Euro 2016

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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So many permuations this evening...

You need to be a maths genius to figure out all this boolshit...

xROTx

PS. Even if Germany lose tomorrow... they can still go through... this makes me sad...
 

Takumaji

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France - Switzerland was interesting, in some way it was a repetition of Germany - Poland with a strong France that had their scoring difficulties and a determined Switzerland who knew how to disturb the French game and quickly switch to counters.

Overall I've seen better EC playoffs, though.

Tonight I'll watch Slovakia - England. Sorry, Wales! :D
 

Takumaji

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I'm thinking you're regretting that.

A bit... the game was quite exciting at times but also had its boring parts and ended without goals while Wales kicked a seemingly tired Russia out of the cup with three nice goals. Anyway, cheers for reaching the round of 16, Wales and England!

Oh, and Puma, fix yer bloody shirts, dammit! :D

EDIT:

Ah crap, can't watch the Germany game tonight because we'll be on another tour to Turin/Italy today and tomorrow... damn you, fireworks biz!
 

StevenK

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England, Wales and Northern Ireland all through! Massive uphill struggle for Republic of Ireland now, I don't see it happening though I wish them all the luck in the world.
 

oliverclaude

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Thanks for the Wales game info guys, I was visiting someone that day, so I couldn't check it out. It was funny to experience a foreign commentator tho.

Just finished watching Croatia - Spain and a very exciting 2:1. Croatia is a serious finale contender, because their team is based on two of the best playmakers in the world: Rakitic & Modric. It's the lack of such a player, that makes teams like Portugal, Belgium, or England -- tho blessed with so many talented stars -- feel unbalanced & disjointed.

What do you think? Which other teams have that kind of a "thinking man's" star in their team? Less skilled examples are Poland's Krychowiak and Kroos from our team. Portugal once had Figo, Italy had one of my all-time faves, Andrea Pirlo. Such players are worth their weight in gold... and then some.
 

StevenK

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Thanks for the Wales game info guys, I was visiting someone that day, so I couldn't check it out. It was funny to experience a foreign commentator tho.

Just finished watching Croatia - Spain and a very exciting 2:1. Croatia is a serious finale contender, because their team is based on two of the best playmakers in the world: Rakitic & Modric. It's the lack of such a player, that makes teams like Portugal, Belgium, or England -- tho blessed with so many talented stars -- feel unbalanced & disjointed.

What do you think? Which other teams have that kind of a "thinking man's" star in their team? Less skilled examples are Poland's Krychowiak and Kroos from our team. Portugal once had Figo, Italy had one of my all-time faves, Andrea Pirlo. Such players are worth their weight in gold... and then some.

Ironically I think Rooney now plays that part for England - though I'm not convinced yet that he completely fills the role. I never rated him as an international striker but I think he was a decent playmaker in the first two games, he spread the ball well and built a few decent moves, and I think it was a mistake to bench him for the third game.

That said I'm still only talking of him being the best we've got, not in any way the best there is, and it seems a stretch for me to talk about him being the thinking man's anything....
 

oliverclaude

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Massive uphill struggle for Republic of Ireland now, I don't see it happening though I wish them all the luck in the world.

Your wishing made the difference! Italy is so afraid of Spain, they'll put their WHOLE... reserve bench against Ireland, planning to spare as much of their blood & sweat as possible. Better than finding eleven four leaf clovers in the turf. Of course, the Boys in Green still have to give their best yet.
 

MattBlah

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Italy and England both have a tough time now, being in the same block as Spain, Germany and France. Croatia on the other hand have it pretty good, I could see them easily getting to the final. I've just put £2 on Germany 1st, Croatia 2nd.
 

oliverclaude

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Ironically I think Rooney now plays that part for England...

I absolutely agree, he's one of those important invisible powers, that can bind and unite individual players into a team, conduct the defense, engineer attacks etc. He's not the best tho, with a much bigger charisma, than skill as a playmaker, that's why I omitted him in my previous post.

While we're at it, here are some other historical figures: Beckenbauer & Deyna a/k/a the bloody monsoon in Frankfurt a/k/a die Wasserschlacht von Frankfurt in German... #thosewerethedayz

On topic: Hungary - Portugal 3:3! A totally ambiguous game, half luck, half brilliance. Now, if this doesn't make for the most gripping game during this championships, then what does? Had a great time.
 

oliverclaude

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Another ingenious playmaker was Spain's Xabi Alonso, now one might say, Iniesta took over. Belgium could, with some obvious limitations, rely on Fellaini. He did a formidable job as a, sort of unconventional, playmaker in Everton under Moyes, before his luck turned into a disaster as he took over The Red Devils. Following Moyes to ManU was for Fellaini the begin of his own downfall as well. Too bad, I hate seeing good players/managers getting destroyed by far too high ambitions.
 

xsq

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So quite a few surprises here - Croatia wins group d, Wales wins group b, Iceland makes it into the knock out rounds...
 

oliverclaude

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Here we are...

Switzerland/Poland - Kroatia/Portugal

Wales/Notrhern Ireland - Hungary/Belgium

Germany/Slovakia - Italy/Spain

France/Ireland - England/Iceland

Anyone notice the irony about the partitioning?

Never though that gaining the first place in a group could be so deadly.

Italy & Germany would sure love to be placed third now. Hahaha ;).
 

Takumaji

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Been watching Switzerland - Poland which turned out quite dramatic.

First game of the k.o. round and we see extra time and penalties. Poland played well, Switzerland was better but still lost in the penalties. Ah well, that's the game.

Something tells me that Germany - Slovakia will be nerve-wrecking.
 

MtothaJ

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Been watching Switzerland - Poland which turned out quite dramatic.

First game of the k.o. round and we see extra time and penalties. Poland played well, Switzerland was better but still lost in the penalties. Ah well, that's the game.

Something tells me that Germany - Slovakia will be nerve-wrecking.

Good game overall. 1st half was dominated by Poland but Switzerland showed great spirit in the 2nd half and extra time, bouncing back with a brilliant goal and creating quite a few opportunities. Strong goalkeeping by Fabianski and of course the penalties swung this one in Poland's favour.
 

Rot

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We Voted out of the EU... FU Merkel...

...Now... if only Slovakia would win on Sunday... it'd be the perfect week:D

xROTx
 

Takumaji

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We Voted out of the EU... FU Merkel...

...Now... if only Slovakia would win on Sunday... it'd be the perfect week:D

xROTx

ppfj.jpg


"Splitters!"

:D
 

RAZO

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Portugal lives to fight another day. Poland is going to be tough match.
 

oliverclaude

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Poland played well, Switzerland was better but still lost in the penalties. Ah well, that's the game.

In my opinion both teams were equal but Blaszczykowski's goal was way better, than Shaqiri's, because the latter was pure luck, the former the consequence of a sublime combination. It was a similar thing, like the Hungary - Portugal case, where at least two of Hungary's goals were pure luck. I'd call them Hungarian shots and Xherdan's goal was a hell of a Hungarian shot.

That said, I like it, how Lewandowski turned his role of a striker, into one of a playmaker. He still is Poland's biggest asset and his resent evolution makes him even more dangerous.

Portugal is on the other hand a team, which newly developed a strong character. The game against Hungary was extremely nerve wrecking: which other team could survive two of the luckiest goals against them and still fight on? Their game against Croatia was a masterstroke, probably my favorite match so far during these championships. How they managed to neutralize Rakitic & Modric was exemplarily. Finest football here, no luck involved.

Kudos to Wales, too. Their team won deservedly.

Slovakia will be an easy game for us, I can imagine. But in regards to our next rival, well, that's what I'd call nerve wrecking, indeed.
 

Takumaji

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Slovakia will be an easy game for us, I can imagine. But in regards to our next rival, well, that's what I'd call nerve wrecking, indeed.

Given that Slovakia sent us off the pitch with a whooping 1:3 last May, I wouldn't be so sure about that. Yeah, it was a friendly and Löw experimented a lot with new players instead of the regulars but they do have their strong points as well. I'm sure they will put up a pretty good fight.
 

Rot

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35 minutes... then I get to watch Tak squirm... like a worm on a fish hook...

GO GO GO GO GO GO SLOVAKIA!

xROTx
 
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