Two to Top Group C

[KaNgArOoS]

There will be blood...

[FNU]

Currently it looks like Romania will follow Holland to the next round (at least it's in their own hands) ... what would be a big suprise for many so-called "experts".

The World Champ and Vice-World Champ out at the group stage ... well, how would we call it? A sensation, upset or even disgrace?
Disgrace by far. And those at fault are both managers for different reasons.

[rougou]

Disgrace by far. And those at fault are both managers for different reasons.

I dunno, there was also some bad finishing for both teams.
And some bad calls at critical times.
The Toni offside, and the Henry shot blocked by an arm.

[1shot1kill]

Bad calls happen, not just for those 2 countries, look at the wrong offside call on van Persie in the Holland-Italy game and how Henry scored from an offside position today in the Holland-France game.

[VCFan]

Bad calls happen, not just for those 2 countries, look at the wrong offside call on van Persie in the Holland-Italy game and how Henry scored from an offside position today in the Holland-France game.

Van Persie wasn't on a team trying to battle back from 2 - 0, and Henry was not offside. Bad calls do happen, but they're just unfortunate when they come in truly crucial moments.

[1shot1kill]

Camera shot directly from the side showed he was in fact offside, it was not much, but he was.

[Andrei2004]

How can you call yourself champion when you strategically allow a country to advance while sending home the ones that might be better? The champion should not be afraid of any country and be able to beat them all. I want to see our team give it their best against Romania.

How are Italy and France the better teams if they both failed to beat Romania and were thrashed by Holland?? And just so you know, the World Cup is always easier to win than the European Tournament if you didn't notice. So all this talk about being World Champions doesn't mean a thing in the EURO. Has your team played like world champions?

[VCFan]

How are Italy and France the better teams if they both failed to beat Romania and were thrashed by Holland?? And just so you know, the World Cup is always easier to win than the European Tournament if you didn't notice. So all this talk about being World Champions doesn't mean a thing in the EURO. Has your team played like world champions?

If you noticed, Erwin is from the Netherlands. And you're probably the only person in the world who would rather have a European championship than a World Cup... if it was oh so easy, why have only 7 nations in the entire world ever lifted one?

But I do acknowledge that France haven't played like World Cup finalists and Italy certainly haven't played like World Champions. Romania played very well to get the draw against both of them.

[ToonUSA]

And that means ToonUSA, you are in for in for a severe drubbing!!!!!

I cant think of a Dutch team taking it more easy than on this Romanian squad, but I could be wrong!! :confused:

Ah yes, like the drubbings we were supposed to get from Italy and France or the ones you guys gave us during qualifying? :rolleyes:

[Andrei2004]

If you noticed, Erwin is from the Netherlands. And you're probably the only person in the world who would rather have a European championship than a World Cup... if it was oh so easy, why have only 7 nations in the entire world ever lifted one?

But I do acknowledge that France haven't played like World Cup finalists and Italy certainly haven't played like World Champions. Romania played very well to get the draw against both of them.

Yeah, I missed the fact that he's from Holland. As for the EURO or the World Cup, where do I say that I'd rather have one over the other? If you follow the sport and you actually listen to football analysts, you would know that, for some reason, the European tournament is the harder one to win. It's probably because there's not much between the 16 teams.

[FNU]

I dunno, there was also some bad finishing for both teams.
And some bad calls at critical times.
The Toni offside, and the Henry shot blocked by an arm.
Italy's selection for the first game, France leaving home Trezeguet, Mexes, and Flamini. Yes, the managers are to blame.

[1shot1kill]

Yeah, I missed the fact that he's from Holland. As for the EURO or the World Cup, where do I say that I'd rather have one over the other? If you follow the sport and you actually listen to football analysts, you would know that, for some reason, the European tournament is the harder one to win. It's probably because there's not much between the 16 teams.

The relative smaller distance between the countries helps, when you have a worldcup that can take place all over the world you always have countries that aren't used to the climate, air humidity and things like that, in Europe it's all closer together and the climate is not the same everywhere at the same time but every country is used to almost every climate you find in Europe because it changes so often.

[Andrei2004]

The relative smaller distance between the countries helps, when you have a worldcup that can take place all over the world you always have countries that aren't used to the climate, air humidity and things like that, in Europe it's all closer together and the climate is not the same everywhere at the same time but every country is used to almost every climate you find in Europe because it changes so often.

I can only interpret that as idiotic sarcasm. I was obviously referring to the fact that European teams are very close skill-wise. I hope I cleared that out in case you ACTUALLY thought I was talking about distance. Just ask any football analyst and they'll tell you that the World Cup is nicer to watch and more entertaining but the EURO is harder to win.

[VCFan]

I can only interpret that as idiotic sarcasm. I was obviously referring to the fact that European teams are very close skill-wise. I hope I cleared that out in case you ACTUALLY thought I was talking about distance. Just ask any football analyst and they'll tell you that the World Cup is nicer to watch and more entertaining but the EURO is harder to win.

Yet which would you rather win?

[1shot1kill]

I can only interpret that as idiotic sarcasm. I was obviously referring to the fact that European teams are very close skill-wise. I hope I cleared that out in case you ACTUALLY thought I was talking about distance. Just ask any football analyst and they'll tell you that the World Cup is nicer to watch and more entertaining but the EURO is harder to win.


I know you were talking about skill, but that only part of it, because there are still countries at the EC like Poland and Russia who simply can not compete at this level, while countries like England, Scotland, Denmark which are much better are at home. It's mostly the western European countries that are close in skill, with a few exceptions, while eastern European countries are behind them on skill level, again with a few exceptions. And it just depends on how lucky countries get in qualification and some countries are simply always bad in qualification because of a variation of reasons. For example a country with a lot of players in big leagues with loads of games may have trouble in the qualifications because the players play too many games with too little time to rest. This is pretty much what happens with Holland, during qualification things always go crappy because a lot of players are playing in leagues in Spain and England and have not got enough rest because they play at big football clubs that play loads of games.

By the time a tournament like this starts players will be completely fit because they had a few weeks off and just had to train, not play matches. Which can make it look like a completely different team than they were in qualification.

[Andrei2004]

I know you were talking about skill, but that only part of it, because there are still countries at the EC like Poland and Russia who simply can not compete at this level, while countries like England, Scotland, Denmark which are much better are at home. It's mostly the western European countries that are close in skill, with a few exceptions, while eastern European countries are behind them on skill level, again with a few exceptions. And it just depends on how lucky countries get in qualification and some countries are simply always bad in qualification because of a variation of reasons. For example a country with a lot of players in big leagues with loads of games may have trouble in the qualifications because the players play too many games with too little time to rest. This is pretty much what happens with Holland, during qualification things always go crappy because a lot of players are playing in leagues in Spain and England and have not got enough rest because they play at big football clubs that play loads of games.

By the time a tournament like this starts players will be completely fit because they had a few weeks off and just had to train, not play matches. Which can make it look like a completely different team than they were in qualification.

I agree with you. However, in the cases of England, Scotland, and Denmark, if you call yourself a good team, you have to manage to win against smaller teams and not drop points. Scotland was unlucky, too, but that 0-2 defeat (against Georgia) killed their chances. Same thing with England. Great teams manage to win even when they're not playing well.

And yes, the form in the qualification does not necessarily reflect how the team will play in a major tournament.

[1shot1kill]

Still, a big football country is at a disadvantage at some times in qualification, for example look at Russia, they do not have many players that play in big leagues and play loads of games, they qualified while England, a country that is quite a bit better did not since they have a lot of players that are in the main squad of their football club and play a lot of matches. Now of course England has not really had any impressive record for many years but they should still be among the 16 best countries in Europe at a tournament like this.

[DaveyGorgeous]

Two to top group? Question answered...

Holland 9 pts
Italy 4 points
Romania 2 pts
France 1 pt

FORZA AZZURRI!!!

[tomwilhelm]

Holland 5
Italy 4
Romania 4
France 3

Missed the points (did ANYONE get that right? :eek:), but did nail the order... sweet. :cool:

[Tetsuo]

well first of all congratiolations to italy! :) we played badly and we didn't deserve to go on. from now on i will root for holland. i hope they will win the trophy, they deserve it. but my mind says italy will reach the final. anyway may the best team win. :)