I'm going to be in Calgary this weekend and I was wondering where is the best place that I can go watch the Poland vs. Czech Republic game at 12:45 on Saturday?
In Edmonton we all go to the Polish club to watch Poland's games, and Elephant and Castle on Whyte for the other matches. What are the best places to watch games in Calgary? Obviously, the more crowded the better!
The Ship and Anchor is always a good option for games.
There is a pretty huge difference between saying that Spain are setting football back 100 years and saying that you prefer a different style of play.
Who is slobbering on Spain's knob? Its all Spain hate in here.
For me personally, I get a lot of enjoyment out of watching the incredible skill and intelligence of the Spain side. There are times that I wish they would take a few more risks, but once they had a striker in the game you could see them taking those risks.
Once they had a striker in the game is the main statement there.
Somebody had to be good 100 years ago. My point was that 100 years ago I'm not sure anyone could pass the ball more than 20 yards, which is what Spain do, not pass more than 20 yards.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Ireland-Croatia match. THREE headed goals!
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Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
Last edited by GirlySports; 06-10-2012 at 05:53 PM.
the goals in the Croatia/Ireland game were for the most part defensive errors in the box, it was probably my least favorite game of the tournament from an entertainment perspective (I still don't get how Bilic used Modric, he was MOTM today but he could be so much more effective)
Italy/Spain had two rarely used formations, good movement, good chances and saves
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Are you suggesting that, from a creative/technical pov the Croatia/Ireland game was more entertaining than the Spain/Italy one?
You a big fan of hoof it into the box and hope for the best?
More entertaining yes. It wasn't just hoof the ball into the box, both the Irish and Croats showed good movement with the ball as well. I like a good mix of play. Some short passing, some long balls. My favorite pass is probably when a player is around the 40 yard line on the right sideline and hits a long pass to about the 25 yard line on the left sideline. It stretches out the defense and then there are forwards charging into the box getting ready for a cross or a midfielder running to the top of the box for a possible one timer (like the one Modric hit).
Free kicks! You saw the free kick Ireland scored on (and one Croatia almost scored on minutes before that). If that were Spain they would just tap the ball 2 feet and continue on their way. Spain even plays their corner kicks about 2 feet.
Even if Spain played a bit wider I wouldn't mind it so much but they do nothing. If you drew an imaginary box from the D to the halfway line that's 40 yards narrow... that's the only area Spain has the ball. It's an area about 40x40 yards (each opponent's half is 60 yards x 75 yards) that's so easy to defend.
As Big Chill mentioned, Spain played better once Torres was there. Not because Torres was particularly good, but the #9 position historically causes defenders fits.
Watch tomorrow when #9 Benzema gives Terry and Lescott fits as Ribery, Nasri and maybe Valbuena launch balls into the box.
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Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
Well if you think goals from set pieces and lumping balls into the box are the way to go and that's what entertains you then good luck to ya. I'll stick with appreciating Spains passing and probing and carving chances as opposed to the good old fashioned up and at them.
Spain Italy has easily been game of the tournament so far.
Spain and Italy's 2nd half was very entertaining. But the 1st wasn't really that exciting.
Croatia and Ireland was sloppy at times, but never really boring. I dunno. Both were good soccer games, arguing over which was "better" seems besides the point
Spain and Italy's 2nd half was very entertaining. But the 1st wasn't really that exciting.
Croatia and Ireland was sloppy at times, but never really boring. I dunno. Both were good soccer games, arguing over which was "better" seems besides the point
This is the purpose of a message board. It's a strategy discussion
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Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
One nice thing about living in Canada is I only have to warn like 3 or 4 people I work with and talk with on a daily basis not to spoil the scores for me. I hate to miss England vs France, but, hell, at least I can skip thru the half time and watch both games in around3 hours. soooo in advance, go france! go ukraine!
WE FORGOT. We forgot about how just how heartbreaking these Irish football nights can be. On a rainy night in Poznan, Croatia whistled three goals dusted with strangeness past Ireland to leave Giovanni Trapattoni’s team in a bleak place after their first game of Euro 2012. Beaten 3-1 and preparing to face Spain, the world champions, on Thursday. Already we are seeking minor miracles.
It was one of those nights when the magnitude of the occasion overshadowed the football which followed. Somewhere among the Irish flags draped over Poznan is a tricolour carrying a line from an old Pogues classic: You’re The Measure of My Dreams.
And the slow, passionate build up was everything the Irish players could have imagined. Even Trapattoni, who has seen it all, seemed moved.The reception they received was mind-blowing and the wildness of that greeting was still ringing in their ears when Mario Mandzukic stole a header which left us chasing the game.
As the night went on, Ireland were outmuscled and out-finessed and chased a moving shadow in Luka Modric, a footballer who seems lighter than air apart from those moments when he sets his mind on a stinging shot. Croatia had the luck but they also ran the show for much of the night. Mandzukic’s two headed goals proved a wrecking ball for Ireland – and he would send Giovanni Trapattoni flying as well after an accidental collision.
From Friday night to Monday morning, the Irish and their Croatian friends drank the Stare Miasto dry without coming up for air. From the start, the Croatians were outnumbered. They tried to make themselves heard and made a show of marching through the square singing their complex dirges. These were drowned out by 15,000 Irish men singing Stand Up for the Boys in Green. Before the Croatian drummers knew it, they had been reduced to providing rhythm for a particularly heartfelt rendition (is there any other kind?) of The Fields of Athenry.
The Irish wasted little time in convincing the Poznan locals that their reputation for being happy drunks is based on hard fact and hard liquor. The best fans in the world gave a remarkable exhibition of all-day and all-night drinking. Some could handle it but you didn’t have to go far before you saw the fallen among Trap’s Army scattered across the square. A few green-shirted forms lay passed out in doorways and alleys, sound asleep, possibly having fallen victim to exhaustion as much as the local brew, which packs a hefty percentage. Others staggered uncertainly across the broad cobblestone square, caught in that state between losing and regaining their balance that looks like a permanent stumble. There is only word for this level of drunkenness: buckled. Lads were buckled. Everywhere.
In the early hours of the morning, some class of a riot “erupted” in the Main Square. It apparently involved a row between the Poles and the Croatians. There are several views as to why this happened: historical tensions, macho posturing etc. The most likely reason is that they just snapped once the Irish crowd in the tent outside Brovaria embarked on their 89th rendition of The Fields of Athenry.
It is just before kick-off and the teams are coming out. This perfect little rectangle of a stadium is fairly trembling and when you see the Irish team walking out and the fevered reaction in the green bedecked stands, you become lost for words and there is nothing to do but sit back and just look. Look at that!
England are in an odd situation - given the late appointment of Hodgson, all the injuries and all the fuss over Rio, expectations are at an all time low. But in a perverse way, that has worked it's way into expecation, people seemingly thinking now the pressure is off they'll become world beaters. You will note, I hope, my sceptical tone.
I don't know if you get these commercials over in Canada, but my 2 favourite so far over in the UK are:
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dear god is he 14?
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