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Thread: Euro2004

  1. #1
    Ultimate Member Strawbs's Avatar
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    Euro2004

    bassman got me thinking that there wasn't a thread: so here it is - and here's the website! (don't worry bassman, you've got the whipping boys tonight [Russia], you should get a win!)

    I'll start the ball rolling with some observations made during the England\France game.

    That ugly git David Beckham shouldn't have been on the pitch to take that penalty IMO, he had a **** game from the start and anyone else would have been subbed long before Wayne Rooooooney was up-ended! He only stayed on because of his close ties to the coach. Darius Vassel made a big difference when he came on, he deserves a place in the starting line-up. Henry had a fairly quiet game until "Calamity" James tried to amputate his legs.

    What say you?

  2. #2
    Ultimate Member bblqj78's Avatar
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    Being Scottish....I think that the whole English team are **** and think they are miles better than they actually are. They is no way deserved to even draw that match...never mind win it.
    Roooney is good (they only decent striker they have) and should never have been subbed. The rest of the team are big headed...over rated pussies!
    They think that they will beat then Swiss easy.....I think there gonna get a surprise!

    there's a new song on the go....


    "there coming home, there coming home....Englands coming home"




  3. #3
    Hired Geek fishybawb's Avatar
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    I would retort with a childish rant about the Scottish team, but... oh, wait

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member bassman's Avatar
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    You started this thread just to make a joke out of me, didn't you?
    I've never had a bit of confidence on Portugal going far on this tournament. The team is cursed; we have wonderful players and a world champion manager that has been with the team for a whole lot of time...it just can't be explained...I can't, at least...They look like a bunch of 3rd league dorks running around the pitch...
    I'm paying more attention to the games in order to see games like Italy-Denmark; now that's a game!

  5. #5
    Ultimate Member bblqj78's Avatar
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    I would retort with a childish rant about the Scottish team, but... oh, wait
    The only thing I waould say about that is....

    At least Scotland know they are ****!


  6. #6
    Hired Geek fishybawb's Avatar
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    You're right, us south of the border are guilty of over-optimism when it comes to football. OK, let's say we *do* know how bad we are. We qualified for Euro 2004, you didn't. Just how bad does that make Scotland? Sorry, you said you know that answer to that one


  7. #7
    Ultimate Member bblqj78's Avatar
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    "Still at home, Were Still at home....Scotlands still at home"

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    I cant see any favourites for this yet as none of the 'big teams' look as though they have many goals in them at present, none of the pre-tournament favourites managing to total anythign greater than draws or odd goal victories.

    As for England, theres no denying this ISNT a world beating team, however they are, on their day, one of the better teams out there and have nearly always been "thereabouts" in the last 40 Years, and if the draw or luck falls their way they have every chance of getting to a final, though they dont have the abiility to get there on skill alone like the Brazils of the world.

    As for the France match, well, we most certainly didnt deserve to win, given thet we spent the entire second half pegged in our own half, however the French never looked to have any goals in them from open play (indeed, im slightly optimistic that this might turn ut to be another "2002" for France given the lack of conviction with which they attacked England), and its no suprise both goals came from dead-ball's.

    As for "Calamity James", well, us goalies have got to stick together, and while i'll admit he's far from World Class (he's just not safe or steady enough, its unfair to single him out for the blame in the France match.

    For starters the challenge leading to the freekick should never have been made by Heskey, who on merit shouldnt even be in the squad. And while James did make a mistake with the freekick, its one of those mistakess that happens to all keepers often more than once - positioning and walls are a constant cause of headaches from freekicks, and while it is still a mistake, its a run of the mill one which has to be accounted for, and blame cant really be laid at his feet despite it being hsi mistake.

    As for the penalty, well, if i'd had been in goal in that game i would have strangled Steven Gerrard, again, while Jamo was at fault, for me the blame lies entirely with Gerrard. In a game of that level you dont go making back passes of forty yards especially when Thierry Henry is sniffign around, thatr ball shoudl have been int row Z, if not out of the ground. Even more gallign is the fact that Cole had called the ball to make the clearance, and was in a much better position to do so, and Gerrard raced ahead of him to make a definsive play which he wasnt equipped to do. As for James, he shouldnt have came out with his feet, i know why he did, but you shoudl always deal with the immediate threat and then run the risk of being disciplined for the back pass afterwards, but he was left high and dry by Gerrard really and in my mind panicked, again he shoudlnt have done it, but in essence, it wasnt hsi fault.

    As for Zidanes penalty, perfect. Unliek Beckham. The most difficult penalty to stop is in corners, bottom for a big guy, top for a little guy. Never hit them close to the kepper and at waist height, if he goes the right way, he'll have it every time. Even more gallign is the fact that Beckham shoudl have been allowed to take the penalty against Barthez, a main who he has trained with for a good couple of years.

    As for Rooney, performance wise he was excellent and didnt deserve to be pulled for that, and he wasnt, he was quite clearly tired and beginning to work his ticket somewhat. IMO Sven made the right choice, save him for the next game and get him out before he gets himself carded, afterall we need the kid for as many games as we possibly vcan get him given the total lack of form from Michael Owen..

    As for Switzerland and Croatia, both look somewhat average, there are inconsistencies and weaknesses throughout the squads and there doesnt appear to be gaols in either of them. However, England have a history of makign it difficult for themselves against poorer teams, particularly unknown teams, so i still maintain, that if England go in with the wrong attitude, Croatia in particular, could cause them problems.

    As for the other groups, still wide open, we've yet to see anyone bar Sweden really get a grip on the tournmanet, whiel the "favourites" in particular have looked very uninspiring

    --Jakk

  9. #9
    Member Kandar's Avatar
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    Originally posted by bblqj78
    Being Scottish....I think that the whole English team are ****
    You would think that being Scottish you would keep your mouth shut as Scotland can’t even field a team.

    Originally posted by bblqj78
    "there coming home, there coming home....Englands coming home"
    If they do come home early, at least they actually went somewhere to begin with.

    As for the game, David Beckham missed a penalty against his former keeper who has practiced taking penalties with Beckham and the rest of the Man united squad.
    In all fairness to Bartez it was a good save.
    The Idiot of the game is Heskey who does not deserve a place in the England squad at all.

    England’s team is made up of world class players, the calibre of which Scotland can only dream of at the moment and for the foreseeable future.
    90% of Scots would welcome Beckham playing for Scotland if he was Scottish. The other 10% are liars.

  10. #10
    Ultimate Member Strawbs's Avatar
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    I really don't like Greece's diving tactics!

    hmmm! a 1-1 Spain\ Greece draw isn't good news for Portugal! They need to win both remaining games or get a win and draw with better goal difference to go through now!

    That's a shame because you do have some players that deserve to do better than the group stages, I'm not saying it's all over yet, just that it would have been easier if either Spain or Greece had lost both their 2 remaining matches.

    Ho hum! next match coming up shortly.

    Good Luck Portugal.

  11. #11
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    Thw win for portugal was the result needed, but it certainly wasnt a comfortable one, particularly when one considers that Russia are hardly the most threatening of teams in the tournament and were down to 10 men for the second half (and it was never a sending off either).

    Unless things improve dramatically in the Portugal camp those pundits who ranked Portugal to threaten for the title will look very silly, very shortly. Same goes for Spain.

    --Jakk

  12. #12
    Ultimate Member Vampiel's Avatar
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    US soccer er.. football team rules! Ha! Were going to wip all of ya! bahah! take that and that!

    lol

    this is great

    I love how BigJ make's even sport's seem so intellectual.

  13. #13
    Ultimate Member Strawbs's Avatar
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    I dunno Jakk, that keepers arm came down pretty fast: I think he thought the ball was going to roll past him and instinct brought his hand down, The intention was clearly to stop the ball at any cost, even if he only brushed the ball with his wrist.

    I thought for a while in the second half Portugal were going to let Russia back into the game, but the kid Ronaldo turned the game for them ...and the Russian defense! He makes a great sub.

    I think Spain may be in for a shock, Portugal are more than capable of playing better than they have so far and Spain will feel they only need the draw to progress, The Portuguese should be starting the game with a must win gung-ho attitude. "One more win and we're through to the next stage" is a thought their coach should be sending them home with tonight.

    I'll be switching off the support phone early tomorrow afternoon - the missus will have to make her own way home from work!

  14. #14
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    The US team isnt half bad nowadays, suprising given the generally bog standard level of the MLS, that said most of the better players in the US team do play in Europe.

    Still, the problem with football's development in the US is that theyre trying to implement the sanitised UEFA "Global Game" version of football, rather than the proper football played at grass roots level in europe, not to mention the fact Americans have a bizarre idea of what constitutes entertainment

    --Jakk
    Last edited by Bigjakkstaffa; 06-16-2004 at 05:37 PM.

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member Strawbs's Avatar
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    The US team has some very capable players - especially going forward - that can strike a ball as cleanly as any I've seen, they just need to add that blood & guts attitude to their game and they could become a major player in world football.


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