QuoteIn the past 3 months he must have spent 10 x more time on here than his beloved OWC
Since when do the Italians run on time?Originally Posted by Metrostars
Yeah, but you don't perform sh*t stirring for a profession, do you.
This is the cooooooooooooolest footy forum I've ever seen!
In the past 3 months he must have spent 10 x more time on here than his beloved OWC
Since when do the Italians run on time?
There´s an interesting poll on
La Gazzetta Dello Sport
http://www.gazzetta.it/appsSondaggi/...tta/d_1529.jsp
From an Italian perspective of course.
Who is our biggest adversary in the group?
Ireland 40%
Bulgaria 37%
Montenegro 12%
Cyprus 8%
Georgia 4%
26,000 polled so far
Probably a hangover from USA 94.
No doubt theres an email going around and the 40% that said Ireland are actually irish people not italians!
Marge: Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday.
Homer: Woo-hoo. Four-day weekend
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Trappattoni+Tardelli+Brady=Holy Trinity of Irish Football
Right. Everyone, round up a couple of thousand mates, & get them to click the link and vote for Georgia.
That should confuse the Honchos, and lead to us being drastically underestimated on match day by the most press-savvy squad in Europe.
On the way into the stadium, an elderly San Marino Steward waved us in and said "Tonight, may the best team win"
And they nearly did.
If my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle.
The result will forever read Scotland 1-2 Italy. What does it matter that they got at them? All that proves is that you can try and ruffle Italy but they'll still beat you.
Italy are a class act. If they lose 1 or 2 players, they'll have 1 or 2 more to come in and do an equally good job. We'll do well to get 1 point out of those 2 games.
Thursdays are Oriel
102 caps - legend
Well they way i went was into Dubrovnik airport which is in Croatia then a 3 hour spin by coach to Montengro. Surely a quicker route but i couldnt tells ya mate.
Definetely. Ronnie O Brien wasn't voted young player of the year at Juventus by those Eye-Tie backstards.No doubt theres an email going around and the 40% that said Ireland are actually irish people not italians!
I think I should the parachute, because I'm great.
In fact, I think I should get both parachutes, in case one doesn't work.
With players like Given, Dunne, Finnan, Duff, S Reid, McGeady, Keane and Doyle we are good enough on paper to qualify and even give Italy a run for their money at home.
A good team on paper does'nt mean a good team (take a bow stan). Its so important we get a manager who can make us gel and better than the sum of our parts. If this can be done we'll make the playoffs at least.
Look at the north. On paper they are really crap but they nearly qualified for the euros. Better pick the right manager please god!
I think Sanchez did the best work. Before he took over they were on par with Andorra, Malta, etc.
They key to this qualifying campaign is to beat the teams seeded below us i.e. beat Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro home and away. Do that and we'll get a playoff spot. Bulgaria and/or Italy might drop a couple of points against those teams. We should beat Bulgaria at home. Away is a different story. A draw would be a great result. Italy at home, a draw would be a good result. Away - a draw would be tremendous.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
italy were playing right up until the end and got 29 points, while Germany got 27. germany's last 4 were arguably dead games (ireland away, needed 1 point, czechs at home, lost 3-0, cyprus at home, won 4-0 and wales at home, drew 0-0). having BEEN AT THE GAME (i'm going to assume you didn't see it all) it looked like if Germany needed the win, they could have got it. That, and i think we can be sure they would have gotten 3 points off wales and at the very least one of the czechs if they needed them too. Italy's very participation in euro 2008 was in doubt up until the last minute in Scotland, by which time Germany had long since qualified and were nearly asleep, so Germany could easily have ended up with a points total of about 32-34 if they needed it.
Now I'll agree that Ukraine and Scotland were probably better opposition than Slovakia and Ireland, but your point about Germany 'only' making the semi final is a bit of a joke. Lest you forget, Grosso scored in the 117th minute or something like that, with penalties seemingly beckoning (and the Germans have a bit of a rep with penos). And a number of key Italian players retired after the world cup, most notably Francesco Totti. 'Doing what was needed' in terms of their qualifying group is kind of acknowledging that they sucked in some games, and totally ignores the fact that they were in a situation where one goal would have completely f*cked them up, much like the English situation. They were mediocre, most especially when they were OUTCLASSED by France and lost 3-1, and then played out a 0-0 borefest in Italy. They struggled at home to the Scots, too, lest we forget. They may be no 1 seeds, but they aren't that much better than the Germans. In terms of who I'd rather have after this summer's euros in an away game in September, I'd take Italy, cos if they don't win the euros, they'll be pieced off, given the usually sky-high pressure over there and if they do win, history shows they'll be easy enough to play too. They opened the last campaign with a 1-1 home draw to Lithuania, immediately after winning the world cup. Form of Champions that. For all your criticism of German form, in a game that mattered, they never messed up that abjectly.
Italy were "playing right up until the end" because they were in a really competitive Group, with four teams all mounting a challenge.
Germany were first to qualify because they were in an uncompetitive Group, with the two Qualifiers effectively settled soon after the half way mark.
That being so, I draw a very different conclusion as the the respective merits of the two teams than you do.
When under pressure, Italy came up with the goods. Don't be deceived by "what ifs" or "nearlys" - the great Italian teams have always done it that way: if a point is needed, don't let the opposition score, if a win is needed, establish a lead and hold onto it.
Whereas great German teams of the past were always characterised by their ruthlessness. That is, they never "eased off" in so-called "dead games" in the way this German side did; it would have been quite unacceptable.
Germany have won the WC 3 times and been runners-up four times. Italy have won it 4 times an been R-U twice, so historically their record is very comparable.
Moreover, each has hosted it twice, with one victory and one semi-finals each.
The Italy team which failed in Italia 90 was deemed a poor one by Italian standards, whereas the Germans were relieved even to have made the semis in 2006, such were their low expectations.
In the end, when comparing teams, you can only go by their current/recent form. Italy topped a tough Euro Group, whereas Germany came second in a poor Group, Italy won the 2006 WC in Germany, whereas Germany failed to make the Final on home soil.
You can argue individual games, incidents even, all you like, but I know which of the two I'd rather have drawn for WC2010.
P.S. World Cup Quarter Finalists Ukraine (FIFA Ranked 29th) were better than failed-to-qualify Slovakia (50th). Scotland (14th) with 24 Euro Points in a tough Group were better than ROI (35th) on 17 Euro points in a weak Group. There is no "probably" about it.
P.P.S. A home draw to Lithuania 'the morning after the Lord Mayor's Show' is hardly "messing up abjectly", unless you completely ignore the 28 points they gained subsequently. And how would you characterise Germany's drawing 1-1 in Cyprus, when the Group was still open?
I'm not sure why you're so keen to tediously labour this point as it makes little difference anyway. Whether we had Italy or Germany in our group both of them would almost certainly win it. Our Battle is with Bulgaria and the lower seeds in our group and if we can nick a couple of points from the top seed all well and good.You can argue individual games, incidents even, all you like, but I know which of the two I'd rather have drawn for WC2010.
Almost. Assuming Italy will coast the group we must get max points from the above and then its down to our head to head record v Bulgaria. Certainly doable.
Together with all our hearts.
Ealing Green is a WUM. Ignore him and he'll go away.
No matter about the merits of the other teams, Germany got 27 points and played four dead games (and got 5 points), Italy got 29 and played only one dead game (which they won anyway). The difference between them is minimal. And from an Irish (or northern Irish) perspective, I don't think it makes that big a difference as your chances of getting a result against either are pretty slim, either at home or away.
Slight change to your assertion that Italy always beat all but the best teams.
I think that result reinforces the fact that points can be gained from Italy depending on when we play them. I full expect them to do enough as they usually do but that wasn't the issue being debated was it.
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