Pretty poor game. I agree the Czechs were very disappointing, though I'm not sure it's their fault. They had about five good minutes at the start of the game, I thought. Then they just couldn't get the ball, and when they had it, they could almost never get it up the field. It looked to me like a lack of skill--and a big vote for the old tie-breaking system. Russia, who would have gone through on goal difference, surely would have been a lot more interesting, and more deserving of going through. It's interesting to me how unpopular Portugal is in England. Probably the most disliked team, I'm thinking, a combination of Ronaldo and what's seen as a stronger tendency to cheat than other teams have. I don't dislike them more than other teams, though I do dislike Ronaldo more than other players.
Ronaldo is an amazing talent, but he shows little humility and in England nobody likes a big head.It's why we also dislike Donald Trump, for example. And people who speak for their countries! Whoops! Well it's why I don't like them anyway. All country's cheat at football nowadays, sadly. There was a time when it was only the Argentinians, Italy, Spain, and yes the Portuguese! But Portugal still cheat perhaps more than most when they find themselves under pressure. The sad thing is they produce some of the most talented players in the world. There was a time, those who are old enough to remember, when Eusebio one of the true gentlemen of the game played for Portugal. I once saw him tell the referee that he should not get a penalty because he had fallen and was not fouled. It's a pity football has not followed his lead rather than the diving, injury feigning, lot we have today.
Ozil and Khedira will be sore tomorrow - Greeks don't like Turks, they don't like Germans...so their opinion of Turks playing for Germany pretty bloody low. Ephialtes of Trachis low. Khedira certainly bore the brunt of it.
Platini had the least enviable task in the world this evening - sit between Angela Merkel and the Greek PM.
France who have never lost to Spain had 10 men behind the ball when Spain attacked just then and so early on in the match. This will frustrate the Spanish I think.
I'd like to know if there's controversy in Spain over Del Bosque continually picking MFers as strikers with Torres and LLorente on the bench, has the latter kicked a ball yet? Poor handling of an in form Torres, I actually feel sorry for him, it is embarrassing.
Spain score.........I just cannot get this year's comp right. From now on I'm just watching.....pooh.
I think we can add Llorente to the list of players whose value won't be inflated by the Euros. Del Bosque has faced criticism for playing Xabi Alonso and Busquets at the same time. Is this the Spanish press politely telling him to play Fabregas in midfield?
I thought the French were far too slow in their build-up play. Several times the player on the ball had an option to pass it wide quickly or forward into space, but held the ball up and allowed the Spanish to settle in defence. If we play them, I would like to think that we could break forward quickly on the counter (accepting that they are going to have more of the possession), and get the balls into dangerous areas before they can settle in defence. I don't know if Blanc was at fault with that performance, or if his players simply could not be arsed. Having said that, I think it was a mistake on his part not to start with Nasri.
Nasri has been panned in the French press for moving the ball too slowly. It's the biggest flaw in his game.
They were slow because Benzema was rubbish, no service is one thing but when he went looking for it he was just as bad. Blanc made a catalogue of errors, most of all allowing players to give up and turn their back on the ball, allowing Spanish players to jog back past them. I'd of stuck Ben Arfa on, get him running at card magnet Ramos, get some set pieces.
"Sir Bobby Charlton is confident England will win Euro 2012 if they can beat Italy in Sunday's quarter-final." (Source: BBC Football website) Talk about the kiss of death!
The Germans are a whole diffrenet ball game..Engalnd will not beat them..they mix it up well..direct and elegent..but all in all very powerful..Joachim Lowe for Spurs.
