930 Forums
=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: Barcelona on June 11, 2004, 06:24:00 pm
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Not too many hours left, but we can still make some predictions.
Group A
Portugal
Greece
Spain
Russia
Group B
France
England
Switzerland
Croatia
Group C
Sweden
Bulgaria
Denmark
Italy
Group D
Czech Republic
Latvia
Germany
Netherlands
Quarterfinals
1 - First Group A - Second Group B
2 - Second Group A - First Group B
3 - First Group C - Second Group D
4 - Second Group C - First Group D
Semifinals
1 - 3
2 - 4
My Quarterfinals
1 - Portugal beats England
2 - France beats Spain
3 - Italy beats Czech Republic
4 - Netherlands beats Denmark
Semifinals
Portugal loses to Italy
France loses to the Netherlands
Champions - The Netherlands
I did it pretty fast, hope didn't mess around with the quarterfinals and semifinals.
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The Dutch will be winless... no one will stop the French... The England match will be scoreless however.
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eff the french, watch out for spain.
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hahaha, portugal lost to greece 2-1! could this be the year a host nation goes crashing out in the first round?
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I second bungle bud..EFF THE FRENCH!
England's tournament this time....I feel it in me blood I tell ya!
England will beat Spain 2-1 in the final
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will any of the matches be shown on tv here?
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Originally posted by Dethroned Emperor:
hahaha, portugal lost to greece 2-1! could this be the year a host nation goes crashing out in the first round?
I think Belgium didn't make it to the quarter finals when they hosted the Euro 2000 with Holland, not sure though.
Happy to see Figo lose at home. It's going to be tough for Portugal now.
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
I second bungle bud..EFF THE FRENCH!
England's tournament this time....I feel it in me blood I tell ya!
Any comments on yesterdays abysmal collapse, there Mank?
Totally outplayed them for 89 minutes. Too bad they play 90 plus stoppage time.
Either one of two things happens from this: Engerland realizes they can beat anybody if they play their best or they collapse. There's no middle ground after yesterday.
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Originally posted by vansmack:
Originally posted by Bollocks:
I second bungle bud..EFF THE FRENCH!
England's tournament this time....I feel it in me blood I tell ya!
Any comments on yesterdays abysmal collapse, there Mank?
Totally outplayed them for 89 minutes. Too bad they play 90 plus stoppage time.
Either one of two things happens from this: Engerland realizes they can beat anybody if they play their best or they collapse. There's no middle ground after yesterday. [/b]
The England players have already said they hope they can meet the frogs in the final, because there's no way they could get that lucky twice....I think it will make the team stronger personally, but do admit I drank myself to a drunken heap last night after that result, and the way we lost.
I also read that Henry was taunting the England fans after the game....that shit will come back to haunt him next season. TWAT needs to remember what country his paycheck comes from.
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BTW....Becks should never have taken that penalty with Barthez in goal, he knows him too well. Either Rooney or Owen should've taken it and it would've been 2-0. Silvestre gets a red (which he should have) and it's game over. The only reason James didn't go off is because Silvestre didn't...let's just play the fucking rules here refs. Had the frogs been 2-0 and a man down, you could've had 20 minutes of injury time and we would've won.
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I agree with you on the Becks thing.
How much is United going to go out and spend for Ledley King now?
What in the hell was Gerrard thinking?
And but for Zenadine, the frogs would have quit. He makes that team so different than the usual group of french guys who quit in the face of adversity (dating all the way back to the 1600's).
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
BTW....Becks should never have taken that penalty with Barthez in goal, he knows him too well. Either Rooney or Owen should've taken it and it would've been 2-0. Silvestre gets a red (which he should have) and it's game over. The only reason James didn't go off is because Silvestre didn't...let's just play the fucking rules here refs. Had the frogs been 2-0 and a man down, you could've had 20 minutes of injury time and we would've won.
I think your goalkeeper should have gotten the red card. Henry was the last player. As for Silvestre, you still had Barthez. I think it was a stupid play by Silvestre, but to get him a red card? not sure. I am sorry for England, but to see a Madrid player miss a penalty kick sounds good to me (better if Zidane hadn't scored any goal though).
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hey smackie
where were you on sunday, markie went to the lucky bar looking for you at kickoff with no smackie in sight............he saw yer fat dj mate there though and he informed markie you were in san francisco.....................
bad smackie
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Originally posted by poorlulu:
hey smackie
where were you on sunday, markie went to the lucky bar looking for you at kickoff with no smackie in sight............he saw yer fat dj mate there though and he informed markie you were in san francisco.....................
bad smackie
Hangs head in shame........
I wasn't able to change my flight. The Reagan funeral business left flights out on Sunday at a premium. I tried all week to change the flight to a later flight, but there were no other flights on Sunday. When I called the airlines on Sunday for one last shot, they told me that if I wasn't there an hour before my flight on Sunday, that I would likely lose my seat. That made my 4:15 flight a bad time for me to watch the first half as I had planned and then get over to the airport. Tell him I'm sorry.
It's truly my fault because I bought the original ticket thinking I was in the clear because the match was at 11:45 - one problem - the match was 11:45 Pacific Time. It was 2:45 ET and I was screwed so I had smackette set the Tivo and I paid for the game, watched when I got back home in SF.
Bad bad smackie.
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france beat england
james toseland, a very good looking british motorcycle racer who is one of the fittest men on the planet (he beat beckham and others in a fitness test) lost the superbike championship lead to regis laconi....a frenchman.
randy depuniet won his first ever gp, another frenchman.
sunday was a good day to be a frog.
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anyone else looking forward to seeing the orange army smack around germany tomorrow?
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Originally posted by Dethroned Emperor:
anyone else looking forward to seeing the orange army smack around germany tomorrow?
Oh yes, I am from Spain but have always pretty much disliked my national team and have always followed the Netherlands. If Davids and Seedorf are in good shape, they can beat anyone.
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Originally posted by Dethroned Emperor:
anyone else looking forward to seeing the orange army smack around germany tomorrow?
Oh, and the Krauts up early on a goal that can only be described as.....yucky.
Van der Saar should have saved it.
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RUUD SCORES!!!!!
RUUD SCORES!!!!!
RUUD SCORES!!!!!
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a hattrick :D
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Originally posted by Barcelona:
Originally posted by Bollocks:
BTW....Becks should never have taken that penalty with Barthez in goal, he knows him too well. Either Rooney or Owen should've taken it and it would've been 2-0. Silvestre gets a red (which he should have) and it's game over. The only reason James didn't go off is because Silvestre didn't...let's just play the fucking rules here refs. Had the frogs been 2-0 and a man down, you could've had 20 minutes of injury time and we would've won.
I think your goalkeeper should have gotten the red card. Henry was the last player. As for Silvestre, you still had Barthez. I think it was a stupid play by Silvestre, but to get him a red card? not sure. I am sorry for England, but to see a Madrid player miss a penalty kick sounds good to me (better if Zidane hadn't scored any goal though). [/b]
Silvestre should have gotten the red for hacking Rooney down..GAME OVER, ENGLAND WIN!
I agree James should've gotten a red for bringing Henryetta down, but the ref was never going to do it having not done it earlier in the game.
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Originally posted by bungle bud:
france beat england
james toseland, a very good looking british motorcycle racer who is one of the fittest men on the planet (he beat beckham and others in a fitness test) lost the superbike championship lead to regis laconi....a frenchman.
randy depuniet won his first ever gp, another frenchman.
sunday was a good day to be a frog.
Lets vote,
Who would like to continue this thread about Euro 2004, and who would like to switch it to some blokes riding bikes?
I vote Euro 04!
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Mankie, in your penalty you still had Barthez. However, James was the last player. Yellow card for Silvestre, red card for James. England is like Spain, always favorites, but at the end of day they lose pretty easily in the quarterfinals.
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I'll post about anything, as long as its not about the Beastie Boys.
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Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mankie, in your penalty you still had Barthez. However, James was the last player. Yellow card for Silvestre, red card for James. England is like Spain, always favorites, but at the end of day they lose pretty easily in the quarterfinals.
I'm not talking about the last man rule, I'm just saying he should've gotten a red just by the way he brought him down. It was deliberate and a pretty harsh foul. I've seen players get reds for much "milder" fouls than that.
Anyway, no biggie, if England get to meet them in the final, paybacks are hell.
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Who is this Greek team?
Beat Portugal, draw with Spain...all in Portugal? Where did this come from?
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Originally posted by vansmack:
Who is this Greek team?
Beat Portugal, draw with Spain...all in Portugal? Where did this come from?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't todays results mean either Spain or Portugal are not getting through to the next round?
Should be a good game between those two.
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't todays results mean either Spain or Portugal are not getting through to the next round?
Should be a good game between those two.
You are correct, however Spain only needs a draw, Portugal needs a win. Should be fun to watch nonetheless.
And I don't need to tell you this, but Group A winners and losers play Group B winners and losers.
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unless Greece somehow manage to lose to Russia, then yes, either Spain or Portugal are done. or we could also see the always exciting 3-way tie which comes down to the dreaded "goal differential"
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Originally posted by vansmack:
And I don't need to tell you this, but Group A winners and losers play Group B winners and losers. [/b]
I have never felt more confident about the England team than I do for this tournament. I know we lost to France, but outplayed them, and they are probably the best team in the world....Brazil is always FIFA's #1 but that's just arse-kissing BS as we all know.
I really believe we can beat any team we may meet in this tournament, unless they self-destruct which is always a possibility with England...but I just can't see it happening with this squad and manager.
BTW, it's poetic justice that Russia went out so early. They cheated Wales out of a place during the qualifying rounds by fielding a non-elligable player.
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mankie i was just saying sunday was a great day to be french....and toselands better looking than beckham.
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Spain only needs a draw, but it is in these important games when they can't beat the pressure. I bet that if Greece plays well against Russia, Spain will be out. However, Russia is the typical crazy team that, being already out of the tournament, they might beat anybody.
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Originally posted by bungle bud:
mankie i was just saying sunday was a great day to be french....and toselands better looking than beckham.
I wouldn't fuck either one...but that's just me!
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Which one is mankie?
<img src="http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40283000/jpg/_40283827_fans300.jpg" alt=" - " />
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
I wouldn't fuck either one...but that's just me!
You'd fuck Keano though.
En-ger-land looked good today. Though the results would make it look like they were dominant, they were far from.
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Originally posted by vansmack:
Originally posted by Bollocks:
I wouldn't fuck either one...but that's just me!
You'd fuck Keano though.
En-ger-land looked good today. Though the results would make it look like they were dominant, they were far from. [/b]
Wouldn't fuck him, just a BJ!
;)
Funny old game innit? You can outplay a team and lose 2-1, then be outplayed (first half) and win 3-0!
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Croatia 2-2 Frogs
Another Zidane free kick and awful backpass gift goal. Can't the stinking Frogs score on their own merits?
Should make interesting final games for that division.
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Croatia 2-2 Frogs
Another Zidane free kick and awful backpass gift goal. Can't the stinking Frogs score on their own merits?
Should make interesting final games for that division.
Two crappers, I tell you. Unbelievable. Does make for a good June 21 matchday though...looking forward to it!
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Originally posted by Barcelona:
Originally posted by Dethroned Emperor:
anyone else looking forward to seeing the orange army smack around germany tomorrow?
Oh yes, I am from Spain but have always pretty much disliked my national team and have always followed the Netherlands. [/b]
jilipolla!
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Originally posted by SalParadise:
Originally posted by Barcelona:
Originally posted by Dethroned Emperor:
anyone else looking forward to seeing the orange army smack around germany tomorrow?
Oh yes, I am from Spain but have always pretty much disliked my national team and have always followed the Netherlands. [/b]
jilipolla! [/b]
No, I have always felt great admiration for the Netherlands. As for Spain, Spain has never had confidence, it's always the same, I would be very happy if they won the tournament this year, but this time I think it is a young team (and Raul shouldn't be playing just for being Raul).
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By the way,
FORGET ABOUT THE EURO 2004.
Did anybody see the semifinal of the Libertadores Cup? Amazing River-Boca. 5-4 in the penalty kicks for Boca. Also, two goals around minute 88 and 94, amazing (the score was 2-1 for River today and 1-0 for Boca last week). I believe there was a recent article in the Independent, the Times or another UK paper about the best rivalries in the world and this was ranked as the top 1 rivalry. Amazing game, sad that the game is over now.
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Italy could be the first big name bounced from the tourney. minus totti, and against a swedish team that appear to be in top-form. it would be a small miracle if they were to win today.
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Originally posted by Dethroned Emperor:
Italy could be the first big name bounced from the tourney. minus totti, and against a swedish team that appear to be in top-form. it would be a small miracle if they were to win today.
No loss if you ask me. The style of the Italians is sooooooo boring. "Lets play a 8-1-1 format!" They may as well.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is Swedish? Amazing.
Italy is in trouble and this could come down to total goals scored which is probably worse than goal differential.
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How in hades is Italy in trouble? Their big game against ... Bulgaria? Easy win to say the least. I can't stand watching Italy as well. Just a bunch of pompous arses, but their history is quite impressive. Go back ten years. Shouldn't have made it out of group play, almost won the tournament. Four years ago... finals, and beaten by golden goal. Got royally robbed two years ago, who knows what could've... I think their "talent" is severly overrated, just like the Germans... but they have a consistent system, and maybe more importantly... they think they are going to win.
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did i say spain, i meant sweden, i always get the s teams mixed up.
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Holland v. Czech Republic. Best game of the tournament so far (unless you're dutch of course). Unbelievable.
At least the Dutch are consistently inconsistent. They never fail to make things interesting.
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Originally posted by myuman:
How in hades is Italy in trouble? Their big game against ... Bulgaria? Easy win to say the least.
Because a win doesn't assure them safe passage. Thye have to win and hope there's no 1-1 draw in the battle of Scandanavia. And if there is, they have to win by 2. A 2-2 draw eliminates Italy. Italy is already accusing Denmark and Sweden of fixing the match, though not a single player has set foot on the pitch. I love the Italians!
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Which one is mankie?
This one's Mankie:
<img src="http://www.soccernet.com/images/jb2/godsgift_emps225.jpg" alt=" - " />
Doing quite well for yourself, if you ask me...
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Alright Mankie - was the fix on? I nailed a 2-2 draw wager in Vegas though!
Arrivederci Azzurri....
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Sweden and Denmark were far more deserving. Italy = Boring
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I think that even in the 88th minute, when the score in the Denmark-Sweden game was 2-1 for the Danish and the score in Bulgaria-Italy was 1-1 for the Italians, Italy still needed two more goals to go through (doesn't sound correct since Sweden had scored five goals against Bulgaria, but at least this is what they said in the Argentinean TV, haven't looked at the math). If that is the case, there is no way Italy would have gone through. They deserve to be out, as Spain deserves also to be out.
Actually I am pretty happy to see Totti out of the tournament.
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I'm sure it was fixed, but I would've fixed it to get rid of the most boring team to watch outside of the USA! ;)
What about Engerland then??? We must be one of the faves at this point.
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
I'm sure it was fixed, but I would've fixed it to get rid of the most boring team to watch outside of the USA! ;)
What about Engerland then??? We must be one of the faves at this point.
I finally saw the 88th minute goal last night - the keeper "failed" to hang on, dropping the ball right at the feet of the Swede scorer. I'm pretty sure it was fixed too and I will gladly collect my cash for predicting a 2-2 draw, only the 3rd in the 170 something draws in Euro competition. Good times.
The US is not boring, they're just not very disciplined, which tend to make them more exciting than boring.
As for Engerland, I would say France with the quarter-final round game against Greece have a better draw, and nobody is playing better than the Czech's right now, but Engerland has to like their chances.
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Originally posted by vansmack:
The US is not boring, they're just not very disciplined, which tend to make them more exciting than boring.
[/b]
;) ;) ;) Didn't you notice that??
The US actually play pretty entertaining ball, I was referring more to MLS, which is just like the Italian national team 8-1-1 format!
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HT
Krauts 1-1 Czech
Dutch 2-0 Latvia
Let's hope it stays that way and Germany goes home early to keep the Italians company......
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
I was referring more to MLS, which is just like the Italian national team 8-1-1 format!
I don't watch the MLS very often, although I will attend an MLS match when they play them in conjunction with US National team matches.
And ys, I was watching the Dutch match, but I will switch to the second half of the Kraut - Czech match. Dobrý den.
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Hitler...has only got one ball,
The other, is in the Albert Hall,
His mother, the dirty bugger,
She cut it, off, when he was small!!!
Bye Bye...go eat your strudel as you watch the elite of Europe battle it out! Maybe Italy will send you some nice vino to wash it down.
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OWEN OWEN OWEN 1-0 1-0 3 MINUTES IN!
Never thought I'd utter the words Owen without "Fuck You" in front or "You Twat" after...but there you have it!
:D
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2-2 in extra time - this is an exciting game
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uh-oh
penalties - not good for engerland
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hard luck engerland
always tough to go out of these things on penalties - bloody exciting though....
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No comment.....penalties is a stupid way to decide a winner, I've always said it, always will. They should just keep playing 15 minute silver goal periods till someone wins.
Evidently, the England goal that was disallowed was a fine goal so the game should never had made it to penalties.
Oh well, the England curse continues.
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I'm not ready to talk about yesterday yet. Complete and utter shite.
Can somebody help me with a Soccer Friendly Pub in Rhode Island (Providence area) to watch today's match?
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Hate to pour salt into the wound...but this is funny.
http://www.thomasscott.net/flash/beckham/ (http://www.thomasscott.net/flash/beckham/)
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Is it me or is Beckham Englands worst penalty taker, ever?
I dunno, if you ignore the Sol Campbell goal, then you could make a case for either team deserving to win. Penalties are a shite way to go. But if it had been golden goal, well Portugal got theirs first....
I wonder if England will win anything in my lifetime?
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Maybe you Brits can clear something up for me. Is Becks any good? Honestly, this character first came to my attention by abruptly ending a great game in St. Entienne (sp?) in '98. My take is this... Michael Jordon was the most popular bball player in the world, and the best. Barry Bonds, ditto. And so on. Becks is the most popular, but I don't put this chap in the top 100. Just look back at the collapses. Of course the '98 incident. How 'bout his "chickening" out on a 50/50 ball against Roberto Carlos, that eventually led to a goal two years ago. Last night was awful. I suppose he is a pretty boy, but not a leader. Certainly not a great talent... Inspite of all this, Rooney's injury changed the game, and thier chances would have been much better had he stayed.
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David Batty is Englands worst penalty taker ever....Becks has not had a good run....the one against Turkey he out and out slipped as he planted his foot, that's just a freak thing that you can't blame him for really. He should never have taken the one against the frogs who have an ex Man Utd Goalie who you know he practiced penalties with a thousand times, Owen, Rooney or Gerrard should've taken that one. The one yesterday was similar to the one in Turkey, only I don't accept an excuse for that because all the other players from both teams took penalties from the same spot. He did take the first kick so the other players were aware of it after he slipped.
I'm sure the tabloids constantly hounding him and his family have taken an effect on his mindset and affected his game. He is most certainly one of the best players in the world, when he's on his game, but he's had a bad season that has leaked over into Euro 2004.
My only beef with it is the ref disallowed a perfectly good goal so the game should've been over after 90 mins, but playing the host team you are bound to be playing against 12 instead of 11.
I still think England will be a serious contender for the world cup in 06, this team is young and have two years to mature together...you mark my words.
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65 mins....Greece 1-0 Frogs!
If there is a God then Greece will hang on, but after yesterdays debacle, I doubt there is one.
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It's looks like it was a little chilly in Luton this evening! Just for smackie, a bit of posh nipper!
<img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40316000/jpg/_40316007_plane_203300.jpg" alt=" - " />
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AND THE FROGS WENT MARCHING HOME!!!!
Almost makes up for that fiasco yesterday....okay it doesn't, but it is great. Greece 1-0 Frogs .
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
It's looks like it was a little chilly in Luton this evening! Just for smackie, a bit of posh nipper!
Thanks Mank - for that, we're back on speaking terms.
Enjoy this essay I wrote - Why I like Soccer (http://www.foxsportsworld.com/content/view?contentId=2514582), By Vansmack
And there is justice with the Frogs going down!
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Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, the refs lost us the game. Just kick it in the damn net!!!!!!!!! The Punk kicked it like 80 feet over the net, Posh coulda gotten it closer to that, and probably look better trying. :D
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Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, the refs lost us the game. Just kick it in the damn net!!!!!!!!! The Punk kicked it like 80 feet over the net, Posh coulda gotten it closer to that, and probably look better trying. :D
Let me try to explain once more for the less civilized amongst us.....had that perfectly good goal not been disallowed, the game would never have gone to extra time, let alone penalties. I don't think I ever waaaah waaah'd about the missed penalty, England always lose when it goes to penalties.....but a bad call is a bad call, and in this instance it cost England bigtime.
That's it, game over......roll on 2006 when we can put it right, just hope we don't meet Germany or the ref will no doubt do it again.
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, the refs lost us the game. Just kick it in the damn net!!!!!!!!! The Punk kicked it like 80 feet over the net, Posh coulda gotten it closer to that, and probably look better trying. :D
Let me try to explain once more for the less civilized amongst us.....had that perfectly good goal not been disallowed, the game would never have gone to extra time, let alone penalties. I don't think I ever waaaah waaah'd about the missed penalty, England always lose when it goes to penalties.....but a bad call is a bad call, and in this instance it cost England bigtime.
That's it, game over......roll on 2006 when we can put it right, just hope we don't meet Germany or the ref will no doubt do it again. [/b]
<img src="http://www.acclaimimages.com/_gallery/_SM/0015-0402-0611-3834_SM.jpg" alt=" - " />
Give the Spice Girl a tissue! If England wouldn't have played like a bunch of scared rabbits for the last 65 minutes of regulation time you wouldn't be crying over that disputed goal. Portugal deserved to win the game. End of story!
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Originally posted by Imsodc:
Portugal deserved to win the game. End of story! [/b]
What a great idea...lets not bother counting goals, and we'll just decide who wins the game by who played the better....oh, wait, that already happened.
:roll:
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
65 mins....Greece 1-0 Frogs!
If there is a God then Greece will hang on...
Ancient Greece had 12 Gods, Modern Greece now has 11.
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Hey Mankie, why do Englishmen make better lovers than the French?
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Originally posted by vansmack:
Hey Mankie, why do Englishmen make better lovers than the French?
Coz we're English and they're not!!!!
News today broke that Saddam
Hussein is facing the death penalty, his defence team is optimistic however, because David Beckham will be taking it!! :D
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Originally posted by vansmack:
Hey Mankie, why do Englishmen make better lovers than the French?
Coz we're English and they're not!!!!
[/b]
Close.
Because Englishmen can stay on top for 89 minutes and still come second!
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That reminds me of my fave last world cup joke.
What do a teabag, Argentina and France all have in common?
They all stay in the cup for about 4 minutes!
I see all of Europe with the exception of one country will be cheering for Greece on Sunday, seeing as the host team are only there because of a couple of very dodgy calls...IN MORE THAN ONE GAME!
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What a horrible final.....
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Originally posted by vansmack:
What a horrible final.....
I wonder who'll win that one......
:roll:
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Terrible final. Too bad that the Netherlands and the Czech Republic are out of the final.
Anyway, in one month back to regular soccer. Can't wait to see the Champions League take off.
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From Salon:
Europe kicks!
Italian white trash spitting! Hot British lads wearing G-strings! Aging French stumbling to a Foreign Legion-like doom! It must be the European soccer championship.
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By Alessandro Camon
July 3, 2004 | On Sunday, around the time America turns on the barbecue grills to celebrate its independence, Europe will turn on the TV to celebrate the new champions of the sport America knows as "soccer." For everybody else, of course, it's still and always will be football, the world's primary entertainment and a business that hasn't stopped growing since its marriage with television half a century ago.
Euro 2004 has been an interesting tournament, though hardly as electrifying as the previous edition, which connoisseurs consider one of the best football (OK, soccer) competitions ever. What's been interesting about it is, above everything else, the collective fall of the superpowers. All teams that boast World Cup titles (Italy, Germany, England, France) were eliminated either in the first round or in the quarterfinals. The four semifinalists were home team Portugal, Holland, Greece and the Czech Republic. While at least three of these teams (the exception being Greece) have been knocking on heaven's door for decades, nobody would have predicted all four of them in the semis -- or that Greece and Portugal, two of Europe's poor Southern relations, would meet in Sunday's final. Factor in that Porto won the European title for clubs (over the much more rich, famous and decorated likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Manchester United, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Arsenal -- the ruling elite of Euro soccer), and it's apparent that this was the year of the underdog.
The European championship isn't the World Cup, but European fans care about it almost as much. Bragging rights in their own playground are at stake, and the tournament has a reliably high standard of quality. (European fans can be real snobs, and many don't feel quite right about tournaments played at noon in the dead of summer, such as the U.S.-hosted '94 World Cup, or in stadiums full of Korean fans in uniform blowing plastic trumpets.) Moreover, European clubs have so diluted their national identity that their performance in international games can't possibly mean the same as it once did for the country they belong to. Real Madrid doesn't have more than a handful of Spanish players; Arsenal (one of the historic London teams) is half-French, including the coach. Therefore, in the age of globalization and the European community, national team soccer plays an important role keeping national identities in shape. For the last hundred years, soccer has defined what it means to be Italian, English, Dutch or German as well as any other national endeavor. Club soccer may offer the absolute best of the game, but national team soccer retains the ability to express some of its essential values and archetypes.
And so: Everyone knows that the Italians are defensive-minded, and lure the opponent forward to stun them with crafty fast breaks; the English love to tackle and crisscross the field with long balls; the Dutch stress possession and versatility, their typical player being a jack-of-all-trades; the Germans rely on pace, power and simple geometries. Much can be written (and has) about the ways these styles of play reveal fundamental truths about a nation's history and character. The Italians have always been smaller than Northern Europeans, and ever since the Roman Empire, Italy has been invaded by just about everybody, hence its defensive mentality; Italy also has rich artistic traditions, hence its taste for creative counterattacks. By the same token, England being an island, Holland being a hub of commerce, Germany being landlocked, etc., could be imaginatively connected to their game.
Of course, each national style can be perceived as a virtue or a sin, according to the changing fortunes of the respective teams in international competitions.
Take the Germans: Though always lacking in flair, their relentlessness and machinelike organization have made them a consistently dominating force. "Football is a simple game," famously said former England player Gary Lineker, "where 22 players play against each other and in the end Germany wins." Except it no longer does. And spoiled of its aura of invincibility, Germany now appears joyless and gray, painfully aware of its shortcomings and longing for new inspiration. Its coach Rudy Voeller was the first to resign after the elimination from the tournament, daunted by the looming task of leading the team in the next World Cup campaign on its own home turf. There was always something militaristic about the German game, a triumph of discipline and physical might. Suddenly this feels old-fashioned and obsolete: If Germany is an army, it's an old-school one in a new type of war. To be German today is to learn self-deprecation and contemplate the strange notion of hiring a foreign coach; in other words, to look at the world with very different eyes.
Italy, which was an early favorite to win the trophy, was another crushing disappointment, and its campaign was marred by the tournament's big scandal. On their first game against Denmark, Italy's star player Francesco Totti was caught on camera spitting on a Danish defender, and was promptly labeled "the Italian llama" by the Danish press. UEFA had no choice but to disqualify him for three games. The Italian team plunged into chaos and paranoia, and flew home after just two more lackluster performances. Spitting is not unheard of in soccer (Germany coach Voeller, once an outstanding player, was literally showered by Dutchman Frank Rijkaard in the most egregious such incident), but the amount of coverage a game of this level receives makes it most unwise. Totti's spit was unequivocally documented and available to see 24/7 all over the Internet.
Through sheer visibility, its very ethical dimension came into sharper evidence. Spitting can be seen as an act of rebellious insouciance or supreme arrogance. Totti's spit carried both meanings. A proud product of the Roman borgate, or working-class suburbs, Totti is a rich white-trash boy who was lashing out against a lesser colleague, presumably angered by rude tackling. His spit expressed a rebellion against a system that stifles creativity with rough play, as well as the insufferable attitude of a spoiled brat. Does that say something about contemporary Italian men? Undoubtedly, the combination of rebelliousness and arrogance defines the ethos of one of Italy's most culturally influential modern exports, the Mafia (full disclosure: I feel allowed to criticize Italy harshly, as I am Italian myself). Be that as it may, the Italian coach Trapattoni was sacked, and the new one (Marcello Lippi) promised to rebuild the team. Around Totti.
England was the most unlucky team of the tournament. It started the campaign with high expectations, fielding its best side since the legendary World Cup victory of 1966. The whole country was on a high. If you walked through the streets of London last Thursday, the day of England's ill-fated match with Portugal (I happened to be there), you couldn't go more than a few steps without passing by a Cross of St. George. Up until a few years ago, the national flag was hardly ever visible, a perceived anachronism that was best left alone due to its potentially inflammatory religious overtones, and the feeling that it had been co-opted and corrupted by the far right. The Union Jack was enough of a fashion statement to overcome such problems, but the Cross of St. George? Forget about it. Clearly, something changed over the last few years. A wave of popular enthusiasm for the national team reclaimed the flag and the desire to rally behind it (without having to go to war). England was on the verge of pulling a great upset in its debut match against France. Zinedine Zidane scored twice for France in overtime and crushed that dream. England regrouped, won the next two games with convincing efforts, and met Portugal in what will be remembered as the most dramatic match of Euro 2004. England scored first, Portugal equalized toward the close of regulation. Despite Portugal's spirited performance, England should have won with a last-minute goal that was unjustly disallowed by the Swiss referee. The game went into overtime and then to the penalty kicks. England had to do without its best player, forward Wayne Rooney, who was the victim of an injury in the early stages of the match. To top it off, team captain David Beckham missed his penalty (his third consecutive miss in international games). Such momentous bad luck reminds us of the ultimate reason why the world loves soccer (and America doesn't, at least not as much). A high-scoring game is best suited to ensure that the best team wins -- especially if you have playoffs. Soccer still leaves a much larger role to chance and human error. In this sense, soccer is more like life: not fair. An England victory would have been unfair to Portugal, who did more to win the match. Portugal's victory was unfair to England, who scored a goal that should have counted.
Still, there was a major consolation for England: In Wayne Rooney, not yet 19 years of age, it has the most exciting young player in the world. A stocky, rough-edged scouser (Liverpudlian), Rooney is the anti-Beckham. While Beckham graces the cover of Vanity Fair, is married to a Spice Girl, cheats on her with spicier ones, sports fancy tattoos not to mention ever-changing hairstyles, revels in his status as a gay icon and has once confessed a proclivity for wearing female underpants, Rooney harks back to pre-metrosexual models of masculinity. He wears a military haircut, already carries a few extra pounds, doesn't court the media and surely wouldn't be caught dead wearing a G-string. How refreshing to know he will be England's hero for the next 10 years.
The underwhelming performances of Spain followed the country's long history of choking. In a sense, that's also true of Holland, which always makes it a little further than Spain, but almost never goes all the way. The same cannot be said for France, reigning European champions and '98 world champions. In the last decade France took soccer by storm with a multiethnic team led by Franco-Algerian Zidane, and featuring several players of African, Caribbean and Armenian descent. They came from all the best leagues in the continent, bringing with them a wealth of skills, experience and tactical savvy. At its best, France looked like a world all-star team. At its worst, such as in this tournament, it resembled a foreign legion, battle-weary and demotivated. Thirty-one-year-old Zidane can still do things with the ball that most players couldn't do if you removed the other team from the field. What he can't do is outpace younger defenders, or save the day every time with a magic trick. Most of the French team isn't any younger than Zidane, and France's elimination is probably just a matter of wear and tear. Whether another great generation is ready to take over remains to be seen.
And so it was that the final came to be played by Portugal (the perennial unfulfilled promise) and Greece (the amazing dark horse, an 80-to-1 contender going into the tournament). Portugal was finally worthy of its self-image as the Brazil of Europe, defeating higher-ranking teams like Spain, England and Holland -- matches evocative of ancient maritime rivalries. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and playmaker Deco are from Brazil, and Portugal's dazzling wingers, old fox Figo and young hotshot Christiano Ronaldo, might as well be. Greece proved to be a well-rounded, hardworking, hungry team capable of beating the odds game after game (its victims include Portugal in the opening match, titleholders France, and the talented Czech Republic, who looked like a likely tournament winner until their captain Pavel Nedved, European player of the year, twisted his knee in the semifinal). Greece in the final is the inspiring proof, akin to the victory of the blue-collar Detroit Pistons over the superstar-laden Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals this year, that a team without stars but rich in commitment and tactical acumen can beat anyone. Interestingly, the team is coached by a German, Otto Rehhagel: Perhaps classic German wisdom is well suited to an emerging team after all.
It's hard to resist the temptation to read Portugal and Greece's success as a metaphor for their respective countries claiming a place at the table of the powerful nations of Europe. This final may not break most-watched records, but it's historically significant. To appreciate this significance is to instantly understand a paramount reason why soccer has yet to claim the U.S. It won't happen until this country can feel part of this centuries-old international drama of rivalry and envy, fate and willpower, generational grudges and karmic comeuppances. Ultimately, the international soccer fan is a different animal from any type of American fan because he brings to the game a stake in such larger narratives.
Soccer fever makes it clear why we need sports as much as ever. They are, of course, the last true meritocracy, where nepotism and lucky breaks can only take you so far (doping could change that, but not particularly in soccer, where size and strength don't count as much as skill and vision). Most important, they provide an outlet for collective feelings that are otherwise repressed by the twin constraints of traditional responsibilities and modern p.c. ethics. The sports fan can evade responsibility and regress to his childlike self, accessing a world of clanship, masculine bonding and competition (with its dark side of violence and prejudice). For a few hours, he can dip into a bubbling cauldron of intense passions that only war could express more powerfully. Euro 2004, like any such tournament, was a spectacle on the stands as much as on the fields. Grown men and women dressed like oranges, roosters, Vikings, bullfighters, commedia dell'arte characters, singing, screaming and crying. There must be something to it. Watch the game Sunday, and judge for yourself.
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About the writer
Alessandro Camon is a film producer based in Los Angeles.
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I guess people in Barcelona will never forgive him for going to Madrid. Pretty surprising to see this guy throwing the Barcelona flag into Figo's face.
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Originally posted by Barcelona:
Terrible final.
Are you kidding? I'll watch the gritty underdog win anyday, instead of a team of prema donas spitting on each other and lambasting the refs!It was a success for organisation, good coaching and supreme fitness!
Rocky, Hoosiers, Rudy, Miracle on Ice, Breaking Away, etc....
"Spoilsports from the start to the finish. Greece go into the book of the most sensational achievements in football history. More sensational than Denmark, the European champions in 1992, this win can be compared to the legendary triumph of Uruguay, who in 1950 in Rio de Janeiro took the World Cup from Brazil. But that Uruguay was full of great players and this Greece has no stars. They haven't stolen anything - to be clear, they just prefer to destroy the opponent's play instead of playing their own game.
(Italy - Gazzetta dello Sport)"