Euro 2008 - UEFA

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Locke

Toni should have gotten a yellow for diving and then handling the ball. That was not a penalty.

Neither was the first one. A ref has to be fair!

[flip]

well this leaves the Italians in a precarious position.

Lets say the Netherlands wins today and Italy beats France on Tuesday. Then all Holland has to do is intentionally lose to the Romanians and Italy and France are both eliminated. That is a scary scenario, but will require quite a few chips to fall into place.

A draw today btwn the Netherlands and France is probably Italy's best hope because then a victory against France on Tuesday and the Italians are in. (again assuming the Netherlands doesn't intentionaly throw the game against Romania, which they will,, I think if it can eliminate France and Italy)

[Locke]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Italy in a world of hurt now, I LOVE IT!!!!

Ditto. My prediction of Italy not even making it out of the group stage looks pretty good now. Thats not to say its over for Italy, its not by any stretch, a draw and a win can see them through depending on all the other teams' performances, but they would have to beat France and by a fair margin.

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Cause the coach likes him? I dunno.

Italy won the World Cup for a reason in 2006.. cause guys like Panucci, Cassano and Ambrossini weren't there. Why this coach is recycling players when they have many many youngsters in Serie A nobody knows.

I maintain that Italy was more lucky than good to win that, but believe what you want. I always hear about the Italian spirit and winning when they're not playing their best. This team just looks like it cant do it.

As for the lineup, well, thats a coach's call. And he'll have to live or die by it.

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Neither was the first one. A ref has to be fair!

This isnt the NHL, no makeup calls.

I do (and did) agree with you though, the call against Italy was very soft and as much as I wanted Italy to lose, I'm glad Mutu didnt convert that penalty. Bad call.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by flip

well this leaves the Italians in a precarious position.

Lets say the Netherlands wins today and Italy beats France on Tuesday. Then all Holland has to do is intentionally lose to the Romanians and Italy and France are both eliminated. That is a scary scenario, but will require quite a few chips to fall into place.

A draw today btwn the Netherlands and France is probably Italy's best hope because then a victory against France on Tuesday and the Italians are in. (again assuming the Netherlands doesn't intentionaly throw the game against Romania, which they will,, I think if it can eliminate France and Italy)

I think everyone here likes the Dutch, myself included, and they're not the type of team who would throw games. Yes they may play a few reserve players to rest main players due to injury or yellow cards.

Plus they lost to Romania in qualifying so if they had any pride they would like some revenge.. At this stage of the tournament Romania looks better than France and Italy anyways so why knock them out on purpose?

EDIT: yeah what Locke said, although I'd argue with the Italian, Portugese part. The Swedes and Danes are the match-fixing experts!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by flip

well this leaves the Italians in a precarious position.

Lets say the Netherlands wins today and Italy beats France on Tuesday. Then all Holland has to do is intentionally lose to the Romanians and Italy and France are both eliminated. That is a scary scenario, but will require quite a few chips to fall into place.

A draw today btwn the Netherlands and France is probably Italy's best hope because then a victory against France on Tuesday and the Italians are in. (again assuming the Netherlands doesn't intentionaly throw the game against Romania, which they will,, I think if it can eliminate France and Italy)

I dont see any team throwing any games, especially not the Dutch. If the Dutch win today they're through, so they might rest key players for that match against Romania, but even that would depend on whether another result will move them from top of the group to runners up and their quarterfinal game is affected.

At the end of the day this is a big tournament and teams put their foot on the gas and keep it there.

Besides, the Dutch arent as well versed in match fixing, they dont have the experience or the expertise, I guess they could ask the Italians and Portuguese for some pointers.

[Thunderball]

This tournament is being increasingly sullied by poor refereeing and poor linesmen... this game should have been 2-1 Italy, as Toni was clearly onside. Again, a lousy call completely altering the game. That Romania PK was a total farce... it was just like the Poland-Austria one... holding is not a PK. Toni did dive a little, but he was being "harassed" in the box and if they called the weak Romanian one, then the weak Italian one should have been called too.

Seriously, its time FIFA introduce video replay and replace the linesmen with computers. There's just way too much room for referee match determination and way too much human error.

The Italians looked a lot better, but they better have more... that first game debacle has left them in a very precarious position going in to matchday 3.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Jagger

Oh and, Girly, I'll take Kenny Dalglish with my first pick in the All-time athletes draft! (Just wanted my pick out there for when it eventually happens!

LOL! I forgot to reply to this yesterday.

I don't even know who Kenny Dalglish is so ... I guess my knowledge isn't that good. I don't really see the point to a sports draft. It would be pretty predictable I would think. Gretzky, Jordan, Babe Ruth etc etc...

I think drafts about other things such as women and music is more subjective and more interesting.

Any ideas let me know

[Locke]

As for the Netherlands vs. France, I'm hoping the Dutch take this. They have easily looked like the most impressive team in this group.

Something of note though, Henry is in and Benzema starts on the bench. The Dutch lineup looks identical to the Italy game.

[OILFAN #81]

I got my Netherlands jersey on..........come on Van Nistelrooy............I hope the French are in for a Ruud awakening! They looked great in their 3-0 win over Italy, although I expect a 1 goal game today.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

LOL! I forgot to reply to this yesterday.

I don't even know who Kenny Dalglish is so ... I guess my knowledge isn't that good. I don't really see the point to a sports draft. It would be pretty predictable I would think. Gretzky, Jordan, Babe Ruth etc etc...

I think drafts about other things such as women and music is more subjective and more interesting.

Any ideas let me know

Really? Well not that predictable surely as you didn't know who Kenny Dalglish was, which is sacrilegious by the way! Ask Locke who King Kenny is or google him. You could make it a sports draft with lots of different categories. I was just having fun in any case but now that I think about it it might be a good idea. I'm in if you do one anyway..........

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Jagger

Really? Well not that predictable surely as you didn't know who Kenny Dalglish was, which is sacrilegious by the way! Ask Locke who King Kenny is or google him. You could make it a sports draft with lots of different categories. I was just having funny in any case but now that I think about it it might be a good idea. I'm in if you do one anyway..........

Yes but you've been watching for 35 years! I'm not even 35!
I'll think about it but at them moment I've got my hands full with the other 2 drafts.

And I take back my Kuyt is rubbish comment. He's looking very very good so far!

[united]

My stream just started working. Hopefully the remainder of the first half and second half are great.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

And I take back my Kuyt is rubbish comment. He's looking very very good so far!

LOL. I was just going to post something to that effect. He's a decent player actually, just not an out and out striker.

Yeah, now you're making me feel old!! Kenny Dalglish is a legendary Liverpool player and manger from the late 70's and 80's. Brilliant player, easily my favourite all time Liverpool player.

[Locke]

Arjen Robben is in for Engelaar. The Dutch are not going to sit on this, they're putting their foot on the gas.

[united]

2-1 Henry with a beautiful touch.

Wow right off the re-start Robben scores.
3-1.

4-1, 92nd minute. Sjneder from 20 yards out. Game over.

[Locke]

France breaks down, and this group is wide open except for the Dutch who are through.

Sneijder makes it 4-1. Awful defending.

I said the Dutch have the most firepower in this tournament, and this game really proves it.

Goals from Kuyt, Van Persie, Sneijder and Robben.

[Thor]

Outstanding game by the Dutch, no doubt the favorites now to win this thing.

[OILFAN #81]

YEAH BABY! What an awesome display by the Netherlands today. Took the French apart! Huge goal from Robben right after Henry cut it to 2-1. Pretty impressive wins over the World Cup finalists the last couple games. I can't wait for the next stage in this tournament! Go Netherlands!

[Mango]

What play by the Dutch! It was a great game to watch.

[Pagal4321]

As a France fan (I know, I know....) all I can say is WOW, are the Dutch ever an exciting team to watch.