The Euro 2008 thread: Spain are European champions

[Guest s0ftcore]

I guess the reason why I feel Emre had a good game is because he rarely lost the ball, controlled the tempo most of the times Turkey had the ball (like initiating their counters)

 

A real shame about that pass from deep to Nihat though - that's a real Hollywood ball!

 

He isn't really the best of defenders but he's there to make up the numbers and pick up loose balls. Still gutted that we've sold him though

[johnnypd]

Usual problem with Emre. He fancies himself as a playmaker, dropping deep and feeding passes forward. Trouble is, he ends up playing alongside the defensive midfielder instead of getting forward. He looks good, but the team would benefit more from someone getting into the box from that position.

 

reminds me of when we had Emre as the deep lying midfielder and parker as the attacking one. [[shudder]] he was pretty good if the manager told him to stay upfield as his dribbling and movement let him get into good positions where a simple ball would prove to be very effective.

[1878]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

[Unbelievable]

Tuncay turned in one of the worst performances I've seen for a while.

 

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 s*** footballing country, you're right, but I think that defintion is very debatable..

 

Semantics tbh. I probably could have phrased it better.

 

Ok Wullie, will let it be..

 

I was impressed with Portugal. I have always thought they needed an out-and-out striker, and they still lack a top class striker many other teams have, but they have so many people in midfield running forward and capable of scoring a goal I fear they are in with a real chance to win this time. I also think they look stronger now they have shedded some of their older players (Figo etc)..

[Wullie]

Anyway. Let's have this debate another time, ffs.

 

Didn't think Portugal looked quite as good as the ITV commetary team made out, really.

 

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.

[Unbelievable]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

You may want to look up Van Basten, Kluivert, Mackaay and a few others on wikipedia, or are you talking about the Premiership, in which case I'd include Robben who transformed Chelsea in his first two campaigns, and Bergkamp of course, unless you think he was shit..? All in all, I can't believe we are even debating the quality of Dutch strikers when I look at what England can muster in that position..

[Keefaz]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

You may want to look up Van Basten, Kluivert, Mackaay and a few others on wikipedia, or are you talking about the Premiership, in which case I'd include Robben who transformed Chelsea in his first two campaigns, and Bergkamp of course, unless you think he was shit..? All in all, I can't believe we are even debating the quality of Dutch strikers when I look at what England can muster in that position..

 

Christ. All I was saying is that the likes of Kuyt, Kezman scored a million goals in Holland but went elsewhere and have struggle. They performed well in a lesser league.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Tomasson did as well.  Graveyard club syndrome obviously  :-[

[1878]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

You may want to look up Van Basten, Kluivert, Mackaay and a few others on wikipedia, or are you talking about the Premiership, in which case I'd include Robben who transformed Chelsea in his first two campaigns, and Bergkamp of course, unless you think he was s***..? All in all, I can't believe we are even debating the quality of Dutch strikers when I look at what England can muster in that position..

 

I said players who came from the dutch league over here, to the Premiership. Which was what Keefaz brought up in the first place.

 

Robben isn't a striker by the way.

[Unbelievable]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

You may want to look up Van Basten, Kluivert, Mackaay and a few others on wikipedia, or are you talking about the Premiership, in which case I'd include Robben who transformed Chelsea in his first two campaigns, and Bergkamp of course, unless you think he was s***..? All in all, I can't believe we are even debating the quality of Dutch strikers when I look at what England can muster in that position..

 

Christ. All I was saying is that the likes of Kuyt, Kezman scored a million goals in Holland but went elsewhere and have struggle. They performed well in a lesser league.

 

Players move clubs. Sometimes they do well at their new club, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they are not suited to a particular league, and rip another league apart. I was taking offence to the lesser footballing country reference, and that players from these so called lesser leagues were bigged up unjustly. I think a player can be praised for how well he did in a particular league. If he moves clubs and fails, be it in the same country or another, that doesn't make him a shit player. I'll refer to Shevschenko for example; for years he was considered the best striker in the world. Is he shit, or has he always been shit, just because things don't seem to work out for him at Chelsea? The world of football doesn't end with the Premiership you know..

[Keefaz]

Anyway.

 

I see tomorrow we have Austria v Croatia, and Germany v Poland. What do we expect?

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Anyway.

 

I see tomorrow we have Austria v Croatia, and Germany v Poland. What do we expect?

 

Wins for Croatia & Germany.  Have a feeling there might not be too many surprise results this time round

[1878]

Anyway.

 

I see tomorrow we have Austria v Croatia, and Germany v Poland. What do we expect?

 

Croatia win and I'm tempted to go for a draw in the other game, Poland were good in qualifying and the Germany game is really huge for them. They'll be champing at the bit.

[ElDiablo]

Anyway.

 

I see tomorrow we have Austria v Croatia, and Germany v Poland. What do we expect?

 

Two shit games.

[Keefaz]

Na, I think Germs v Poles might be alright.

[johnnypd]

can't wait for tomorrow's games, mainly cos today's matches have been rather unsatisfactory.

 

Croatia should win handidly in their match, Germans likewise, tho i expect Poland to put up a good fight, the two nations have a bit of history...

[alexf]

my god the itv commentators wanted to bum ronaldo, every time he touched the ball they had a big jizzfest i mean hes a great player but they are way over the top

[fredbob]

Anyone else think the constant bumlicking of Ronaldo was unbearable?

 

They should all spend a night with him and get it out their system, then discard him like you would with a whore.

 

Sickening.

 

EDIT: little too late!

[Fatwax]

my god the itv commentators wanted to bum ronaldo, every time he touched the ball they had a big jizzfest i mean hes a great player but they are way over the top

 

All commentators are ridiculous. It was like the Champions League final when Tevez, Rooney & Ronaldo were dubbed the Holy Trinity.

 

What the f***.

[dustynrg]

my god the itv commentators wanted to bum ronaldo, every time he touched the ball they had a big jizzfest i mean hes a great player but they are way over the top

 

I was embarassed for them, Portugal have obviously taken over from England in their eyes because Ronaldo's playing for them. Strange how he's changed from the Devil when he got Rooney sent off to this wankathon every time he gets the ball.

[lovejoy]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

there was this fella called bergkamp......

[johnnypd]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

there was this fella called bergkamp......

 

came here from Serie A

[Unbelievable]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

there was this fella called bergkamp......

 

came here from Serie A

 

Right, that obviously disqualifies him as a player who came from a so called lesser footballing country and made a name for himself abroad..

[johnnypd]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

there was this fella called bergkamp......

 

came here from Serie A

 

Right, that obviously disqualifies him as a player who came from a so called lesser footballing country and made a name for himself abroad..

 

go to bed.

[Unbelievable]

Thanks for including Kluivert, Babel and Kuyt to help us bum you in the face with our argument.

 

Kluivert has a career before he came to Newcastle you know..? Babel has had as good a first season as could be expected from a youngster moving to a new league and adjusting his game and Kuyt is a regular in one of the top 4 and one off the most loved players at his clubs wherever he goes. I predict you will bring up his goalscoring record in the Premiership, but he has so many more strings to his bow.

 

Kuyt is rubbish. Nothing but a workhorse.

 

Van Persie and van Nistelrooy are the only strikers I can think of who've come over from the Dutch league and done the business.

 

there was this fella called bergkamp......

 

came here from Serie A

 

Right, that obviously disqualifies him as a player who came from a so called lesser footballing country and made a name for himself abroad..

 

go to bed.

 

Will do.. Doesn't change the fact that these arguments of people coming from the lesser footballing countries often being overrated (more so than players from England) or strikers coming from the Dutch league often failing to impress abroad are both nonsense..