EURO 2012

[Gym Beglin]

Just saw the stats. Spain haven't conceded a goal in 900+ minutes of knock out football. That's not a coincidence. That's the terrific defensive power of tiki-taka.

 

Boring? Fair enough, but people haven't really been able to articulate why they found Spain boring or why Spain are boring. If you look from the human factor, it's natural that people tend to do what they do well often and what they they do not as well less often. And when they do something really well like the Spaniards at keeping possession, they're even more risk-averted at doing something else different. A good neuron surgeon wouldn't risk looking foolish trying to do an open-heart by pass.

 

 

Spain play such simple football, it's amazing how people are amazed by it. I love it, dont get me wrong, but it's other teams who fuck up, and not Spain who do something superhuman.

 

And there's the element of luck as well. The first goal could have gone anywhere, it was pinged back and it almost hit Silva square on the forehead, at real pace. Looked like a brilliant goal, but they couldnt replicate that if they tried another 100 times.

 

The second goal was all the Italian defences fault, Xabi ran at them, Jordi Alba ran through them at pace, and if you're switched on as a defender then you know, for certain, that Xabi is going to try to slide Alba in. The defenders should have stopped tracking him and played the offside, but they didnt. Of course, Alba's take and finish were brilliant, but the only way that that brilliance could exist was through a basic defensive error. I watched it back a few times, the Italian defending looked worse each time.

 

From there, and with Chiellini already off, it was all over and could have been 15-0 for all I care. No idea what Prandelli was thinking yesterday, Balzaretti should have started, he was immense against Germany. Why did he take Cassano off? Why use all three subs? He knew his team was tired, injuries were always a possibility, it was sheer stupidity. I love Di Natale, but the game wasnt designed for him, it was designed for Giovinco to come on.

[Trumo]

Spain made over 700 passes last night. The only way England could ever do that is by getting Wayne Rooney on Mastermind.

[silverlining]

A tremendous performance by Spain, and in Rodgers we have someone who can aspire to that style.

 

All we need now is Fabregas, Alba, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Torres and Alonso.

[Gym Beglin]

All we need now is Fabregas, Alba, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Torres and Alonso.

 

Pfff, Mark Davies, Jose Enrique, Joe Cole, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Andy Carroll and Lucas. Easy.

 

That Alba, fucking left back he is. Without wishing to bang the Rafa drum, I bet we'd have been after him 12 months ago if Rafa was still in charge.

[Code]

Haha. Suck on that you boring norgie twat.

 

Off the meds again Lurtzy?

[silverlining]

Off the meds again Lurtzy?

 

I think he might be. He's been rampaging about bemoaning the lack of quality posts and posters, raging about people simply "throwing around insults" and yet when one takes a look at his own recent contributions to the site, it paints an odd picture:

 

"That's not even English. What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you genuinely as thick and semi-literate as you try to make out?"

 

"many more top quality posters' material have been replaced with threads like this excruciating sack of shit. RIP the GF"

 

"Haha. Suck on that you boring norgie twat."

 

"Fuck off torres you despicable slimy cunt."

 

"There's nothing wrong with twitter, it's the dimwitted fuckwits who interpret what's on there and post it on sites like this one that are the problem."

 

" No. You don't sense anything code. I've barely been on here for almost a fortnight and I come back to find you and your adversaries still having the same boring, nothing, meaningless, bitchslap... "

 

"You can fuck off too, you boring statty Norjie bastard. Quite why people have so little going on in their lives they can find the time to spend days on end arguing with you about your statistics"

 

"You're utterly pathetic. Throwing internet insults around is the entire sum of your contribution to the planet. I bet you're well chuffed you sad, sorry little wanker. You should try, you know, doing some work, or maybe spending time with your wife rather than all your time trying to think of new ways to impress your internet bezzies. You sad, sad fuck.

 

That said, she's probably too busy getting a few good hard inches from a real man to be bothered with the internet obsessed cocksucker she married."

 

Perhaps he should complain about himself to Dave.

[Gym Beglin]

I think he might be. He's been rampaging about bemoaning the lack of quality posts and posters, raging about people simply "throwing around insults" and yet when one takes a look at his own recent contributions to the site, it paints an odd picture:

 

"That's not even English. What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you genuinely as thick and semi-literate as you try to make out?"

 

"many more top quality posters' material have been replaced with threads like this excruciating sack of shit. RIP the GF"

 

"Haha. Suck on that you boring norgie twat."

 

"Fuck off torres you despicable slimy cunt."

 

"There's nothing wrong with twitter, it's the dimwitted fuckwits who interpret what's on there and post it on sites like this one that are the problem."

 

" No. You don't sense anything code. I've barely been on here for almost a fortnight and I come back to find you and your adversaries still having the same boring, nothing, meaningless, bitchslap... "

 

"You can fuck off too, you boring statty Norjie bastard. Quite why people have so little going on in their lives they can find the time to spend days on end arguing with you about your statistics"

 

"You're utterly pathetic. Throwing internet insults around is the entire sum of your contribution to the planet. I bet you're well chuffed you sad, sorry little wanker. You should try, you know, doing some work, or maybe spending time with your wife rather than all your time trying to think of new ways to impress your internet bezzies. You sad, sad fuck.

 

That said, she's probably too busy getting a few good hard inches from a real man to be bothered with the internet obsessed cocksucker she married."

 

Perhaps he should complain about himself to Dave.

 

 

I agree, Lurtz is probably the worst WUM on the site, yet he doesnt even know it.

Doesnt cost anything to be civil, I just find him rude and aloof, but in a weird way.

 

I dont trust people who change their avatar a lot. There's a lot of "please notice me" about that sort of behaviour.

 

I have my flaws too, but I honestly believe it doesn't extend to me being unneccessarily hostile to people I dont know. Except Code, but he's a good sort, he can take it, not that I'm forceful with it or do it often, just an occassional "oh fuck off".

 

The only thing wrong with this site is the lack of numbers, I think it could do with a few more just to spice it up. I was mortified to see the nonsense directed at Fanchester, what did he do to deserve that? Some people need to stick to Facebook, this forum lark isnt for them.

[No2]

Hindsight is such a wonderful thing but sometimes you don't need it, sometimes its so bleedingly obvious before the event that its criminal not to be aware of the outcome. How the hell did so many pundits, bookies and posters here and elsewhere think someone other than Spain would win that trophy? Mind boggling!

 

They are the Mohammad Ali or Michael Jordan of football, they are fucking brilliant and they need to be appreciated now because soon enough they will be gone and the big lad up front will have his moment in the sun again. They are a joy to watch and I hope one day Brendan has us playing to even 10% of that level. In many ways Rafa gave us a head start on the rest by poaching those coaches from Barca and now we've appointed Rodgers who is a self confessed fanatic of that type of football. Maybe the fact we are the first try and copy Barca can give us something to look forward too.

 

 

*Sorry for mentioning the "R" word and ruining another thread

[silverlining]

Hindsight is such a wonderful thing but sometimes you don't need it, sometimes its so bleedingly obvious before the event that its criminal not to be aware of the outcome. How the hell did so many pundits, bookies and posters here and elsewhere think someone other than Spain would win that trophy? Mind boggling!

 

They are the Mohammad Ali or Michael Jordan of football, they are fucking brilliant and they need to be appreciated now because soon enough they will be gone and the big lad up front will have his moment in the sun again. They are a joy to watch and I hope one day Brendan has us playing to even 10% of that level. In many ways Rafa gave us a head start on the rest by poaching those coaches from Barca and now we've appointed Rodgers who is a self confessed fanatic of that type of football. Maybe the fact we are the first try and copy Barca can give us something to look forward too.

 

 

*Sorry for mentioning the "R" word and ruining another thread

 

We're going to try and copy Barcelona? Er.....great.

[Faustus]

Who would people have in their team of the tournament? For what it's worth, I'd go for:

 

Buffon

 

Arbeloa

Hummels

Ramos

Alba

 

Alonso

Pirlo

Ozil

 

Iniesta

Gomez

Ronaldo

[Danny_Kop]

Spain are just absolute class, the way they play the ball around is great to watch.

 

Wish we till had Alonso in our side

[fowler9]

Who would people have in their team of the tournament? For what it's worth, I'd go for:

 

Buffon

 

Arbeloa

Hummels

Ramos

Alba

 

Alonso

Pirlo

Ozil

 

Iniesta

Gomez

Ronaldo

 

 

Buffon

Johnson

Ramos

Pique

Balzaretti

 

Pirlo

Gerrard

Iniesta

 

Balotelli

Gomez

Ronaldo

[Whelan]

Casilas

 

Johnson (he was great)

Hummels

Bonini

Alba

 

Pirlo

Iniesta

Xabi

 

Ronaldo

Silva

Ozil

[Evil_Ways]

Best national side ever and it's not even close.

They would have been even better if Villa had not broken his leg.

[BringbackBiscan]

Spain still bore me to tears.

[Jairzinho]

Casillas

Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba

Busquets Alonso Xavi

Silva Fabregas Iniesta

[Code]

Baffled by the Silva inclusions he has been poor compared to the other front 6 for Spain.

[TheHowieLama]

Casilas

 

Johnson (he was great)

Hummels

Bonini

Alba

 

Pirlo

Iniesta

Xabi

 

Ronaldo

Silva

Ozil

 

 

 

Playing a fake 9 there.

[Unrighteous]

Spain made over 700 passes last night. The only way England could ever do that is by getting Wayne Rooney on Mastermind.

 

Superb, sir.

 

Spain still bore me to tears.

 

How? They were boring in the World Cup, I must admit, but they are not boring in this tournament.

[Gym Beglin]

Who would people have in their team of the tournament? For what it's worth, I'd go for:

 

Buffon

 

Arbeloa

Hummels

Ramos

Alba

 

Alonso

Pirlo

Ozil

 

Iniesta

Gomez

Ronaldo

 

 

Buffon

 

Contrao

Chiellini

Pepe

Balzaretti

 

Iniesta

De Rossi

Moutinho

Fabregas

Silva

 

Ronaldo