The Official Euro 2012 Thread

[ThePikeman]

Originally Posted by BMWBILO

Gomez has concrete feet, his first touch on the ball is horrible.
If he worked on his foot skills he would get twice as many goals
as he scores now. At times he looks like a Sunday afternoon
beer league soccer player. Ronaldo dove so much I think he
tore his uterus, what a piece of shit that guy is. Ribery was
too much of a diver also. The time he fell to the ground looking
for a penalty kick was just plain stupid. He could have played
through that slight tug and had a great chance for a shot 6 yards
from goal. All in all a pretty good game minus the dives and the
nasty fouls by Madrid towards the end of the game. I hope
Bayern can go to Madrid and get a good result. I don't want to
see two Spanish teams in the final on German soil.

Gomez greatest ability is to absolutely disappear despite his large frame. His clumsiness can only make the defense feel sure. He is often at the right place in the right time to score though.
Ribery does not really dive often. He falls very easy, but usually gets hit. I'd prefer them to keep standing once in a while, too. At least his falls don't have the theatric quality of Robben.
Can't really remember much of Ronaldo. Lahm made him disappear quite completely. Only his ridiculous cowboy stance before free kicks made me laugh.

I couldn't stand another Real - Barca game, either. It's not like they don't already play enough against each other. Madrid also has a terrible quota on german soil, 23 games and one win.

[JNRobert]

Well, well. When Chelski need to they can turn on the Mourinho defensive gene and lookie here, a win against the most creative team in the history of the game

Messi's shocking giveaway that led to Chelsea's goal is going to haunt him. Who would bet against him scoring eight at the Camp Nou

Well done Chelsea I'm still betting on a Barca - Bayern final though.

[BMWBILO]

Originally Posted by JNRobert

Well, well. When Chelski need to they can turn on the Mourinho defensive gene and lookie here, a win against the most creative team in the history of the game

Messi's shocking giveaway that led to Chelsea's goal is going to haunt him. Who would bet against him scoring eight at the Camp Nou

Well done Chelsea I'm still betting on a Barca - Bayern final though.

I didn't see the game but wasn't the shot count something like 24 for Barcelona and 4 for Chelsea? I would love to see Bayern and Barca in the final. In the 2010 world cup Schweinstiger shut out Messi. If Bayern get past Madrid in Spain I think they would have a good chance to get by Barca at home.

[JNRobert]

Originally Posted by BMWBILO

I didn't see the game but wasn't the shot count something like 24 for Barcelona and 4 for Chelsea? I would love to see Bayern and Barca in the final. In the 2010 world cup Schweinstiger shut out Messi. If Bayern get past Madrid in Spain I think they would have a good chance to get by Barca at home.

Chelsea played ugly but effective - they're one of the few teams that can stifle Messi. But, Barcelona should have had several goals, Fabregas missed a couple of good chances and Pedro (I think) hit the post.

I've got to give Chelsea their due, they're playing out of their skins when it comes to this competition.

[TheWorstKind]

After watching the Chelsea - Barca game yesterday, I don't think Chelsea has a snowball's chance in hell in Barcelona. On Chelsea's homeground the possesion was 28-78 favoring Barca. But, hey, the game is played on the pitch, not in the press (or the ADV forum, for that matter).

Having said all that, "Auf geht's Bayern"!

7 players in danger of yellow card suspension for the final. Not good.

[ThePikeman]

Originally Posted by JNRobert

Chelsea played ugly but effective - they're one of the few teams that can stifle Messi. But, Barcelona should have had several goals, Fabregas missed a couple of good chances and Pedro (I think) hit the post.

I've got to give Chelsea their due, they're playing out of their skins when it comes to this competition.

It's the last chance the old men from Stamford Bridge will get to win a title.

[ThePikeman]

The 2:1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach sealed the second consecutive Bundesliga title for Borussia Dortmund (or correctly Ballsportverein Borussia 09 e.V. Dortmund). US sports use Gatorade, German sport uses beer, and lots of it (gallery).


Coach Jürgen Klopp gets a load.

Some for the media.
BTW. They also drink the stuff, lots of it.

Winning a title seems to increase the chance for sex significantly.


Some supporters were in the stadium.

Videos of the action after the game:

[JNRobert]

That sums up my reaction

Well played Madrid but please, please Bayern knock them out of the Semi's


I usually watch the minute by minute on-line (as I'm at work) but won't be able to do that tomorrow for the Barca - Chelsea game as I'm way too anxious.

Barcelona look very tired and they really need Villa (or even Eto'o and dare I say Ibrahimovic). Tello and Xavi missed some sitters in the Classico but when you put all your eggs in one Messi basket you're screwed when he can't deliver.

[TheWorstKind]

Literally, hell froze over this morning. Ten-men Chelsea see off Barcelona. Unbelieveable.

Now, if Bayern can just outlast Madrid tomorrow.....

[ThePikeman]

Originally Posted by TheWorstKind

Literally, hell froze over this morning. Ten-men Chelsea see off Barcelona. Unbelieveable.

Now, if Bayern can just outlast Madrid tomorrow.....

Yeah, they managed a surprise. Barcelona seems to have lost the sting.

I can hardly wait for the game tomorrow. I hope Bayern wins. And I hope they win with less bans than Chelsea. They'll miss 4 in the final.

I'll wait for an highlights video in TV, so only ticker knowledge from me.

[JNRobert]

What a loathsome scumbag Terry is. Paradoxically, i think it was his sending off that probably helped them win as it mentally changed the team (and that goal just before half time - if here is anything that tells you the Gods have abandoned you it's the two goals Chelsea scored against the run of play)

If Messi had put the penalty in it would have been over too, but that's the beautiful game.

There is no logic to soccer. Chelsea will now win the final. Thankfully Terry won't be there.

[ThePikeman]

Originally Posted by JNRobert

What a loathsome scumbag Terry is. Paradoxically, i think it was his sending off that probably helped them win as it mentally changed the team (and that goal just before half time - if here is anything that tells you the Gods have abandoned you it's the two goals Chelsea scored against the run of play)

If Messi had put the penalty in it would have been over too, but that's the beautiful game.

There is no logic to soccer. Chelsea will now win the final. Thankfully Terry won't be there.

I am not unhappy with the result. In my opinion Barcelona plays a different kind of anti football than Chelsea will be accused of having played.
Possession just for the sake of it, to never let your opponent have the ball. It is beautiful to watch for a while, but leads to nothing and gets boring. Playing around the box with short passes from side to side and back, waiting for the risk free opening doesn't cut it against defenders with heart and luck. It also gets predictable. A risky pass or a high pass from side to side can really mess up a good defense, of course you could lose the ball.
Barcelona circumvents this problem by having brilliant players. With the highest wage bill in football they should be good. They win because of these, not because of their risk free system of short pass play.
Wow, that ended up being a bit of a rant.

[JNRobert]

Originally Posted by ThePikeman

I am not unhappy with the result. In my opinion Barcelona plays a different kind of anti football than Chelsea will be accused of having played.
Possession just for the sake of it, to never let your opponent have the ball. It is beautiful to watch for a while, but leads to nothing and gets boring. Playing around the box with short passes from side to side and back, waiting for the risk free opening doesn't cut it against defenders with heart and luck. It also gets predictable. A risky pass or a high pass from side to side can really mess up a good defense, of course you could lose the ball.
Barcelona circumvents this problem by having brilliant players. With the highest wage bill in football they should be good. They win because of these, not because of their risk free system of short pass play.
Wow, that ended up being a bit of a rant.

What is it with Northern Euro's and their contempt for aesthetic football? I watched the Standford Bridge leg in a bar seated next to an older German gentleman. When he twigged that I was for Barcelona he said with barely disguised distain " oh, you like the Spanish style". I don't think if I told him I like ballet it could have been worse

Barcelona's finishing has gone AWOL - this time last year all those chances would have gone in. None of the great teams have ever managed two or three years as absolute masters and Barca are no exception.

Neanderball can reassert it's rightful place for soccers tribal followers

[ThePikeman]

Originally Posted by JNRobert

What is it with Northern Euro's and their contempt for aesthetic football? I watched the Standford Bridge leg in a bar seated next to an older German gentleman. When he twigged that I was for Barcelona he said with barely disguised distain " oh, you like the Spanish style". I don't think if I told him I like ballet it could have been worse

Barcelona's finishing has gone AWOL - this time last year all those chances would have gone in. None of the great teams have ever managed two or three years as absolute masters and Barca are no exception.

Neanderball can reassert it's rightful place for soccers tribal followers

Maybe for the same reason we're not in the same economic mess. Aestetic for aestetic alone leads to nothing. It's only beautiful and not sport. Ballet is pure aestetic art and something totally different.

I also prefer Bauhaus to baroque. There is beauty in simple things.

[ThePikeman]

Now that was an intense game with a deserved winner. Bayern were better over most of the game. They seemed to have looked at Barcelona about using their chances.
Was a very open game in the first half, then was a bit more fearful, especially in extra time.
Neuer and Casillas are definitely great keepers.
Schweinsteiger might not be at his best yet, but he is a true leader.