Portugal vs Germany Quarterfinal- Euro, 2008 [R]

[Gandalf The Red]

looks like ze germans are finally on the war path

its like 1938 all over again:eek:

[squidward123]

I didn't see more than five shots the whole game from Germany.


I can remember 7 including the goals. There were probably 1-2 more.

I think what they were good with today was with picking the time to shoot. That is, shooting when they'd worked the best position they could work.

Portugal were the opposite and shot from long range too many times when they should have been patient.

[fh 1]

I feel so bad for all the players who worked so hard to get there. We showed that we have much more skill than the germans but we still don't play fully like a team, and that we were simply out coached with the wrong game plan.

THANK GOD SCOLARI IS GONE!!!!!

Absolutely, the Germans are not the better players, but they revealed all Portugal deficits, while Portugal did it only partially with the Germans.

Things would have turned completely different if Portugal scored first and Germans had to open the game, giving the technically brilliant Portuguese players more space to perform their swift combinations. In this case the result would have been something like 3:0 for Portugal. But Germans played a perfect match, exactly the way one has to do in order to beat such a technically superior team like Portugal.

Scolari did a very bad job, he was outclassed by Low, who was not even sitting on the bench, due to suspension and couldn't lead his team through the game.

This game should be studied in every football school in the world concerning tactics. Well done, Germans!

[catenaccio_L'pool]

Like many others on these boards I don't think the Germans are better than Portuguese but Scolari's tactics and poor refereeing have finished Portugal's run.
That 3rd goal by Ballack made me sick - I almost wanted to fast forward through the entire game - such an obvious foul. And when they were down, Scolari puts Ronaldo - the best player in the world - completely out of the game and in the box where he was useless waiting for Simao's rather poor crosses...two or three times when Ronaldo went back to get the ball he was dangerous.
The Germans did what they had to win. They also scored the goal of the tournament - simply brilliant. I loved that rocket by Podolski from 35 odd yds out, late in the 2nd half...that must have killed a few fans behind the goal:D.
I like the fact that Germany won - I think they would be better opposition for my Croatia if we manage to beat Turkey.

[fh 1]

I think they would be better opposition for my Croatia if we manage to beat Turkey.
Agree, technically skilled Portugal would be more difficult for us. Germans can't beat us the way they did against Portugal: No physical nor tactical advantage.
I just hope that we get a better referee than poor Portuguese. Then the better may win.

Of course, we first have to beat Turkey, which won't be easy.

[PileD]

What a lot of people wrote about, Germans have no technical skill, they only fight, their game culture is only compact and so on.

Remember how the Germans shot the goals and see the whole scenes before they score.

The German players have whole technical skills and they play like a team and they are compact.

AND THAT IS MODERN FOOTBALL.

Not to run like rooster over the pitch and do the catwalk.

What SONICMASD wrote was a good comment. The line up. Before the match, I would bet Almeida or Meira are in the team. They know the German players.

But nothing against Scolari, he makes Portugal to a world wide feared team.

And never forget, a Euro quarter final is harder than a WC quarter final.

Now here in Germany, we await the next in the half final.

And there is 50:50 again.

On with the flags, on Wednesday we strike again.

[fh 1]

What a lot of people wrote about, Germans have no technical skill, they only fight, their game culture is only compact and so on.

That's not correct. Of course have the Germans good technique, all of them are professionals!
And of course they do not only fight but can also play football very well.

But that's not the reasons Germany won today and had so much successes before. If it was only technique, passing and playing marvelous football, Germany would never make it to the finals.

[PileD]

That's not correct. Of course have the Germans good technique, all of them are professionals!
And of course they do not only fight but can also play football very well.

But that's not the reasons Germany won today and had so much successes before. If it was only technique, passing and playing marvelous football, Germany would never make it to the finals.

But football is a team game. And Croatia knows like Germany kows it.

Croatia have one Tower - or Star - and Germany have one Tower - or Star - in the team.

But both heroes play for the team, and the team for them.

That's the difference I mean.

[fh 1]

Yes, football is a team game. But Portugal also tried to play like a team. I mean they had almost 60% possession of the ball, this tells You something - but not all!

The point is - in my opinion - that in Contrast to Portugal, Germany is a compact team.
Their defense is not great but good. Their forwards are nothing special, but when getting a scoring opportunity, they are there. Their midfield is, with exception of Ballack, average, but absolutely not weak that one can hope to take control over them in this part.

On the other hand, Portugal has some great advantages, they have better individual players, superior technique, excellent passing, fantastic midfield, you know all this, but they also have a second class defense, no top scorer and especially are physically hopelessly inferior. They remind me of the Arabs, who also play nicely the ball around but when it comes against Germany they lose 0:7 or something, the Germans simply push them away like children and score. This physical inferiority is a huge disadvantage, also in psychological regards.

[WhiteStar Warriors]

Congratulations to Germany for the win...even though the ESPN announcers were Portugal biased

[PileD]

Congratulations to Germany for the win...even though the ESPN announcers were Portugal biased

What was up with Poland at the Euro.

To lose vs. Germany is not a shame. But the game vs. Austria, the tie was a present for Poland. One of the strongest teams in the qualification excuse, f... off so?

Really, I didn't await it.

[Eric_101491]

Congratulations to Germany for the win...even though the ESPN announcers were Portugal biased

Amen to that! I liked Andy Gray until this game....

now I just think he's a tw@t :rolleyes:

[PileD]

Yes, football is a team game. But Portugal also tried to play like a team. I mean they had almost 60% possession of the ball, this tells You something - but not all!

The point is - in my opinion - that in Contrast to Portugal, Germany is a compact team.
Their defense is not great but good. Their forwards are nothing special, but when getting a scoring opportunity, they are there. Their midfield is, with exception of Ballack, average, but absolutely not weak that one can hope to take control over them in this part.

On the other hand, Portugal has some great advantages, they have better individual players, superior technique, excellent passing, fantastic midfield, you know all this, but they also have a second class defense, no top scorer and especially are physically hopelessly inferior. They remind me of the Arabs, who also play nicely the ball around but when it comes against Germany they lose 0:7 or something, the Germans simply push them away like children and score. This physical inferiority is a huge disadvantage, also in psychological regards.

I think Portugal have one world class player, Ronaldo, the rest is good (Don't speak about the goalkeeper).

Germany have in the mass better players (World Class for Ballack), but for the average mass, the quality is higher on German side.

And this decide the game tonight.

[squidward123]

fh1, I would revise my ideas of the past german teams if I were you.

[fh 1]

fh1, I would revise my ideas of the past german teams if I were you.
In what regard?

[PileD]

fh1, I would revise my ideas of the past german teams if I were you.

You mean the power and the glory of German teams in 2000 and 2004?

[squidward123]

In what regard?

It seems to me you are saying that past german teams that won trophies did not have excellent technique and did not play great football. Rather that they played like this year's team have for more than half the tournament.

I'm just making a passing statement. I'm not up for a big debate about it.



Just wondering - how many Germany matches in the last 2-3 years have you watched?

[Rainer24]

The Germans conceded crosses from the flanks in order to shut down the Portuguese attack up the center. The Germans were always going to be favorites to win if they managed it and they did. Aside from the one nice flick Cristiano Ronaldo was marked out of the match.

[PileD]

The Germans conceded crosses from the flanks in order to shut down the Portuguese attack up the center. The Germans were always going to be favorites to win if they managed it and they did. Aside from the one nice flick Cristiano Ronaldo was marked out of the match.

YES.

[WhiteStar Warriors]

What was up with Poland at the Euro.

To lose vs. Germany is not a shame. But the game vs. Austria, the tie was a present for Poland. One of the strongest teams in the qualification excuse, f... off so?

Really, I didn't await it.

The soccer in Poland and in Germany are too different worlds. Tell me what post-communistic country the size of Poland have had any real success in soccer history?