Euro 2008 - we support our local team

[crackerjack]

OK, so twatwank has just scored. Interesting how he celebrates with the Portugal players rather than doing that Garbo act he does everytime he scored at Utd.

Not that i'm suggesting he secretly hates Man Yoo, the players and the fans. Just saying, that's all.

 

[mos dan]

OK, so twatwank has just scored.

okay portugal are now officially my most hated side in world football. just because they did not deserve that 3-1 at all, and i can already see the swooning 'ronaldo wins it' headlines tomorrow, carefully ignoring the fact that our superb defence snuffed out him and deco for almost the entire game. yes, i'm bitter. at least we looked livelier than we did against switzerland, lots of action from corners and crosses, we just don't have the killer touch tonight. *glares at baros*

i'm especially gutted as i wanted czech republic (or 'the republic of czechoslovakia' as david 'geography' pleat called us not once but twice) and turkey to go through from this group. instead the two teams will prob be fighting it out for second place on sunday night

 

[elgato]

mate lucky you weren't down at South Lambeth Rd! it was absolutely ridiculous! i didnt even see the game but the aftermath was massive!

 

[elgato]

(or 'the republic of czechoslovakia' as david 'geography' pleat called us not once but twice)

lol

 

[IdleRich]

"OK, so twatwank has just scored. Interesting how he celebrates with the Portugal players rather than doing that Garbo act he does everytime he scored at Utd.
Not that i'm suggesting he secretly hates Man Yoo, the players and the fans. Just saying, that's all."

Who is this Twatwank guy? Sounds like quite the player.

"i can already see the swooning 'ronaldo wins it' headlines tomorrow,"

So can I, in fact, I'm holding them in my hand.

Anyway, Switzerland are out and on their way, er, home. Four years to prepare and two games to go out and there goes my chance of winning the sweepstake.

 

[mos dan]

So can I, in fact, I'm holding them in my hand.

alan green's precis of the game on five live breakfast cheered me up no end, to paraphrase: 'portugal are through, but they have yet to truly impress. ricardo was seriously flawed throughout, especially from set pieces, their defence was cut open frequently by the czechs, and ronaldo and deco - despite being involved in the goals - were shut out for the majority of the game. they'll have to get a lot better to beat the likes of spain and germany.'

thank you greeny, as ever cutting through the easy hype with some actual analysis.

 

[mos dan]

mate lucky you weren't down at South Lambeth Rd! it was absolutely ridiculous! i didnt even see the game but the aftermath was massive!

i was there the night portugal put us out of euro 2004 - absolutely nuts mate. if the czechs bottle it on sunday i just hope turkey have a killer tournament and we get some mad turk action on kingsland road. wave your falafels in the air like you just don't care..

 

[IdleRich]

Goal Flash!

1723: GOAL Croatia 1-0 Germany
Danijel Pranjic delivers a brilliant cross from the left and Darijo Srna sticks out a leg ahead of Marcell Jansen to prod the ball home. The German left-back seemed to fall asleep there

 

[Numbers]

Do you not think that Italy getting beat 3-0 was a major surprise? It was to me.


Annoyingly, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't know what it is but Italy (and Germany for that matter) just somehow seem to have this winning mentality which means that even in the years when they don't have a vintage side they always seem to win it or be close. If there is no outstanding side (like at the last world cup) then you can bank on one of those two winning it. Anyway it's not that hard to imagine that Italy will beat France and Romania on Monday's showing.

If I were the betting type, I'd put my money on Italy. Since the beating they took against the Dutch, the whole Italian nation has been extremely hard on Donadoni and the national team. I'm sure they are more than motivated now to show everybody why they are the world champions. Like a columnist of Corriere della Sera wrote, Italians typically need something bad to happen before they wake up and move. Don't forget that two years ago Italy was completely devastated by the corruption scandals in their prime league.

 

[IdleRich]

"If I were the betting type, I'd put my money on Italy. Since the beating they took against the Dutch, the whole Italian nation has been extremely hard on Donadoni and the national team. I'm sure they are more than motivated now to show everybody why they are the world champions. Like a columnist of Corriere della Sera wrote, Italians typically need something bad to happen before they wake up and move. Don't forget that two years ago Italy was completely devastated by the corruption scandals in their prime league."

I was saying something very similar yesterday. It's easy to see then beating Romania and drawing with France (who will lose to the Dutch), then getting stronger throughout the tournament and grinding out a win on penalties. Hope it doesn't happen though.

 

[mos dan]

I was saying something very similar yesterday. It's easy to see then beating Romania and drawing with France (who will lose to the Dutch), then getting stronger throughout the tournament and grinding out a win on penalties. Hope it doesn't happen though.

where do we watch le franch tonight? any ideas? preferably in shoreditch/islington/thereabouts? cargo was jam-packed full of poles last night, they had drums and flags and everything (keep an eye on humble football for video coming soon). so i guess we might watch it there if they're showing it and don't have bands on..

 

[IdleRich]

"where do we watch le franch tonight?"

I was just wondering that myself.

 

[crackerjack]

where do we watch le franch tonight?

somewhere in berwick-on-tweed in my case - any suggestions for a pub near the station welcome, but you'll have to be quick cos i leave in 5 minutes

 

[mos dan]

I was just wondering that myself.

cargo have bands on from 8 so that's no-go.. must be somewhere around old street that's good.. in fact wasn't the truman brewery or somewhere on brick lane showing lots of euro 2008 on big screens?

 

[IdleRich]

"cargo have bands on from 8 so that's no-go.. must be somewhere around old street that's good.. in fact wasn't the truman brewery or somewhere on brick lane showing lots of euro 2008 on big screens?"

I dunno really, I wouldn't necessarily have thought that Shoreditch was the best place for watching football. I'm going to watch the second half of the Italy game in Soho straight after I finish work, might carry on to watch the other game if you settle on somewhere - can't drink much tonight though I'm playing in an all day five-a-side tournament tomorrow, can't wait.

 

[mos dan]

I dunno really, I wouldn't necessarily have thought that Shoreditch was the best place for watching football. I'm going to watch the second half of the Italy game in Soho straight after I finish work, might carry on to watch the other game if you settle on somewhere - can't drink much tonight though I'm playing in an all day five-a-side tournament tomorrow, can't wait.

in lieu of anywhere french we're going to the horse and groom on curtain road: http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/clubs_bars/venue-97.php it was alright for the sweden vs greece game (shame about the match itself). i'll be wearing a 'carre magique' white and blue french adidas jacket if anyone wants to say hello.

 

[IdleRich]

"in lieu of anywhere french we're going to the horse and groom on curtain road: http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/clubs_bars/venue-97.php it was alright for the sweden vs greece game (shame about the match itself). i'll be wearing a 'carre magique' white and blue french adidas jacket if anyone wants to say hello."

OK, I might try and come down to that as I think it will be first chance to watch a full game during the tournament. If I do, I will most likely be carrying a plastic bag containing the shirt I've just been given for tomorrow, number 7 - not such a prestigious number in five-a-side.

 

[IdleRich]

Damn, I wish I'd watched the Turkey v Czech Republic game now.

 

[jenks]

I watched it as agonising texts came in from my friend Bohdan, currently living in Prague. When that third turkish goal went in the texts just stopped. I daren't call him!

 

[mos dan]

I watched it as agonising texts came in from my friend Bohdan, currently living in Prague. When that third turkish goal went in the texts just stopped. I daren't call him!

i watched it agonisingly supporting the czechs, stifling excitement at jan 'kollesh's (turkish pronounciation) every move, among 100-odd turks in the fenerbahce social club. gutted for 'my people' - for bruckner, who should have won *something* during his tremendous reign as manager, and for kollesh, who presumably will retire soon - while also delighted for the locals of dalstanbul honking their horns and chanting on kingsland road last night.. too many mixed emotions. when i'm over the disappointment i'm ready to get fully behind turkiye though - bring on croatia!

a few pics: http://flickr.com/photos/27453484@N03/
humblefootball write-up coming later i believe: http://humblefootball.blogspot.com/

france v holland too, christ what a game. thanks for joining the humblers rich! hope your 5-a-side tourno went well.