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Euro 2008

Croatia 3 - England 2

Bye bye Steve and England.

Nuff said.



[Edited on 22-11-07 by SuperRoo]
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Comments

  • Thank-you for those kind words. We didn't deserve to qualify. It would have papered over the cracks and, once more, we would have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage.
  • Yes Simon, probably a shock like the knocking out from a major tournament is the best medicine to treat an illness that otherwise would go on.

    What now? Capello? Mourinho?

    As for the Euro 2008,....let's see the drawing in 8 days time! With Austria, Switzerland and Greece being heads of series along with one big, there might be weird groupings there! (there might be one with Croatia, Holland or Italy, France and Spain, and one with Austria or Greece, Poland and Sweden....)
  • actually am i the only one who thought that england didn't play all that badly last night (in stark contrast to the league one level they were on against Austria)? they surely were putting the pressure onto croatia until the first freak goal. the thing is that croatia was just absolutely amazing, the way they combined, the way they were able to hold on to the ball was great to watch, a favourite for the title, perhaps.
  • Thanks RJ, but England were crap. Croatia had much better skill and teamwork and THEY KEPT THE BALL. Sorry to shout.
  • England drawn with Croatia in the qualifying rounds for the world cup in 2010. Revenge or will it be another nail.
  • I think Croatia could be a great contender for the title. Together with the Italians and Germans, who always are dangerous in tournaments.
  • Here we are, guys, are you all ready for this new campaign?

    Seems like it's going to be a very interesting championship, with at least 5 teams candidated for victory (France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Holland), and never forget the Germans, the Croatians, the Czech and, with this Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Suedes.

    The true protagonists may be C. Ronaldo, Torres, Cassano, Ibrahimovic, Trezeguet, Toni, Ballack.....

    There will be lots to talk about in the next 4 weeks!

    I propose you a small game: try to guess the 4 semi-finalists.
    My quartet is Czech Republic-Italy-Germany-Sweden.
  • i actually have to giggle how excited my fellow townsmen are getting about the four games that will be played there. shopkeepers are taking language classes, and tourism supremos expect a major, long term boost. Anyone who can remember the town where Holland played Latvia in 2004 has a pint on me :-)

    I think Jogi will take the title. My semi finalists Portugal, Germany, Italy and France

    For more information ;-) http://www.tirol08.at/
  • As a Scotsman I don't really care who wins. Italy might be a good shout just so they can hold both the Euro and the world cup at the same time.

    But i'm actually looking forward to a major football tournament for a change at least this time we non-english UK fans might actually get some unbiased analysis for once.

    Hold on who am I kidding they'll just keep going on about how England would have beat this team or what would happen if England were here.

    For a laugh my semi finalists are Czech Republic, Italy Germany and Portugal
  • what are you talking about?
    we are going for the double...
  • take back italy, I should have known, they're doing what France did in 2002
  • Well, so far I would say that the only real protagonist of Euro 2008 has been Cristiano ROnaldo: great Portugal that puts forward its candidature for the final win!
    Spain seems to be doing what it has always done: a great qualifying round, then a great first phase, see if also this time they'll melt in the quarter-finals!
    If they don't,Torres might be another great protagonist.
    Croatia confirmed the dangerousness of former Yugoslavian teams, but I don't see it as a candidate for the win. Czech Republic, despite the loss against Portugal, should easily qualify against Turkey, and has a good chance to make it to the semis. There, it would probably be a different game against Portugal....
    As for Germany, it will qualify (can't see them losing to Austria) but still they're not a team that can seriously think to win.
    Holland was brilliant but also lucky, if they win the group they'll probably get Sweden in the quarters, and it will be a great game.
    Italy and France have to be seriously careful, if they don't wake up they might be out tomight!
    And, as surprise of the tournament, I still see Sweden, Ibra seems in good shape.....
    Greco, did greece really think they could win another championship playing 11 in defense of the goal? :-) C'm on, the game they played against Sweden was really annerving!!!
  • Holland -v- France was magic.
  • lesson to be learned from today, never put a tenner on the French :P
  • come on Manlio.... ok the game against the swedish was just a bad one, the rest were ok, no luck though...

    turks are ok, and germans so bloody effective
  • Originally posted by manlio27
    Well, so far I would say that the only real protagonist of Euro 2008 has been Cristiano ROnaldo: great Portugal that puts forward its candidature for the final win!
    Spain seems to be doing what it has always done: a great qualifying round, then a great first phase, see if also this time they'll melt in the quarter-finals!
    If they don't,Torres might be another great protagonist.
    Croatia confirmed the dangerousness of former Yugoslavian teams, but I don't see it as a candidate for the win. Czech Republic, despite the loss against Portugal, should easily qualify against Turkey, and has a good chance to make it to the semis. There, it would probably be a different game against Portugal....
    As for Germany, it will qualify (can't see them losing to Austria) but still they're not a team that can seriously think to win.
    Holland was brilliant but also lucky, if they win the group they'll probably get Sweden in the quarters, and it will be a great game.
    Italy and France have to be seriously careful, if they don't wake up they might be out tomight!
    And, as surprise of the tournament, I still see Sweden, Ibra seems in good shape.....
    Greco, did greece really think they could win another championship playing 11 in defense of the goal? :-) C'm on, the game they played against Sweden was really annerving!!!
    Very poor analysis Greco my man! ;)
  • Poor Holland - watch out for the young Ruskies at the World Cup.
  • the one time i go into town, all clad in orange in a rare spree of patriotic (matriotic??) fervour, drinking heavily and roaring Dutch football songs they lose ... that hurt
  • They were poor. Peaked too soon. Will Hiddink be allowed home?
  • sure, the Dutch ain't Iti's. Actually I guess that because of Hiddink a considerable percentage of the Dutch support will shift to Mother Russia. Please, please, please, please can the KNVB sack Van Basten now?
  • and cheerio to the most negative playing footballing world champions ive ever seen
  • Originally posted by forzaminardi
    sure, the Dutch ain't Iti's. Actually I guess that because of Hiddink a considerable percentage of the Dutch support will shift to Mother Russia. Please, please, please, please can the KNVB sack Van Basten now?
    Van Basten is going to coach Ajax next season, I think they signed him months ago. His successor will be Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk. And for some reason I think he might be able to perform even worse...
  • So, it will be Spain-Germany.
    Yes, 4eva, my analysis was quite poor, I was sure none of these two teams would reach the final, I overrated Czech Republic and Sweden, didn't predict Portugal's naivety against Germany (what a chance Portugal missed, again like 4 years ago!) and never considered Turkey's soul and Russia's speed and organization....
    But at least I guessed that Italy and France were soon going home......

    As for the players, I guess there will be several auctions in July by the European top teams to get Arshavin and some of his teammates, and also some of the Croatians and of the Dutchmen will see their price rise a lot.

    Unfortunately we have neither Germans nor Spaniards in the forum anymore, as Minardus and Homer left long time ago.

    I refrain from making any more predictions now :-), I just hope Spain to win (this German team, despite Ballack, is very dull, isn't it?)
  • I think Spain will win it this time...!
  • VIVA Espana.

    Man, if Spain can win surely there's hope for Engerland! Well, maybe not...
  • Well done Spain, deserved winners. More pressure on England now as the 'least achieving' of the major Euro nations. If anyone can turn it around, Capello can ...
  • Capello's hasn't a cat in hell's chance. Spain demonstrated with close passing and tight interchanging triangles that its all done to player skill. England just don't have skillful players as they're never taught it as kids. Add in the fact that tournament football is a summer game and I see many more decades of England achieving little.
  • I fear you are right but the main English disease is complacency.
  • 1964.... Spain win the Euros for the first time, 2 years later England win the World Cup for the first time

    2008.... Spain win the Euros for the second time, 2 years later.......

    There's hope for England yet!!!

    ;)
  • 4eva, I've got some swampland you might be interested in buying!
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