Until Spain loses, they are favorites. That simple. We're talking about a side that has won the last two major tournaments they are in and are in the semifinal of the current one. They are still stacked with talent. I'm not trying to downplay Germany, but until someone knocks off Spain, I don't know how anyone else can be considered a favorite.
I was in the hospital with my newborn during the group stage and felt like this poor guy. My only stimulation was the baby and Euro Cup, and I use the word "stimulation" lightly with some of those opening matches.
Italy this, Germany that, Portugal cant do this, Spain wont do that........this one should win, this one is the favorite, no the other one is.......... It doesnt really matter. Lets hope for some good games to finish the tournament and may anyone not named SPAIN win I remember not being disappointed when they won euro 08,because lets face it,up until that point they were the worlds best choke artists and loveable losers. Every tournament was theirs to win,but somehow,they always exited early. I wasnt upset when they won their first cup and felt they deserved it....for their play in the tournament and for the quality of their domestic league. Fast forward a few years and they have shed the loveable loser label, won a WC and a Euro.....great accomplishments for sure. To hear their fans though on this board and others,you would think this is the BEST TEAM EVER ASSEMBLED. You would think they have won as much as Brazil, Italy, Germany. You would think they would have had a run like this,in other decades as well....... I understand someone has to beat them, but the other three teams left stand as much of a chance in lifting the cup as they do. To hear the roja fans talk like,their team has to not show up and the other side has to play their best game ever,in order for them to lose,is laughable. I dont hate on Spain, we are all european brethren, and its not like they are Argentina or Brazil or anything like that,which would cause me to lose sleep if they were on the verge of winning something.........but the their fans certainly need to relax. Last but not least,I wont "eat my own dick" as some on this board have suggested they would do if Spain won....but I wont be pleased for them as I was the last two times......
I understand your annoyance. Frankly, if any Spain fan thinks like this, they are delusional. In my eyes, they are the rightful favorite-but Italy could have beat them if they weren't so wasteful, and they hardly played their best game ever. The Croatia game was a scare for Spain as well. No team is invincible.
Kaizer5, though I am Spaniard I fully agree with you. But such behavior by recent champions which were nobodiers just few years before it is not new. Who could stand French suppoorters in 2006? Anyhow, it is normal, that after being the most famous underachievers in any mayor tournament during years, the recent success brings some lack of moderation. Even more understandable if it is considered that most of the fans of La Roja are used to their teams dominating international competition. Of course that can be irritating to others, moreover if the "art" of La Roja it is not what it used to be. Nonetheless, I have my doubts whether the boringness of the game is coming from the way Spain plays or by the systems that their adversaries use to check Spanish Tiki - Taka. What it cannot be doubted is that the Spanish way is effective, at least much more effective than any used before by Spain.
Exactly. Its any teams cup at this point and I think thats great for the game. While everyone focuses on the big 3 left standing,maybe Portugal will be the one ! Wouldnt that be something for all those long time fans who suffered through the Eusebio losses of the past to the double dip loss at home in 04 to Greece with Figo/Deco/Young Christina....etc etc. Can that posing tool,finally stand up and be an all time great by leading his team to victory at this level ? I'd like to see that..........
Although I think Germany and Spain are the teams to beat in the semis, Portugal and Italy are not exactly pushovers. Would anyone really be surprised if Spain cannot execute and Ronaldo scores a late goal? Or Italy shutting down the Germans and winning on penalties? Cinderella teams these are not.
All four can win this tournament. While I have Italy at the bottem after playing a full 120 minutes and lacking in finishing, you can't doubt their spirt and they started the tournament very well against Spain. Germany has been playing the best, but still leaves itself exposed in the defense at times. Portugal has played better and better and Ronaldo looks like a man on a mission. Spain looks beatable, except nobody has yet. My favorites are as follows: Germany Portugal Spain Italy. I think the final will be Germany and Portugal.
Why would you want spain to lose? because spain beat germany twice? we still cannot compare to germanys history, not sure why you'd want spain to lose, there wasn't any bad blood in those games.
Agreed. I've got this betting voucher (not usually a betting man) and I'm going to put it on Portugal. They've emphatically beaten Spain in the recent past. But more importantly, their form is on the rise whereas Spain's hasn't particularly convinced.
It may or it may not. There is too much wishfull thinking and desire to see Spain on their knees. I am not saying that won´t happen. Eventually will happen to any team. But agreeing with the boringness of the matches played by Spain till now, I do not agree at all with Spain showing sytoms of weakness. I really think that no team has really confronted Spain yet. We´ll see tomorrow if Portugal does or it is a mere step more to the way to the final.
Sure. But I think the odds of Portugal are way better than what say 18/5 odds imply. I also think Portugal has a better chance than Castrol's 32.1.% Castrol's championship probabilities: Spain: 45.7% Germany: 26.5% Portugal: 15.5% Italy: 12.3% I think that overstates Spain's chances...
It´s your money, not mine. If you´re so sure about your own judgment you shouldn´t leave such oortunity. Catch it. My point is that even though there are poster who introduce their football thinking to argue their positions, there are much more people around the threads confusing their wishes (Spain to be eliminated) with the reality and by doing so, they show the same lack of moderation that some young Spaniards with not enough historical record to benchmark Spanish current situation.
...and what wereGreece's chances in 2004? Honestly, any team can win this. Just takes a few bad refereed decidions and defensive lapses.
That´s why we talk about probabilities. Referee decitions and uncommon defensive lapses are "white noises", I mean, their probability of occurrence distributes in the same way to all teams (or not )
Exact. Of course everbody wants his team to win it, but I could easily see all of the 4 remaining sides take the trophy home. Those are truly the best 4 teams of the contest and Im glad none of the "stinker" teams came trough.
hmm the portuguese did really test us in 2010........probably the most out of any team, bar netherlands 2 1v1 attempts on casillas that robben failed.
Depending on who the ref is. Get a ref who buys into flopping and some teams will gain an advantage. Not saying who...will leave that to you guys to infer.
Really? I thought Spain's win was quite convincing! Not pretty, but convincing. The thing I'd be worried about if I was Germany is that teams that play beautiful football are consistently overrated by fans. Your post is a prime example. You say Spain's ugly win over France wasn't convincing but Germany's over Portugal's was? Germany could've easily lost or drawn that match, you can't say the same about France v Spain.
The Germans poorest showing was against Portugal and they still won. Portugal is also far tougher than anything Spain has faced thus far (except for Italy, which ended in a draw) In their other three matches they've looked unstoppable. Spain's only convincing win so far was against a pitiful Ireland side. They did look better than France, but it was a far cry from what Germany has been doing to their opponents. Germany offensive firepower is not overrated, but their defense is prone to error. If they go down it will most likely be on a defensive mistake. There are four very strong teams remaining. The strongest semifinal group we've seen in awhile. But if I'm making a prediction based on what I've seen in this tourney it will be a rematch final with the upper hand to Germany.