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BS: Football: Euro 2008
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Subject: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 11 Jun 08 - 08:20 AM Well, each team of the final round has played once to give a preliminary impression. The final sixteen are a fairly good selection of European teams. Of the European teams among the first twenty in the ELO ranking (which avoids some of the problems of the FIFA ranking) only England (rank 9; rank 7 among European teams) and Denmark (rank 17) have failed to qualify. The qualifying team with the highest rank is Poland, 30th in the world and 19th in Europe. Only if England (sorry, Denmark) had qualified the selection would have been even better. I'm sure in that case I wouldn't have had to start a thread about the tournament. We have seen the highest defeat of Italy since 1970 (against Brazil), we have seen in the same game a difficult referee decision of no offside (followed by the first goal of Holland) which the coach of Italy (and his whole team) wrongly called offside even after having seen the slow motion (don't they know the rules of the game they play?), we have seen some spectacular goals. My prediction for the final is Portugal (after having eliminated Germany in the semi-finals) beating Holland who just can't win a final. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: The Walrus Date: 11 Jun 08 - 08:29 AM I was hoping that, with none of the 'Home' countries qualifying, UK media wouldn't bother with Euro 2008 - Fat chance, it just means that the various media have cut back on their usual jingoistic hype. So how long until it's all over? W Once upon a time the gap between the end of one football season and the beginning of the next used to be the Cricket season - now it seems, it's just the first weekend in August. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 11 Jun 08 - 08:41 AM I was very impressed with Holland. Back to their very best. My wife was also estatic over the Dutch win. Then she should be as she was born in Amsterdam :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 11 Jun 08 - 09:51 AM Holland were great. I missed Spain last night, sadly. I thought Germany looked very good against a strong Poland side. So far I have enjoyed Holland the best. Portugal are always strong technically. However, the one side, which usually finds the extra as a tournament progresses is Germany. Their weakness could be on the left side of midfield. Podolski, usually a striker, did an excellent job there on Sunday. I fear there are teams, who will be able to stop him from operating there as effectively as he did in the first game. The tournament is wide open and there is a lot to play for. I don't think England will be missed by many. We certainly have very fine players, but the team's miserable performances in the last two tournaments will mean that very few neutrals will be in any hurry to see them again. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:12 AM Well we certainly don't have the extreme hype that we normally get when England get through to these competitions. Its like a breath of fresh air. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 11 Jun 08 - 11:35 AM I have not much trust in the German defense if they play against a better team than Poland. There is a move in Poland to expatriate Podolsky for playing for Germany. The boy has a German and a Polish passport. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 12 Jun 08 - 03:08 AM Poor guy! I took my son to see him when he was playing for FC Köln. He duly obliged with a hat trick. When he scored his goals on Sunday night, he actually looked ashamed of himself. Still, he did not do his job any less ruthlessly. Germany has no outstanding defender, but I reckon that if they keep their shape and discipline - and keep other teams busy enough on other parts of the park - they could well do enough to win it. Let's see! They play again tonight and there is everything to play for. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 12 Jun 08 - 05:51 AM I asked a Polish neighbour what was his view on Podolsky, it is not for printing. Holland, Potugal, Spain, and Germany have looked impressive, but don`t rule out Italy, they have a formidable record in all competitions. Villan you are right with England not there the peace and quiet is very agreeable, John Motson surely take the award as the most biased commentator ever, but I do have the luxury of viewing on RTE the Irish panel is very good, Johnny Giles, Liam Brady and Eamon Dunphy, a very knowledgeable team. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 12 Jun 08 - 08:01 AM Why are the Polish mad about Podolski whose parents left Poland when he was 2 years old but not about Miroslav Klose whose parents left Poland when he was 7 years old? Klose's family were part of the official German minority in Poland, so it's good they left, whereas the Podolskis were Poles of German origin which is an officially not existing subcategory of Poles. They are all Poles. Period. Ah, politics. Back to football now. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 12 Jun 08 - 09:48 AM Wolfgang I watched closely when the game finished and the body language was quite plain, Podolski and the Polish players were not keen on the handshakes, in fact Podloski should have been elated after scoring twice, he certainly wasn`t. I can only relate that my Polish neighbour, to put it mildly, was far from happy. Back to the football, which has been entertaining, I think Germany will see off Croatia this afternoon and join Portugal in the quarter final. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 12 Jun 08 - 02:42 PM Germany will have to delay their progress to the quarter final until the Austrian game, they were a well beaten side at the finish Croatia were by far the better side. The referee was too quick in sending off Schweinsteiger he certainly was hard done by, it could have been on the word of the refs assistant,Schweinsteiger made a difference when he came on, along with Lamh he was Germanys best player. I hope he appeals he has a good chance of winning. I will back them to beat Austria in the next game. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Arnie Date: 12 Jun 08 - 04:45 PM Well, I just can't get interested in the Euro finals without England there. I don't know how much the terrestial TV channels have paid to broadcast the competition but I reckon they've lost a pile of money on this one. I have a look at the highlights occasionally but that's as far as I go - whatever their faults when playing for England, it's just not the same without Rooney, Gerrard, Terry et al.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 15 Jun 08 - 08:28 AM No complaints with the football, the tournament is a breath of fresh air, we don`t have the "home"countries taking part all the better for that, no raving commentators telling us how good England are, enjoy, I am. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: George Papavgeris Date: 16 Jun 08 - 02:19 AM We was robbed! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Richard Bridge Date: 16 Jun 08 - 02:39 AM Now if the idea that Poles should play for Poland and Germans for Germany had been aired on a folk music thread in the form that Poles should sing Polish folk songs and the Germans German ones, what an outcry there would have been. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 16 Jun 08 - 06:18 AM Poor George - The Greeks didn't do very well, but better than England You need to support Holland now :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 16 Jun 08 - 07:38 AM If the Turks continue to entertain as they did in the second half against the Czechs, turning Turk will have a new meaning. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: George Papavgeris Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:11 AM Ooo-raan-je, Les! Though I might also give the Turkish cousins a cheer. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:38 AM And there was me thinking you would want the Dutch to beat the Turks George :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 16 Jun 08 - 06:11 PM The Netherlands vs France was one of the finest games I have ever seen.
They say this was the biggest upset for the Frogs in the past 50 years. I believe it. (Unlike some countries I doubt there will be torture or murder for missed goals upon return home.)
The first goal with a header from a corner kick was true "Brillant Orange!"
WHAT an offence in the second half! Three GOOoooooAAaaaLLlllSSsss.
This is Football at its best!
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 17 Jun 08 - 04:31 AM The Austria v Germany game was a bore from start to finish by far the worst game I have seen in this championship. The referee banished the two managers to the stand for constantly berating the fourth official, I thought the two teams deserved that punishment, Ballack`s brilliant free kick goal the only highlight, hoping for a better game to-night between France and Italy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 17 Jun 08 - 10:14 AM Well, I have to change my prediction of Portugal beating Germany in the semifinal to doing it in the quarter finals. Germany was reminding me of those two decades not too far ago when they just couldn't play the game. But I've seen a second highlight in the game against Austria: How Gomez could not score in the second minute of the game was (for me as a watcher) a new world record in "shortest distance to the goal line and not scoring without any defensive action involved". "Orange boven". My god, how they played against a good(!) French team that would have beaten most other teams on the same night was impressing. Germans are supposed never to support the Dutch whoever they play but I cannot but admire them. The tournament suffers from two bad rules that I hope will be changed next time: (1) The rule that in case of a tie in points the team that has lost the direct comparison qualifies first leads to too many groups in which the winner was known after only two games, because the runner up could win as high as they wanted and would still be second, if they had lost against the winner. Knowing for sure that you are first before the last game leads to boring games with some unusual results. (2) In most other tournaments I remember two teams from the same group could only meet a second time in the final. Here, they can only meet in the semifinals. This leads to the perverse situation that Holland could eliminate tonight both Italy and France at the same time by losing against Romania and could this way make sure that the presumably two best remaining teams in that half, France and Italy, will not be their opposition in the semi-finals. This unusual rule also leads to the situation that before it all started we knew that one finalist (leaving out the chaff) would come from Croatia, Portugal, Germany and the other would come from Spain, Italy, France, or Holland. Any of exiting finals like France-Italy could not happen. I'd prefer them to draw lots after each round to determine who plays against whom with the single restriction that (as long as this is possible) the opponent would be no team a team has already played against. This would disallow choosing a presumably weaker opponent by losing a game. For the worst game I've seen so far I agree with Ard, for the best I nominate Holland-France but for exitement, emotion, and suspense I nominate Turkey-Czechs. More than one third of the golas scored so far have been scored by players not born in the country they play for. BTW, all German goals have been scored by players not born in the Federal Republic of Germany. Podolski comes from Poland and Ballack has been born in the GDR. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 17 Jun 08 - 02:05 PM Never write off the Germans, that is the old saying in the soccer world, they won`t be easy for any team, what a pity indeed Wolfgang if France and Italy are eliminated, the Dutch won`t bust a gut trying, two massive teams on the verge of going out, what would you do if you managed Holland?. Italy would really feel sore they have been on the wrong end of some awful refereeing decisions. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 17 Jun 08 - 04:37 PM Well, it's Italy then, so we can look forward to a new Holland-Italy match in the semi-finals. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 17 Jun 08 - 04:55 PM Fair play to Holland even with their second eleven they proved too good for a poor Romanian team, Italy`s luck returned in bucket loads. Ribery I thought was the best player in the Championship, when he had to leave the field through injury the French cause was lost. Plenty to look forward to, Holland won`t be overstretched meeting either Sweden or Russia, Portugal v Germany very interesting. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 17 Jun 08 - 05:02 PM I wanted to see France win tonight, but some of their horrible fouls made me less sympathetic to their cause. It was rotten luck to lose Ribery, although the German commentator was suggesting that he had actually fouled his opponent in the collision which led to his injury. Italy's second goal (an own goal by Henri) was a bit of a fluke, I will admit. However, Italy did look the more positive and coherent team tonight - even before they had an advantage of a goal and an extra man. It was always likely that Holland would only have a run out this evening. Back to business on Saturday I guess. It's shaping up nicely for the knock out phase. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 18 Jun 08 - 01:05 AM Praise be the UK
Is out of it!!!
Sincerely,
Or this thread would be gushing over with another invasion of the Mudcat reaching 10,000 posts
/wolfie - the low-landers and frogs have no love lost for the huns. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Liz the Squeak Date: 18 Jun 08 - 02:52 AM I love the Euro 2008 coverage on TV.. it means I can catch up on all the programmes I've recorded and not had time to watch, or listen to those new CD's I've not had time to listen to. When a colleague at work starts talking about football, I start talking about quilting patterns... but that wouldn't work here, there are too many quilters! LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Les from Hull Date: 18 Jun 08 - 12:29 PM Talking about quilting patterns Liz, have you tried 4-4-2? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 18 Jun 08 - 04:45 PM Well played Russia great football, crowned by two brilliantly worked goals. The Swedish team looked well past their sell-by date, they were lucky escaping with a two goal defeat, the only fault with Russia was not finishing some sweeping moves, an enjoyable game. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 19 Jun 08 - 03:28 AM They did look handy, didn't they? If they keep the ball moving and don't give it away, they should be able to test the Dutch. Their finishing will need to improve though, won't it? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 19 Jun 08 - 07:37 AM Any tips for tonight's game? It looks pretty tough for the Germans. Their most successful striker to date, Lucas Podolski, was barely able to walk yesterday and Torsten Frings has a broken rib. Frings did not look on top of his game to me, so that may not be such a huge loss. However, Poldi is not just a useful striker, he is a naturally left footed player, who gives Germany a distinct advantage in the box. The Potuguese look in form and able to play the ball faster and with better technique. On paper they should coast it. Jürgen Löw, the German trainer, is also banished to the stand tonight. The Germans won't like that. They will still be looking to make a game of it though. Philip Lahm has hardly put a foot wrong in defence so far and Ballack is due for one of his big games. I would put my money on the clever Scolari and his technicians to outwit the Germans. On the other hand, we have had a spot of rain here in Köln today. It would only need a bit of a downpour in Austria tonight and the Portuguese would not like it a bit! I am looking forward to it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 19 Jun 08 - 08:12 AM The ELO ranking to which I have linked in the first post has predicted nearly perfectly which two teams would succeed in the first round of the tournament. Only Turkey should have been behind the Czech Republic due to ELO. All other groups (even the elimination of France) were as predicted by ELO. And Turkey? Well, you remember that the Czechs were on their way to a sure victory when their otherwise brilliant goalkeeper made a beginner's mistake. Such a fluke is beyond the ability of the ELO ranking. So, you'd like to know what ELO predicts for the quarter finals? Germany beats Portugal Holland beats Russia Croatia beats Turkey Spain beats Italy (very closely) I don't agree with the first and the fourth prediction. Spain isn't a team for a tournament and there is only one way I can see Germany winning (by penalties after a boring 1:1; more likely in my eyes is an easy 2:0 for Portugal) Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 19 Jun 08 - 01:17 PM I can see to-nights game going to extra time, Germany are grinders and Portugal might need Ronaldo to get some penalty practice. Alan I would rate Lamh as good as any mid-fielder in the tournament, Portugal beware the Germans they have been there before. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 19 Jun 08 - 02:15 PM Germany changes from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1 if I read the line-up correctly. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Wolfgang Date: 19 Jun 08 - 04:45 PM Boy, was I wrong. It was a good game from both teams and everything else but boring, each team playing the strengths they have. Portugal was often better than Germany and just had a tiny bit less luck. They lost it on standard situations for allowing two headers that were not extremely difficult to block. Schweinsteiger (often wrongly translated as "pig climber" in the English press; "man from the pigsty" would be correct) has impressed me. The first German goal was as good as goals can be in preparation and finish. It nearly looked like a goal from Holland. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 19 Jun 08 - 04:52 PM Yes and they are there again, never write off the Germans, overall the better team, although the third goal should not have stood, Ballack clearly pushed the Portugal defender. The Schweinsteiger goal was the result of excellent football, the other two German goals were due to a porous Portugal defence, they could not deal with the high ball. So the great grinders move on and no team will be looking forward to meeting them. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 19 Jun 08 - 05:11 PM Yes, Ballack did push, but then again, the free kick was awarded for a horrible foul on Klose, which could well have broken some bones. I thought Germany were very good tonight. They deserved to win and even an obviously tired Lucas Podolski and another excellent night's work from Philip Lahm, as ard mhacha said, made Germany look like real challengers. I am looking forward to Holland Russia now. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Den Date: 20 Jun 08 - 10:56 AM Come on Croatia! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 20 Jun 08 - 12:53 PM I fancy them to beat Turkey, but I don't think they are going to become the first team to beat Germany twice in one tournament. We will all be wiser in a week's time... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: GUEST,Euro Fan Date: 20 Jun 08 - 01:35 PM I am enjoying Euro 2008 but I think it's time referees and assistant referees went to Specsavers. I see Van Nistelrooy still resorts to even more ridiculous dives in the area than when he played for united. He has this inclination to over-emphasise tackles, to fall over theatrically to try to win fouls, and usually does. Nistelrooy's favourite is to dive on the edge of the penalty area to win a free, or when he doesn't win a penalty he stands amazed with that horse mouth open. Why doesn't he get booked after he crashes theatrically to the ground or arms flailing when he goes down inside the area ? He has skill, and is a clinical finisher when he wants to. When I watch Holland I now expect him to throw in a couple of obligatory dives and wait for one referee to see it and book him. "Van Nistelrooy has perfected his skill of going down as if hit by a bullet and remain there perfectly still to convince a referee that a serious injury has occurred. It seems to work. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: GUEST,Jon Date: 20 Jun 08 - 07:12 PM Well so far I've got 2/2 QFs wrong. I'll have to change my predictions to Russia and Italy to winning the others... But no, I'll stick with the Netherlands beating Russia. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 21 Jun 08 - 12:41 AM Oh my god Jon, you have put the mockers on Holland. My Dutch wife won't be very pleased with you :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: alanabit Date: 21 Jun 08 - 04:36 AM On paper the Netherlands should beat Russia. What will be interesting to see is how much the tragedy affecting Boulahrouz affects the rest of the team. His prematurely born daughter died this week. There really are some things more important than football. The Croatians rotten finishing effectively ended their own chances last night. I did not like the Turks shirt pulling and rough house tackling, but they beat a side considerably better than themselves, for which they deserve some credit. For Germany, with its large Turkish population, the next game will undoubtedly be the biggest of the tournament. If the Turks win on Wednesday, there will be no point in anyone going to bed much before five o' clock on Thursday morning! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: ard mhacha Date: 21 Jun 08 - 09:37 AM The TV pundits must have been viewing another game,Turkey v Croatia was 90 minutes of punishment only coming to life in extra time, if ever a team deserved to lose it was Croatia this supposedly superior side were woeful. It looks like the Nederlands can beat Russia but they have the hardest side of the draw if they do win awaiting them are Italy or Spain, but beware the big bad Germans who are heading for the Final. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Liz the Squeak Date: 21 Jun 08 - 12:15 PM Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Les from Hull - PM Date: 18 Jun 08 - 12:29 PM Talking about quilting patterns Liz, have you tried 4-4-2? Yes I did Les, but made a mistake and went 4-2-4- in the third row... completely buggered me blocks it did. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 21 Jun 08 - 05:16 PM You are a jinx Jon van Basten showed his inexperience by adopting the wrong tactics. Why didn't he approach it like he did in the group. He was too scared. Its amazing how managere get scared and play defensively when in actual fact they do not need to. Ah well good luck Russia. Now to console my missus |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: GUEST,Jon Date: 21 Jun 08 - 05:18 PM I'm sorry Vilan. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Rasener Date: 21 Jun 08 - 05:26 PM You need to be Jon. I have the sandbags out becuase my wifes tears are so bad, I am worried about floods :-) Cheers Les |
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Subject: RE: BS: Football: Euro 2008 From: Bill D Date: 21 Jun 08 - 07:24 PM Russia played DEFENSE...then suddenly showed some amazing OFFENSE. They deserved the win. |
