EURO 2008

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Champion will be...

  • Germany

    Votes: 5 17.2%
  • Italy

    Votes: 6 20.7%
  • Spain

    Votes: 4 13.8%
  • France

    Votes: 3 10.3%
  • Portugal

    Votes: 6 20.7%
  • Netherlands

    Votes: 3 10.3%
  • Czech Republic

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 6.9%

  • Total voters
    29
  • Poll closed .

dali

Sicc OG
Feb 28, 2006
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Aragonés might be talking shit and Villas injury might be less severe than we know. I hope he is not bullshitting, though.
But it's gonna be a good game regardless. Fabregas really is a beast right now so i expect him to start. I hope we will be able to shut down their midfield and Torres.

Cant wait for Sunday :D
GO GERMANY!!!!!!!
 
Jun 23, 2002
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Spain has been consistent since the tournament started....Germany meanwhile has been up and down and if Turkey had their 'A' team then they'd have won for sure...I like Spain to win this. Plus I hate the way Germany plays, although Ballack is a pimp
 

ThaG

Sicc OG
Jun 30, 2005
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They should definitely start Fabregas, when they switched to 4-5-1 they got their game going

And it seems like in modern football probably it is better to have a lot of creative midfielders than having pure strikers, if I were a coach I would put three 10's up front and no strikers, and the day we will see teams playing like that is not that far in the future IMO
 
May 13, 2002
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They should definitely start Fabregas, when they switched to 4-5-1 they got their game going

And it seems like in modern football probably it is better to have a lot of creative midfielders than having pure strikers, if I were a coach I would put three 10's up front and no strikers, and the day we will see teams playing like that is not that far in the future IMO
I disagree man, you do need creative players, but you also need a striker to put it in the net. Every team needs at least one guy that is efficient at striking...
 

ThaG

Sicc OG
Jun 30, 2005
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I disagree man, you do need creative players, but you also need a striker to put it in the net. Every team needs at least one guy that is efficient at striking...
Like Luca Toni and Torres?

No, I mean what I said, creative midfielders can be just as effective in scoring as strikers (I am talking about classic number 10's here, not Xavi-like players); I am all for playing with strikers only when you have a truly good one (something like Adriano when he was playing well) and even then you need just one, not more; put two 10's behind him instead of having a second one.

In today's game when you have so tight defenses it is only possible to split them with creativity and combinative game
 
May 13, 2002
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Like Luca Toni and Torres?

No, I mean what I said, creative midfielders can be just as effective in scoring as strikers (I am talking about classic number 10's here, not Xavi-like players); unless you have a truly good striker (something like Adriano when he was playing well) and even then you need just one.

In today's game when you have so tight defenses it is only possible to split them with creativity and combinative game
You need both IMO. Of course, I rather have classic 10's all over the field, but what country has players just lying around like that besides Brazil and Argentina? You DO need a good striker. Toni and Torres are good, Ibrahimavic, Van Nistelroy, Adriano too. Those type of players are necessary, who's gonna head the ball in when the 10's center it? Who's the 10 gonna send through balls to? You need both man...
 

ThaG

Sicc OG
Jun 30, 2005
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You need both IMO. Of course, I rather have classic 10's all over the field, but what country has players just lying around like that besides Brazil and Argentina? You DO need a good striker. Toni and Torres are good, Ibrahimavic, Van Nistelroy, Adriano too. Those type of players are necessary, who's gonna head the ball in when the 10's center it? Who's the 10 gonna send through balls to? You need both man...
yes, but when you don't have them or they don't play well like yesterday when Torres couldn't stop the ball 9 times out of 10 you better take them out...

plus my philosophy of the game is a lot more oriented towards entering with the ball into the net than crossing it somewhere in the penalty box where the number 9 heads it :)

But you are right about not everybody having enough 10's to filed. One of the reasons why I am saying this is that Brazil has them yet Dunga choses to play without a single one, but that's a different topic
 
May 13, 2002
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yes, but when you don't have them or they don't play well like yesterday when Torres couldn't stop the ball 9 times out of 10 you better take them out...

plus my philosophy of the game is a lot more oriented towards entering with the ball into the net than crossing it somewhere in the penalty box where the number 9 heads it :)
Well, your "philosophy" should change depending on what team you're talking about, because teams have different strengths and weaknesses so you have to set up accordingly. But a team like Spain, Fabregas should definitely start because he creates plays for everyone. But you also can't give up on Torres, he's your guy and just because he had a bad game doesn't mean you should bench him. The guy can play...

But you're right, there aren't gonna be many opportunities against the Germans to win balls in the air on crosses. Those Motherfuckers are huge! In a world cup, how is a five foot three Mexican fool supposed to compete with Ballack? LOL
 
May 13, 2002
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that's why the Portuguese lost...
Yeah, they lost because they don't have a true 10. You're right. Deco can't do what they need in the middle, and their strikers can't do shit unless someone sets them up! Good example of what you're talking about.

Fabregas> C. Ronaldo

Ronaldo might have more skill and talent, but you'll hardly see a game where Fabregas is on the field and you don't see him in the game. Ronaldo gets taking completely out of games. Fabregas creates for his teammates and Ronaldo creates for the fame, television and fans...
 

ThaG

Sicc OG
Jun 30, 2005
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No, I said they lost because of them being undersized relative to the Germans

But what you say is also true, CR7 always hides when the big game comes, you could see the fear in his eyes when he head the ball. I know that feeling very well because (something I am not proud of, but I have to admit it) I am a very similar type of player and when I have had to rise to the occasion I have not been able to do it. His behaviour was exactly the same
 
May 13, 2002
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But what you say is also true, CR7 always hides when the big game comes, you could see the fear in his eyes when he head the ball. I know that feeling very well because (something I am not proud of, but I have to admit it) I am a very similar type of player and when I have had to rise to the occasion I have not been able to do it. His behaviour was exactly the same
CR7 getting thrown around with the greats like Pele and Maradona is ludicrous, the point you mentioned is what separates the legends from the greats. Rising to the occasion means everything...
 
May 13, 2002
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the kid is clutch, gets flack for bein the man.

hes football's a-rod. unmatched unbelievably gifted. heavily scrutinized.
How many championships does A-rod have? There is a heavy price to pay for having an "Arod" on your squad and I believe it is more important to have your team play well together and efficiently than having the most "unmatched and unbelievably gifted" player in the world. Plus, he tears shit up on Manchester United, but that team is stacked and there are players like Tevez and Rooney who make it difficult for defenses to mark anyone.

But, as you can see in the Euro, when it comes to carrying a team on his own, CR7 can't do it...
 

ThaG

Sicc OG
Jun 30, 2005
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CR7 getting thrown around with the greats like Pele and Maradona is ludicrous, the point you mentioned is what separates the legends from the greats. Rising to the occasion means everything...
The last player who was able to do that was Zidane

For some reason in the last several major tournaments most of the starts did not show up. Ususally every WC or Euro is marked by the performance of some player, like Platini in 84, Van Basten in '88, now the stars simply disappear, and this year it is again the same
 
May 13, 2002
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The last player who was able to do that was Zidane

For some reason in the last several major tournaments most of the starts did not show up. Ususally every WC or Euro is marked by the performance of some player, like Platini in 84, Van Basten in '88, now the stars simply disappear, and this year it is again the same
Zidane! He was the fuckin man, best player of my generation IMO...

And Platini, Croyff, Pele, Maradona, Zidane, etc., all took over games and stepped it up when it mattered. THAT is why they are legends, CR7 is not on their level.

Van Basten was a savage, but Gullit and others were there killing it. The team was so stacked back then!
 
Jun 23, 2002
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^Senna is a boss. To me the way he plays is just as beautiful as a creative attacking player. Knows his role, wins the ball, doesnt loose the ball/make mistakes, gets back, etc. etc.