The 2012 UEFA European Championship - Poland/Ukraine - The Thread!

[GirlySports]

oh yeah! give me a sec

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Italy shouldn't even be in the finals, embarrassing performance.

Do you even watch soccer or are you one of these guys who just tune in to the final and then comment afterwards when you have no clue what you're even talking about.

Regardless, Italy definitely played their worst game of the tournament today. They didn't look anything like they did in their prior games. When they went down to 10 men in the 60th minute it was virtually over because prior to that they did have some great chances.

Oh well, I'm still proud of Italy, they had a great tournament and I got to watch my team to the very end. Forza Italia!

Congrats to Spain and all their fans.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

not even close

top 5 probably

It's pretty close.

Obviously Brazil's Pele who won World Cups 58, 62 and 70.

But who else? Three consecutive tournaments is amazing. And to answer the earlier question, it's never been done.. not by Brazil or Uruguay.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by IceMan xMVPx

Do you even watch soccer or are you one of these guys who just tune in to the final and then comment afterwards when you have no clue what you're even talking about.

Regardless, Italy definitely played their worst game of the tournament today. They didn't look anything like they did in their prior games. When they went down to 10 men in the 60th minute it was virtually over because prior to that they did have some great chances.

Oh well, I'm still proud of Italy, they had a great tournament and I got to watch my team to the very end. Forza Italia!

Congrats to Spain and all their fans.

Nope I watch all the games.

[Barnet Flame]

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

not even close

top 5 probably

They would slaughter Brazil '70, mid 70s Germany would have given them a run but I honestly cant think of a team that would beat them right now, all of the highly skilled teams, Holland, Argentina would be just defended out of the game, maybe Italy in the 90's would have had a chance?

Seriously I think these guys are the best ever.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by troutman

Has Brazil never won three in a row - World Cup and South America?

Brazil hasn't won the World Cup and the Copa America 3 consecutive times. Uruguay hasn't either, neither has Argentina...Spain is the first team in history to successfully defend their European Champions title with a World Cup title in between. with most of these players still on the team in two years, it will be very interesting what Spain can do in the World Cup.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by IceMan xMVPx

Do you even watch soccer or are you one of these guys who just tune in to the final and then comment afterwards when you have no clue what you're even talking about.

Regardless, Italy definitely played their worst game of the tournament today. They didn't look anything like they did in their prior games. When they went down to 10 men in the 60th minute it was virtually over because prior to that they did have some great chances.

Oh well, I'm still proud of Italy, they had a great tournament and I got to watch my team to the very end. Forza Italia!

Congrats to Spain and all their fans.

Also Spain missed there own chances right off they bat, Spain came to play could have easily been 2-0 right off the hop, possibly 4-0 at half time. You have to look at it both ways.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Also Spain missed there own chances right off they bat, Spain came to play could have easily been 2-0 right off the hop, possibly 4-0 at half time. You have to look at it both ways.

It still doesn't make Italy an embarrassment.

[afc wimbledon]

Peles Brazil was a beautifull team to watch, but they were a group of incredibly talented players who ran at the opposition with about as much planning as a bull in a china shop, they won three cups because the teams they ran against were woefully unfit (by todays standards), played variations of a 4 4 2 with a dissjointed ball flow from back to fowards, the spanish would take them apart in a straight one on one

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Nope I watch all the games.

Then that makes you're comment even more stupid. To say Italy didn't deserve to be in the finals is idiotic.

They dominated England all game and won in Pks. Then they played extremely well against Germany who everyone said would kill Italy and beat them 2-1 with a 92nd minute penalty kick to make the score look closer then it was. So not sure how you can say that.

Reading your previous posts its obvious that you hate Italy saying they dive (yeah it's soccer everybody dives) but that's fine, you're entitled to your own opinion.

I just don't get how any real soccer fan who understands the game can say Italy didn't deserve to be in the finals. They had a great Euro and I'm proud. It just wasn't their night. Spain was better. It sucked it ended 4-0 but when you're down 10 men to Spain it's going be tough.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Also Spain missed there own chances right off they bat, Spain came to play could have easily been 2-0 right off the hop, possibly 4-0 at half time. You have to look at it both ways.

Could have been a 5 nil game had the referee called that obvious penalty. Regardless, Italy earned their place in the final by beating out the tournament favorites. Their game plan against Spain was a poor one from the opening whistle...loosing a player due to injury in the first half didn't help things for them either. by the time Italy went down to 10 men due to another injury the nail was already in the coffin. Italy played as well as they could given the circumstances of the game but the way Spain played, no team could have beaten them tonight.

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Also Spain missed there own chances right off they bat, Spain came to play could have easily been 2-0 right off the hop, possibly 4-0 at half time. You have to look at it both ways.

Absolutely, I'm not denying Spain shouldn't have won the game they did, they were the better side. Like I said, it's just unfortunate that Italy didn't play better. This was the worst game they played by far. Even Pirlo looked out of synch and he's always amazing.

Oh well, that's the thing with sports, there's only one winner. I'm still proud though, Italy had a great tournament.

[PeteLFan]

Originally Posted by IceMan xMVPx

Absolutely, I'm not denying Spain shouldn't have won the game they did, they were the better side. Like I said, it's just unfortunate that Italy didn't play better. This was the worst game they played by far. Even Pirlo looked out of synch and he's always amazing.

Oh well, that's the thing with sports, there's only one winner. I'm still proud though, Italy had a great tournament.

I thought they dominated England and deserved to win that game. I missed the first half of the Germany game, but from what I saw they played ok, probably because Italy was up 2-0 and Germany was pushing hard.

I just really hate Italy, its more hate talking.

[GirlySports]

Final Standings!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...Hc&output=html

The only two people who picked Spain to win it all were devo22 and The Big Chill.
devo22 wins by 50 points. devo picked France to make it out of the group stage, The Big Chill did not.

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

I thought they dominated England and deserved to win that game. I missed the first half of the Germany game, but from what I saw they played ok, probably because Italy was up 2-0 and Germany was pushing hard.

I just really hate Italy, its more hate talking.

Lol yeah I can tell. That's fine though, were used to it everybody hates us and always cheers against Italy.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Spain sure is playing boring, huh Moon?

Still hoping for a comeback, but when this team turns it on, it doesn't seem like anyone else can keep up.

Nice that they played mildly entertaining in one game out of their last 30. I guess that sure prices they aren't boring.

Sucks to see Spain win but at least they actually attempted to score this time.

[Thunderball]

First, before I commit a copout, Spain was the better team. But, I have to say this:

When people say coaches aren't that important in soccer (and hockey), today was a big example of why they are absolutely critical.

First off. Italy was the only team to score against Spain in this tournament, and how did they do it? Off the counter on an Italian 3-5-2 formation. (I say Italian because its really a 5-3-2 anywhere else). What do they do this time against a pumped Spain? Play a 4-1-3-2 formation. That may have worked for Germany and England with weaker midfields, but would be less effective against Spain, since they play with 6 midfielders (3 holding, 3 offensive), plus attacking wingbacks. In other words, a super aggressive formation that you either relentlessly attack at (Germany style... note that they lost both crucial matches against Spain that way), or boring defense relying on counter attacks and set pieces to win the day(the usual italian way).

Second, Montolivo made one good play in all his matches, and it was woefully apparent that he was in over his head with all the botched possessions, passes, shots, etc. So, why start a player like that against the best midfield in the world? Either start Nocerino, or roll the dice on Juventus chemistry and play Giaccherini on the wing with Marchisio in the middle. Having to burn a sub on him for Thiago Motta ended any doubt of this game's result, and moved the game from respectable loss to blowout.

Third. As tempting as it is, don't play injured players, even if they are your best. Prandelli played with fire with Chiellini and Motta v. Germany and got lucky. It was evident from the opening whistle having watched 40 Juventus matches and all of Italy's Euro matches that Chiellini wasn't right (especially when he's out of position). That first goal was pure outrunning an injured wingback, and it totally changed the game. Furthermore, its always hard to burn a sub that early, since it dramatically reduces your options later.

Essentially, Prandelli lost this game for Italy. Two horrible choices for starting 11, that had to be compensated for, plus, subbing in an injured player that goes down as sub #3, and that's game over against any team in the knockout stage.

This game likely should have been a respectable 2-1 Spain nailbiter, instead, Italy got embarassed at the highest level.

[NBC]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's pretty close.

Obviously Brazil's Pele who won World Cups 58, 62 and 70.

But who else? Three consecutive tournaments is amazing. And to answer the earlier question, it's never been done.. not by Brazil or Uruguay.

Two of the best national sides that I can think of didn't actually win the one game they needed to when it counted; 1954 Hungary and 1974 Netherlands.

That early 50's Hungarian team hammered everyone they played, home and away. They had one loss (to the West Germans) in 6 years and were the first team to beat England in England in 90 years. It took a cheap tackle from a German defender, which broke Puskas' ankle in the 8-3 group match, to handicap them going into the knock-out stages. What a team that was.

Don't get me started on the 1970s Dutch either. That was glorious football.

[GirlySports]

I think not winning the one game they needed to win is a big factor though.

Spain has won the one game they needed to win, 3 consecutive times! They also won all 10 games in 2010 qualifying and and all 8 games in 2012 qualifying. No Draws!

There was only that weird hiccup against the Swiss.

And the only team to knock Spain out? The United States