get near them for years yet. They make it look so simple because they're so incredibly technical with the ball, every single one of those players has the agility and skill to maneuver the ball in tight situations - even the full backs and centre halves.

Playing with patience and imagination has got them where they are, but they are built around 2 of the best central midfield players I've seen in my lifetime and the best I'll probably will ever see. Xavi and Inestia are masters of the midfield game and the controlling of a football match, they do it with their eyes closed. 2 of the greatest central midfield players of all time and the heart of this fantastic Spanish team.

It makes you jealous when you also see their depth, goal keepers like Valdes and Reina as backup - and then they even have David De Gea for the future. Players like Mata only played a couple of minutes, Lorrente didn't get any game time and then you have young players like Martinez, Munain, Montoya, Thiago - their conveyor belt is endless, but the next generation will need to be something else to top what is probably the greatest international team of all time.

[GAS]

easy when you are spain and you are probably the best team ever in the history of international football
for any other team on earth...bit harder...no..?

they did not keep that quiet in the first game...


anyway, its all over now...Spain were utterly amazing..when you look at the bench it was frightening and their all time top scorer was out injured.

But, surely the same principal applies. Don't give a play maker freedom. We did, and to a large extent so did Germany.

[Graffito]

easy when you are spain and you are probably the best team ever in the history of international football
for any other team on earth...bit harder...no..?

they did not keep that quiet in the first game...


anyway, its all over now...Spain were utterly amazing..when you look at the bench it was frightening and their all time top scorer was out injured.

As close as we'll get to agreeing. I'll leave it there.

[Thedelldays]

As close as we'll get to agreeing. I'll leave it there.

makes you sick when our wide players are downing and milner and they had silva and iniesta

haha

[S-Clarke]

But, surely the same principal applies. Don't give a play maker freedom. We did, and to a large extent so did Germany.

The key to it is just to keep the ball and isolate him in areas which he cannot do harm. The Spanish play the passing game perfectly, but they also play the art of closing down to the T.

Because they play at their pace, they don't need to run around like mad men chasing the ball, they conserve their fitness which enables them to press and harry so tightly when the opposition have the ball, they literately ware the opposition down with or without the ball. This Spanish team is exactly the sort of team which should be put up in classrooms as a definition of football and how it's meant to be played, defensively and offensively.

[S-Clarke]

makes you sick when our wide players are downing and milner and they had silva and iniesta

haha

What makes you even more sick is the value of English players, compared to these Spanish world beaters. Everton want around £20m for Leighton Baines. Barcelona have just paid £8m for Jordi Alba.

[Thedelldays]

The key to it is just to keep the ball and isolate him in areas which he cannot do harm. The Spanish play the passing game perfectly, but they also play the art of closing down to the T.

Because they play at their pace, they don't need to run around like mad men chasing the ball, they conserve their fitness which enables them to press and harry so tightly when the opposition have the ball, they literately ware the opposition down with or without the ball. This Spanish team is exactly the sort of team which should be put up in classrooms as a definition of football and how it's meant to be played, defensively and offensively.

they do the opposite to what we were all told....when one of their players (more so a midfielder) has the ball..the don't spread out, the don't run away for the ball over the top, the don't hit the touchline to make a run....all the offensive players generally move towards the ball and they work the ball up the pitch as many and not as a few....then when they are in and round the box, the movement of WHOEVER is there is frightening...they look for balls down the edge, between the CB and cut backs....

re-invented football...literally