Euro 2012 - Knockout Stages

[Victor Meldrew]

Lol @Adrian Chiles when trying to hype up England and do down Spain.
Just because Roy Keane said that he thought Italy would beat England Chiles saw it as some kind of heresy.
I want the people in the studio to express views and not just go along with the party line.
Like most of us we WANT England to win but we think they may not.

BTW Spain last night.
I think it is a case of resentment now that Spain are winning (fairly) ugly-it's somehow o.k. for Chelsea or England or Italy to win by not going hell for leather but for Spain it is not o.k.
Ever since I got into watching Spanish football about 12 years ago I have grown to like the way that most of their sides play by not giving up possession easily.
Despite having been brought up the English way (get it forward,clear your lines,get it in the air in the box etc.) I find now that feels just barbaric and pointless because you are just giving the opposition more chance of getting the ball.
I appreciate that a lot of people like the long-ball way partly because the danger for that moment disappears and with a bit of luck a goal might happen at the other end but personally I prefer to watch a Swansea more than a Stoke.

As for England we have for years been caught in no-man's land-do we play to our strengths and use a battering ram up front and with a team of hard runners wear the other side down or do we try to immitate the keeping of possession and intelligent running off the ball?
Liverpool and Man Utd have managed at times to get the balance right but the national side (often with more limited players)hasn't and we seldom look like winning a major championship.
Don't ask me how we get up to speed with so many of the other countries because I see it that we remain miles behind in some areas of the game and tend to want to rely on just one player to perform (Gazza,Rooney etc.) and produce a moment of magic whereas the successful countries seem to have half a dozen who can do the business (e.g. Alonso last night) rather than the massive pressure that we put on one player to be the hero.
In our domestic football it is the foreign players that are the stars of most teams and that's why we do well at club level in Europe so maybe the hope is that their example will rub off on our players but it''s a long time coming when you think of the impact that the likes of Bergkamp,Zola and Henry had on our club sides over a number of years.

Fortunately the English FA have finally woken up and realised that teams shouldn't just be about the biggest kid and playing for offsides,something that I saw when involved with kids' football,and winning being the ONLY thing that matters so there is hope and fans in this country might just start to appreciate how the Dutch and Spanish try to play the game from a young age even if they don't end up winning every tournament.
I think it will be eventually good for our football if Spain or Germany win this championship because it will demonstrate that team play and not giving the ball away is the way forward whereas if Portugal with Ronaldo shining might be more "entertaining" we might still stay stuck in the belief that one player can cover up all the other deficiences in a team.

[Archie's penalty]

http://rightbankwawaeuro2012.wordpress. ... alling-16/

It's a big game, so bite your fingers down to the quick and listen to Mark Bright, or you could read my blog instead, like.

[Hoop Blah]

Also the arrogance of Ribery and Benzema, folding the collar of their shirts up like Cantona, prancing about as if they are hot shit, while in fact their performances are only shit.. it's infuriating, seemingly they think the world of themselves so they have to have the collar upright - but they play like dung, how on earth Benzema gets on the pitch for his club is beyond belief.

The 32 goals and 15 assists last season might have something to do with it.

Well, going by his performance last night, I'd say that's 95% tap ins due to playing for a good team, and 5% ability.

Well let's just assume his manager, who's got a decent record, is probably in a better place to judge his worth to the team!

[soggy biscuit]

Also the arrogance of Ribery and Benzema, folding the collar of their shirts up like Cantona, prancing about as if they are hot shit, while in fact their performances are only shit.. it's infuriating, seemingly they think the world of themselves so they have to have the collar upright - but they play like dung, how on earth Benzema gets on the pitch for his club is beyond belief.

The 32 goals and 15 assists last season might have something to do with it.

Well, going by his performance last night, I'd say that's 95% tap ins due to playing for a good team, and 5% ability.

[Big Ern]

Got a bad feeling about this one. Think the Wops will just edge it.

Even if we get through, we stand no chance against the Germans. Far superior to us in almost every department.

The Qtr Finals is more than we could have hoped for before the tournament, so will be happy with that.

[Franchise FC]

Got a bad feeling about this one. Think the Wops will just edge it.

Even if we get through, we stand no chance against the Germans. Far superior to us in almost every department.

The Qtr Finals is more than we could have hoped for before the tournament, so will be happy with that.

I'll see your despair and raise you hope ......... in the form of Chelsea

Had no chance against Barcelona and just as much against Bayern.

I don't think we will win, but if we do it's not the completely foregone conclusion against the Geeeeermans

[sandman]

Also the arrogance of Ribery and Benzema, folding the collar of their shirts up like Cantona, prancing about as if they are hot shit, while in fact their performances are only shit.. it's infuriating, seemingly they think the world of themselves so they have to have the collar upright - but they play like dung, how on earth Benzema gets on the pitch for his club is beyond belief.

The 32 goals and 15 assists last season might have something to do with it.

Well, going by his performance last night, I'd say that's 95% tap ins due to playing for a good team, and 5% ability.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNPjT3jwOn8

All types of goals from a very good player. Prefer Higuain though tbf.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Got a bad feeling about this one. Think the Wops will just edge it.

Even if we get through, we stand no chance against the Germans. Far superior to us in almost every department.

The Qtr Finals is more than we could have hoped for before the tournament, so will be happy with that.

We've all had a bad feeling about every game tbf.
I'm happy this tourney to just sit and watch what happens, cuz f#ck knows how we'll play on any given day

[Victor Meldrew]

Got a bad feeling about this one. Think the Wops will just edge it.

Even if we get through, we stand no chance against the Germans. Far superior to us in almost every department.

The Qtr Finals is more than we could have hoped for before the tournament, so will be happy with that.

Don't agree that getting through the first round was our maximum expectation.
Qualifying from the group was a given based on the other teams in there,aren't we rated 6th (?) in the world?
Now we are in the second round (quarter-finals sound as though we have got through a marathon campaign like in the FA Cup but there were only 16 teams to start with)we have a chance against one of the poorer Italian sides of the past 50 years even though our record against the bigger sides in games played on foreign soil in competitions is abysmal.
Which one of Rooney and Balotelli will lose his head first?
Will both teams play not to lose?
Will Gerrard continue to be our best player?
Am looking forward to the game and let's hope that our luck so far in our favour during this tournament continues.

[soggy biscuit]

Reckon we will do them. If we do then please god don't let Gerrard get booked and out of the semi, by far our best player in every game so far

[AthleticoSpizz]

This "togetherness" that Roy has instilled, seems to start with the National Anthem.

Whatever your thoughts on the monarchy and the song are.....this tournament is the first time that the entire team has sung it, and imho its good to see (even if Rooney doesn't know the words)....better to see than the usual deadpan England player boatraces

[Ian Royal]

Bloody hell, after that early frightener... we actually look pretty handy!

[soggy biscuit]

Best 13 minutes of Glen Johnsons career

[Ian Royal]

The italian defenders look shaky, put them under more pressure and they may crack, especially the one central defender barlucci or whatever his name is, he looks vulnerable.
It might have been more effective to have Carroll on.

Welbeck is more mobile and hardworking and is winning a lot of headers anyway.

We're just starting to give the ball away a bit cheaply and maybe try and take on one player too many.

[Bumblebee]

Bore fest as expected. The teams are largely cancelling each other out. Rooney still ring rusty and Gerrard wayward. Parker and Johnson have started reasonably well.

[Ian Royal]

Bore fest as expected. The teams are largely cancelling each other out. Rooney still ring rusty and Gerrard wayward. Parker and Johnson have started reasonably well.

Interestingly tactical game in midfield with exciting attacking moments from both teams. Solid defences on both sides that look like they could be sprung at any time by the right attack. Short of goals, I'm not sure what more you could want.

[Ian Royal]

Welbeck is more mobile and hardworking and is winning a lot of headers anyway.

I was thinking in place of Rooney..

[Bumblebee]

Get this no.10 off at half time at get the real Wayne Rooney on.

[Royal Rother]

Rooney the weak link again.

Far far from being a bore fest though. Jeez, which fool said that?

[Simon's Church]

Decent game. Why's Shearer wearing two shirts?