Euro 2008 - UEFA

[KTown]

Great game to watch. Big goal for Spain, they are now gauranteed to avoid the big oranje in the quarters.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, 92nd minute goal by David Villa, embarrasses 2 defenders and the goalkeeper.

Rough luck for the Swedes, but they sat on a tie and paid the price.

Yah, I was happy to see the Spaniards score as the Swedes were clearly playing for the tie and got burned. That kind of defensive football gets old real fast - even when they pushed forward they looked to be more worried about a turnover in midfield rather than stretching out and trying to create some chaos to exploit with a long pass or a quick run. Booooorrrrrinnnnggg!

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by jammies

Yah, I was happy to see the Spaniards score as the Swedes were clearly playing for the tie and got burned. That kind of defensive football gets old real fast - even when they pushed forward they looked to be more worried about a turnover in midfield rather than stretching out and trying to create some chaos to exploit with a long pass or a quick run. Booooorrrrrinnnnggg!

Booooooorrrrrrriiing.

It was very strange especially since Spain's best defender Pujols went off injured and Sweden got an equalizer soon after that.

Spain don't defend well to begin with and now they lose Pujols. Perfect time for Sweden to put the hammer down and attack. Instead they play scared and pay for it. Woo hoo!

[jammies]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Spain don't defend well to begin with and now they lose Pujols. Perfect time for Sweden to put the hammer down and attack. Instead they play scared and pay for it. Woo hoo!

I assume this was coaching - and poor coaching at that. As you say, the correct strategy would have been to send players aggressively forward. It should have been possible to saturate the Spanish defence, which is prone to sending 2 or 3 players at the ball and putting themselves out of position. They are vulnerable to a team which is willing to move the ball quickly and has options to which the ball can move, but that wasn't Sweden in the 2nd half...

This next game I hope the Russians score early and get the Greeks out of the defensive game - one half of boredom is enough for today.

[Machiavelli]

What was the Greek goalie doing there? Chasing the ball to the corner....???

[jofillips]

i thought the swedes played a good game, just very unlucky because of that greasy goal! Spain did not deserve to win it.

jammies - it would of been 4-1 to Spain within 10 minutes if you did that, Sweden aren't a team full of Torres (ssons)....

[jammies]

Quite an entertaining game, the Russians had the better opportunities but the Greeks looked like they were actually interested in offensive play for a change. Another bad offside call cost them, as they should have had a goal and I was surprised there wasn't more commentary on that fact - just unacceptable that the outcome of a match is decided by the officials.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by jammies

Quite an entertaining game, the Russians had the better opportunities but the Greeks looked like they were actually interested in offensive play for a change. Another bad offside call cost them, as they should have had a goal and I was surprised there wasn't more commentary on that fact - just unacceptable that the outcome of a match is decided by the officials.

While I agree with the unfortunate offside call against the Greeks, that was a tight call.

In no way do I feel that the officials decided the outcome of that game.

To be fair, Russia was far and away the better team. Even though the Greeks actually did press the issue, the Russians had the lion's share of the opportunities but just didnt seem interested in finishing them off so long as they were in front.

No matter which way that offside call went, I'm confident that the outcome would have been the same with a Russian win.

The Greeks have got to improve on numerous fronts, too many defensive mistakes, 2 or 3 very uncharacteristic goalkeeping mistakes and little to no offensive finishing talent.

They just dont have anyone thats a creative, pure goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Guus Hiddink will not be a happy man, the Russians just didnt seem to be taking that game seriously.

[SebC]

Anyone get to see this press conference Helm was talking about where the greek coach blamed the media for his teams' loss against Sweden?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

holding is not a PK

Really? That seems odd. A defender can put another player in a headlock for two steamboats in the box, and not expect a penalty? I thought it was pretty clear cut.

Will Holland roll over for Romania? Seems likely to me. Shame this kind of thing can't be avoided. I think the only solution is to go to a bracket system like NCAA March Madness. Give the elite teams top seedings, and go from there. There is too much potential for mischief in group play.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by troutman

Really? That seems odd. A defender can put another player in a headlock for two steamboats in the box, and not expect a penalty? I thought it was pretty clear cut.

Will Holland roll over for Romania? Seems likely to me. Shame this kind of thing can't be avoided. I think the only solution is to go to a bracket system like NCAA March Madness. Give the elite teams top seedings, and go from there. There is too much potential for mischief in group play.

Bracket system in soccer?

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Defensive coaches.

Booooorrrrrrring!

I don't think Holland will rollover. They might make a few changes but those bench guys want to win too and prove something to the coach. Plus Holland like to play attractive football so they'll give the crowd a show. And why would they want to give Spain an easier QF?

Also look at a fun team like Brazil. Every World Cup they put on a show and get 9 points in the first round. They don't do favours for anyone.

[SebC]

Wow, the basic cable TV schedule really sucks today. Unless you get Sportsnet East or Ontario, the Switzerland vs. Portugal game isn't on until midnight! Maybe I'll head to a bar (at noon on a Sunday) to watch that one, while PVRing Sportsnet West. (Which the conservatives want to make illegal... jerks!) Any good places near Southcentre or the LRT for watching Euro? At least after that I can record them both from TSN, and watch them when I get home.

[Sune76]

sweden's game fell apart when zlatan left for injury, that's how important he is for our team.

[KTown]

Originally Posted by SebC

Wow, the basic cable TV schedule really sucks today. Unless you get Sportsnet East or Ontario, the Switzerland vs. Portugal game isn't on until midnight! Maybe I'll head to a bar (at noon on a Sunday) to watch that one, while PVRing Sportsnet West. (Which the conservatives want to make illegal... jerks!) Any good places near Southcentre or the LRT for watching Euro? At least after that I can record them both from TSN, and watch them when I get home.

Even if I wasn't a fan of Czech or Turkey, I'd still want to watch this game over Portugal and the Swiss. Portugal will basically rest alot of there players or sub the key ones out early as this is a useless game for them. The same goes for the Swiss, they are eliminated.

Czechs and Turkey is a knockout game, winner moves and loser goes home. The game could even be decided by penalties.

I'd be more pissed if I lived in the Sportsnet East region, my dad is super pissed off because they are advertising Portugal in P.E.I.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by KTown

Even if I wasn't a fan of Czech or Turkey, I'd still want to watch this game over Portugal and the Swiss. Portugal will basically rest alot of there players or sub the key ones out early as this is a useless game for them. The same goes for the Swiss, they are eliminated.

Czechs and Turkey is a knockout game, winner moves and loser goes home. The game could even be decided by penalties.

I'd be more pissed if I lived in the Sportsnet East region, my dad is super pissed off because they are advertising Portugal in P.E.I.

Yeah, but I'd rather see Portugal-Switzerland sometime today that would allow me to be awake for work in the morning than most of the other stuff they're showing today. We've got the better game, but I still want to see both.

[KTown]

Koller with the header, the man is playing like he's 25 again.

He's dominating up front and creating alot of space. Someone here earlier said Koller is too old to play, I wonder what that person thinks now, because he was a man on a mission in the first half.

[ricoFlame]

Whoa, turkey with an unreal final 15 minutes...WOW. 3-2 turkey, they're on the the final 8.

[KTown]

Best Choke job in Euro history, this team should be ashamed of themselves.

[Oxygen-Supply]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

Whoa, turkey with an unreal final 15 minutes...WOW. 3-2 turkey, they're on the the final 8.

Wow and the turkey Goalie got tossed in extra time and they had no subs left. A player had to play goal.

[Flame Of Liberty]

What a choke job. Unreal.

Turkish captain Nihat with a game of his life, his two late goals won the game.