Euro 2012 General Discussion

[ArdeeBhoy]

Disagree NG.

Too many borefests/cr*p football.
And that's after you exclude us!
:rolleyes:

International football seems to get worse and worse, generally.

[tetsujin1979]

The Spain v Italy match was a great game. Overall this has been a very good Euro's. Lots of very good matches. As other posters have said I have found it miles more enjoyable than the Champions league.
The CL doesn't really get interesting until after the group stages, when a loss can end your club's interest in the competition, and even then a loss can be turned around in the second leg
With the European Championship, any loss in the group stages can potentially be the end of your tournament, and any loss after that definitely will
Basically, what makes it's better is that there's more at stake from an earlier stage.

[tricky_colour]

Didn't watch all the games but watch I did watch seemed to be good quality, obviously I was watching the opposition more than us :)
Did seem to more technical football rather than the blood and guts stuff you see in the Prem (sometimes).
But these big competitions always add that extra interest, every game counts.
Will certainly miss it when it is all over that's for sure.
I see Spain are still favourites for the title but for me recent results suggest Italy Italy be favourites
they seem to have upped their game whilst Spain have stalled.

IF they reproduce their semi final form surely Italy will win?

[BonnieShels]

Anybody know where I can re watch the Germany v Italy game?

[CraftyToePoke]

BBC I-Player

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

[tricky_colour]

sent you a pm

[tricky_colour]

BBC I-Player

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

yea, that see,s like the best option, if u do not want a download.

may watch it again myself as i missed some of it.

[BonnieShels]

Cheers TC will watch that tomorrow.

I can hardly watch that iplayer link in Ireland?

[CraftyToePoke]

Cheers TC will watch that tomorrow.

I can hardly watch that iplayer link in Ireland?

Don't honestly know. Tried ? or the RTE equivalent maybe.

[ArdeeBhoy]

You can via a proxy server...

And probably on a loop on You Tube, even if just the Italian version?

[BonnieShels]

It's been a while since I bothered with iplayer.
Used to have difficulties with proxies with it.

Any recommendations?

[tricky_colour]

Cheers TC will watch that tomorrow.

I can hardly watch that iplayer link in Ireland?


I think you are probably going to have difficulties as I think it only works for UK based ip address, not 100% sure as I am in UK.
So you would need to find a UK based proxy server which I think will be very difficult, even if your did I expect it would be to slow anyway.
Far easier to do a download I expect.

I find those downloads work pretty well, you can play them in any player and so can have better control over replaying bits, I find the VLC player
best for that, also does great slow motion and stuff. Also I have a decent internet speed and can down load a half in about 15 mins or less
you can download the second half as you watch the first. You may also be able to watch it as it is downloading (not 100% sure).
Some of the downloads look a bit complicated but the one posted by wigan88 looks simplest, although sometimes it can be a bit confusing
which downland button to press.

[Junior]

Disagree NG.

Too many borefests/cr*p football.
And that's after you exclude us!
:rolleyes:

International football seems to get worse and worse, generally.

AB, Why didnt you just post that pre-tournament and get it out of your system? I am certain you'd already made your mind up about this tournament before a ball was kicked.

[Stuttgart88]

Disagree NG.

Too many borefests/cr*p football.
And that's after you exclude us!
:rolleyes:

International football seems to get worse and worse, generally.Disagree totally. Only 2 0-0 draws, great crowds (in Poland anyway), great games between evenly matched sides, contrasting styles, tactical nuances, proper tackling, loads of games with plenty of important context. Although the absolute standard might not be as good as elite (and only elite) club football, the context is that international football teams aren't bankrolled by billionaires or crooks. It's about country's footballing systems pitting themselves against each other, more or less. The only game I missed was ENG v FRA as I was flying back from Poznan, and even then I saw the last 20 mins in Luton airport. I've loved this tournament, absolutely loved it. I'm going to steal Geysir's Eastenders vs. Citizen Kane analogy, that's what we're talking about here.

[ArdeeBhoy]

No, not at all.

And that was the consensus of most people I've watched games with. Sure there were the flashes of brilliance, but still essentially far far too much dull football.

The same can be said of club football, there's just even more of it.

[Irish_Praha]

No, not at all.

And that was the consensus of most people I've watched games with. Sure there were the flashes of brilliance, but still essentially far far too much dull football.

The same can be said of club football, there's just even more of it.

So basically what you are saying is that the vast majority of international and club football is dull and boring?

[tetsujin1979]

So basically what you are saying is that the vast majority of international and club football is dull and boring?what other type of football is there besides international and club football?

[ArdeeBhoy]

A lot of it is very dull, sadly. Mainly because even poor teams can essentially cancel out much of what more skilful teams do.
Largely this seems based on the 'fear factor' of conceding too many or too early.

It's not always boring though, as yer man says there are different systems in place and part of the interest factor is seeing how these match up. That and individual moments of skill are the few things now which make the game worthwhile as a spectacle.

[Irish_Praha]

what other type of football is there besides international and club football?

There's football in the park with your mates.

There's FIFA by EA Sports :)
Sometimes I think that people who play this game too much lose a grip on reality and expect to see this kind of action in real life.
10 shots on goal in the space of 8 minutes and the ref letting the teams play advantage after most fouls.
Action action action!

:p

[Charlie Darwin]

Here's a pretty extreme negative view on last night's game

http://euro2012.irishexaminer.com/analysis/fabregas-gives-spain-edge-on-ugly-night-198999.html
Good god. What a dreadful article.

[Stuttgart88]

I was listening to Danny Baker's football show on R5 Live this morning, while driving. The view of the panel (no idea who they were) was unanimous: Pirlo is overrated and they don'r see what the fuss is about. Even if Pirlo was 19 they'd all prefer to have Jack Wilshere.

[bennocelt]

Player of the tournament in my opinion. How old is he again?

[Stuttgart88]

33 I think.

[seanfhear]

I was listening to Danny Baker's football show on R5 Live this morning, while driving. The view of the panel (no idea who they were) was unanimous: Pirlo is overrated and they don'r see what the fuss is about. Even if Pirlo was 19 they'd all prefer to have Jack Wilshere.Thats hilarious and embarassing at the same time !

Next they will be saying they would have won it if Jack Wilshire was fit !

Actually I am a fan of Wilshire and he "may" turn out to be a really good player but to compare a "might be " to Pirlo is hilarious and embarassing at the same time (so much so that I have repeated it twice for emphasis ).

[Stuttgart88]

No, you only repeated it once :)

[Charlie Darwin]

Going back to, I think, one of Stutts' posts from earlier in the thread on Gerrard (or Lampard) needing a midfield to enable him to play his natural game, I think the reason Pirlo has been so effective in this tournament is because Italy's system is really based around allowing him to play his game. When England actually got Rooney and Welbeck to hassle him, he was actually shown to be quite slow and pondorous in possession, and for periods of the game England actually shut him down. The problem is that even if Pirlo isn't firing, players like Marchisio and Montolivo showed themselves just as capable of finding gaps with exquisite passes. Still, anybody who would prefer Wilshere to Pirlo is on the wrong kind of drugs.

[seanfhear]

Going back to, I think, one of Stutts' posts from earlier in the thread on Gerrard (or Lampard) needing a midfield to enable him to play his natural game, I think the reason Pirlo has been so effective in this tournament is because Italy's system is really based around allowing him to play his game. When England actually got Rooney and Welbeck to hassle him, he was actually shown to be quite slow and pondorous in possession, and for periods of the game England actually shut him down. The problem is that even if Pirlo isn't firing, players like Marchisio and Montolivo showed themselves just as capable of finding gaps with exquisite passes. Still, anybody who would prefer Wilshere to Pirlo is on the wrong kind of drugs.The other italian midfielders are playing briliantly as well and they are certainly helping Pirlo look good but Pirlo is able to make the pass's though.

[Charlie Darwin]

Yeah, it's a team effort but the reason Pirlo has the time and space to make those passes is because the extra man in midfield creates the space. That 3-5-2 formation - as well as the excellent performance of the players in front of him - is what enables him to direct play so magnificently. But still, there are times when he looks vulnerable too.

[geysir]

But how many times did Pirlo lose possession when he was receiving close attention?
There was also a period in the first half when England had 3 players blocking the pathway to Pirlo, the ball was simply sent to another player.
After a while Pirlo just moved elsewhere, the posse didn't follow and gave up.

[Charlie Darwin]

He was caught in possession a few times by the strikers when they sneaked up behind him. It happened against Croatia in the second half too. He's a wonderful player but he can be limited by his lack of mobility the way somebody like Iniesta probably can't.

[youngirish]

I was listening to Danny Baker's football show on R5 Live this morning, while driving. The view of the panel (no idea who they were) was unanimous: Pirlo is overrated and they don'r see what the fuss is about. Even if Pirlo was 19 they'd all prefer to have Jack Wilshere.
Ah the English pundits. Such ill-informed idiots. Reminds me of the time when England were playing Germany in the World Cup Alan Hansen (practically English) stated before kick off only 1 or 2 Germans would make the English starting 11. This remember was a Germany who had 6 players who played in the Champions League Final a few weeks earlier whilst England had none. This was an England who had David James, Gareth Barry, Matthew Upson, Jermaine Defoe, Glen Johnson and James Milner in the team. Hillarious. How I laughed when Germany blitzkrieged them.

[ArdeeBhoy]

I was listening to Danny Baker's football show on R5 Live this morning, while driving. The view of the panel (no idea who they were) was unanimous: Pirlo is overrated and they don'r see what the fuss is about. Even if Pirlo was 19 they'd all prefer to have Jack Wilshere.

Heard the podcast. Think a 'small' emphasis at least, was tongue-in-cheek. But the Brit/English view can be very narrow or parochial for such a relatively large audience...

[mark12345]

Ah the English pundits. Such ill-informed idiots.

They are the problem to be honest. The media heap way too much expectation on the players and the public buy it hook line and sinker. Then the whole country is flabbergasted when England fail miserably as they are always destined to do. Like Ireland England don't play football, merely a version of the game. Sort of like tennis versus table tennis.

[DannyInvincible]

They are the problem to be honest. The media heap way too much expectation on the players and the public buy it hook line and sinker. Then the whole country is flabbergasted when England fail miserably as they are always destined to do.

Build up hype; higher ratings.

[Stuttgart88]

13 mins gone in final. Lawrenson already doing his best to ruin it.

What a goal!!

[ArdeeBhoy]

Mute button and radio commentary...

Am actually enjoying the game so far!!

[Stuttgart88]

Spain are so boring :)

[BonnieShels]

I'm not. I hate them so. Come on Italy. Please.

[Stuttgart88]

Prandelli to go 3 at the back? Do they have wide options?

[paul_oshea]

iis pirlo still player of the tournament?its like all ireland final when dublin never perform
in fairness he was playing so deep he has been a centre back half the time!!

i dont care what anyone says been saying it all along about spain, no team works harder off the ball than they do. yet they still have all the energy and speed when needed. im not sure i buy this about us and other teams tiring.

[Stuttgart88]

The French claim they're all drug cheats! It's not just the work ethic, their play off the ball involves a lot of footballing intelligence - they take up such clever positions that actually winning the ball back becomes easy.

I dunno about player of the tournament but Pirlo, Ozil and Xavi have all been superb in their own ways. All playmakers, but of subtly different types.

[BonnieShels]

What a miserable end to the tournament for Italy.

[Colbert Report]

This Spanish team is unreal. No shame in being trounced 4-0 by them.

[BonnieShels]

There's always shame being trounced 4-0

[paul_oshea]

stutts intelligence has nothing to do with having 4 or 5 players alwqys within 10-15 metres of the ball.they defend in numbers like the old northern teams in gaelic. italy have been shagged since ~70(granted down to 10 men since), yet they had most of the possesion in the first half....people always say chasing is more tiring than possession.spain could play another half after this.italy are properly shagged.the spanish players play about 58 games a season way more than the english for example
over 4 years thats about an extra season!!!

[BonnieShels]

And that's that. Another miserable tournament finale.
This soccer lark is killing me.

[Stuttgart88]

I disagree. I think the Spain players read the game very well as well as play it well. I also love how they almost always win the ball standing up, nicking the ball of opponents' feet.

[Colbert Report]

There's always shame being trounced 4-0

I don't think this Italian team has anything to be ashamed about. Sure, they were very unlucky with injuries in this match, especially Motta going down right after he came on, but the Spaniards were infinitely better I think.

[paul_oshea]

I disagree. I think the Spain players read the game very well as well as play it well. I also love how they almost always win the ball standing up, nicking the ball of opponents' feet.

I think we are on about two slightly different things here, you are on about when the ball is in tight areas, pressurising the opposition, taking up the best positions to nick the ball off the opposition, anticipating where the ball will break or where it will go is based on percentages, intelligence and experience. I'm on about when Italy were countering or when spain were countering, or when any bit of space opened up they still outnumbered the italians everywhere on the pitch, their fitness and their running was just unbelieveable.

Italy were beaten 4-0 but they were down to 10 men with 20 mins to go and looked very very tired. Id love to know the average age of the team, spain was 27, so it cant be that. But a lot of the italians looked to be bandaged and on 1 limb, spain looked as fresh as the fist game.

[BonnieShels]

Ah sure let's have a conspiracy...

Johan Bruyneel seen leaving RFEF headquarters with a sack of cash.