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Thread: Euro 2020

  1. #61
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by gumbomoop View Post
    Deflection, own goal?
    I think it'll be a goal for Guerrero, but definite deflection.

  2. #62
    Wow, this one changed within seconds.

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Quote Originally Posted by gumbomoop View Post
    Wow, this one changed within seconds.
    A bummer for those of us who root for underdogs on principle, but honestly deserved for Portugal…they’ve unquestionably been the better team here.

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Dur'm
    Quote Originally Posted by wilson View Post
    A bummer for those of us who root for underdogs on principle, but honestly deserved for Portugal…they’ve unquestionably been the better team here.
    Agree on all points.

  5. #65
    What delicate passing.

  6. #66
    Quote Originally Posted by wilson View Post
    Great point by gumbomoop unthread about match pressure on Portugal today. They seem to be really feeling it now, with under 15 minutes remaining. Meanwhile, Hungary seem to be starting to feel it…they’ve had quite a few decent runs in the second half, while Portugal’s nerves seem to be preventing them from finishing despite their pretty obvious superior quality.
    Things really escalated quickly in those last 15 minutes!

  7. #67
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Pogba is 10x better with France than Man U. That pass that led to the goal was beyond incredible. One of the best passes I’ve ever seen
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  8. #68
    Germany has a hill to climb now. Will be fascinating to see if they can pull it off.

    Edit: I mean this week to get to the knock out stage

  9. #69
    I actually thought Germany looked very good today, although I missed the last 20 minutes or so of the game. They just missed a bunch of chances to finish, but possessed and moved the ball very well against a strong French team.

    I suspect Portugal will have their hands full when they meet.

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 View Post
    Germany has a hill to climb now. Will be fascinating to see if they can pull it off.

    Edit: I mean this week to get to the knock out stage
    They basically just need to beat Portugal. If they manage that, then all they need is to beat Hungary. Not a shoe-in task remaining, but quite feasible path. The step down in comp from France in their next two is substantive.

  11. #71
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Thing that is probably only funny to me:

    During Prime Minister’s Questions last week in London, the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party Ian Blackford rose and asked the whole House to join him in wishing the Scottish team well. The Prime Minister noted in response that Blackford had not wished the English team well.

    In today’s PMQ, Blackford started by making a shoe of asking the whole House to wish Scotland AND England’s soccer teams well. And, he added, he hoped that Scotland was not removed from the Euro again against their will. (Scotland voted overwhelmingly against Brexit).

    Maybe you had to be there.

  12. #72
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    In today’s PMQ, Blackford started by making a shoe...
    I guess he threw it at a bunch of people...


  13. #73
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    Feb 2007
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    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    I guess he threw it at a bunch of people...

    Who throws a shoe? I mean, really?!?!?

  14. #74
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Quote Originally Posted by CDu View Post
    Who throws a shoe? I mean, really?!?!?
    Wow. Have not heard that quote in a while.

    Germany-Portugal this Saturday will be one of the best games. Both teams will be fighting for their lives, with Portugal knowing full well that France is waiting for them in the last game. And even a 'B squad' France is better than 80% of the teams out there.

    The Italy-Switzerland game today is a fun one. Switzerland is always the most underrated team in any tournament, with the potential to upset good teams and frequently beat bad/okay teams. I suspect Italy will win, but only 1-0 despite playing their typical midfield possession game.

    And I advise everyone to watch Netherlands-Austria tomorrow. Not because the Dutch are a favorite (they aren't), but because the Netherlands-Ukraine game was just fun. The Dutch always play exciting soccer (offensively, they move forward a lot and defensively, they are unpredictable).

    Regardless of what happens, this may be one of the best knockout stages of any recent tournament. Lots of good and really good teams fighting to play international soccer in front of crowds. Fabulous
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  15. #75
    Finland wasting big opportunity v. Russia. This match was/is their best shot at making the knockouts. A point might do it, but they aren’t getting it done. Doubt they’ll take a point v. Belgium, and 3 points, with negative GD, unlikely to get them through.

    I like the Donaldson-Bonetti announcing pair. Don’t know how Cangialosi-Moreno got the Italy-Switzerland match. I’ve already expressed my distaste for Moreno, and think the timbre (?) of Donaldson’s voice way more pleasing than that of Cangialosi.

  16. #76
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    Quote Originally Posted by CDu View Post
    They basically just need to beat Portugal. If they manage that, then all they need is to beat Hungary. Not a shoe-in task remaining, but quite feasible path. The step down in comp from France in their next two is substantive.
    A "shoe-in" is a very effective play in soccer.
    Sage Grouse

    ---------------------------------------
    'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013

  17. #77
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Wow. Have not heard that quote in a while.

    Germany-Portugal this Saturday will be one of the best games. Both teams will be fighting for their lives, with Portugal knowing full well that France is waiting for them in the last game. And even a 'B squad' France is better than 80% of the teams out there.

    The Italy-Switzerland game today is a fun one. Switzerland is always the most underrated team in any tournament, with the potential to upset good teams and frequently beat bad/okay teams. I suspect Italy will win, but only 1-0 despite playing their typical midfield possession game.

    And I advise everyone to watch Netherlands-Austria tomorrow. Not because the Dutch are a favorite (they aren't), but because the Netherlands-Ukraine game was just fun. The Dutch always play exciting soccer (offensively, they move forward a lot and defensively, they are unpredictable).

    Regardless of what happens, this may be one of the best knockout stages of any recent tournament. Lots of good and really good teams fighting to play international soccer in front of crowds. Fabulous
    Welp. Someone wanna pencil in Italy for a semi-final spot?
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  18. #78
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Welp. Someone wanna pencil in Italy for a semi-final spot?
    They sure look good. And so much more fun to watch than prior Italy teams.
    Carolina delenda est

  19. #79
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Welp. Someone wanna pencil in Italy for a semi-final spot?
    I was worried I was being a homer in thinking they had a strong case for a deep run. They are proving that right so far.

    It is a very deep and talented squad and Mancini has worked wonders in building them up in a more progressive style. Even the striker has come to play after years of being “just a domestic league scorer.”

    The Azzurri are banged up (Verratti still unavailable, Florenzi and now Chiellini injured in the tournament), so clinching already is huge. They have plenty of depth, so they could/should beat Wales even while resting some starters. But taking the heat off the game given the injuries is fortunate.

    It will be interesting to see if their pace and passing hold up against better sides later on. But clearly the are head and shoulders above their group.

  20. #80
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    One thing that cannot be overlooked is the coaching staff (or really just the coach). Important to note Italy did not make the 2018 World Cup. Now, they are a top 3 favorite to win the more difficult Euro.

    Did Italy's talent change? Not really. Players got older (a good thing if you're in your 20s, a bad thing if you're in your 30s). Did Italy's luck change? Possibly, but I think beating Turkey and Switzerland 3-0 - two okay/good teams - isn't luck. Did Serie A get better? Possibly, but some of the best teams (Inter, Milan, Juventus, Atalanta) got better due to an influx of foreign talent, not domestic. Did Italy's economy / culture change? With COVID, undoubtedly, but that has nothing to do with the team improvement.

    The change is Robert Mancini, who has coached Inter Milan and Man City to domestic titles. He replaced Gian Piero Ventura, the man responsible for Italy's WC qualifying failure. Ventura, I kid you not, has changed managerial positions 22 times in his career. 22!

    Do not underestimate coaching in international soccer. It's not about teaching the players new tricks but rather a) team selection, b) managing egos, c) managing substitutions. Mancini has nailed all three.
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

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