EURO 2008

spraggy · Post by **spraggy** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:28 pm

Anyone fancy the Austrians tonight?

Prufrock · Post by **Prufrock** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:25 pm

FD wrote:
bobby5 wrote:Typical of Cech lately. Why people keep on labelling him the best goal keepr in the world, I don't know. He was superb 18 months ago but has been ordinary since.
He's not been the same since that horrible little c*nt Steven Hunt did him in has he. Not that I mind, just saying

Also a bit disappointed at the abuse toward Webb, made the right decision in my book.

Ditto, not his fault other refs are too soft to give it. Noticed the rest have started being stricter about it, stopping and telling players off now he's had the balls to do it and taken all the flak. Never been Howard Webb's biggest fan but i thought he was spot on the other night, only major wrong decision was his linesman's. As for the leader's of the country coming out saying what they did, its ridiculous! And i thought WE were ruled by dangerous fools!

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:34 pm

spraggy wrote:Anyone fancy the Austrians tonight?

Yes!

FD · Post by FD » Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:25 pm

Prufrock wrote: Ditto, not his fault other refs are too soft to give it. Noticed the rest have started being stricter about it, stopping and telling players off now he's had the balls to do it and taken all the flak. Never been Howard Webb's biggest fan but i thought he was spot on the other night, only major wrong decision was his linesman's. As for the leader's of the country coming out saying what they did, its ridiculous! And i thought WE were ruled by dangerous fools!

...and in case anyone didn't know this, he's now come out and apologised to the Austrians for the offside decision not being given.

Prufrock · Post by **Prufrock** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:38 am

FD wrote:
Prufrock wrote: Ditto, not his fault other refs are too soft to give it. Noticed the rest have started being stricter about it, stopping and telling players off now he's had the balls to do it and taken all the flak. Never been Howard Webb's biggest fan but i thought he was spot on the other night, only major wrong decision was his linesman's. As for the leader's of the country coming out saying what they did, its ridiculous! And i thought WE were ruled by dangerous fools!
...and in case anyone didn't know this, he's now come out and apologised to the Austrians for the offside decision not being given.

Thus his stock rises massively amongst the already ludicrously hateful of the poles, no? As i said i don't think he's a particularly good ref (nor for that matter particularly bad) but i respect him more every day this goes on.

wovlad · Post by **wovlad** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:30 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:
spraggy wrote:Anyone fancy the Austrians tonight?
Yes!

Brings back memories of Munich does that picture.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:42 pm

wovlad wrote:Brings back memories of Munich does that picture.

Oh, hello. Tale on.

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:53 pm

Shock, horror. If Romania should beat Holland tonight, France and Italy both go out anyway.

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:24 pm

Was reading the paper formerly known as the BEN today...couldn't believe what the guy wrote in his euro 2008 column.

REMEMBER Diego Maradona’s brilliant dribble against England at Mexico 86, Van Basten’s scissor-volley against the Russians in Germany in 88 or David Platt’s shot on the turn that flattened the Belgians in Italia 90? Sure you do.

But what will etch itself into the memory banks from Austria-Switzerland 2008? If the first nine days of the tournament are anything to go by, not a lot.

Normally by this time in a major competition we have moaned at least once about the ‘new ball’ they are using after a thunderbolt free-kick turns 90 degrees in the air, or about some loony directive issued by FIFA before the tournament that instructs the referees to book anyone found guilty of using too much hair gel.
But so far this year, things have ticked by without so much as a whiff of controversy. Just like co-hosts Switzerland, it’s all so neutral.

Even when both coaches were sent to the stands in last night’s game between Austria and Germany (how often does that happen?), the two men took the news as if they had been asked to shuffle along a few seats at the cinema.

Michael Ballack’s free-kick raised the pulses temporarily but that might have been because in more than 1,600 minutes of football we have not seen Europe’s finest conjure a single decent set-piece.

Germany booked their place in the last eight but I agree with Alan Hansen, their defence looks suspect. I’d be surprised if they went all the way this time.
Croatia’s reserves did enough to make sure Poland never got close to qualifying and that’s a shame for the tournament’s best keeper so far, Artur Boruc.
It could all change tonight when the Group of Death reaches its climax. It would be a shame if the Dutch emulated Croatia and rested their big names, but you can hardly blame them.

It might be a case of winner takes all in the France-Italy game – but what price Romania sniffing out a 1-0 win against Holland to send both sides through? Now that would be a stand-out moment.

I mean, seriously, 'not a lot'? The Dutch masterclasses as well as the offside/onside goal against Italy, Turkey v Czech Republic, Croatia beating zee Germans, Gomez's unbelievable miss...and ffs we ain't even out of the group stages yet!!!

spraggy · Post by **spraggy** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:40 pm

It's been a great tournament so far, only one or two poor matches. Who wrote this crap?

warthog · Post by **warthog** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:41 pm

I've enjoyed it so far. Especially as England haven't been involved.

jonnybwfc · Post by **jonnybwfc** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:47 pm

An amusing advertisement on German radio (I think it might be for Sony) goes something like this ...

"What do Luxembourg, San Marino, Andorra, Leichtenstein and England have in common ... their supporters will be watching the Euros on zeeee television ... bwhahaha."

The guy's uber-German voice makes it kinda funny.

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:50 pm

spraggy wrote:It's been a great tournament so far, only one or two poor matches. Who wrote this crap?

Marc Iles, link:

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/eu ... .php#break

Athers · Post by **Athers** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:01 pm

The first batch of games was pretty crap really though, the Dutch and Spanish aside - plenty narrow wins for the favourite.

Now 20 games in how many would you say were really good? 4 or 5 maybe?

Though across two Premier League weekends it's maybe a similar ratio...

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:28 pm

warthog wrote:I've enjoyed it so far. Especially as England haven't been involved.

I can understand what you're saying, but I really struggle to watch games that I have absolutey no emotional investment in.

That said, I'll be hoping for a Romanian victory tonight as that'll put the Frogs out.

PB might be able to let us know how tonight's game/reult is being viewed over there and as to whether de mensen are happy to lose this one?

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:43 pm

Looking forward to a bit of Gallic/Italic niggle here. Should be a card fest.

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:54 pm

French coach Domeneque for the next Dr Who anybody?

FD · Post by FD » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:17 pm

Softest penalty/red card in a tournament?

Tombwfc · Post by **Tombwfc** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:21 pm

Meh, Luca Toni was definately praying someone would come near him so he could go over because he knew he wouldn't score (Kind of like Baros did against Man Utd in the FA Cup last year), but IMO it was a definate pen and the law says he's got to go. Good decision.

Nobbys Belly · Post by **Nobbys Belly** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:23 pm

Hope Domenech gets what he truely deserves tonight I'm not sure if it was his anti Bolton comments or simply the arrogance with which he carries himself but I find myself truely disliking him and enjoying the France Italy game all the more for it.

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