UEFA Euro Thread.

[mukumsplau]

juiventus revived him...pirlo probably played 35+ games in league last season...the majority full 90 minutes...the training regime, medical staff we have are excellent...and not to mention the team chemistry that we have it was as if he was reborn because as he put it he finally started back enjoying football since he came to turin...and it shows....juventus play a possession and pressing game with a lot of movement...marchisio and especially vidal contribute to pirlo's resurgence as it is they who allow him to flourish the way he does...

Assholery to de max.

like u a milan supporter..what part you want me to explain..?

[mukumsplau]

Low: Man marking Pirlo would be useless
The Germany coach revealed his side would not be preoccupied with reducing the midfielder's influence and will instead focus on how they would usually play

Jun 26, 2012 1:45:00 PM 
By Tom Webber
MORE ON :  Germany, Italy, Miroslav Klose, Joachim Löw




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Bongarts
Germany coach Joachim Low has intimated his team will do little to directly disrupt Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo when the two nations meet in the Euro 2012 semi-final on Thursday.
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The Juventus midfielder put in his best performance of the tournament as the Azzurri defeated England on penalties in the last eight, but Low insisted his side must focus on their own game.

"He [Pirlo] is having a bit of a renaissance. He is an outstanding footballer and a brilliant strategist. Man marking is useless with him because he drops deep so often," Low said in a press conference.

"[Italy can play] 3-5-2 or 4-4-2. We have to familiarise and prepare for both systems. We want to keep our own rhythm.

"Italy have developed enormously since 2010. They have shown a lot of quality at the Euros. We must bring our own game to the field and not cater to our opponent.

With Bastian Schweinsteiger struggling for fitness after their quarter-final win over Greece, Low declared that the Bayern Munich man will be fine and that no player will start unless they are completely fit.

"No player will play if he is only 95 per cent fit. He [Schweinsteiger] had some problems with his passes against Greece but he is self-critical. He has trained hard and I maintain that all players are fit to play.

"He is very confident and we will need him because he is important.

"I don't want to base my line-up on the result of the last game but instead of what I need against the next opponent. Italy are a completely different animal [than Greece]."

The Germany coach also eased the pressure on his team by stating that Spain remain the most likely side to lift the title but that Portugal would provide staunch opposition.

"Spain are the favourites. Portugal are contenders as well and one of the best counterattacking teams. Even Spain are going to find it difficult against them but Spain have one of the best defences."

Miroslav Klose also spoke to the press and admitted that despite spending a year playing in Serie A with Lazio there was no tactical help he could offer and was simply focusing on preparing for the match.

"I don't need to give the coach any tips. Our scouts have watched Italy. When we play at our best it is difficult to beat us.

"I don't think Italy played attacking football against England. England pulled back. Things will be a bit different against us. We know where their weaknesses are. We will concentrate defensively.

"I am preparing as if I would start. We have two great forwards and the coach has shown that he has made the right selections lately."

[Observer]

mukumsplau! Bresia's coach was Carlo Mazzone. Imagine Inter bought Pirlo and he could not even get a cobeaux sweat

[dinho]

mukumsplau! Bresia's coach was Carlo Mazzone. Imagine Inter bought Pirlo and he could not even get a cobeaux sweat

At Inter, i remember Pirlo was a young and upcoming forward.. Off the top of my head, i think it was him and Nicola Ventola who was struggling for lil corbeaux sweat here and there behind fellas like Zamorano and dem until he was transformed into a playmaker.

I always maintain it was a big mistake for Milan to let him go... Apparently he wanted a 2 year contract renewal which Milan refused to budge on, also apparently they had some doubts over whether his legs could take him a whole season... Look he turn around and win the Scudetto with Juve.

[Peong]

mukumsplau! Bresia's coach was Carlo Mazzone. Imagine Inter bought Pirlo and he could not even get a cobeaux sweat

I remember him being an attacking midfielder.
Inter had Baggio and Djorkaeff playing attacking midfield, and Pirlo was very young.   He used to impress whenever he played though.

[Observer]

mukumsplau! Bresia's coach was Carlo Mazzone. Imagine Inter bought Pirlo and he could not even get a cobeaux sweat

At Inter, i remember Pirlo was a young and upcoming forward.. Off the top of my head, i think it was him and Nicola Ventola who was struggling for lil corbeaux sweat here and there behind fellas like Zamorano and dem until he was transformed into a playmaker.

I always maintain it was a big mistake for Milan to let him go... Apparently he wanted a 2 year contract renewal which Milan refused to budge on, also apparently they had some doubts over whether his legs could take him a whole season... Look he turn around and win the Scudetto with Juve.

Don't get me going with Milan nah! Sadly lacking a playmaker and yet they let Pirlo go. IMHO Galliani has lost his edge, bad decisions and dodggy buys in the last few years. Silvio has his own problems and left his Milan toy, but if he was still on top of things he would have asked some serious questions of Galliani

[mukumsplau]

mukumsplau! Bresia's coach was Carlo Mazzone. Imagine Inter bought Pirlo and he could not even get a cobeaux sweat

At Inter, i remember Pirlo was a young and upcoming forward.. Off the top of my head, i think it was him and Nicola Ventola who was struggling for lil corbeaux sweat here and there behind fellas like Zamorano and dem until he was transformed into a playmaker.

I always maintain it was a big mistake for Milan to let him go... Apparently he wanted a 2 year contract renewal which Milan refused to budge on, also apparently they had some doubts over whether his legs could take him a whole season... Look he turn around and win the Scudetto with Juve.

Don't get me going with Milan nah! Sadly lacking a playmaker and yet they let Pirlo go. IMHO Galliani has lost his edge, bad decisions and dodggy buys in the last few years. Silvio has his own problems and left his Milan toy, but if he was still on top of things he would have asked some serious questions of Galliani

milan better make some proper buys because its alone being at the top...but they conscious of the debt they have...if they were to sell silva and pato to PSG berlusconi was planning to use a good part of that money to pay off a chunk of their debt...hope they dont sell those two..for serie a sake...plus pato is barbara boytoy and silva is silva makes no sense selling one of the rocks of your team when you dont have an able replacement both technically and leadership-wise...and muntari gone and get injured 6 months out playin football on d beach...galliani would be on the lookout for a lot of freebies and loans this summer...

[Observer]

Look like Nasri set for a long ban from France, due to his infighting with squad members and the press.
He has always been seen as a trouble maker in France & it has cost him selection in the past.

[Toppa]

[Marcos]

i curious to know what balotelli told him after scoring...hart was trying to psych ppl out but he did not like he was trying to save crap.

on another note Bakes, what u think about milner?  England doesnt have any better options?

Dred you musse miss the post where I was wondering how the hell he still starting fuh England.  De man slow and lacking for skills... no way you could convince me he starting ahead of Walcott... limitations in Theo's game and all.  Theo need steady run... unfair to expect that youth to produce the minute he steps in the pitch, which is precisely how they've been using him his whole career (both Arsenal and England).  At least there is better quality around him on the club... what is Capello and Roy story? 

I think Milner provides experience and toughness to a City team that has more than its share of prima donnas... but Englad full ah players like that in midfield already... he surplus to requirement.  It tells the tale the fact that his replacement was Jordan Henderson in that match.  That's what English fans have to look forward to... lol.

Chamberlain showed more in his brief stint than Milner and Young put together.

Chamberlain and Walcott at least want to possess the ball.

England full of grafters

[E-man]

You know I have that exact pizza slicer in the kitchen drawer at home.

[Observer]

i curious to know what balotelli told him after scoring...hart was trying to psych ppl out but he did not like he was trying to save crap.

on another note Bakes, what u think about milner?  England doesnt have any better options?

Dred you musse miss the post where I was wondering how the hell he still starting fuh England.  De man slow and lacking for skills... no way you could convince me he starting ahead of Walcott... limitations in Theo's game and all.  Theo need steady run... unfair to expect that youth to produce the minute he steps in the pitch, which is precisely how they've been using him his whole career (both Arsenal and England).  At least there is better quality around him on the club... what is Capello and Roy story? 

I think Milner provides experience and toughness to a City team that has more than its share of prima donnas... but Englad full ah players like that in midfield already... he surplus to requirement.  It tells the tale the fact that his replacement was Jordan Henderson in that match.  That's what English fans have to look forward to... lol.

Chamberlain showed more in his brief stint than Milner and Young put together.

Chamberlain and Walcott at least want to possess the ball.

England full of grafters

So true! If Iniesta or Xavi were English I not sure they would even have made it in the Premier. Small technical players are not allowed the time to blossom, ecause Academy Directors want results to justify their jobs

[Dumplingdinho]

i curious to know what balotelli told him after scoring...hart was trying to psych ppl out but he did not like he was trying to save crap.

on another note Bakes, what u think about milner?  England doesnt have any better options?

Dred you musse miss the post where I was wondering how the hell he still starting fuh England.  De man slow and lacking for skills... no way you could convince me he starting ahead of Walcott... limitations in Theo's game and all.  Theo need steady run... unfair to expect that youth to produce the minute he steps in the pitch, which is precisely how they've been using him his whole career (both Arsenal and England).  At least there is better quality around him on the club... what is Capello and Roy story? 

I think Milner provides experience and toughness to a City team that has more than its share of prima donnas... but Englad full ah players like that in midfield already... he surplus to requirement.  It tells the tale the fact that his replacement was Jordan Henderson in that match.  That's what English fans have to look forward to... lol.

yeah i didnt understand why walcott wasnt starting ahead of milner, i assumed they saw walcott as being more effective coming on a sub.  Milner is real pull stones.

[palos]

i curious to know what balotelli told him after scoring...hart was trying to psych ppl out but he did not like he was trying to save crap.

on another note Bakes, what u think about milner?  England doesnt have any better options?

Dred you musse miss the post where I was wondering how the hell he still starting fuh England.  De man slow and lacking for skills... no way you could convince me he starting ahead of Walcott... limitations in Theo's game and all.  Theo need steady run... unfair to expect that youth to produce the minute he steps in the pitch, which is precisely how they've been using him his whole career (both Arsenal and England).  At least there is better quality around him on the club... what is Capello and Roy story? 

I think Milner provides experience and toughness to a City team that has more than its share of prima donnas... but Englad full ah players like that in midfield already... he surplus to requirement.  It tells the tale the fact that his replacement was Jordan Henderson in that match.  That's what English fans have to look forward to... lol.

yeah i didnt understand why walcott wasnt starting ahead of milner, i assumed they saw walcott as being more effective coming on a sub.  Milner is real pull stones.

I believe the reason why Hodgson played Milner is because he felt that Johnson needed the defensive help more than England needed an attacking option.

I think that's also why he played Ashley Young as well.  Both Walcott & Chamberlain are young players not known for their defensive attributes and England needed numbers in midfield to help when Italy had the ball.  As was seen by the stats, Italy had significantly more of the ball than England which made that help even more important.

Just a guess on my part.

[Bakes]

I believe the reason why Hodgson played Milner is because he felt that Johnson needed the defensive help more than England needed an attacking option.

I think that's also why he played Ashley Young as well.  Both Walcott & Chamberlain are young players not known for their defensive attributes and England needed numbers in midfield to help when Italy had the ball.  As was seen by the stats, Italy had significantly more of the ball than England which made that help even more important.

Just a guess on my part.

Possible.  Roy knows that he needs time if he really is to overhaul this squad from top to bottom and make some real change (assuming that's his intent).  To do so all he really needed to do was to get decent results this go-around.  People may not like it, but discretion is the better part of valor.  English (which is to say, the English... not necessarily people like myself who just "root" for the team) tired ah being embarrassed "at their own sport" and wanted something they could hang their hats on.  Roy give them that... unpleasant though it may have been to the casual observer.  To do so he had to keep scorelines decent while offering a little hope going forward. 

Check... check.

[Peong]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cVLZmCJ9oyU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/cVLZmCJ9oyU</a>

[Marcos]

i curious to know what balotelli told him after scoring...hart was trying to psych ppl out but he did not like he was trying to save crap.

on another note Bakes, what u think about milner?  England doesnt have any better options?

Dred you musse miss the post where I was wondering how the hell he still starting fuh England.  De man slow and lacking for skills... no way you could convince me he starting ahead of Walcott... limitations in Theo's game and all.  Theo need steady run... unfair to expect that youth to produce the minute he steps in the pitch, which is precisely how they've been using him his whole career (both Arsenal and England).  At least there is better quality around him on the club... what is Capello and Roy story? 

I think Milner provides experience and toughness to a City team that has more than its share of prima donnas... but Englad full ah players like that in midfield already... he surplus to requirement.  It tells the tale the fact that his replacement was Jordan Henderson in that match.  That's what English fans have to look forward to... lol.

yeah i didnt understand why walcott wasnt starting ahead of milner, i assumed they saw walcott as being more effective coming on a sub.  Milner is real pull stones.

I believe the reason why Hodgson played Milner is because he felt that Johnson needed the defensive help more than England needed an attacking option.

I think that's also why he played Ashley Young as well.  Both Walcott & Chamberlain are young players not known for their defensive attributes and England needed numbers in midfield to help when Italy had the ball.  As was seen by the stats, Italy had significantly more of the ball than England which made that help even more important.

Just a guess on my part.

Chamberlain showed a decent work rate in the first game in terms of tracking back.

But by having players that didn't want to hold onto the ball he was essentially ceding possesion to Italy and therefore inflating that stat.

England had no cutting edge whatsoever and are deservedly out of the tourney.

[Peong]

Papadopoulos after another horrible Samaras possession vs Russia.  Don't miss when he reappears at 0:47.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/D81LobGuTYY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/D81LobGuTYY</a>

[Toppa]

7.41pm: And during the Portuguese tune (an uplifting number, it must be said), the camera lingers on Ronaldo, who is belting it out good and proper, as if to ask "is there nothing he can't do? *Swoon*

7.44pm: First blood to Portugal as Ronaldo wins the toss. The man's on fire!

 

[Bakes]

Come on Portugal!

[Mango Chow!]

so far, Spain is making it look very easy.  they damned near toying with portugal already.

[Preacher]

Come on Portugal!

Aight ah reach.        I usually go for the underdog.  But Portugal have Ronaldo so..

[Preacher]

Bah wha I seeing?

[Bitter]

Ronaldo and Nani are in ripping form.
1st time in a long time I seeing Spain look hurried and uncomfortable.

[Preacher]

 

Very surprising 1st have.  Wasn't expecting that from Port.

[Toppa]

Spain rumbled forward, but too slowly and too inaccurately and they soon lose possession again to the relentless Portuguese. "Football is a team game, but I feel this time the big difference between these Real and Barca copycats just might be the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo on one side and the lack of Messi on the other," reasons Michiel Jongsma. "There is way more directness and penetration to the Portuguese and I see them winning this to be honest."

Go Portugal!!

[Bitter]

Best game for me so far. Non of the park-the-bus we've seen too much of in this tournament.

Ramos have to watch it in the 2nd half, them body checks and blocks he putting on Nani not even subtle, though Nani would get the calls if e takes the contact rather than dive all over the place.

[Toppa]

"So THAT'S what Spain looks like when they don't have the ball 70% of the time," gollies Rob McClean. "Normal. A bit scared. And wasteful. But when you think of it, they always need 20 chances for 2 goals. We just get carried away by all the possession they have in the meantime. They can also all, like, dribble the hell out of the ball."

All aboard HMS Haters!! 

[Toppa]

"Is it just me, or do Spain look like they don't really want to be there?" asks Andrew Enloe. "I'm probably being harsh on them, but they look just a bit annoyed that they don't get to pass the ball around at will." They do look rattled. But they also look a little jaded, which is another reason why changes are needed.

[dinho]

Portugal is playing very well... Hussling them and harrying them and winning the physical battles all over the field.. And most importantly not letting the Spain midfield get into a rhythm to dictate the pace..

Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, Xabi (is he playing?) not seeing much of the ball, and when they do they not getting time to pick apart Portugal. This is like how Real Madrid defeated Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey.

Meireles and Coentrao having monster games, and Ronaldo is so much more effective as he has been all tournament when he plays as a team player and doesn't try to do it all for himself.

Ramos is a wild man.