Euro 2008 discussion thread

[Asmodean]

How anybody but an Italian could have watched this game tonight, and still have any kind of sympathy for them is beyond me.

120 minutes of utterly destructive football. Defending with 9 or 10 players and only rarely attempting to create scoring chances.

Sure, they call it the art of Catenaccio. Well, I guess it can be called art. In the same way that acting in porn movies can be called art.

Asmodean

[siron]

These penalties should be before the start of the game or extra time.

[Hercules]

I am pleased Spain won in a tough match.

Yes the Italians did play defensive but Spain could have done better, they did play the more positive football.


One of the encouraging aspects of the game was the absence of a lot of cynical fouling by the Italians this game and this tournament.


The sad thing is that they have to play Russia. Sad in the sense one of them has to lose.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

I support Russia too...

and Spain - finally through on penalties

[Krill]

Only taken them 22 years to win penalties on teh 22nd of June.

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Asmodean
How anybody but an Italian could have watched this game tonight, and still have any kind of sympathy for them is beyond me.

120 minutes of utterly destructive football. Defending with 9 or 10 players and only rarely attempting to create scoring chances.

Sure, they call it the art of Catenaccio. Well, I guess it can be called art. In the same way that acting in porn movies can be called art.

Asmodean

From an objective POV, the match, like much of Italian football at least in the past decade, was horribgle.

But not only born Italians have a right to be tifosi, I support the Squadra Azzurra since childhood. Actually, Italy is probably the most supported national team in Austria beside our own. Probably, this has something to do with our annual seasonal mass migration to the Italian beaches.
Maybe it's also the fine melodrama with which Italians fake fouls or celebrate their victories and defeats - you can't find that anywhere else.
And of course, there's Gennaro Gattuso, my hero.

One more time, since I won't hear it again this tournament:

Fratelli d'Italia
L'Italia s'è desta
Dell'elmo di Scipio
S'è cinta la testa
Dov'è la vittoria?!
Le porga la chioma
Ché schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò

Stringiamci a coorte
Siam pronti alla morte
L'Italia chiamò

Noi siamo da secoli
Calpesti, derisi
Perché non siam Popolo
Perché siam divisi
Raccolgaci un'Unica
Bandiera una Speme
Di fonderci insieme
Già l'ora suonò

Stringiamci a coorte
Siam pronti alla morte
L'Italia chiamò

Uniamoci, amiamoci
L'unione e l'amore
Rivelano ai Popoli
Le vie del Signore
Giuriamo far Libero
Il suolo natio
Uniti, per Dio,
Chi vincer ci può!?

Stringiamci a coorte,
Siam pronti alla morte,
L'Italia chiamò.

Dall'Alpi a Sicilia
Dovunque è Legnano,
Ogn'uom di Ferruccio
Ha il core, ha la mano,
I bimbi d'Italia
Si chiaman Balilla
Il suon d'ogni squilla
I Vespri suonò
Stringiamci a coorte
Siam pronti alla morte
L'Italia chiamò

Son giunchi che piegano
Le spade vendute
A l'Aquila d'Austria
Le penne ha perdute
Il sangue d'Italia
Bevé col cosacco
Il sangue Polacco
Ma il cor le bruciò

Stringiamci a coorte
Siam pronti alla morte
L'Italia chiamò

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III


Do you want to return to coin draw? Or they could introduce a real duel, with pistols, adjuntants, etc.

Imagine an extended overtime in this match of an offensively little potent Italy with its concrete defense.

How about free kicks? Might see some nice goals as a bonus

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by siron
These penalties should be before the start of the game or extra time.

Actually, that's a good idea, kind of. Have the penalty shoot out before the match, so that the teams know who is the designated winner in the event of a tie after 90 minutes and extra time.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Traianvs


How about free kicks? Might see some nice goals as a bonus

The idea of a shoot out involving 10 second one on ones with the goalie has appealed to me - the attacker starting at the centre spot and the keeper on his line.

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Dauphin

The idea of a shoot out involving 10 second one on ones with the goalie has appealed to me - the attacker starting at the centre spot and the keeper on his line.

Like they used to have in the US IIRC.

[Cort Haus]

As usual when watching Italy, I fell asleep during the match. I gather Thpain won. Jolly good.

[Imran Siddiqui]

for Spain!

They deserved the win and now we can have an entertaining SF with Russia and Spain and not the boring ass Italians.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Like they used to have in the US IIRC.

Yep and it was scuttled because it was too much a bastardization of the game .

To be fair they did it after every match (ties weren't accepted) at the time.

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

To be fair they did it after every match (ties weren't accepted) at the time.

Oh yeah that was the only silly part, but it's not a bad idea, and there is much less luck involved.

[Serb]

Originally posted by Saras
россия

Spasibo!
That's all I can say right now.

never, ever did I think I'd post this, but all my Russian friends in my mobile address book can testify multiple congratulatory sms'es. What a GAME! What amazing PROGRESS, quality-wise, from group games!

Eurovision, hockey, basketball last year, now football - this needs to stop, lest they get drunk, uppity and ride tanks all the way to the Bay of Biscay

I'll reply this at June 30.