Quote:

Originally Posted by Canuk1w1 

They keep losing key players every game. Still, good to see clean sheets. Looks like they are taking a page from Chelsea's book, hardly anything in the way of quality possession.

Any tactic is fine as long the team is getting results.  I didn't see the game, but if it is a carbon copy of Chelsea's strategy then they'll have problems.  That is not a sustainable strategy and will only take you so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliSki 

Any tactic is fine as long the team is getting results.  I didn't see the game, but if it is a carbon copy of Chelsea's strategy then they'll have problems.  That is not a sustainable strategy and will only take you so far.

Struth. Roy is hamstrung by not having Wayne Rooney for two games so he's pretty much locked into playing 4-4-2. The lack of a fifth midfielder means they can't hold the ball as well but to their credit they are closing down with energy and keeping their shape. It'll be interesting to see if the better teams can convert their possession into goals or if England can pull off a Chelsea (or Greece?) and get deep into the competition.

So as not to  this I've created a separate thread to do a Euro 2012 pick'em. Please post your predictions there. Euro 2012 starts in a few hours, but I'll allow picks to go in until Monday, just play fair and don't edit your picks. 

One other note. Feel free to discuss the actual tourney here and just use the other thread for submitting your picks to the pool. 83 minutes until first kick-off!

Poland has never won a match at the Euro tournament. And I have them picked to take second in their group...we'll see how that goes. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylrwnzl 

Poland has never won a match at the Euro tournament. And I have them picked to take second in their group...we'll see how that goes. 

A certain moderator should LOCK the thread until the champion is crowned right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylrwnzl 

Poland has never won a match at the Euro tournament. And I have them picked to take second in their group...we'll see how that goes. 

A certain moderator should LOCK the thread until the champion is crowned right?

I'll lock it in a little bit longer as I think CaliSki will probably jump in. I trust the people involved in this will get their picks in ASAP and not try and wait on results to make their picks. Then I'll lock it. 

BTW Not sure if anyone else is watching on ESPN3 (hooray for a slow afternoon in the office) but the referee actually adhered to the handball rule and didn't call a penalty when the Polish player slipped and fell in the box and his arm made contact with the ball. Granted the announcers don't seem to be a big fan of the guy, but honestly I have liked him. I always trust a referee more when he is willing to crack a joke and smile at players (like he did on a tie up between two players earlier that Poland tried to sell as a foul, but it wasn't and he didn't call it) much more than one who is a stick in the mud. When I watched it live I thought the second yellow handed to PopandmynameislongandGreek was a cardable offense as well. Missed the first card as my internet dropped briefly. 

This opening match is certainly entertaining. Two red cards. Goalie gets sent off and the sub goalie stops the PK. Amazing. 

Got some action in our own hemisphere this evening as well.  I'm picking Mexico to dominate here..

CONCACAF

I'm hoping to return to Costa Rica in the fall and maybe catch a WC qualifying match at Estadio Nacional there. Hopefully I'll get to watch some of the US match tonight. 

4 goals so far in game 1 for Russia.  That is a pretty big lead for group A already..

Russia was supposed to roll in Group A anyhow. I'm more interested in groups B and D. Already made plans to watch England's semi-final match on Sunday the 24th in a pub in London (assuming they don't get upset in group play). 

Man, was planning for a slow day and to watch most of the games today.  Laptop ended up w/ IT, so watched Russia on my phone, didn't watch anything else (some highlights of the Greece game).  I expected Greece to get out of their group, they have been really stingy over the past 10 years or so, and simply put if you do not get scored on you do not lose.  It's a shame they missed the PK, although you gotta be happy for the backup keep.  That was a confidence booster for him, and he'll need all the help he can get since Szchezny is out for at least the next one. 

Sounds like there were some interesting refing decisions in the first game, too bad I missed that one, would have liked to see the incidents.

Can't wait for the games tomorrow, made sure to clear the morning/early afternoon.  Someone spoke about England in the knockout stages, I don't see them there.

Ok, off to refing indoor.  The whole computer thing has put me in a bad mood, God help them poor souls after I start taking my frustration out on them via the red, yellow and blue.

Scuttlebutt I get from friends across the pond is that they're pissed that Carroll is starting for England instead of Welbeck.  They would prefer the old guard (Terry, Gerrard, Lampard) step aside and let the younger guns (Young, Cleverley, Wilshire, Walcott, Oxlade, Chamberlain etc) run free.  I tend to agree, although I've always liked Gerrard as a leader and solid mid guy.  Nothing would make me happier than to see England win it all, but I don't see them making it out of the group easily, quarters at best if they are really lucky.

I suppose Sweden could be a competitor (they ranked a bit higher than the expected in the FIFA rankings), but if you go by the FIFA rankings England is tops at #6, France is 14th, Sweden is 17th, and Ukraine is 52nd. 

I can't find a TV listing for Brasil VS Argentina anywhere in my satellite programming.  I was hoping to be able to flip back and forth between that and the Germany Porta match.  The Hispanic neighbors' channel line ups probably have it.  I may knock on someone's door after the end of the EURO match to catch the end of the South American rumble. I'll send my kids out and about to play.  They'll tell me who's home and watching it.

Argentina 4

Brazil 3

Messi had a hat trick  I hope he isn't really a racist.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

Argentina 4

Brazil 3

Messi had a hat trick  I hope he isn't really a racist.

Yeah thats old news. From everything I've heard about Messi's personality I just don't believe it. He seems like a genuinely good guy. He's like the Tim Tebow of soccer except über talented. 

Hooligans are off to a good start..

England VS France today.  England is usually my favorite team in international team play.  However, there is way too much turmoil and personnel matters plaguing England's squad at the moment. Funny, isn't it usually the French team that seems to have all the DRAMA going on?

Go England, but not wagering on them to win much if any in group play.

Although, sometimes turmoil can create miracles hahaha,  there is always hope ;-)

Y'all are as pessimistic as the English. England is looking good so far against France. Missed a wide open shot on goal and haven't given France too much in the way of good attempts. 

Speaking of the Devils. England is now up on France! Wescott!

You always have to jinx it don't cha??

Manchester City 2

England/France 0 at half hahaha

Killer save on the French header in the first.. sb 2-1 so far.  England tie would be an upset for sure

OTOH between Hart just not getting enough hand on Nasri's shot and whomever it was that missed the wide open goal earlier it could just as easily be 2-0 England. 

It looks like England is just playing to the tie right now. I'm really liking Chamberlin though, the kid is playing well. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylrwnzl 

OTOH between Hart just not getting enough hand on Nasri's shot and whomever it was that missed the wide open goal earlier it could just as easily be 2-0 England. 

 

It looks like England is just playing to the tie right now. I'm really liking Chamberlin though, the kid is playing well. 

Agreed. Hart had his moments but he also lost a cross and gave up a bit of a weak goal for a keeper of his quality. Milner missed an absolute sitter. RNG managed to hold a more gifted French team and very nearly pulled out a win. Best of all, no injuries!

The host came back to pull it out over SWE. Two great headers by Shevchenko (sp?). UKR pressed better and passed more accurately as well. I reckon SWE finishes bottom of th group. France and ENG should go through but UKR may be able to pull an upset against one of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylrwnzl 

OTOH between Hart just not getting enough hand on Nasri's shot and whomever it was that missed the wide open goal earlier it could just as easily be 2-0 England. 

I like how they panned to Rooney right after. He wouldn't have missed.

I only was able to watch about 30 min of soccer today, but I got to see 5 goals. When does that ever happen?? And Shevchenko is a stud. That was just so cool to see the home crowd and all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by segbrown 

 

 

 

I like how they panned to Rooney right after. He wouldn't have missed.

 

 

I had my hopes up that Rooney had finally grown up and learned to control his temper to play an intelligent game. He made it almost all season without blowing it this year.  Then BLAM!  He sandbags his team just like he did in the World Cup knock out stage last time.