Liverpool FC Forum

[dawson99]

Arsene actually comes acorss pretty well when hes not going on about arsenal. would rather have him than shearer or lineker any day of the week. germany arent looking like euro champions to me!

[metalhead]

klose is having a really good game, so does podolski

Mario Gomez is overhyped

[dawson99]

yeah theyve got better sionce podolski went centre and i think gomes is a lot betetr than what hes showing... not looking a bad side now lol

[metalhead]

I dont know, but Gomez was really awful today, his touch, his movment and was hardly a threat at all

[stmichael]

i think the games have pretty much gone as expected, although switzerland and austria both put up better fights than a lot of people thought they would.

looking at the draw, the germans are almost certain to meet the portugese in the semi finals. i can see germany winning that and getting to the final. as to who they play, that's anybody's guess. take your pick from france, italy, holland or spain.

just on players so far, i was really impressed with ujfalusi for the czechs. not surprised we were linked with him during the summer. modric for croatia started well but then faded. lahm was excellent for germany.

the tournament really starts today though. can't wait for holland-italy. should be a cracker.

[Dundalk]

Group of death today, really looking forward to seeing Italy and Holland later

[Number 9]

I thought the Germans looked strong and could easily have scored a couple more goals!A few have said they did'nt look like winners,but it should be remembered its the first time they have played a competitive game in a long time!
The first game is always tough for teams and they played well considering!
First id really seen this Lahm guy and he looked a class act.Hansen mentioned their 2 central defenders could be their downfall.I dont agree,like i said first game in a while and i would put it down to players being a bit rusty,not lack of quality!
The Germans were strong,excellent midfield with Ballack and Torsten Frings looking impecable in everything they done!
Two strikers that will torture any defence.As for Jens Lehman,never felt he was quality.He always makes very odd decisions during a game.I would'nt be surprised if he cost them a goal along the way!

Still though they will be hard to beat and are a cert to go to the final.They have the easiest route there as well with the way the draw is split!
Im not surprised they were only 4/1 to win it!

[metalhead]

Im quite impressed with Fritz too, looks like a good crosser of the ball and linked up well with lahm (who was excellent).

[radun5]

I wonder if anybody has ever disputed the stupidity of the schedule for this competition.

You already have matches A1-B2, A2-B1, meaning you always know what group your opponent will come from.

Now even in the semifinals the teams from groups A-B are not interested in groups C-D. It is like two separate tournaments with a final game between the two winners.

I consider this totally wrong, it would be much more interesting to have a very different itinerary depending on the place you get in the group. Something like A1-B2, B1-C2, C1-D2 and D1-A2 with A1-C1 and B1-D1 in semifinals. I will never understand why they prefer the current system.

We have seen the first round of the first tournament, quite obviously Germany and Portugal are big favourites to win it and enter the big final. It will be a huge surprise if Germany - Portugal is not the first semifinal played. So far they already deserve it (and I generally hate both teams and support the Czechs)

[Number 9]

Im quite impressed with Fritz too, looks like a good crosser of the ball and linked up well with lahm (who was excellent).

Played well,as did Shweinsteiger(sp) when he came on!
Very strong team and back up in the squad too!

Im looking forward to Holland and italy later,should be a good game!

[stmichael]

it shows haow good spain's talent is when the likelihood is that fabregas won't even start for them.

[Sabre]

it shows haow good spain's talent is when the likelihood is that fabregas won't even start for them.

Or how weird is Aragones' selection.

I respect the man because he's stubborn, but it's not possible that after all the qualification phase, he now starts fiddling with the system.

Now, since he has seen giving all the right wing to Ramos is a mess, has asked Iniesta to occupy the right midfielder role, rather than roaming.

Too late to make tests IMHO.

BTW, he might have changed his opinion about Alonso playing against Russia too. Last week he said the ones starting against Peru were the ones to start against Russia, in the closed doors session yesterday though, it was Senna who was playing with the starting eleven ones.

I only ask to make tests before, not now! 

[radun5]

casillas is going to play out of his skin for spain to win it. not sure about their defense if i'm honest.

croatia and romania are dark horses for me.

Everyone who says that understands about international football talk about Romania these days.

I don't know their players, but I feel like watching them play. Have they got a new Gica Hagi or something?

We do not have a new Hagi (brilliant player, glad people still remember him!), there is Adrian Mutu who is again in excellent form but will be probably useless as he is the only real goal threat.

Romania will not play lovely football, we have 4 defenders and 3 defensive-minded midfielders, then we have Mutu on the left, Nicolita or Petre on the right (decent but modest players) and finally one lone striker. Chivu will play in midfield, to make way for the cb pair Goian - Tamas (quite a good pair actually), he can do it of course as he is the other exceptional player, but I fear his place should be where he is used to.

There is no width in our team, no creativity except for Mutu, so I expect a boring 0-1 against France.

But then again I hope I am wrong 

[Sabre]

Cross post from another thread:

Radun, do not hesitate to talk about Romania in the general euro thread, I appreciate your brief report (already heard about Mutu) and any development that you might want to write.

You're glad I remember Hagi? Are you kidding? if I remember Ungureanu, Craioveanu, Belodedici and Lacatus  how could I forget Hagi?

In fact, I was wondering what was wrong with Romania, since they have produced good players on consistent basis since I was a child at least.

[The Manhattan Project]

According to my sources, Romania's players have all shaved their heads to confuse their opponents.


France are lodging a complaint with UEFA because they consider this act to be "odd" and "weird"