EURO 2012

bendtner close to getting a pen there imo

Fuck if christian poulsen scores i'm giving up football

BENDER!!!!!!!!!!!!

GET THE FUCK IN!

If denmark score 2 it could go to co-efficients I think. Lol.

don't think C. Poulsen is playing tbf. Not that it matters now

His brother's marking of Bender on the goal was atrocious.

Fair play having the RB score on the counter when you're protecting a result.

He just came on number none.

Oof, bit unlucky vdv

Nearly a beaut

oops, there is too many of them though

Has huntelaar done anything in a game and a half btw?

He's always been crap when he's not scoring goals

-IK - yes, Ukraine! I knew there was another one.

granted I've been flipping channels but I didn't realise RVP was even on until just now

So gorgeous from Portugal

where's van persie even playing? i've seen him more in defence than anywhere else.

also, ronaldo is quite good.

only turns up against the shit teams tbf

Almost Francelike from the Dutch.

I'm wondering if a Germany-Portugal final might be a shout?

dunno, portugal playing against a team with no midfield tonight and not as strong at the back this tourney as I expected.

van marwijk is a reet

huntelaar was toilet, rvp wasted on the wing second half, sneijder shoved out to the left in the first (being able to cut in from the left does not = inside forward)

there was about 30 yards between the midfield and forwards the whole time

so bad

OTM

lol Chiles accusing Keano of 'man love' for Ronaldo

yeah i'm surprised he managed a half smile after that

it's true though, when he isn't play for real madrid ronaldo can be great to watch

For Holland it was a case of old habits coming back...Portugal look good but hard to tell with what they had to play with.

Probably edge the Czechs.

The look of unadulterated hate on Keane's face at that point was highly amusing.

Both Portugal and Germany look like shoo-ins for the semis really. Holland = wastemen.

indeed

agger was great in all 3 games.

i liked roy keane calling out carra's 'nonsense' re. his views on ronaldo.

Ooh, MLS on ESPN!

Wait, since when were you over here? I miss these things sometimes.

(the UK variant of ESPN)

Clarity.

i hope nigel de jong told raul meireles to go get his trucker cap after he flattened him that time

Two journalists asked the Dutch coach the same question after the match:

TV guy Jack (who didn't ask the previous coach after a lost game this question and then that coach announced he quit to another journalist, minutes later) : "and now, can you stay on as coach?"

Van Marwijk: "jack, don't ask me that, ten minutes after a game like this"

Press conference, half an hour later, other Dutch dude: "can you stay on as the coach of this team now?"

Van Marwijk: "your friend Jack already asked me that - or isn't he your friend? Oh yeah, you don't have a lot of those, do you"

(ok, it's sad and painful and stuff, but this was funny)

the previous dutch coach was marco van basten, though

a previous coach, then. That wasn't the detail I remembered, sorry

(It was probably a player who quit, even. The point is, that was his justification: last time I didn't ask this question and the scoop went to another journalist, minutes after my interview)

raul meireles just doesn't have the legs to pull off the baggy shorts look.

What I thought was more interesting about the post-match interviews of Holland was:

- The same Jack StanM mentions (a dinosaur Dutch footy presenter) had declared on "reliable sources" that the Dutch medical staff member got into a fight with one of the players, as in a fist-fight. Said doctos rushed to the studio in a fury to deny it. So it's probably true.
- Robben admitting "things happened that should remain untold and secret" in the squad
- Sneijder and Van Persie wanting to kill each other again.

I for one can't wait for the documentary in ten years.

so if i have this right, for group C:

Italy need to win to get even a place
If Croatia and Spain draw, Italy need to win by 3 goals?

If Croatia win, Italy need to win by 5 goals?

If Spain win, Italy just need a win

Yes?

ugh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012#Group_stage

if croatia draw 0-0 and italy win 2-0 then they are level on GD and goals scored, which means italy go through because they have a higher uefa ranking. same if croatia draw 1-1 and italy win 3-1, croatia draw 2-2, italy win 4-2, etc.

i think.

No xp, an Italy win puts them through unless Spain and Croatia draw 2-2 or higher

am i reading those rules right: the game between the two teams is the first tie-breaker, then GD. and isn't it usually the other way around?

Yeah the game between the two is the tie-breaker. It's how Greece went through.

Can someone explain the 2-2 draw thing though? Would Spain and Croatia go through on goals scored? What happens if Italy put seven or eight past Ireland?

No matter how big a win against the Irish, a 2-2 draw (or higher score draw) in the other group game between Spain and Croatia will ensure the Italians head home early - this because head-to-head records come into play when two or more countries finish level on points. Italy's 1-1 draw with both nations would therefore be seen as the weaker result.

special rules for 3-way tie