France v Italy

Tusky

Bubs101 wrote: »

So this is the first time Spain have had a talented team? They always have one, they always bottle it.

Where in my post did I say that exactly ? I was replying to this comment -

nipplenuts wrote: »

I just think having two strikers is not enough to constitute a team.

Sherifu

nipplenuts wrote: »

Never heard of Raul? Butragueno, no? De Stefano, Guardiola, Morientes?

Good players, not great players

They never carried club form through to country appearances.

Im_No_Superman

Only saw the last 30 min of the game in the pub, delighted Italy got through (not because I got money on them !) Big blow losing Pirlo and to a lesser extent Gautuso for the game against Spain. Will defo be putting money on Toni to score against Spain, i know he has been cack so far but spain dont look so hot at the back and I would fancy Toni to open his account. Remember where you heard it first!

leninbenjamin

estebancambias wrote: »

De Rossi was good but(sort of random here) for the first time I understand what people like Marcotti mean when they say he's a 'poor mans Roy Keane'

consider the difference in the two teams he's playing in though. there's little to no off the ball movement with Italy, whereas with Roma you've got Mancini, Tottie etc. much more fluid movement and off the ball running. I still don't think it's fair to call him that.

Xavi6

nipplenuts wrote: »

Never heard of Raul? Butragueno, no? De Stefano, Guardiola, Morientes?

A defensive midfielder who scored 17 goals in 366 career games.

gucci

Xavi6 wrote: »

A defensive midfielder who scored 17 goals in 366 career games.

Beat me too it Xavi, well i wouldn't have had the stats, but I was pretty sure he was a defensive midfielder!
Italy without Pirlo will struggle creatively in my opinion, which could mean they could try and choke up the middle of the park and play it really tight for the 90-120 mins of the match. Toni is so septic that hes bound to score, well I would have said that if Pirlo was playing, perhaps not now!

gucci

invincibleirish wrote: »

AS for France, Domenech is surely gone, what a disaster, he fluked France to the 2006 WCF but the man is a joke. No idea of who to pick, unsettled team, wrong decisions etc. good riddance!

5/1 Domenech next Spurs manager

I didn't really follow France in the qualifiers, but did he decide to change tact mid-tournament? The dropping of older players like Thuram, Sagnol etc? And of course in retrospect his decision to leave Flamini sitting at home is a shocker.
People were saying Toulalan had a great game etc last night, yes he done great work, but his distribution and general contribution was very very poor.
Abbidals challenge was dumb last night, but he has never impressed me playing for Barcelona, dont know how he could be picked for a international team of supposed stature like France

iregk

Sherifu wrote: »

I don't recall Spain ever having such quality strikers as Villa and Torres before.

How long have you been watching football? 5 years?

Sherifu

iregk wrote: »

How long have you been watching football? 5 years?

Much longer.

Mitch Connor

iregk wrote: »

How long have you been watching football? 5 years?

I though Villa and Torres were part of the spain squad at the WC in 06.

mike65

There is a basic truth - striker can't win tournaments for sure, but poor defenders will loose you one.

Mike.

leggo

The very fibre of Spain's football team's existence in major tournament has been based around the fact that JUST when you think they're going to do it, they'll give that one horribly blunderous performance that knocks them out.

They've a team that, on their day, can beat anyone. I'd love to see win it all, them or the Dutch, for football's sake. But I'd be shocked if it happened. The Italians (at international or club level) know how to win games when their backs are against the walls and they have to deliver. They'll lose the games that they get overly complacent in, but this won't be one such game.

If the Italians can keep Villa and Torres quiet for a half hour, it'll be a 2-0.

wheres me jumpa

The game was a dissappointment in the end. Italy despite their clear advantage did not impress, in fact before the second goal France were looking dangerous. A fortunate second goal finished off the French and some Frech careers.

I really dont know what to make of the Italians. Defensively they are making mistakes (unpunished last night but some very unitalian like defending last night), offensively they cant seem to finsih the chances they are creating and now Pirlo, their creative force is missing from their next game.

But, would I write them off, not a chance.

kinaldo

I hate France. Au revoir les bleus.

So most here think Italy will win because of their 'Italian' mentality and previous records - fluking the last one on penos and also bottling pretty much every tournament in living memory bar 1982.

I can't see it. They won't be able to get the ball of Spain for a start. Also no Cannavaro, Nesta, Pirlo and Gattuso or Totti this time.

Spain to win comfortably, 3-1...

leninbenjamin

gucci wrote: »

People were saying Toulalan had a great game etc last night,

where the hell were people saying that? honestly, Toulalan is so limited he makes an ancient Claude Makelele look like Paul Scholes in his prime. he'd be a good player for a Championship side imo.

Vokes

Thought myself that Toulalan played pretty well for a long period of the game last night. He was keeping good posession and getting involved in France's attacks and putting the Italy midfield trio under pressure, all while a man down.

gucci

leninbenjamin wrote: »

where the hell were people saying that? honestly, Toulalan is so limited he makes an ancient Claude Makelele look like Paul Scholes in his prime. he'd be a good player for a Championship side imo.

Sorry, i was watching it on BBC so had Lawro and think O'Neill and Hanson mentioned him as one of the few performers last night.

Malice

I thought it was a disappointing game in the end. The French really did look gutted once the second goal went in. I still can't believe Domenech thought it was a good idea to leave Benzema on the bench for the Holland game. I thought he was easily their biggest goal threat last night.

shane86

estebancambias wrote: »

Delighted for Italy.

For me they are playing better than they did in the World Cup.

.

They have been horrific this year. Managed two flukey goals against a French side with no attack, ancient defender who wanted to retire two years ago and all lead by a manager who is a few sandwiches short of a picnic (playing Abidal? I dont know). I think Spain are overrated this year, but they will murder them anyway.


Oh, and LOL

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/france/7371294.stm

Domenech, who proposed to his girlfriend on television when interviewed after the match....

The man is as mad as a bag of cats. Jaysus, time and a place like