Let's talk all things sport

[duff]

Love it how the Italians are complaining that Spain and Croatia will fix their match 2-2 to knock Italy out of the tournament. Just a little ironic lol.

Leopig - even if Greece did leave the eurozone that won't definitely mean they have to leave the EU. Even if they did leave the EU that doesn't suddenly make them non-European. As the others have pointed out, UEFA has nothing to do with the EU. Switzerland and Norway have both played in past EURO tournaments and neither are in the EU. On a sidenote the Asian Football Confederation has members from both Asia and Oceania. Ignore this if your post was sarcastic. :p

[Livebythesword]

I hope there won't be any penalty shootouts. Don't like those.

[Leopig]

I hope there won't be any penalty shootouts. Don't like those.

If there are you can guarantee England will be involved.

[Lambchops]

If there are you can guarantee England will be involved.

*Bitter Scotsman mode on* To be honest you might as well start taking bets on which England player is going to miss the crucial penalty! *Bitter Scotsman mode off*

Hope the England vs Ukraine game lives up to the excitement of the second half of the England Sweden game it's the first time since 2002 that I can remember England being involved in a particularly entertaining game in a major tournament (hmm seems to be a bit of a problem with my "bitter Scotsman off" control switch)!

[Timofee]

Hope the England vs Ukraine game lives up to the excitement of the second half of the England Sweden game it's the first time since 2002 that I can remember England being involved in a particularly entertaining game in a major tournament (hmm seems to be a bit of a problem with my "bitter Scotsman off" control switch)!

To be fair watching England get absolutely trounced by Germany in SA and having a goal disallowed that was a good foot or so over the line was fairly exciting, if not especially pleasant.

[Leopig]

Will england advance to the group tomorow? i think so

I would expect so, but probably in second place.

[Leopig]

Wow, feels odd watching Spain play in blue.

[NathanH]

To be fair watching England get absolutely trounced by Germany in SA and having a goal disallowed that was a good foot or so over the line was fairly exciting, if not especially pleasant.

That was a good game, but it didn't make up for the 90 minutes that England - Algeria stole from me.

[DiamondDog]

it didn't make up for the 90 minutes that England - Algeria stole from me.

I dunno, 90 minutes is a good long nap.

[duff]

Algeria employed a mystic pigeon to curse us. Fucking cheats.

[Leopig]

England looking complacent again, the old mentality of thinking they are going to get the result as a matter of course. I can see this going tit's up in the second half.

[Jockie]

Pleased with that, wasn't thrilling, we didn't play great football and we're probably going to struggle against Italy, but we've done as well as can reasonably be expected up to this stage. Pleased for Seb Larsson grabbing a goal against France too.

[duff]

England looking complacent again, the old mentality of thinking they are going to get the result as a matter of course. I can see this going tit's up in the second half.

Dunno about complacent, just as comfortable on the ball as a vagina in the presence of Geralt of Rivia.

[Timofee]

So who thinks Italy vs England will go to penalties?

If they play their 5 at the back and we play our ultra compact 4-4-2 I can imagine its going to be one of the dullest of the tournament.

I also feel incredible guilty that Croatia are out following that phenomenal pass by Modric and the tame header. Whereas we managed to score off a ball that took no fewer than 3 deflections on its way to Rooney's ugly haircut

[Lambchops]

I doubt Ukraine would have got a second but I do feel somewhat sorry for them about that shocker of a decision with their goal. Just as well England have the moral high ground on that (after their campaigning for goal line technology) or I would have had to move to cheering on the Ukraine instead of remaining reasonably neutral!

Solid enough performance. Would be a phenomenal result for England if they manage to get past Italy who have looked in the tournament so far like a more assured and competent version of what England are trying to be.

@ Timofee

As they were my adopted team for this tournament I felt very sorry for Croatia, who of all the teams who have gone out probably deserved the most to go through. I thought they were very even with Italy (a little less solid at the back and a little more inventive going forward but really not much either way) just Italy managed to take one of their few chances against Spain and Croatia didn't quite.

[duff]

So who thinks Italy vs England will go to penalties?

If they play their 5 at the back and we play our ultra compact 4-4-2 I can imagine its going to be one of the dullest of the tournament.

Possibly, though this Italy team seem more attacking than previous Italian teams. Both the fullbacks get forward and two upfront. It will be important to pressure Pirlo when he's on the ball, though England seem to not want to press players until they get into their own box. If Balotelli starts try and wind him up, step on his toes and a few whispers in the ear. Dirty work but he's a walking red card.

[Timofee]

I doubt Ukraine would have got a second but I do feel somewhat sorry for them about that shocker of a decision with their goal. Just as well England have the moral high ground on that (after their campaigning for goal line technology) or I would have had to move to cheering on the Ukraine instead of remaining reasonably neutral!

Solid enough performance. Would be a phenomenal result for England if they manage to get past Italy who have looked in the tournament so far like a more assured and competent version of what England are trying to be.

@ Timofee

As they were my adopted team for this tournament I felt very sorry for Croatia, who of all the teams who have gone out probably deserved the most to go through. I thought they were very even with Italy (a little less solid at the back and a little more inventive going forward but really not much either way) just Italy managed to take one of their few chances against Spain and Croatia didn't quite.

Completely forgot about goal line thing and was then reminded by BBC article and then came back here to see you'd mentioned it. I dearly hope this is the final nail in the coffin for FIFAs resistance to this.

They have been complete and utter idiots about the whole thing all along. I simply don't understand how they can continue to fly in the face of overwhelming pressure from not just the general public but people in the game as well.

And if they trot out the excuse of making the game consistent across all levels I'm going to have an anger stroke - [allcaps]Yes, because my local school's under-15 team can afford to have FIVE match officials including 2 constipated-looking cunts to stand by the goal!!! Arrrrghghaghg!!!12one[/allcaps]

edit, sorry make that SIX match officials

[duff]

Problem with goal line technology is, how exactly does it work? Because that goal was clearly over the line. But Milevsky (sp?) was already offside. So if all the technology does is look at the goal line and not the offside just prior to that, a technically illegal goal could have been allowed. Now that would be a kick in the teeth.

[Timofee]

Possibly, though this Italy team seem more attacking than previous Italian teams. Both the fullbacks get forward and two upfront. It will be important to pressure Pirlo when he's on the ball, though England seem to not want to press players until they get into their own box. If Balotelli starts try and wind him up, step on his toes and a few whispers in the ear. Dirty work but he's a walking red card.

Good point, and regrettably I can see a fairly classic Italy 1-0.

Getting Balotelli riled up is a definite possibility, sadly I suspect De Rossi / Rooney may not work out in our favour in the sending-off stakes.

[Lambchops]

Yeah imagine if the major tennis tournaments proclaimed they were ditching Hawkeye until every local tennis club could be fitted with their own version (that said it would soon sort out that annoying person at every tennis club who is renowned for their "poor eyesight"). There'd be an outcry and rightly so.