EURO 2012

Well, that was a penalty...could be 3-0.

(This is getting hard to watch. lol)

10 man Italy vs. 11 man Spain with a two goal lead.

WE GOT THIS, BOYS, COME ON!!!

Feel sorry for Italy they look so tired.

Sheeeeeit. I almost feel sorry for those poor Italians.

Fernando Torres wins the golden boot ..

LOL

lol

  On 7/1/2012 at 10:37 PM, YO303 said:

Fernando Torres wins the golden boot ..

 

 

LOL

 

 

 

lol

a completely disappointing Euro tournament. No need to play any matches, they seemed just a useless foreword to an eventual Spanish victory. Tiresome.

First time I haven't been bored by Spain - they played with some purpose.

The way they closed Pirlo out of the game was brilliant, and Italy had no one ready to step up and take his place.

Very tough for the Italians, who played some pretty damn impressive football as the tournament went on. The scheduling took its toll as well, third game in a week.

Another two years of Spain/Barca fans being terrible winners and gloating.

And I'm happy Torres won the golden boot. BI of 7.5 Torreses.

Italy needed two things to happen in this tournament if they were going to have any chance at winning it all: some luck and an incredible team effort. They had almost zero of the former yet plenty of the latter. It turns out that was enough to get them to Spain in the final, but it was clear from the opening moments they were out of steam and, yes, even a bit outclassed.

All three substitutions today were made due to fitness or injury. When one of those subs was injured, you kinda knew the flame was well and truly snuffed.

Italians can feel quite fucking confident going into Brazil two years from now. I suspect Pirlo will make his final Zidanesque push and they clearly have the core young players to contend.

P.S. - It's official. I am now cheering for AnybodyButSpain.

  On 7/2/2012 at 2:22 AM, The Overlook said:

All three substitutions today were made due to fitness or injury. When one of those subs was injured, you kinda knew the flame was well and truly snuffed.

 

watched it with an italian. he said "when i come back it will be 2-1" (we said "yeaahh!! that'll happen!") and went to the toilet. that injury stuff happened when he was gone and i suggested we not tell him about it. someone told him that everything was going well and that none of that stuff happened and italy weren't playing with 10 men. he believed that but didn't believe the truth.

he also said he'd be happy for spain to win because he lived there for 2 years.. that didn't last.

1 Shitonia Gary 55 258

2 Monstrinhos Malmequer Regadinho 13 235

3 Les Animaux Chris Moss 45 176

4 Reality Net Athletic Thomas Friedrich 12 157

5 Lam Son Lam Son 36 141

Ah, thankyou. Making Jordi Alba my captain pushed over the line. What a player. Barca have a pretty good system; letting their young players go, and if they turn out to be amazing in a few years they can sign them back for hardly anything because it's billed as a 'homecoming'.

Unlucky for Italy, but Spain was simply better. Italy shouldn't feel ashamed, they exceeded expectations and have a good foundation to build on. Spain currently has a talented crop of players and a system that works great for them and deservedly on top of the football world. And I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be favourite in Brazil, they will probably have mostly the same team there as well.

Two more years of gloating Spain fans you say, I say two more years of butthurt from non-Spain fans.

  On 7/2/2012 at 11:11 AM, azatoth said:

And I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be favourite in Brazil, they will probably have mostly the same team there as well.

Xavi and maybe Alonso need to have quality cover. They can both make it to the next tournament. Xavi is clearly capable of playing on for years like Giggs, although if he loses mobility he might let down the team which is founded on amazing movement as well as clinical passing.

But I'm sure Spain have got ample cover. Did I see Chelsea's Romeu on the Spanish bench? They must think a lot of him if he's only figured for Chelsea in about 10 games this season. He was originally from Barca though.

I wonder about Xavi, if he's on form in two years. He didn't look as sharp as he used to this tournament, but it could also be fatigue from a long season. Then again many players at this stage will have had long seasons. But as you said he might have a long career still and as a smart player I am sure he'll adjust if some aspects of his game diminishes. Spain seem to have youth development in order so replacements shouldn't be too hard to find.

He's 32, and so I don't think he's going to be playing every game next season for Barca and Spain. He'll be rotated a bit and he'll continue to play deeper (where he probably isn't as effective, but still a great player in a team of Barca's style). The problem for Xavi is that everything is about pass and move, Xavi in time will want to play as a 'quarter back' where he doesn't necessarily have to move much... that might diminish some of their creativity, so it could be an interesting few years. He's still got it for a year or two though. The scary thing is Iniesta, he's only 28, so arguably coming into his peak. Outrageously talented, and goes about it with minimal fuss.

LOL, that match was over before the first half ended. I just couldn't believe how embarrassing it got in the last minutes of the second half with goals 3 and 4. Like taking a dump on someone's face, and then farting afterwards just because.

I actually glad it's over. I'm starting to have a little bit of football fatigue.

*Boots up FIFA 12*

  On 7/2/2012 at 4:10 PM, jhonny said:

He's 32, and so I don't think he's going to be playing every game next season for Barca and Spain. He'll be rotated a bit and he'll continue to play deeper (where he probably isn't as effective, but still a great player in a team of Barca's style). The problem for Xavi is that everything is about pass and move, Xavi in time will want to play as a 'quarter back' where he doesn't necessarily have to move much... that might diminish some of their creativity, so it could be an interesting few years. He's still got it for a year or two though. The scary thing is Iniesta, he's only 28, so arguably coming into his peak. Outrageously talented, and goes about it with minimal fuss.

Iniesta is indeed a wizardly player, being excellent quietly without fuss as you said. He quietly was the UEFA best player of the tournament. I could see his profile raising is he is to take Xavi's place down the line.

the best team won... again

hope you guys can learn some football by watching spain or barça play

history

those who talk about spain playing boring... why dont you blame their opponents waiting in their goal?

italy forgot what spain can do if you actually go and attack them

Spain is the pragmatic, robotic version of old Ajax school of thought. They practically steal the whole thing and made it look absurd. There's nothing good to learn. Dark times for the game.

Speaking of old-Ajax school of thought, guess who's the next coach of Holland: Louis van Gaal. The man behind the '95 Ajax school of thought. Or were you aiming at the Cruyff school of thought?

van Gaal is a good choice. they really need someone who can mold all those disparate talents into a functioning team. The next world cup is this generation's last hurrah - with Sneijder, Robben, van Persie, Huntelaar all 28 and van der Vaart 29. They need some defenders though, especially central defenders, good god.

And that post by stabilo is exactly what I'm talking about by gloating spanish nuthuggers.

  On 7/8/2012 at 7:40 PM, chenGOD said:

And that post by stabilo is exactly what I'm talking about by gloating spanish nuthuggers.

I was sort of hoping nobody would bother replying to him because it was such hilariously stupid horseshit...but yeah. Spain were the beneficiaries of luck as much as anything in this tournament. They were mediocre as fuck all the way up until playing an injury-addled and exhausted Italian side that, yes, was marginally outclassed (through the midfield only IMO).

The success of this Spanish team is getting blown completely out of proportion. They're a very good team - at times, great. Greatest of all time? zzz.