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[Berserker]

For everybody that follows it, what do you think about the match ahead of us tonight? I think Holland will get a beating by the squadra azzuri. We're just not good enough at this point, not enough of a team and missing a good defence.

I thought Portugal played very well Eli and I think France will go all the way to the final thanks to Benzema and Ribbery.

Any other thoughts?

[Pu the Owl]

Italy lost Cannavaro

Whoever wins tonight, I hope it'll be a good match!

[tempted]

Originally Posted by Berserker

For everybody that follows it, what do you think about the match ahead of us tonight? I think Holland will get a beating by the squadra azzuri. We're just not good enough at this point, not enough of a team and missing a good defence.

I thought Portugal played very well Eli and I think France will go all the way to the final thanks to Benzema and Ribbery.

Any other thoughts?

I didn't see our first game B. i worked all day. I was told it was a good match... but i can't say much... we'll see what happens tomorrow with the Czech Republic .
France is and will always be one of my favorites, even though today was a bit of a dissapointment, i mean a null? come on, they have to do better! Just like Italy... i was expecting more... but it was a pretty good game nonetheless and lets face it Holland was a fair winner.. so i bet you're pretty happy!

[Berserker]

It was amazing, didn't know they had it in them! They played their best match under Marco van Basten ever and that right at this point....
Everything went well and it all came together at one point. That goal from Sneijder was beautiful!
Hope Marco Materazzi's injury isn't anything serieus, love the way he lives a game (including him singing the national anthem in a great passionate way). Also respect to Boualahrouz who hardly has played a match this year.

France was a major dissapointment, their one of my favorites for the title. But maybe I should give Romania credits for giving stiff resistance.

[Pu the Owl]

They so deserved to win! Congrats man! I hope you go ahead if you keep playing like that!

[Berserker]

If we keep playing like that we will go ahead, but I doubt if they can keep it up. Allthough France is beatable, Romania is a difficult opponent for us.
Spain played well as far as I could see it, I expect a lot from Croatia as well. It's too early to jump to conclusions, but I think that the final four could be Croatia, Spain, Portugal and France/Italy....and maybe the germans...

[Faile]

I'm supporting the Netherlands for this one, seeing as England were useless over the last two years and didn't make it. Enjoying the attacking football a whole lot. Portugal should win it, but the purist in me wants the Netherlands to do it.

[Pu the Owl]

You did it again!!!

[Berserker]

Yep, pretty amazing match. We played extremely well, even at that point when France were looking to equalise... we hold it down well!
I think it's great how San Marco lets Sneijder, Van de Vaart, Robben en Van Persie play in one team and somehow manage to keep the balance. A lot of people thought that you need to make choices, because they are a all offensive players and you need some more controlling defensive players midfield.
What a beautiful moments in this game, including the 2-1 by Henry and just seconds later the goal by Robben (his reaction was hilarious!). Now tuesday comes and maybe the unthinkable will happen that in the group of death the world champion and vice-world champion won't go ahead! If we keep playing like this we'll be going straight to the finals, even though I still think that against a opponent that doens't wants to attack and make the game it will be a lot tougher for them.

[Pu the Owl]

Now I hope you'll play a good match against Romania as well: it would be pitiful to see Holland let them win just because they already 6 pts

[Berserker]

Originally Posted by Psychopu

Now I hope you'll play a good match against Romania as well: it would be pitiful to see Holland let them win just because they already 6 pts

They won't let them win, but they could win. San Marco doesn't want to throw the match, cause it could ruin the momentum they got going. But he's gonna give some benchplayers the chance to play the game, these are players that used to be in the first eleven for a long time like Heitinga, Huntelaar etc. We've lost and drawn against Rumania in the qualifiers and I think it will be difficult for us, we play better against an opponent that wants to make the game Rumania is very physical and defensive... the type of game that doesn't suit Holland. We'll see but I don't think Marco will allow the team to let them win. However when we lose Italy and France will say we've thrown the match in order to ditch them out of the tournament.

[Pu the Owl]

You played very well so far. And it's more than right for Holland to take it a bit easier in this match. That's a lot different than saying they're planning to lose. Italy and France can only regret they did not play well if they are thrown out of the tournament.

We'll see tonight what happens next!

[Berserker]

You're welcome.

[Pu the Owl]

Your next opponent is going to be Sweden or Russia next, right? I don't know, neither of them seemed stunning.

[Berserker]

It's Russia, they got a dutch coach Guus Hiddink. He's a great coach and can make a team really outperform themself. There are gonna be no more easy matches and it's dangerous to get overconfident. We play them on saturday. Which team does Italy play in the Q-finals?

[Pu the Owl]

Spain. Not nice :/

I know about Hiddink. It's quite amazing how he made many so-so teams get their moment of glory, like South Korea in ... it was 2002? Australia in 2006, too. Never heard of them anymore after he resigned

[tempted]

That's it for us. Portugal is out. I'm not even surprised. Ah well it happens.

[Pu the Owl]

So Portugal is out, and Holland is out too - I am very sorry for it It was Van Basten's Holland after all

But tonight I think we're going too

[Berserker]

Yep, we're all out. Who's following Wimbledon at the moment??

We played a terrible match and Russia deserved to go through, don't know if the trouble with Holland had anything to do with Boulahrouz tragic loss of his child. Think not though, they were just outplayed by Russia.
Italia wasn't good against Spain, but Spain wasn't playing well either. Well I guess my fear will come true...Ze Germanz!

[Pu the Owl]

Haha, yes, better turning our attention to Wimbledon!

So now it's Germany-turkey and Spain-Russia? Uh, repetition of matches Well, Germany wanted to win something so badly... they have their chance.