EURO 2012

I always feel assists are a bit of a difficult thing to measure

totally. they are completely unmeasurable in fact. it's impossible to say who was responsible for a goal other than the scorer. "assists" seem to me like a stats-obsessed American's take on football.

also because it helps that every man and his dawg has a ff team now, although maybe that is an imported american thing too

I have a weird thing with Samir Nasri where I'm always surprised to see him turn up in any team he plays for. I spent large parts of last season watching Man City and going "huh? Nasri? He's there?" despite knowing full well he plays for them. I do the same when I see him for France. I think my brain just refuses to accept his existence.

re. Larsson, there's some of his autobiography quoted here, which covers his departure from Feyenoord: http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s302/st37269.htm

nasri being a dick who often doesn't perform when you want him to? p old news surely

/embittered arsenal fan

in ten years you'll have him in a top 20 list

Three lines into your link, ailsa, and there's a horrible "always given 110%" :(

I shall persevere against my better judgement.

Four lines in and the author has confused reign and rein :(

After that it's c&p all book extracts - Henrik has a better editor. I just sneaked a peak at his 3rd place play off goal in the '94 World Cup - proper Henrik goal - springs the offside, touches round the keeper, dummies to put the defender on his arse, rolls the ball into the empty net and reels away celebrating.

in ten years you'll have him in a top 20 list

― Ну, там твое место, там сабе будь! (darraghmac), Wednesday, 27 June 2012 11:14 (23 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

top 20 players city wasted their money on?

that's a tough field already

top 20 players focussed on winning titles

all strong zing

top 20 players city wasted their money on?

nasri aside this is a good q

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B4 imo

it's between him and Santa Cruz

He should have had J%C3%B4 on the back of his shirt.

don't forget benjani

negredo eh, who saw that coming?

Predicting a pretty boring game - Spain will dominate possession and Portugal will defend to fuck and then win 1-0 through something amazing from Ronaldo.

That sounds like the opposite of boring tbh

I think 2-1 to someone, probably Spain. I'm a bit torn tbh, admired Spain for years but the possession without penetration they're often exhibiting in this tournament is boring me. Portugal much more willing in attack on recent evidence and Cron seems to be on a mission to prove he's better than some wee guy on his holidays. Still think Spain vs Germany would be the best final so idk :/

Think Portugal will try to come and play a little bit rather than just sit back. They were v passive vs Germany and they lost that game. Destroyed Spain in a friendly.

Yeah, I want a Spain-Germany Final. I'm still on a liking Spain bandwagon.

remember this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExL-u9zJLsk

This Gaby vt is woeful

I love his tantrums. It wasn't even offside!

did anyone just watch that terrible shit?

gaby trying to make it seem like roy took over a village team and organised them in 4 weeks.

Liam Brady predicting Arbeloa and Ramos are going to "do" Ronaldo

I fear that Almeida will not be as useful as Postiga but I hope I'm wrong

The music and everything was so odd, xpost.

I love the received wisdom that you can "do" or mark* the best footballers in the world out of games. Like no-one's tried that while they were becoming the best in the world.

*I do know this can be done, I just think it's passed off as too simple by pundits

Ramos doesn't even play on the same side of defence as Arbeloa, Pique does.

Arbeloa's a fine defender but I bet Del Bosque wishes he had a Jordi Alba attacking style right-back, to get in behind Ronaldo who likely will not track back much.

Most teams managed it with Messi at the last World Cup, but that was by putting two defenders on him most of the time and leaving space open elsewhere.

i wish he would play ramos at rb and martinez or someone as cb
xp

Portugal haven't been all that good in the tourney so far. Thought they looked at their best going frwd vs Denmark and only just squeaked that one. Czech Rep were similar to France vs Spain in that they had zero ambition to cause the other side defensive problems. They did quite well vs Holland but that dutch MF was disastrous.

I think Portugal are pretty good and could win tonight. Good defence and they gave Germany a tough time when they abandoned their negativity.

Okay what was with the speeches.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I would be all down with Aretha in midfield.

Ronaldo as much of a diva etc etc

can't be any worse than Diana Ross

Portugal caused a bit of panic vs Germany with their corners.

Otis Redding did have a try-out for Sporting Lisbon.

I am excited for this match but Real haven't done well in most recent clasicos and Barca look a lot better on paper tonight.

iniesta you magnificent bastard.

oof arbeloa, should have kept that down.

Excellent from Ronaldo, I'm right up for a bit of that tonight

Bullshit FK

otm