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I am very excited...in just 4 days the world biggest sports event starts again (of course without the always cheating Brazilians and Argentinians :D) ''euro2008''.
So post your finals prediction and enter the lurker lounge hall of fame. Other comments are welcome as well of course.
Mine: living in England I am happy they don't play.
To make things more interesting I am going to watch Holland-Italy in Italy.
Did you know that in a circle around the stadiums you are only allowed to drink the beer of the main sponsor Carlsberg? Heineken always make funny gadgets you get free with a crates of beer (this year a hat that can be used as a drum) but the guard take them from you if you want to enter the stadium with them.
This gave some weird situations in 2006 with people having to enter the stadium in underpants because their 'lion pants' (orange with a tail) were confiscated.
Prediction: sadly...Italy against Germany....with the Germans winning.
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Quote:Prediction: sadly...Italy against Germany....with the Germans winning.
Group A: Portugal Turkey
Group B: Germany Poland
Group C: Italy France (sorry eppie):)
Group D: Sweden Spain
Ah and in the finals, I think the Germans will win, and I'll say against Turkey.
”There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.
![[Image: yVR5oE.png]](http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/329/yVR5oE.png) ![[Image: VKQ0KLG.png]](http://i.imgur.com/VKQ0KLG.png)
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I'll take a long shot.
Portugal for the win in a massive upset, over the Italians.
Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
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06-04-2008, 07:38 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-04-2008, 08:08 AM by Kylearan.)
Hi,
as much as I'd like to see Germany winning, I doubt it - too many players not at their usual level of skill at the moment (Metzelder, Borowski, Klose, and don't even get me started on Lehman!). I think we will get kicked out in the semi-finals.
My bet would be Spain winning the final against Portugal. Yes, Spain. The team that's always very promising but which had never managed to win anything. But they've got a very interesting team...again. And they've played the best qualification, so maybe this time they'll manage to beat their nerves.
The ideal final for me would end in a penalty shootout, with an arrogant Ronaldo miskicking his penalty. :D
-Kylearan
There are two kinds of fools. One says, "This is old, and therefore good." And one says, "This is new, and therefore better." - John Brunner, The Shockwave Rider
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Quote:The ideal final for me would end in a penalty shootout, with an arrogant Ronaldo miskicking his penalty. :D
-Kylearan
:D
So you also had a good TV evening a few weeks ago?
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Newsflash:
one out of three orange whigs and Boa's (fan attributes) are lightly flammable, and therefor dangerous. Don't you just love news on internet...it doesn't cost anything to place another news item so just post anything you want.
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Go Sweden!
”There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.
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Quote:Go Sweden!
I have (also professionally) interest in sweden advancing...and for sure they will.
I just hope for them not have to go against the dutch in the quarter finals.
I am still surprised but the match against Italy was one of the best since years. I think I have to take back my prediction of Italy playing in the finals. Although I still think their 3-0 loss was more because of their weakness than the strength of the dutch, I think still that Italy might advance. But they seriously have to play better.
For the rest there is not much to say. Spain and Portugal had easy opponents. Germany remains one of the main teams to watch.
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Hi,
Quote:Although I still think their 3-0 loss was more because of their weakness than the strength of the dutch
Italy played weak, yes, but I was very impressed how the Dutch played - they could have won against a stronger Italy as well, although not by such a margin. And seeing what players the Dutch have in reserve still...Robben, van Persie... very nice! :ph34r:
Quote:Germany remains one of the main teams to watch.
I'm still wondering why everyone says so. We only have two, maybe three world-class players (Ballack, Lahm, Metzelder) and some strong ones, but overall lack the individual quality other teams like Spain, the Dutch, France et al. have. We compensate this by strong team play and commitment, something France for example was lacking, but if that will carry us to the finals...I doubt it. (I hope so, though! ;))
My biggest hope is that Greece will lose every single game they play. How they tried to play against Sweden was an insult to soccer. :angry:
-Kylearan
There are two kinds of fools. One says, "This is old, and therefore good." And one says, "This is new, and therefore better." - John Brunner, The Shockwave Rider
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Quote:Hi,
Italy played weak, yes, but I was very impressed how the Dutch played - they could have won against a stronger Italy as well, although not by such a margin. And seeing what players the Dutch have in reserve still...Robben, van Persie... very nice! :ph34r:
I'm still wondering why everyone says so. We only have two, maybe three world-class players (Ballack, Lahm, Metzelder) and some strong ones, but overall lack the individual quality other teams like Spain, the Dutch, France et al. have. We compensate this by strong team play and commitment, something France for example was lacking, but if that will carry us to the finals...I doubt it. (I hope so, though! ;))
My biggest hope is that Greece will lose every single game they play. How they tried to play against Sweden was an insult to soccer. :angry:
-Kylearan
A bad day for you yesterday. But you were right...for now. Germany has to play Austria....and they are not very good so that means an almost certain placing for the quarter finals. Germany Portugal will be a nice fixture.
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The best publicity for the game of football....the matches of Holland.
I can't really understand how Holland managed to beat Italy and France in such a way. There was some luck involved...but not too much actually (the goal of the French was offside, and Makalele should have gotten a double red card).
Both France and Italy are now dependent on the Dutch...If Romania wins from Holland, France and Italy are out. It is funny to hear the whining of two teams that are generally not known for their fair play.
I hope our coach does not take any risk and leaves some of our star players on the bench.
The quarter finalists so far; Spain, Croatia, Portugal, Holland. Likely Germany will advance and I would think the Czechs, the Swedes and Romania.
Without being to optimistic I think the dutch have a good chance to reach the finals (via Sweden/Russia and then Romania/Spain (Italy/France).
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06-18-2008, 01:05 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-18-2008, 01:07 PM by Occhidiangela.)
Quote:The best publicity for the game of football....the matches of Holland.
I can't really understand how Holland managed to beat Italy and France in such a way.
They are not afraid to attack.:)
I watched the France-Netherlands match with some good friends at an ale pub in Leesburg, Virginia, on Friday. We were all rooting for the Orange side. We went nuts when that first header went in on the corner kick.
We swilled much ale, sipped a bit of scotch, and were mightily pleased with the brilliance of the Dutch side, and the honesty of the officiating. Having watched the semi of the world cup a few years back, wherein the officiating in the Netherlands/Brazil match was an atrocity against the Dutch perpetrated by a Morrocan official who was obviuosly playing politics) I can only say "It's about time the pendulum swung back."
My prediction on Portugal, having watched the Dutch team, is looking like a longer shot that it did at first.
Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
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06-19-2008, 12:59 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-19-2008, 01:02 PM by kandrathe.)
The standings as of today in case anyone not immersed in it wanted to know.
A POR - 6 | TUR - 6 | CZE - 3 | SUI - 3
B CRO - 9 | GER - 6 | AUT - 1 | POL - 1
C NED - 9 | ITA - 4 | ROU - 2 | FRA - 1
D ESP - 9 | RUS - 6 | SWE - 3 | GRE - 0
The Quarter finals will be Portugal, Turkey, Croatia, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia.
Today's match is Portugal vs Germany
Friday will be Croatia vs Turkey
Saturday will be Netherlands vs Russia
Sunday will be Spain vs Italy
Then the Semi-finals begin next Wednesday.
P.S. I'm still 5 for 8. Wrong on Poland, France, and Sweden.
Group A: Portugal Turkey
Group B: Germany <strike>Poland</strike>
Group C: Italy <strike>France</strike>
Group D: <strike>Sweden</strike> Spain
”There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.
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Quote:The standings as of today in case anyone not immersed in it wanted to know.
A POR - 6 | TUR - 6 | CZE - 3 | SUI - 3
B CRO - 9 | GER - 6 | AUT - 1 | POL - 1
C NED - 9 | ITA - 4 | ROU - 2 | FRA - 1
D ESP - 9 | RUS - 6 | SWE - 3 | GRE - 0
The Quarter finals will be Portugal, Turkey, Croatia, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia.
Today's match is Portugal vs Germany
Friday will be Croatia vs Turkey
Saturday will be Netherlands vs Russia
Sunday will be Spain vs Italy
Then the Semi-finals begin next Wednesday.
P.S. I'm still 5 for 8. Wrong on Poland, France, and Sweden.
Group A: Portugal Turkey
Group B: Germany <strike>Poland</strike>
Group C: Italy <strike>France</strike>
Group D: <strike>Sweden</strike> Spain
In my pre tournament prediction I was wrong about Poland (Croatia ) as well, in the ranking (eg I had Italy as groupwinners) I made some mistakes. Further in the tournament I didn't give russia and turkey much chance, but they made it.
The bookmakers have Holland as their favourite now.....but I see a big big problem with Italy...teams from the south of europe can in general not be trusted...they are too cunning and now how to play the referee.....one good thing that either spain or italy will be out, and portugal we can only meet in the finals.
A very sad thing happened today: the daughter of dutch defender Khalid Bouhlarouz, who was born yesterday after complications in the pregnancy, died today. Yesterday he was escorted from the training pitch to the hospital and this morning she died. Khalid has decided to stay with the national team and cotinue playing. The team at this moment is a group of friends and there were no problems between the players, I think this group will do everything they can to support him and his wife in this difficult time. It must be a very strange situation for everybody to play a quarter final on saturday with this that has happened.
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Quote:They are not afraid to attack.:)
I watched the France-Netherlands match with some good friends at an ale pub in Leesburg, Virginia, on Friday. We were all rooting for the Orange side. We went nuts when that first header went in on the corner kick.
We swilled much ale, sipped a bit of scotch, and were mightily pleased with the brilliance of the Dutch side, and the honesty of the officiating. Having watched the semi of the world cup a few years back, wherein the officiating in the Netherlands/Brazil match was an atrocity against the Dutch perpetrated by a Morrocan official who was obviuosly playing politics) I can only say "It's about time the pendulum swung back."
1998....and that was bad indeed.....for sure after the 1994 quarter final which might have been worse. This is the main reason why I absolutely hate the brazilian football team. Their popularity seems to give them extra credit with the refs.
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Quote:I'm still wondering why everyone says so.
-Kylearan
Because Germany always gets far....even when they have an 'on paper' bad team.
At least the Portuguese are out now.:D
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Hi,
Quote:Because Germany always gets far....even when they have an 'on paper' bad team.
Er, well, what should I say...this was a completely different team than the one from the last two games. And they must have practised free kicks and corners finally! Nice to see the same good soccer we played in the qualifications again. That had been a great game! :)
Let's see if we can take revenge against Croatia. :D(It's a very stupid tournament format, that we cannot meet any team from group C or D, and might have to play Croatia again in the semi-finals. That's really silly.)
-Kylearan
There are two kinds of fools. One says, "This is old, and therefore good." And one says, "This is new, and therefore better." - John Brunner, The Shockwave Rider
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Ket me enlighten you with this quote.
"Soccer is a game for 22 people that run around, play the ball, and one referee who makes a slew of mistakes, and in the end Germany always wins."
Gary Lineker
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Hi,
Quote:"Soccer is a game for 22 people that run around, play the ball, and one referee who makes a slew of mistakes, and in the end Germany always wins."
Gary Lineker
I know that quote well, but it surely didn't apply to the last two European championships.:)
For me as a fan, it's great to see we're able to win without having to resort to aggressive play and superior constitution alone. Now we've also added creative play (see our first goal for an example), which is a nice change. Creative and beautiful play alone won't win you anything though - see Spain and, sorry eppie, the Dutch during the last decades. I hope the Dutch will make it to the finals this time!:)
-Kylearan
There are two kinds of fools. One says, "This is old, and therefore good." And one says, "This is new, and therefore better." - John Brunner, The Shockwave Rider
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Quote:Because Germany always gets far....even when they have an 'on paper' bad team.
At least the Portuguese are out now.:D
Portugal 2-3 Germany
So much for my predictions of the long shot making it.
I was unable to see any of the match, daughter got back from a long trip and I had a disaster day at work.
How was the match? Looks like a nailbiter.
Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
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