Offical Euro 2008 Thread.

[Kompany]

Absolutely fantastic tournament from the Turks - I'm loving every minute of it!

They're obviously not great, but they work like crazy for each other and never give up. I don't think they got Nihat into one scoring position and it was soon obvious they were never going to get through that Croatian wall, but at least they tried and tried and kept trying

Embers, I laugh at your Mickey Mouse claim. This Turkey is completely the opposite from Greece 4 years ago, who, even though they deserved their win, did it all by pulling up a wall behind a single striker. Turkey makes me think of Australia under Hiddink - far from a quality team but a great heart. It's beyond me how anyone can dislike a team like that.

For sure the Germans are laughing now, but that's because the likes of Tuncay, Arda and Nihat will be out, not because they're 'only' playing the Turks. It's hard to see Turkey pull out another one with that many important players out but you never know. Germany hasn't been great at all so far and they'll be under a lot of pressure knowing they cannot lose against Turkey B.

 

[PIE-BOI]

Wow just Wow
Turkiyeeeee!!!
Amazing stuff really, never say die attitude and it goes rewarded for the 3rd time. Also with a squad of barely 16 to choose from, fantastic effort

And to all Turkey haters, cop that

 

[PIE-BOI]

Absolutely fantastic tournament from the Turks - I'm loving every minute of it!

They're obviously not great, but they work like crazy for each other and never give up. I don't think they got Nihat into one scoring position and it was soon obvious they were never going to get through that Croatian wall, but at least they tried and tried and kept trying

Embers, I laugh at your Mickey Mouse claim. This Turkey is completely the opposite from Greece 4 years ago, who, even though they deserved their win, did it all by pulling up a wall behind a single striker. Turkey makes me think of Australia under Hiddink - far from a quality team but a great heart. It's beyond me how anyone can dislike a team like that.

For sure the Germans are laughing now, but that's because the likes of Tuncay, Arda and Nihat will be out, not because they're 'only' playing the Turks. It's hard to see Turkey pull out another one with that many important players out but you never know. Germany hasn't been great at all so far and they'll be under a lot of pressure knowing they cannot lose against Turkey B.

Quality Post!

 

[apollo_creed]

Absolutely fantastic tournament from the Turks - I'm loving every minute of it!

They're obviously not great, but they work like crazy for each other and never give up. I don't think they got Nihat into one scoring position and it was soon obvious they were never going to get through that Croatian wall, but at least they tried and tried and kept trying

Embers, I laugh at your Mickey Mouse claim. This Turkey is completely the opposite from Greece 4 years ago, who, even though they deserved their win, did it all by pulling up a wall behind a single striker. Turkey makes me think of Australia under Hiddink - far from a quality team but a great heart. It's beyond me how anyone can dislike a team like that.

For sure the Germans are laughing now, but that's because the likes of Tuncay, Arda and Nihat will be out, not because they're 'only' playing the Turks. It's hard to see Turkey pull out another one with that many important players out but you never know. Germany hasn't been great at all so far and they'll be under a lot of pressure knowing they cannot lose against Turkey B.

Portugal 3
Germany 0



oh wait.

sounds like an anti-German rant really.

Turkey are not on Germany's level.

I really don't think the abscence of a half-decent Boro player would effect them one way or the other.

I had to laugh at the sudden appearance of all these Turkish bandwagoners on here when Fenerbache made the QF's of the Champions League. Not sure where they went after the loss to Chelsea though. Didn't seem to have much to say them.

Expect the same here after the SF loss to Germany.

 

[davey_magik]

We should have too much class for the Turks in the semi, but stranger things have happened, and there is no way I'm writing the Turks off.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

simply inspirational effort by turkey, was in my car bout to go home after the croats scored only to see turkey claw one back. was freaky stuff.

 

[bus24]

Wow. What a finish. What a fantastic tournament it has been

I don't think Croatia were ever going to win the shoot-out after the Turkish equaliser. Would've been absolutely gutted. Far more deserving, but what you can do.

Hopefully that missed penalty will shut the pundits up about Luka "He's joining Spurs did you know?" Modric. It's been quite ridiculous and nauseating.

Turkey have been very lucky, but luck (and effort) will only cover for lack of ability/quality for so long, and they'll be destroyed by a far superior German team.

 

[whythelongface]

Absolutely fantastic tournament from the Turks - I'm loving every minute of it!

They're obviously not great, but they work like crazy for each other and never give up. I don't think they got Nihat into one scoring position and it was soon obvious they were never going to get through that Croatian wall, but at least they tried and tried and kept trying

Embers, I laugh at your Mickey Mouse claim. This Turkey is completely the opposite from Greece 4 years ago, who, even though they deserved their win, did it all by pulling up a wall behind a single striker. Turkey makes me think of Australia under Hiddink - far from a quality team but a great heart. It's beyond me how anyone can dislike a team like that.

For sure the Germans are laughing now, but that's because the likes of Tuncay, Arda and Nihat will be out, not because they're 'only' playing the Turks. It's hard to see Turkey pull out another one with that many important players out but you never know. Germany hasn't been great at all so far and they'll be under a lot of pressure knowing they cannot lose against Turkey B.

They were very good argainst Portugal. They should have no trouble disposing of Turkey.

 

[Waite_30]

Turkey have been very lucky, but luck (and effort) will only cover for lack of ability/quality for so long, and they'll be destroyed by a far superior German team.

Lucky?

We've only scored one lucky goal. The others are from our own endeavor and fighting spirit. How are we lucky when 4-5 out of our best 11 aren't playing for most of the tournament?

 

[apollo_creed]

fair play to Waite as well.

he actually sticks around and I'm happy for him.

ahh forget my rant.

I'm actually also very glad that Turkey knocked Croatia out. Turkey are a much, much more likeable side. However, those suggesting that they're anything resembling a chance against Germany are ridicuously misguided.

 

[whythelongface]

The Holland v Russia match should be an entertaining affair with two Dutch masters at the helm. It will be interesting to see who Van Basten starts the match with - he has some interesting selection dilemnas:

- does he start both Robben and Van Persie - which will probably mean that Engelaar and Kuijt start on the bench with Van Der Vaart playing a more defensive role in the midfield or does he start with the same line up that he used against both Italy and France. He may even start with Robben and leave Van Persie on the bench or vice versa.

- what about in defence - will Heitinga get a start? I think he may start in front of either Ooijer or Mathijsen - he reads the play well and can make crucial intercepts. Both Ooijer and Mathijsen have been solid though - Mathijsen kept Toni relatively quiet and Ooijer has made some excellent desperate last line tackles and interceptions. Heitinga is a more attacking defensive player and can set up scoring opportunities eg. the pass to Van Persie against Romania.

The Russians played well against Sweden and will be competitive and will concern the Dutch at stages throughout the game, however Nederland has too much class around the park and should win.

 

[ShearMagic9]

Fantastic win for the Turks. Ridiculous yellow card given to Tuncay means he'll miss the semi Still, Turkey will win

Technically it's not a stupid yellow card.

Leading with the arm should be a yellow card offence every day of the week (it's meant to be), it's just never given.

Lucky?

We've only scored one lucky goal. The others are from our own endeavor and fighting spirit. How are we lucky when 4-5 out of our best 11 aren't playing for most of the tournament?

Scoring with the last kick of the game isn't lucky?

Fighting spirit it may be, but it's also still luck.

 

[Kompany]

Turkey are not on Germany's level.

So? Do you mean that in football the better side always wins? Of course Germany are favourites against Turkey. Just as much as France and Italy were favourites against Romania.

4 years ago Greece were not at Portugal's, Spain's, France's and the Czech Republic's level, yet they beat all those teams. And funny enough, the only side they met that were worse than them, Russia, beat them.

They were very good argainst Portugal. They should have no trouble disposing of Turkey.

They should, but that doesn't mean they will. And they were good against Portugal, but so was Portugal against them. If Moutinho scores 5 minutes before Schweinsteiger does, Portugal probably would've won.

It's football. This morning Turkey made Croatia sweat a lot more than the Germans did last week. Everything's possible, although Turkey missing key players doesn't sound good at all.

 

[Waite_30]

Scoring with the last kick of the game isn't lucky?

Fighting spirit it may be, but it's also still luck.

That's why football's 90 minutes.

 

[ShearMagic9]

That's why football's 90 minutes.

So scoring in injury time is skill?

An element of luck is required, look at how the ball fell to the guy that scored this morning, fairly lucky.

 

[angie4]

i reckon we're not stupid enough to do the same mistake twice.
we sure won't underestimate turkey but we'll give nothing away now that we dream our next sommertraum.
if our krauts work with the same concentration and spirit as last time we can make it.

we'll get to the final.



ps. sorry first time i couldnt watch a euro game 08 but saw the penalty shooting...looked like the turks had the better nerves in the end.

 

[Boro]

So scoring in injury time is skill?

An element of luck is required, look at how the ball fell to the guy that scored this morning, fairly lucky.

The goal this morning was just as much about poor defending as a lucky bounce. An element of luck is required for a vast percentage of goals scored, so I'm not sure whether scoring in the first or last minute makes too much difference really.

 

[Benno_900]

Geez, the way you guys are going on about it, you would've thought it was a tap-in if you hadn't seen it.

It was still a very good goal.

 

[sneakydaycrawler]

So scoring in injury time is skill?

An element of luck is required, look at how the ball fell to the guy that scored this morning, fairly lucky.

Did someone get bitten by the jelausy bug?

 

[angie4]

havent seen the goal but reckon i know what ya mean crowds...it's hard to accept them getting into the quart final ...wether they did by luck or not.

you'll get over it mate

the 'one game has 90 minutes' times are over...

 

[ShearMagic9]

I'm not bothered that Turkey made the semis.

But all of these Turkish people claiming that scoring twice late on in consecutive games doesn't have an element of luck is ridiculous.

Sure, you can put it down to fighting spirit or whatever, but it's still got an element of luck (and as Boro said, most goals do).

Since my side didn't even make Euro, I'm just hoping for some good football.

Croatia were the better side last night and I would've preferred them to go through because a) they deserved to and b) it'd make for a better semi-final.

 

[EnglishWarrior]

Would someone please knock Turkey out. It is getting silly now.

Hopefully the Germans will do the job probably, even if their manager does look like he listens to Panic at the Disco

 

[Waite_30]

I'm not bothered that Turkey made the semis.

But all of these Turkish people claiming that scoring twice late on in consecutive games doesn't have an element of luck is ridiculous.

Sure, you can put it down to fighting spirit or whatever, but it's still got an element of luck (and as Boro said, most goals do).

Since my side didn't even make Euro, I'm just hoping for some good football.

Croatia were the better side last night and I would've preferred them to go through because a) they deserved to and b) it'd make for a better semi-final.

I agree but you being someone who watches football knows quite well that the team that deserves to win doesn't always win.

 

[Waite_30]

Would someone please knock Turkey out. It is getting silly now.

Hopefully the Germans will do the job probably, even if their manager does look like he listens to Panic at the Disco

Turkey is making this tournament a very fascinating one. No need for the hate, but you being a racist, I see why.

 

[EnglishWarrior]

Turkey is making this tournament a very fascinating one. No need for the hate, but you being a racist, I see why.

Cos I am supporting Germany I am racist?


oooooookkkkkkkkay