Wullie

They'd be level or even in front if any of them could head a ball.

The guy is definitely class and we are just going to have to live with that unfortunately. He's scored a penalty ffs. I'm not just referring to this game though! He's a very good player. I've ssen enough of him to know that. Nice one, what channel is the Croatian league on? Pretty predictable Wullie. I have only watched him for Croatia in the internationals and he impressed me enough in those games. He is clearly a technically gifted player with great vision and a very good workrate. I don't have to watch every Croatian league game to tell you that. So you've seen him a few times, what 3 or 4, at international level? Fair enough. He probably is a good player seeing as Premiership clubs were willing to pay £20m for him but let's not pretend you're some sort of super scout eh? For the record I've seen David Healy play at international level and he's fucking brilliant and I've seen Frank Lampard play at international level and he's fucking crap. When he's in Hull on a wet Wednesday night, that's what matters.

The guy is definitely class and we are just going to have to live with that unfortunately. He's scored a penalty ffs. I'm not just referring to this game though! He's a very good player. I've ssen enough of him to know that. Nice one, what channel is the Croatian league on?

The guy is definitely class and we are just going to have to live with that unfortunately. He's scored a penalty ffs.

Just read on the Beeb that the lad who scored the penalty has just signed for Spurs apparently. Surprised we've not heard about it on here.

Fucking hell.

Got yourself a job then? Nice one mate, sounds like a smart one too. I considered that gag too.

Ouch.

Which English players are you talking about being overrated?

Yeah, i agree with that. In spite of all their 'attacking greatness', they didn't really do much. They hit the woodwork a few times but they seriously lack a spearhead at the top of their force. The Ronaldos and Simaos have got nowt to aim for. Nuno Gomes got in once following a fortuitous slip from the defender, which isn't really worth counting, but other than that - one header? They'll never win this competition without a good out and out striker. [/neck-on-line] You're right, Portugal have never had a real goalscorer (in recent memory before some smart arse says Eusebio) to pull them out when it's incredibly tight, like when they played Greece in the last final for example and they're not good enough at the back (mainly due to their attacking set-up tbf) to get by on that like the Italians. Pauleta was always shit at tournaments when I've seen him and I'm not sure Gomes is that much of a step up (plus he's getting on). No good having the best collection of wingers in the world when there's no one in the middle for them to get the ball to. They've got the greatest goal machine in Europe at the moment but they don't play the same system as Man Utd and Ronaldo could find it difficult to get the same space without Rooney and Tevez pulling defenders all over the shop in front of him.

did really well for Boro after the initial first few months of adjusting. but he always looks incredibly raw to me, like an 18 year old kid needing to work on his technique and tactical awareness. My Smog mate really doesn't rate him at all. He's scored a few good/important goals for them but he never has above about a 7/10 when I've seen him. Just goes to show how far overrated some players can be when they come from lesser footballing countries (but then we already knew that). Like from England you mean..? No. Oh, sorry. Could have fooled me seeing as one country has qualified and the other hasn't.. I'm quite clearly talking about the quality of the league. Unless you think the Turkish league is as strong as the Premiership? That's fair enough then. So by footballing country you mean the league, including foreign players..? In that case Holland (and Turkey as well) is a shit footballing country, you're right, but I think that defintion is very debatable.. Semantics tbh. I probably could have phrased it better.

did really well for Boro after the initial first few months of adjusting. but he always looks incredibly raw to me, like an 18 year old kid needing to work on his technique and tactical awareness. My Smog mate really doesn't rate him at all. He's scored a few good/important goals for them but he never has above about a 7/10 when I've seen him. Just goes to show how far overrated some players can be when they come from lesser footballing countries (but then we already knew that). Like from England you mean..? No. Oh, sorry. Could have fooled me seeing as one country has qualified and the other hasn't.. I'm quite clearly talking about the quality of the league. Unless you think the Turkish league is as strong as the Premiership?

did really well for Boro after the initial first few months of adjusting. but he always looks incredibly raw to me, like an 18 year old kid needing to work on his technique and tactical awareness. My Smog mate really doesn't rate him at all. He's scored a few good/important goals for them but he never has above about a 7/10 when I've seen him. Just goes to show how far overrated some players can be when they come from lesser footballing countries (but then we already knew that). Like from England you mean..? No.

Emre was piss poor. Like 1878 says, really offered nowt in either an attacking or defensive sense. When he's on his game running at people, he's put in some tremendous performances for us - however those number about half a dozen.

did really well for Boro after the initial first few months of adjusting. but he always looks incredibly raw to me, like an 18 year old kid needing to work on his technique and tactical awareness. My Smog mate really doesn't rate him at all. He's scored a few good/important goals for them but he never has above about a 7/10 when I've seen him. Just goes to show how far overrated some players can be when they come from lesser footballing countries (but then we already knew that).

Was that Turkey's third sub before? No sign on Turan tonight then.

Tuncay's had an absolute mare so far. Remember when it was in the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette that he'd done a stepover in training?

"What a save, what a save!" Funny, 30 seconds ago you were saying the keeper could do nothing, Clive. Twerp.

Pleat: Ronaldo's got plenty of time to go "back" to Spain apparently.

He's proper taken the piss like hasn't he?

Shorey was playing in the lower leagues with nowt said about him until he was about 25 and Reading came up. There's a lot of development still to go at Enrique's age. I never understand how people can compare two players of hugely different circumstances with a simple "A is better than B" point of view without taking into account ages, languages, personal life, development etc. Like when people compare every young kid to Drogba and totally miss that Drogba was a French league no-mark until he was about 25. Not having a go at you Keefaz cos I know you're a sensible lad, just see it a lot on here and find it rather short sighted. Enrique's got a way to go but selling him would be absolute madness imo - not that I think there's any mileage in this story whatsoever.