England always start poorly in Championships - but on last nights performance, we would be lucky to qualify for the latter stages of an under 10's tournament. I know fuck all about football really, but as Mrs Taylor posted earlier, why the hell Gerrard didn't hoof that ball out of the stadium is beyond me - at worst it would have wasted some time.
Fatty - gloat away my old mucker, but you are definitely getting the beers in when I come to Edinburgh!
thanks freddie · Member since
I think the final will be between france and germany, and this time germany will win the final.
Holland (were i live) will not get any further than the 1/4 final.
England it's a shame they lost the match against france i really hoped the won that match.
Michel
The Mir@cle · Member since
Well, I give my former nickname some meaning (MartijnCruijff). My opinion:
France, Spain and Chech Republic are my favorites, although France showed some weakness yesterday. France didn't have some real wingers. Against defending opponents (like England yesterday) it seems hard for France to create chances. Spain played well the first match. Not impressive, but it was good. I think Chech Repluplic is a real favorite as well. With Nedved, Proborsky, Galasek and Koller, they have a balanced team.
Holland is no more than an outsider to me. We have eleven world class players, but we are not a team. And we have one really weak point, our coach! Players like Makaay and Robben will never figure in the first eleven. And Advocaat prefer a 4-4-2 system. The Dutch trade mark is a 4-3-3 system.
Well, we shall see. Tomorrow the "Fussballkrieg" against Germany. Always an important game for the Dutch.
The Mir@cle · Member since
England has a hard working team, but (except Beckham) they have not stylists. That's why they don't gonna win this Championship. I think they get it hard to beat Croatia.
Plengel · Member since
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Guitar Hero wrote: [/QUOTENAME]
Niek, Harry, and Plengel... I'll bet you a beer each that Germany will win on Tuesday. I'll see you guys in summer '06 for the debt to be paid. :)[/QUOTE]
I'll keep you to that bet, Bob :) I think it will be a draw though :(
Mr. Scully · Member since
Holland could win Euro, Italy and Spain will be strong too. Czech team could be among the favorites (until this spring we hadn't lost a match for two years) but we played nothing at all recently and we even lost against Japan, that was unbelievable.
France didn't play well yesterday, England was much better. What did Gerard do in the last minute, did he confuse the sides???
Lawyeris · Member since
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]The Mir@cle wrote: [/QUOTENAME] And Advocaat prefer a 4-4-2 system. The Dutch trade mark is a 4-3-3 system.
[/QUOTE]
Advocaat discussed it with some 4 oldest team players and decided to use 4-3-3 system again
The Mir@cle · Member since
4-3-3 with Rafael v.d. Vaart as left winger is the same as 4-4-2, believe me. He's a real "10 player" and that will be the position where he plays most of the time tomorrow.
But I must say, you're well informed Lawyeris. Dutch roots?
Taylor-Mayed · Member since
"You just are not used to win, that's all"
Italy and England have exactly the same number of players in their squads who have won major international championships.
None.
Sonja · Member since
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Guitar Hero wrote: [/QUOTENAME
But you couldn't say that 5 years ago, when we had guys like Klinsman, Bierhoff, and Linke... Germany had the most skilled headers in the world. But the former two (at least) are gone, so let's see what the future brings for our beloved square-heads!
[/QUOTE]
yeah true. but wasn't that about 10 years ago? Klinsmann was at his best in 94 wasn't he?
Bierhoff was great in 96, one of the best players europe.
holland - germany is gonna be interesting!! hah! I'm really looking forward to that one. and I am supporting holland.
I don't know why but i've never really supported the german team.
For me either england or in the world cup Brasil of course!
The Mir@cle · Member since
You surprisec me with your football-knowledge Sonja. Surely an interesting game Holland - Germany. Don't you mind if I do support my own country then?? (-:
Fenderek · Member since
I'm gonna support Dutch and Czechs. France is pretty strong and so is Italy...
England...? Well, unfortunatelly they put their hopes onto Beckham, who is the most overrated player in the entire history of football... Zidane showed him how to take penalties and how to be a true leader... Rooney was good, but he has to calm down and understand that by risking a red card he may let the whole team down... They're too bloody arrogant and too stupid to win anything... As long as they think they're the best just because they earn so much- they're not gonna win anything...
Portugese disappointed, but Greece seem a pretty well managed team- there may be few more surprises...!
Mr. Scully · Member since
"Bierhoff was great in 96, one of the best players europe."
Ah, Sonja, that hurts, don't ever remind that again :-)
If it wasn't for Bierhoff, our team would have been European champions in 1996...
Mr.Jingles · Member since
After watching the game between England Vs. France all I have to say is that France didn't win... Zidane did.
France is becoming sometimes extremely dependant on Zidane as much Argentina was with Maradona back in 80s and early 90s.
Fenderek · Member since
"After watching the game between England Vs. France all I have to say is that France didn't win... Zidane did.
France is becoming sometimes extremely dependant on Zidane as much Argentina was with Maradona back in 80s and early 90s."
I disagree... The next game may be Henry's one or Pires's... Or Vieira's... They have plenty of stars in their team... They didn't deliver during a game with England but they may later on... In the first half Trezeguet was so close!!! If it went 1:0 then, the game would look tatally different... True, it didn't, but it may next time...
And how not to depend on a player like Zidane, anyway! It would be sin to have a genius like that and not to use his dedication, his skills and his... pure genius! You gave Argentina's example... What's wrong with tHAT...? Depending on Maradona they won World Cup in 1986 and were second 4 years later! And I'm not sure if it's fair to say that it was all Maradona's influence! What about Caniggia nad goalkeeper Goicochea during Italy'90...? What about Burruchaga and others during Mexico'86...? Without them they wouldn't achieve half of that, even with such a great player (back then) as Maradona...
And you can see this pattern throughout the whole history of football! The greatest teams had their strong and influential leader on whom the whole team depended! Cruyff for Holand in seventies, Beckenbauer for Germany, Kempes for Argentina, Platini for France in eighties, Boniek for Poland... The greatest teams always had one absolutely influential player... Those teams are now remembered as the best of all times! No-one remeber teams without their leaders, without their stars who could win the games, when everyone else gave up... I don't think that's France's weakness... That's actually their strength!!! You may well mark Zidane, sacrificing one player to do that and... Henry will score hat-trick having more space... Simple as that...
