Soccer • Football • Voetbal • Fútbol • Calcio • Futebol - 2012-2013 Thread (Including EURO2012)

[El Argentino]

Nah. Love PKs. If players are going to bunker down and waste time, then on to the shootout.

 

[HAL 9000]

I don't like the PK system as much as the next guy but I don't think the fans nor the players can handle triple, quadruple, quintuple, etc. extra time.

In any case, what's funny is that Portugal dominated Spain in possession time. We can safely say that Spain are the masters of possession and ball control. They usually control it from 60-75% of the match, but in this match they only controlled it 45% of the time. Portugal played well and neutralized Spain's strengths.

 

[coldarchon]



Never knew Ramos had such a good free kick in him...

Sergio Ramos always reminds me of Val Kilmer ..

 

[Louis XIV]

No matter who is going to win the next semi final, the only thing I hope for is Spain losing in the finals.
How can so many incrediblely skilled players like the squad of Spain show football that is that uninspiring ... soporific?
Don't get me wrong, Spain won deservingly the last two tournaments and that loss against Italy 2006 still hurts, but at least Italy and our side show something to us followers.
So no matter who of the two advances should beat the crap out of Spain in the finals for everyone who enjoys fast and attractive football.
Am really afraid this could turn out like 2004...

 

[lasbar]



Sergio Ramos always reminds me of Val Kilmer ..

The old Val Kilmer..

 

[Lord-Barrington]



No matter who is going to win the next semi final, the only thing I hope for is Spain losing in the finals.
How can so many incrediblely skilled players like the squad of Spain show football that is that uninspiring ... soporific?
Don't get me wrong, Spain won deservingly the last two tournaments and that loss against Italy 2006 still hurts, but at least Italy and our side show something to us followers.
So no matter who of the two advances should beat the crap out of Spain in the finals for everyone who enjoys fast and attractive football.
Am really afraid this could turn out like 2004...

Don't get too high on yourself. Italy has definitely turned a corner in terms of goal scoring and turning down the theatrics, but the 2006 and 2008 editions of the Azzurri were mostly known for their stifling defence and absurd levels of diving. I don't think you'd find too many people outside of Italy who were huge fans of the Italian side until they started scoring some goals and stopped flopping around like fish on the pitch.

 

[KitAkira]

The lack of dolphins in this Euro Championship has been extremely refreshing. De Rossi still bothers me after his WC08 performance, but the rest of the Italian squad learned how to stay on their feet

 

[idfnl]

Until overtime, Portugal had the match 50/50.

87th minute was Portugal's moment with Ronaldo in on goal. That pass from Mireles was **** and took him off stride. After that I knew it was unlikely to end in a Portugal win.

1/2 half was good, 2nd was ****.

How the best player in Europe didnt take a penalty is beyond belief.

 

[Lord-Barrington]



Until overtime, Portugal had the match 50/50.
87th minute was Portugal's moment with Ronaldo in on goal. That pass from Mireles was **** and took him off stride. After that I knew it was unlikely to end in a Portugal win.
1/2 half was good, 2nd was ****.
How the best player in Europe didnt take a penalty is beyond belief.

Saving him for "the crunch" I suppose.

Someone needed to tell the Portuguese skipper that in the PK, "the crunch" is shooters 1 and 2.

 

[Oleg]

Portugal were buggered. Spent so much energy in their decent first half that they looked out on their feet in extra time. Hard work chasing around without the ball for two hours. Spain made a mistake starting Negredo: touch like an electric shock. Worse than shyte. I really don't know what Llorente's done to upset Del Bosque so much.

 

[Sir Humphrey Appleby]



Saving him for "the crunch" I suppose.
Someone needed to tell the Portuguese skipper that in the PK, "the crunch" is shooters 1 and 2.

No, you save your striker with the best composure until last so he doesn't buckle under the pressure of having to score to keep you in it/send you through. 1 and 2 you go for ones with technical ability because there's no way it will send you out.

 

[Mauro]

Big day today! Germany is going down.

 

[sokratis]

Portugal were buggered. Spent so much energy in their decent first half that they looked out on their feet in extra time. Hard work chasing around without the ball for two hours. Spain made a mistake starting Negredo: touch like an electric shock. Worse than shyte. I really don't know what Llorente's done to upset Del Bosque so much.

Yeah, I'd like to see Llorente in the starting 11 in the final.

 

[dufferin1]

Big day today! Germany is going down.

Italy ** is going down.

All seriousness, should be a fantastic game no matter what the result.

 

[Oleg]



Italy **  is going down.

All seriousness, should be a fantastic game no matter what the result.

Hard to get a handle on the Italians. They looked decent against Spain, I suppose. But England were so ******* abject in all aspects except last ditch defending that it's hard to judge them. Pirlo was magnificent against England but England never got close to him. Given he's got the mobility of an asthmatic tortoise he really should have been pressurised a bit more. Can't see the Germans giving the same time and space. Italian finishing will have to be better than it was in the quarters - the Germans won't give them that number of chances.