All Euro 2008 Results and Analysis

[Fawzi]

I hope Blanc gets a chance... Domenech really hasn't convinced me at all. Playing Eric Abidal at centre-back was suicidal. I think France need to get rid of the old generation ahead of the next World Cup and give a chance to Benzema, Nasri, etc... Rebuild everything, with a new coach that won't be as faithful to players who served him so well, but are now beyond their best.

[rob]

Domenech really pisses me off.. with all my grateful respect, what an arrogant prick!.. despite all the bullshit he says about the Italian team, I cant believe he’s still not planning to resign by himself! I mean everybody knows he got all the credits of reaching the finals of WC 06 dishonestly.. He should owe his precedent success to a brave squad, leaded by a valiant captain! Donadoni might have done the same by weakening a winning team, but he’s still a respectful person.
uff cant wait for the big games ahead! Germany-Portugal and Spain-Italy mostly...
PS: anybody heard the Italian singing (after De Rossi's deviated goal) “Allez les blonc!”

[Fawzi]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA I heard it! It came as a response to French fans who were 2 down and still singing Allez Les Bleus !!!

[TranceFusion]

^^ nop didn't hear it
Yea... Domenech is amazingly arrogant and yesterday he surprised me for the first time since a long time. Despite the awful performance of the French team, he had the guts to say that the game was great and that he saw positive things in his team... he also had the guts to say that he wants to stay till 2010 and to propose Estelle to marry him in front of a depressed nation. Really not the best moment for this!

Like one of the french newspapers said: DEMISSION! (bouffon! - not to confuse with Buffon )

Evra was the only one to be honest. He admitted that the game was shit and that they didn't do anything at all. In the end... he's one of the very very few that tried to do something (the others are Ribery, Benzema and Henry).

[A-Cube]

[Housezone]

[lebanese_raver]

[Fawzi]

[A-Cube]

Portugal 2 - Germany 3

This Euro has given me a sense of fulfillment I lost a while ago...we're seeing beautiful football games punctuated by goals and excitement...unlike the previous 3-2 between the Czech and Turks...this one was far more exciting and less shocking...I recall telling a friend and Portuguese supporter after their game against Turkey that this team is looking good but not great...today it was confirmed that being good doesn't win you a championship...you have to be great...the changes operated by Lowe were awaited for a long time...finally some strength in the midfield to accompany one striker upfront...what a game by Schweinsteiger and Podolski(the best player so far in this Euro) who made a huge statement towards their coach to be Jurgen Klinsmann...these two were unstoppable tonight...and the two most expensive right backs in the world (Paulo Ferreira and Bosingwa) were literally out-played by the quickness of the two young Germans...the game may not have witnessed many goal occasions but you could feel that any team could score at any second...it was a marvelous play on the left lane by Podolski and Klose that opened up highways for Bastian Schweinsteiger to come up and hit the Portuguese goal for the first goal of the night after Joao Moutinho missed a close shot in front on Lehmann's goal...a couple of minutes later it was again Schweinsteiger this time with the delivery(this guy loves playing against Ricardo) to Klose's head that shocked Basel and put the Manschafft in front with two...and it wasn't until the last 5 minutes that the Portuguese started pressing and eventually got a goal thanks to Nuno Gomes...second half picked up with a more careful German side...they weren't planning on giving Simao(what a deception he's been) and Ronaldo any space and proceeded upfront calmly looking for gaps in the Portuguese defense...after Pepe almost equalized with a header it was once again Schweinsteiger with the same delivery this time to Ballack's head that mystified Portugal...afterwards the Portuguese tried to press with fresh legs with Nani and Postiga...and it was these two who gave their team a shade of hope after reducing the score at the 86th minute...but it was the last we'd see from these Portuguese who tried to attack the German goal without any concrete result...

Did the German create the upset of the tournament??I think not...they could afford in the first round to test their players and see who is fit and who is not...Mario Gomez was given his chance 3 times and after failing to prove himself he was naturally benched for the big game against the Portuguese...the Germans came in this game as underdogs...and there is nothing more dangerous than a Manschafft team coming in expected to lose...4 years ago they were already proclaimed as the winners and failed miserably...but thanks to Lowe this team found the resources to come back and deliver their best game of the tournament...their midfield was imperial and totally out-played the Portuguese...but they have a weakness on the right lane...after Philip Lahm moved to his natural left position to replace the under-achieving Jansenn Arne Friedrich has not been very efficient and had a lot of troubles containing the Portuguese speed...but this team can always count on its central defenders pair to cover up even though Mertesacker could have covered better the spaces on the two Portuguese goals...Rolfes and Hitzelsperger were excellent in the midfield and covered up extremely Frings' absence...Ballack finally acted as a true captain and Klose made the most of his presence upfront...

As for Portugal...they fell in the trap...they were preparing their parade before even making it to Vienna...everyone praised their accomplishments against Turkey and the Czech Republic...but when the time came to face a contender they failed miserably...this team has a lot of talent but they lack coordination and most of all a great striker upfront...when I see Nuno Gomes getting recalled for his third Euro I can only say to myself: is there anyone else??they lack efficiency upfront and that's something you cannot make up easily...Cristiano Ronaldo failed for the 3rd time in a major tournament and his performances in this Euro were less than average compared to his English season...I will keep saying it: unless this kid learns to vision the field he will never be one of the greatest and what a waste of talent that would be...but this Portuguese team is very dependent of Deco...when this guy plays well you feel the team capable of achieving big things...but when he plays like tonight Portugal is in for a long tough night...Scolari leaves this team with a sense of un-achievement...I wonder why he left Quaresma on the bench for the duration of the tournament while Simao was failing miserably upfront...some good prospects in the midfield for this team...I hope we'll see more of Moutinho and Meirelles in the upcoming years...as for the Portuguese defense, looking at the names they have I really think they should have achieved much more on this end (that brings us to the big problem of the right back that would spend his time upfront instead of defending Podolski, first Miguel now Bosingwa)...Portugal is now preparing the future(will it be with Rijkaard)...hard luck for the Portuguese fans and good luck for the Germans in the semi-finals...this team is looking good...

[Genesis]

They might not have feet technique
They might not play ''sexy'' football
But damn they can win, with style!

That was Germany at its best!!

Forward!

[TranceFusion]

L_R yes, Borowski and Trochowski as well. And apparently i read that Lahm has Polish ancestors.

Alain said it all! Germany played much better than in the group phase but i still doubt that they can make it to the final. I know, i was seeing Portugal in the final but i'm really disappointed. But i'm not surprised that Ronaldo didn't play well. It reminds me of the CL semi-final Milan 3-0 Manchester United where Ronaldo was also a ghost. I still strongly believe that he shines only against average and weak teams but when it comes to face bigger tougher teams he disappears, marked by the rivals.
The goals were beautiful! And 4 of them were headers? or 3? I forgot

Scorers:
Schweinsteiger 22'
Klose 27'
Ballack 62'
---------------------
Nuno Gomes 41'
Postiga 87'


Tomorrow CROATIA - Turkey!!

[Fawzi]

^3 goals were headers, Klose, Ballack then Postiga

[Raneem]

If the Germans play like this in the semi-final, I expect them to reach the final to face the Netherlands...and what a game would it be!!!

[TNT]

[samlbronkowitz]