Now that my virus is gone, I can write a long overdue piece on Spain. Not that it will be long anyways. There wasn't much to discuss.
Well done to Spain. They were the best team in the tournament and fully deserved their 1-0 victory. No arguments. Their dominance was clear to see. After Germany's 10 minutes of fame at the beginning of the first half, Spain took over and never let the Germans back in.
They could have won by more than one goal for sure, such was the poor quality of the German defending. Jens Lehmann was responsible for keeping the score respectable, his saves thwarting Spain although they were guilty of passing up some clear cut opportunities, Sergio Ramos' point blank header and Marcos Senna missing the ball from a few yards out to mention a couple. However, no one can begrudge Spain their first major title in 44 years and they now look to be in a strong position to mount a serious challenge for the World Cup in two years time. The youth of the team should ensure that the core of this squad will be around then, providing the world with a sizeable task.
Germany were unbelievably poor. Michael Ballack put in another sub-par performance and the team went close on one occasion, Ballack shooting into the side netting. They lacked creativity and penetration, something Spain had in abundance. Their good spell created few clear chances and although they dominated possession, they did not use it well. The entire defense was not solid through the night and this was the cause for Spain's goal, Fernando Torres taking advantage of Phillip Lahm's inability to pass the ball back to Lehmann before dinking the ball over the onrushing Lehmann. The pace and the quality of the finish emphasised the clear gap in class. Germany can have no complaints.
Xavi Hernández was named the best player at the tournament, beating off the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Villa. Personally, I think he deserves it. Arshavin only set the tournament alight for a couple of games, Villa only scored in two games despite finishing as top scorer and Pavlyuchenko was less consistent than Xavi, considering impact on matches played. Xavi played in all of Spain's games apart from the meaningless group game against Greece, and had a profound influence in every game he played in. His consistency merits the Best Player award and there is surely more to come from him. At 28, he should be approaching his peak and his experience and quality will surely be crucial to Spain's hopes in two years time.
In transfer news, Frank Lampard's proposed move to Inter has reportedly been played down by Jose Mourinho. I thought it was done! Never trust papers, even for a second. For the moment, Lampard hasn't distanced himself from the speculation and Mourinho claims he will have Lampard playing for him by next season at the latest. Interesting. Meanwhile, Deco has finalised his move, fueling the speculation that Lampard is on his way to Inter. He might as well just go now. The saga is heading towards the level of the "Cristiano Ronaldo to Madrid" reports. I don't see this one playing out for so long however. Apparently Man Utd are confident of keeping Ronaldo at the club. As a fan, I'm not bothered whether he stays or goes. United have the advantage whatever the outcome and I'm not Ronaldo's biggest fan. Pretty boy.
I'm done for now. Withdrawal symptoms are a fixture every time a major tournament concludes. I'm already looking forward to South Africa 2010. If it's even held there. Sepp Blatter has reportedly arranged a backup nation should S. Africa fail to complete infrastructure and stadium upgrades. Good luck to them. I wouldn't mind if it's held in Asia again. At least I won't have to stay up every night.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Final countdown
So after three weeks of ups and downs and great games every day, the final of Euro 2008 is a few hours away, to be contested by Germany and Spain.
For the Germans, it has been business as usual, getting to the latter stages of a tournament without playing to the best of their capabilities. In fact, had Turkey been preparing to headline the final, the Germans would not have had anything to complain about. They were let off the hook by the gutsy Turks who had the Germans cornered, only for them to conjure up a goal from nowhere. Typical Germany. Michael Ballack even admitted that it was their "German" mentality that got them to the final. Their mentality is probably their key strength, simply not knowing how to lose. The team is almost machine-like, bound to get the job done no matter how.
Meanwhile, Spain have reached their first final since 1984. For a team that has traditionally had some of the world's best players, this modest return is quite incomprehensible. Spain have been tagged as perennial underachievers, always packing up before they get started. This tournament has seen them emphatically lift the weight from their shoulders and proven themselves to be one of the fine teams, if not the finest, in the tournament. Their passing is superb and they monopolise the ball to such an extent that at time the only way for their frustrated opponents to stop their flow is to give away a deliberate foul. They haven't beaten the Germans in a competitive fixture since 1984, but there is a real sense of confidence within the team, one they haven't had in a very long time, and this could very easily be their year.
Both sides have played themselves down as the favourites, and with good reason to. There is already enough pressure on each team and the additional weight the favourites tag brings along does not help either team. Personally, I'm tipping Spain as the favourites, simply because they have been impressive in every game, bar the quarterfinal against Italy. That performance was also due to the Italians spoiling the game. The Germans have barged into the final with their workmanlike performances and good luck along the way. Ricardo and Rustu didn't exactly put in stellar performances against the Germans and must take huge credit for some of Germany's goals. Simply put, if the Germans are not out to spoil the game, I believe Spain will play them off the park. Incidentally, I cannot see any other way for the Germans to win other than to impose their size and physicality on the game. The question is whether they will use that style of play or not. It makes for an intriguing battle and one I cannot wait to watch.
The whole tournament has been a huge boost to football's reputation as the beautiful game and I for one will be getting a DVD review of the tournament as soon as it is available. Xabi Alonso said, "The best is yet to come and we need to finish off what we have done so far." We can only hope the game lives up to his words.
In transfer news, Frank Lampard has reportedly sealed the deal on a lucrative move to Italy, joining his former boss José Mourinho at Inter. Expected it really. The bond between the two would have probably fit in straight into Brokeback Mountain. Ok maybe not that far, but it was pretty close. Ricardo Quaresma has joined Inter as well, possible as a long term replacement for Luis Figo. I think he's overpriced, there are lots of other wingers around for less than €35 million. Cash-strapped Valencia would probably have accepted that offer for David Silva, who in my opinion is a lot better than Quaresma. Yet who am I to doubt the Special One. He must have a plan in mind. I don't feel like talking about other transfer speculation and done transfers at the moment. Too many to cover and I'm not in a writing mood. Head over to goal.com if you really need some news to read.
For the Germans, it has been business as usual, getting to the latter stages of a tournament without playing to the best of their capabilities. In fact, had Turkey been preparing to headline the final, the Germans would not have had anything to complain about. They were let off the hook by the gutsy Turks who had the Germans cornered, only for them to conjure up a goal from nowhere. Typical Germany. Michael Ballack even admitted that it was their "German" mentality that got them to the final. Their mentality is probably their key strength, simply not knowing how to lose. The team is almost machine-like, bound to get the job done no matter how.
Meanwhile, Spain have reached their first final since 1984. For a team that has traditionally had some of the world's best players, this modest return is quite incomprehensible. Spain have been tagged as perennial underachievers, always packing up before they get started. This tournament has seen them emphatically lift the weight from their shoulders and proven themselves to be one of the fine teams, if not the finest, in the tournament. Their passing is superb and they monopolise the ball to such an extent that at time the only way for their frustrated opponents to stop their flow is to give away a deliberate foul. They haven't beaten the Germans in a competitive fixture since 1984, but there is a real sense of confidence within the team, one they haven't had in a very long time, and this could very easily be their year.
Both sides have played themselves down as the favourites, and with good reason to. There is already enough pressure on each team and the additional weight the favourites tag brings along does not help either team. Personally, I'm tipping Spain as the favourites, simply because they have been impressive in every game, bar the quarterfinal against Italy. That performance was also due to the Italians spoiling the game. The Germans have barged into the final with their workmanlike performances and good luck along the way. Ricardo and Rustu didn't exactly put in stellar performances against the Germans and must take huge credit for some of Germany's goals. Simply put, if the Germans are not out to spoil the game, I believe Spain will play them off the park. Incidentally, I cannot see any other way for the Germans to win other than to impose their size and physicality on the game. The question is whether they will use that style of play or not. It makes for an intriguing battle and one I cannot wait to watch.
The whole tournament has been a huge boost to football's reputation as the beautiful game and I for one will be getting a DVD review of the tournament as soon as it is available. Xabi Alonso said, "The best is yet to come and we need to finish off what we have done so far." We can only hope the game lives up to his words.
In transfer news, Frank Lampard has reportedly sealed the deal on a lucrative move to Italy, joining his former boss José Mourinho at Inter. Expected it really. The bond between the two would have probably fit in straight into Brokeback Mountain. Ok maybe not that far, but it was pretty close. Ricardo Quaresma has joined Inter as well, possible as a long term replacement for Luis Figo. I think he's overpriced, there are lots of other wingers around for less than €35 million. Cash-strapped Valencia would probably have accepted that offer for David Silva, who in my opinion is a lot better than Quaresma. Yet who am I to doubt the Special One. He must have a plan in mind. I don't feel like talking about other transfer speculation and done transfers at the moment. Too many to cover and I'm not in a writing mood. Head over to goal.com if you really need some news to read.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Spain stake their claim to be the best
Xavi Hernández, Daniel Güiza and David Silva will be on the lips of every Spanish supporter for years to come. Spain’s 3-0 victory against Russia last night emphasised that this squad had come of age and have no doubt that they can lift Europe’s biggest prize come Sunday.
Russia had been tipped in some quarters to emerge victorious in this encounter. Of course, much of their success would depend on their playmaker extraordinaire, Andrei Arshavin. He didn’t deliver, thus Russia didn’t deliver and they lost to Spain by a three goal margin yet again. David Villa’s injury was a pivotal moment in the match. Luis Aragonés opted to switch to a five man midfield, bringing on Cesc Fàbregas. The match was rather even until the first goal, scored by Xavi early in the second half. Spain completely dominated after that, with Fàbregas and Andrés Iniesta dominating the midfield. Russia had already struggled to wrest the ball away from Spain with four men in midfield. Now with five, they played some delightful one-touch football, frustrating the Russians and moving the ball around the pitch effortlessly. A fine clipped pass by Fàbregas over the Russian defence led to an opening for Güiza and the striker took his chance well, lobbing the ball past a helpless Igor Akinfeev. Another fine defence splitting pass from Fàbregas set up Silva to cap a fine performance by Spain and send them to their first final in 24 years.
Fàbregas’ superb performance was not good enough to get a Man of the Match accolade but he has almost surely sealed a starting spot for himself in Sunday’s final. Aragonés will be sorely tempted to start with five in midfield again after witnessing Spain dominating proceedings against the Russians. Such possession is only a distant dream for many coaches, yet Aragonés has an extremely talented midfield that can dominate against the best the world has to offer. He acknowledged that Spain played better football with five in midfield and most of that credit must go to Fàbregas. His vision and creativity was a welcome addition in the middle of the park and as a result, the Russians were never really in the game after Xavi’s opener.
Arshavin was anonymous the entire night, watched closely by Marcos Senna. He never really got going and as a result, Russia’s source of creativity had to be found in other areas. Unfortunately for them, there wasn’t enough elsewhere. Roman Pavlyuchenko was another anonymous figure although it can be argued that his supply was cut off last night by Spain’s superbly marshalled defence. They were completely outclassed, no two ways about it. There wasn’t an element of bad luck about the result, nor did the referee have an unwanted influence on the game. Spain won because they deserved to. Russia captain Sergei Semak said, “We could have done better, but this is how the match went. The Spanish won absolutely on merit.” No one who watched the game will disagree with his evaluation. Spain have been the tournament’s best team by far and if they win on Sunday, the tournament will have a worthy winner. Nothing against the Germans but there isn’t a clear underdog for the final and I’d like to see the best team win the trophy.
Xavi Hernández, Daniel Güiza and David Silva will be on the lips of every Spanish supporter for years to come. Spain’s 3-0 victory against Russia last night emphasised that this squad had come of age and have no doubt that they can lift Europe’s biggest prize come Sunday.
In other news, Emmanuel Adebayor has announced that he will be staying at Arsenal for next season, killing off speculation that he could be heading to AC Milan or Barcelona. At least he’s had the decency to announce his decision nice and early. Unlike some Portuguese wingers who play for Man Utd. Cristiano Ronaldo has said he will be back for pre-season training with Man Utd but has not formally announced where he would like to play next season. Unethical and inconsiderate are two words that immediately spring to mind. It’s hard to see past money as a motivating factor, as Man Utd are clearly a better team than Real Madrid, so it’s not a case of wanting to improve his game. He could do much worse than take a page out of Adebayor’s book of ethics and motivation. I stumbled across this interesting article, shedding some light into Adebayor’s difficult past. Whilst it’s not a deep biography, it does show us what kind of person he is and how he was brought up. He has kept his feet firmly on the ground and it is refreshing to see such a player in today’s world, where many succumb to the lure of riches. Adebayor insists, “I was born in Togo so I never cared about playing for money, my happiness was to play to enjoy myself.” Many others should be looking to emulate this man for what he is on and off the pitch.
And as I write this, a news story has surfaced in which Adebayor makes a complete U-turn on his stance. He says, “I am footballer, I have a three-year contract at Arsenal but as you know, a lot of clubs are interested in me.” So much for all that loyalty talk I was writing about. Football never ceases to amaze me.
Russia had been tipped in some quarters to emerge victorious in this encounter. Of course, much of their success would depend on their playmaker extraordinaire, Andrei Arshavin. He didn’t deliver, thus Russia didn’t deliver and they lost to Spain by a three goal margin yet again. David Villa’s injury was a pivotal moment in the match. Luis Aragonés opted to switch to a five man midfield, bringing on Cesc Fàbregas. The match was rather even until the first goal, scored by Xavi early in the second half. Spain completely dominated after that, with Fàbregas and Andrés Iniesta dominating the midfield. Russia had already struggled to wrest the ball away from Spain with four men in midfield. Now with five, they played some delightful one-touch football, frustrating the Russians and moving the ball around the pitch effortlessly. A fine clipped pass by Fàbregas over the Russian defence led to an opening for Güiza and the striker took his chance well, lobbing the ball past a helpless Igor Akinfeev. Another fine defence splitting pass from Fàbregas set up Silva to cap a fine performance by Spain and send them to their first final in 24 years.
Fàbregas’ superb performance was not good enough to get a Man of the Match accolade but he has almost surely sealed a starting spot for himself in Sunday’s final. Aragonés will be sorely tempted to start with five in midfield again after witnessing Spain dominating proceedings against the Russians. Such possession is only a distant dream for many coaches, yet Aragonés has an extremely talented midfield that can dominate against the best the world has to offer. He acknowledged that Spain played better football with five in midfield and most of that credit must go to Fàbregas. His vision and creativity was a welcome addition in the middle of the park and as a result, the Russians were never really in the game after Xavi’s opener.
Arshavin was anonymous the entire night, watched closely by Marcos Senna. He never really got going and as a result, Russia’s source of creativity had to be found in other areas. Unfortunately for them, there wasn’t enough elsewhere. Roman Pavlyuchenko was another anonymous figure although it can be argued that his supply was cut off last night by Spain’s superbly marshalled defence. They were completely outclassed, no two ways about it. There wasn’t an element of bad luck about the result, nor did the referee have an unwanted influence on the game. Spain won because they deserved to. Russia captain Sergei Semak said, “We could have done better, but this is how the match went. The Spanish won absolutely on merit.” No one who watched the game will disagree with his evaluation. Spain have been the tournament’s best team by far and if they win on Sunday, the tournament will have a worthy winner. Nothing against the Germans but there isn’t a clear underdog for the final and I’d like to see the best team win the trophy.
Xavi Hernández, Daniel Güiza and David Silva will be on the lips of every Spanish supporter for years to come. Spain’s 3-0 victory against Russia last night emphasised that this squad had come of age and have no doubt that they can lift Europe’s biggest prize come Sunday.
In other news, Emmanuel Adebayor has announced that he will be staying at Arsenal for next season, killing off speculation that he could be heading to AC Milan or Barcelona. At least he’s had the decency to announce his decision nice and early. Unlike some Portuguese wingers who play for Man Utd. Cristiano Ronaldo has said he will be back for pre-season training with Man Utd but has not formally announced where he would like to play next season. Unethical and inconsiderate are two words that immediately spring to mind. It’s hard to see past money as a motivating factor, as Man Utd are clearly a better team than Real Madrid, so it’s not a case of wanting to improve his game. He could do much worse than take a page out of Adebayor’s book of ethics and motivation. I stumbled across this interesting article, shedding some light into Adebayor’s difficult past. Whilst it’s not a deep biography, it does show us what kind of person he is and how he was brought up. He has kept his feet firmly on the ground and it is refreshing to see such a player in today’s world, where many succumb to the lure of riches. Adebayor insists, “I was born in Togo so I never cared about playing for money, my happiness was to play to enjoy myself.” Many others should be looking to emulate this man for what he is on and off the pitch.
And as I write this, a news story has surfaced in which Adebayor makes a complete U-turn on his stance. He says, “I am footballer, I have a three-year contract at Arsenal but as you know, a lot of clubs are interested in me.” So much for all that loyalty talk I was writing about. Football never ceases to amaze me.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Turkey - Expiry date: 25/6/2008
It had to happen eventually. Turkey had thrilled us three games in a row. Surely it couldn't happen a fourth time?
It very nearly did. Turkey had a decimated squad missing 9 players through injury and suspension. Unsurprisingly, Germany were the overwhelming favourites to progress to the final. Turkey, however, had ideas of their own. The 3-2 loss was harsh on them as they deserved to take the match through to extra time at the very least. They completely outplayed the Germans in the first half, catching them off guard with their attacking play. Kazım Kazım was desperately unlucky to see his shot cannon off the crossbar with Jens Lehmann well beaten. He hit the bar a second time with a scuffed, looping shot and Uğur Boral somehow managed to turn in the rebound. Germany's equaliser came through their first real attack on the Turkish goal, Lukas Podolski sending in a low cross which Bastian Schweinsteiger expertly flicked home, using the outside of his right boot. The second half was less of an attacking spectacle although Lehmann continued to make saves and Turkey continued to have shots on target. However, Rüştü Reçber horrific mistake looked to have lost the game for Turkey when Miroslav Klose beat the keeper to the ball and headed into an unguarded net. The never say die attitude of the Turks brought them level when Semih Şentürk struck in the 86th minute to revive Turkish hopes once more. Extra time loomed but Philipp Lahm's one two with Thomas Hitzlsperger settled the contest in the final minute, Lahm finishing at Rüştü's near post, with the keeper at fault once again for going to ground too early and exposing his near post.
Turkey had 17 shots in total, of which 11 were on target. Germany had 7, of which 3 were on target. And those 3 shots resulted in Germany's 3 goals which sent them to the final. Turkey have every right to feel hard done as their enterprise did not bring about the reward they so richly deserved. However, with a European Championship semifinal under their belt, to go along with their 3rd place at the 2002 World Cup, they can now claim to be one of football's leading nations. Many of their players are surely bound for bigger leagues in Europe after the tournament concludes. Reports are already linking Arda Turan with Juventus and expect many more similar reports involving his teammates. Their fighting spirit was their standout quality and Turkey can be proud for providing the watching world with 4 memorable games and they will surely build on this and hopefully go one step further in the next tournament in 2 years time. Fatih Terim was full of praise for the Germans but he must be wondering how it is not Turkey that will be lining up in the final on Sunday. "I am proud of my players for showing the world what good players they are," he said. The watching world has been given ample evidence of that.
Germany must be relieved more than anything. Their 3 goals were the only 3 shots they had on target all game. Their ruthless finishing only underlined what a quality team they are as well. They may have survived the Turkish onslaught on their off day but they must now regroup and shift up a few gears if they are to lift the trophy on Sunday. Their players will need no further reminders and motivation for the prize at stake. Joachim Löw said, "We were worried, but we were lucky to score in the 90th minute. Congratulations to Turkey for a fantastic show." Easy to be full of praise for your opponents when you have triumphed. Germany would have had no reason for complaint had they been on the wrong end of that scoreline. They were second best on the day but they will now contest who the best team in Europe will be on Sunday. Football is harsh but the Germans won't mind in the slightest and the competition's most successful side ever will now be full of confidence of adding to their trophy cabinet.
Their opponents will be either Russia or Spain, due to play in a few hours. I will not predict this game as anything can happen. It's extremely even and a repeat of Spain's 4-1 win in the group stage is extremely unlikely. The Russians have improved massively, with a large chunk of that credit going to Andrei Arshavin. Spain have quality all over the park and an off day can be glossed over with a moment of magic from one of their many talents. I will be supporting the Russians, simply based on their underdog status and their brand of football. Also because there is a need for an underdog in Sunday's final. Underdogs who play their more illustrious opponents off the park. A dream for any neutral. I have a feeling that Spain will go through but I'm hoping the hunch is wrong. Good luck to Russia and may Arshavin justify my decision to sleep at 5am again. He's been subject of an official approach by Barcelona and hopefully he proves why tonight.
And a quick rant about the transmission interruptions. It's quite unbelievable that UEFA would be so underprepared for such an event. Apparently they've now got backups for the generator backups should the power cuts occur again. Well it's too late now isn't it? Why wasn't that implemented in the first place? We're not going to see the best 10 minutes of Turkey vs Germany live again now are we? Not good enough and they've been left with egg on their face. Deserved.
It very nearly did. Turkey had a decimated squad missing 9 players through injury and suspension. Unsurprisingly, Germany were the overwhelming favourites to progress to the final. Turkey, however, had ideas of their own. The 3-2 loss was harsh on them as they deserved to take the match through to extra time at the very least. They completely outplayed the Germans in the first half, catching them off guard with their attacking play. Kazım Kazım was desperately unlucky to see his shot cannon off the crossbar with Jens Lehmann well beaten. He hit the bar a second time with a scuffed, looping shot and Uğur Boral somehow managed to turn in the rebound. Germany's equaliser came through their first real attack on the Turkish goal, Lukas Podolski sending in a low cross which Bastian Schweinsteiger expertly flicked home, using the outside of his right boot. The second half was less of an attacking spectacle although Lehmann continued to make saves and Turkey continued to have shots on target. However, Rüştü Reçber horrific mistake looked to have lost the game for Turkey when Miroslav Klose beat the keeper to the ball and headed into an unguarded net. The never say die attitude of the Turks brought them level when Semih Şentürk struck in the 86th minute to revive Turkish hopes once more. Extra time loomed but Philipp Lahm's one two with Thomas Hitzlsperger settled the contest in the final minute, Lahm finishing at Rüştü's near post, with the keeper at fault once again for going to ground too early and exposing his near post.
Turkey had 17 shots in total, of which 11 were on target. Germany had 7, of which 3 were on target. And those 3 shots resulted in Germany's 3 goals which sent them to the final. Turkey have every right to feel hard done as their enterprise did not bring about the reward they so richly deserved. However, with a European Championship semifinal under their belt, to go along with their 3rd place at the 2002 World Cup, they can now claim to be one of football's leading nations. Many of their players are surely bound for bigger leagues in Europe after the tournament concludes. Reports are already linking Arda Turan with Juventus and expect many more similar reports involving his teammates. Their fighting spirit was their standout quality and Turkey can be proud for providing the watching world with 4 memorable games and they will surely build on this and hopefully go one step further in the next tournament in 2 years time. Fatih Terim was full of praise for the Germans but he must be wondering how it is not Turkey that will be lining up in the final on Sunday. "I am proud of my players for showing the world what good players they are," he said. The watching world has been given ample evidence of that.
Germany must be relieved more than anything. Their 3 goals were the only 3 shots they had on target all game. Their ruthless finishing only underlined what a quality team they are as well. They may have survived the Turkish onslaught on their off day but they must now regroup and shift up a few gears if they are to lift the trophy on Sunday. Their players will need no further reminders and motivation for the prize at stake. Joachim Löw said, "We were worried, but we were lucky to score in the 90th minute. Congratulations to Turkey for a fantastic show." Easy to be full of praise for your opponents when you have triumphed. Germany would have had no reason for complaint had they been on the wrong end of that scoreline. They were second best on the day but they will now contest who the best team in Europe will be on Sunday. Football is harsh but the Germans won't mind in the slightest and the competition's most successful side ever will now be full of confidence of adding to their trophy cabinet.
Their opponents will be either Russia or Spain, due to play in a few hours. I will not predict this game as anything can happen. It's extremely even and a repeat of Spain's 4-1 win in the group stage is extremely unlikely. The Russians have improved massively, with a large chunk of that credit going to Andrei Arshavin. Spain have quality all over the park and an off day can be glossed over with a moment of magic from one of their many talents. I will be supporting the Russians, simply based on their underdog status and their brand of football. Also because there is a need for an underdog in Sunday's final. Underdogs who play their more illustrious opponents off the park. A dream for any neutral. I have a feeling that Spain will go through but I'm hoping the hunch is wrong. Good luck to Russia and may Arshavin justify my decision to sleep at 5am again. He's been subject of an official approach by Barcelona and hopefully he proves why tonight.
And a quick rant about the transmission interruptions. It's quite unbelievable that UEFA would be so underprepared for such an event. Apparently they've now got backups for the generator backups should the power cuts occur again. Well it's too late now isn't it? Why wasn't that implemented in the first place? We're not going to see the best 10 minutes of Turkey vs Germany live again now are we? Not good enough and they've been left with egg on their face. Deserved.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Italy bores me!
World champions two years ago. Isn't that something to think about? The Italians were so negative in their approach last night its amazing how they even bothered turning up at all. Placing a brick wall in front of their goal would have provided just as much entertainment.
A bore draw. 0-0. Nothing more, nothing less. Last night's quarterfinal between Spain and Italy offered as much excitement as Cristiano Ronaldo's pending announcement. You just knew what the outcome was going to be. The Italians may have been deprived of their 'fantasista', Andrea Pirlo, but that's no excuse to be playing such boring rubbish. They would've struggled to create anything even if you had given each player a bucket of Play-doh. Spain did their best to create chances but anything they put together was quickly snuffed out by Italy. The closest they came to scoring was when Gianluigi Buffon fumbled Marcos Senna's drive onto the post. Spain struggled to break down what was admittedly a very well organised defense, Giorgio Chiellini and Christian Panucci performing admirably as makeshift centre backs.
You'd expect Spain to come up with better than that. The onus was on them to be the creative team in the contest with Italy playing for penalties. They failed. David Villa looked extremely quiet on the night and David Silva was probably their most effective player going forward, with several long range shots just off target and some testing Buffon somewhat. It was still surprising to see Fernando Torres hauled off to be replaces by Daniel Güiza, especially with penalties looming. Güiza missed his penalty in the shootout and must be thankful for Iker Casillas' subsequent save from Antonio Di Natale. Somehow, despite the lack of openings created by Spain, you felt that they were bound to go through. At least they had tried to make a contest of it. If Italy had on the shootout, football would be the loser. It just felt fair. Their victory was their first over Italy in a major tournament in 88 years. Can't say it was worth the wait but at least they're through to their first European Championship semifinal since 1984. All these firsts. Shows just how much Spain have underachieved. There is a sense they can go all the way this time but they'll have to be more creative and lethal in front of goal than last night.
Especially since they're up against Russia, a completely different side than the one they convincingly beat 4-1. With football's latest superstar, Andrei Arshavin, Russia will certainly have revenge on their mind and to show the world that the defeat to Spain was only a flash in the pan. Reports have already linked several clubs to Arshavin and don't expect the trend to change until he finds a new employer. The only thing certain about the game is that Russia won't be such easy pickings for Spain again. It should certainly be another good game of football, certainly better than last night's. It would be a huge disappointment if it was anything less.
No talk of Ronaldo today. Thank God. Just a bunch clubs eyeing up Arshavin. And Paul Ince has become the first black British manager in the Premiership. Trust the media to play up such an incident. Plain fact is that if there were good ones before, they would've risen to the top earlier. Forget all the talk of not enough chances, if you're good enough, you'll get to the top sooner or later. Good luck to Ince, he'll need some of it.
A bore draw. 0-0. Nothing more, nothing less. Last night's quarterfinal between Spain and Italy offered as much excitement as Cristiano Ronaldo's pending announcement. You just knew what the outcome was going to be. The Italians may have been deprived of their 'fantasista', Andrea Pirlo, but that's no excuse to be playing such boring rubbish. They would've struggled to create anything even if you had given each player a bucket of Play-doh. Spain did their best to create chances but anything they put together was quickly snuffed out by Italy. The closest they came to scoring was when Gianluigi Buffon fumbled Marcos Senna's drive onto the post. Spain struggled to break down what was admittedly a very well organised defense, Giorgio Chiellini and Christian Panucci performing admirably as makeshift centre backs.
You'd expect Spain to come up with better than that. The onus was on them to be the creative team in the contest with Italy playing for penalties. They failed. David Villa looked extremely quiet on the night and David Silva was probably their most effective player going forward, with several long range shots just off target and some testing Buffon somewhat. It was still surprising to see Fernando Torres hauled off to be replaces by Daniel Güiza, especially with penalties looming. Güiza missed his penalty in the shootout and must be thankful for Iker Casillas' subsequent save from Antonio Di Natale. Somehow, despite the lack of openings created by Spain, you felt that they were bound to go through. At least they had tried to make a contest of it. If Italy had on the shootout, football would be the loser. It just felt fair. Their victory was their first over Italy in a major tournament in 88 years. Can't say it was worth the wait but at least they're through to their first European Championship semifinal since 1984. All these firsts. Shows just how much Spain have underachieved. There is a sense they can go all the way this time but they'll have to be more creative and lethal in front of goal than last night.
Especially since they're up against Russia, a completely different side than the one they convincingly beat 4-1. With football's latest superstar, Andrei Arshavin, Russia will certainly have revenge on their mind and to show the world that the defeat to Spain was only a flash in the pan. Reports have already linked several clubs to Arshavin and don't expect the trend to change until he finds a new employer. The only thing certain about the game is that Russia won't be such easy pickings for Spain again. It should certainly be another good game of football, certainly better than last night's. It would be a huge disappointment if it was anything less.
No talk of Ronaldo today. Thank God. Just a bunch clubs eyeing up Arshavin. And Paul Ince has become the first black British manager in the Premiership. Trust the media to play up such an incident. Plain fact is that if there were good ones before, they would've risen to the top earlier. Forget all the talk of not enough chances, if you're good enough, you'll get to the top sooner or later. Good luck to Ince, he'll need some of it.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Who said football is a team sport?
Well it is, but Andrei Arshavin's performance against the Dutch last night stood out like a sore thumb. Pundits and commentators ran out of superlatives to describe the Russian maestro last night and rightly so.
Russia's victory after extra time sent them into the semifinals of the European Championships for the first time since the break up of the USSR. Extra time almost felt unfair for them as they had completely outplayed the Dutch and were physically fitter. Only a string of fine saves from Edwin van der Sar had prevented the Russians from running away with the game. The only real chances for the Dutch came from set pieces as they failed to create anything from open play against a well organised Russian defence. Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart proved dangerous from freekicks but the Dutch did not capitalise from the many chances fashioned by the two. Yuri Zhirkov and Aleksandr Anyukov bombed down the wings and caused the Dutch endless problems whilst Arshavin was on a one man mission, ghosting past opponents at will and creating openings for his teammates as well as nearly scoring a couple of times himself, denied by a fantastic save from van der Sar and narrowly missing the target with a brilliant freekick. Denis Kolodin also had a couple of long range efforts, one which was saved by van der Sar and another narrowly going over the bar.
Roman Pavlyuchenko's goal from Sergei Semak's cross looked to have put the Russians through but van Nistelrooy's header four minutes from time forced the tie into extra time. That blow may have deflated a lesser team but it only served to pump up the Russians. Extra time belonged to them and Arshavin's brilliant looping cross from the left evaded van der Sar and left Dmitri Torbinski the simple task of touching the ball in from a yard out. Arshavin would score Russia's third goal himself, finishing between van der Sar's legs via a deflection, capping off a fantastic day's work for him and adding to his growing reputation.
All of Europe's top clubs must be taking note of Arshavin. Surely he will leave Zenit St. Petursburg to try his hand in one of the big leagues. Reports have claimed Arsenal are already preparing a bid and don't be surprised if the offers continue to pour in for the playmaker. And from my point of view, I would love to see Arshavin at Man Utd. Forget Ronaldo, here's a man who actually performs consistently on the big stage. I know he's only played two games at Euro 2008 but a quarterfinal against the Dutch is hardly a small matter. And he's performed consistently in the qualifiers and for Zenit in the UEFA Cup. As far as I'm concerned, Euro 2008 has only helped to expose his talents to the watching world. Those who have been following his progress will have seen for themselves what a player he is. He has outgrown the Russian league and should be packing his bags for a big money move to a top European league after the Euros. Reports suggest he wants a move as well so the only stumbling block for a club would probably be his transfer fee, likely to have skyrocketed after the Euros. However it should still not be a problem for any of the top clubs to stump up the cash for such a talent.
Russia look the complete package and must surely be considered as a force now, certainly after their dismantling of Holland. No one would be smart to write them off. They are extremely fit, the one constant of all teams managed by Guus Hiddink, play as a team and have wonderfully gifted players as well. A potent combination and a force to be reckoned with. They and Turkey have been the revelation of the tournament so far. You'd usually expect on underdog to take a tournament by storm. Euro 2008 has given us two, enhancing it's reputation as one of the best major tournaments in recent memory. As we near the semifinals, you almost feel a sense of regret that the tournament is slowly drawing to a close.
Spain vs Italy tonight is one I would not bet on. The Spanish are in red hot form, but then again they always are only to crash out prematurely. The Italians have started slowly but they have valuable experience, much more than the young Spaniards. Form counts for nothing in this game, only the performance on the night. It is a tight one to call but the loss of Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso may tip the balance in favour of the Spanish. If I had to pick, I'd stick with Spain simply because of the Villa-Torres strike combination, possibly the best in world football today. I wouldn't be surprised if Italy somehow scraped into the semifinals but I'm going for Spain to progress. I'm not betting on it however.
Russia's victory after extra time sent them into the semifinals of the European Championships for the first time since the break up of the USSR. Extra time almost felt unfair for them as they had completely outplayed the Dutch and were physically fitter. Only a string of fine saves from Edwin van der Sar had prevented the Russians from running away with the game. The only real chances for the Dutch came from set pieces as they failed to create anything from open play against a well organised Russian defence. Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart proved dangerous from freekicks but the Dutch did not capitalise from the many chances fashioned by the two. Yuri Zhirkov and Aleksandr Anyukov bombed down the wings and caused the Dutch endless problems whilst Arshavin was on a one man mission, ghosting past opponents at will and creating openings for his teammates as well as nearly scoring a couple of times himself, denied by a fantastic save from van der Sar and narrowly missing the target with a brilliant freekick. Denis Kolodin also had a couple of long range efforts, one which was saved by van der Sar and another narrowly going over the bar.
Roman Pavlyuchenko's goal from Sergei Semak's cross looked to have put the Russians through but van Nistelrooy's header four minutes from time forced the tie into extra time. That blow may have deflated a lesser team but it only served to pump up the Russians. Extra time belonged to them and Arshavin's brilliant looping cross from the left evaded van der Sar and left Dmitri Torbinski the simple task of touching the ball in from a yard out. Arshavin would score Russia's third goal himself, finishing between van der Sar's legs via a deflection, capping off a fantastic day's work for him and adding to his growing reputation.
All of Europe's top clubs must be taking note of Arshavin. Surely he will leave Zenit St. Petursburg to try his hand in one of the big leagues. Reports have claimed Arsenal are already preparing a bid and don't be surprised if the offers continue to pour in for the playmaker. And from my point of view, I would love to see Arshavin at Man Utd. Forget Ronaldo, here's a man who actually performs consistently on the big stage. I know he's only played two games at Euro 2008 but a quarterfinal against the Dutch is hardly a small matter. And he's performed consistently in the qualifiers and for Zenit in the UEFA Cup. As far as I'm concerned, Euro 2008 has only helped to expose his talents to the watching world. Those who have been following his progress will have seen for themselves what a player he is. He has outgrown the Russian league and should be packing his bags for a big money move to a top European league after the Euros. Reports suggest he wants a move as well so the only stumbling block for a club would probably be his transfer fee, likely to have skyrocketed after the Euros. However it should still not be a problem for any of the top clubs to stump up the cash for such a talent.
Russia look the complete package and must surely be considered as a force now, certainly after their dismantling of Holland. No one would be smart to write them off. They are extremely fit, the one constant of all teams managed by Guus Hiddink, play as a team and have wonderfully gifted players as well. A potent combination and a force to be reckoned with. They and Turkey have been the revelation of the tournament so far. You'd usually expect on underdog to take a tournament by storm. Euro 2008 has given us two, enhancing it's reputation as one of the best major tournaments in recent memory. As we near the semifinals, you almost feel a sense of regret that the tournament is slowly drawing to a close.
Spain vs Italy tonight is one I would not bet on. The Spanish are in red hot form, but then again they always are only to crash out prematurely. The Italians have started slowly but they have valuable experience, much more than the young Spaniards. Form counts for nothing in this game, only the performance on the night. It is a tight one to call but the loss of Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso may tip the balance in favour of the Spanish. If I had to pick, I'd stick with Spain simply because of the Villa-Torres strike combination, possibly the best in world football today. I wouldn't be surprised if Italy somehow scraped into the semifinals but I'm going for Spain to progress. I'm not betting on it however.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Three times a charm
It's almost becoming a formality. Turkey escaped at the death for the third game running, dumping favourites Croatia out of the tournament.
118 minutes of mind numbing football could not have given an indication of how dramatic the final minutes would be. Rüştü Reçber's mistake had allowed Luka Modrić to cross the ball for substitute Ivan Klasnić to head home after 119 minutes of play, sparking wild scenes of celebration among the Croatians. Even Slaven Bilić joined in the celebration on the pitch. This may have taken their minds off the game for a crucial minute, one which proved to be very costly, Semih Şentürk slamming home an equaliser in the 122 minute, the latest goal ever scored at the European Championships. How the mighty have fallen.
Missing three of your five penalties doesn't help either. Modrić, Ivan Rakitić and Mladen Petrić all failed to convert their spotkicks, making Turkey's job much easier. They converted all three of theirs, putting them through to their first ever European Championship semifinal where they will face Germany. All the major talking points were in the last three minutes of play and the penalty shootout. Very few highlights throughout the rest of the match, the best of the lot being Ivica Olić hitting the bar and Mehmet Topal's 30-yard drive that was narrowly off target. Croatia had the game in their hands. With a minute to go, defense should have been their ultimate priority, not to mention the fact that victory was not yet secure. Many of them had already moved on to thinking about the semifinal before the game was up and this clearly had an effect on them in the penalty shootout. They did not believe they should've been there and completely lost focus and thus were dumped out of the tournament. For Turkey, their fairytale continues and they will hope to deal a similar blow to Germany's hopes. They now have the belief that they can go all the way and that destiny may be on their side. I certainly wouldn't write them off. Lightning usually doesn't strike twice, let alone three times. You wouldn't bet against them being fourth time lucky anymore.
Moving on to the sensational, open secret of the day, Cristiano Ronaldo has finally come out of the closet, announcing his desire to "complete his dream" by moving to the world's biggest football circus, otherwise known as Real Madrid. Ungrateful, narcissistic prick. Well a world record fee and a player should suffice for the world's best player. But you'd expect him to show a bit more respect to Sir Alex Ferguson and Man Utd, the two elements in the equation that made him who he is today. Instead he says, "It is my opinion. That is why I don't mind if people get upset. It is my decision. It is what I want." Notice the blindingly obvious constant in that quote. I, me, my. All what he wants. And apparently the decision was taken before the Champions League final. Talk about focus on the season, he was already planning for the next one!
What has he done for Man Utd? In his time they've won an FA Cup, a League Cup, two Premiership titles and the Champions League. Quite an impressive tally of trophies. And he achieved all of this in five years. From an immature 18-year-old, Sir Alex and his team fashioned Ronaldo into a purebred, terrorising opponents on the right wing while maintaining his unnaturally prolific goalscoring rate. For all he's won at Man Utd, he's no legend yet. David Beckham's right foot has done more for Man Utd than Ronaldo. As has Eric Cantona, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Roy Keane, Denis Law and many others I've left out. He may be one of the best players United have ever had, but that does not make him a legend. He certainly has a whole lot more going forward than Keane but Keane is still held in higher regard than Ronaldo. Judging by achievements, he has certainly repaid Man Utd's £12m investment in him. But doesn't he want to establish himself as a legend at the biggest club in the world? Sure if he ends up staying (which he won't), he'll get attacked by fans and the press for a whole season but another standout season and it'll all be forgotten. He's only 23. It's not as if he's heading towards 30 and wants a new challenge. There is still so much more to be achieved at Man Utd.
"It is a dream, a step forward," says Ronaldo. In which world is Real Madrid a step forward? They may be the world's richest club but they are definitely not the best team in the world. He also said, "For me, it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it." That train may only pass once but would you give up a first class seat on your train to take a second class seat on that train? If Ronaldo had any sense of loyalty and sense, he wouldn't even have thought about leaving for Madrid. Going there would only herald the return of the Galactico era, one in which every player was a global icon but could not pass the ball among themselves. In the end it's his choice and as of now it looks like being an extremely unwise one. Maybe he will return to Manchester in a few seasons' time, with his tail between his legs, making up for lost time. For now, Madrid fans can lick their lips while United fans lick their wounds. However, no player is bigger than any one football club, and it is certainly not the first time United will have sold a key player only to bounce back stronger. Ronaldo may be full of himself but United, or rather Sir Alex will never let him influence them.
A quick prediction for tonight's game between Russia and Holland. Russia are definitely second favourites to win but tonight's game should be full of intricate passing patterns and beautiful football all over the park. Guud Hiddink is not known for dour, defensive tactics. While this may prove to be Russia's undoing against the Dutch, it can certainly work in their favour and in Andrei Arshavin, they have a true superstar. Marco van Basten's team will know what they have to do against the Russians. If they play to their capabilities and in the same manner that they have played throughout the tournament, they will be through. I'm tipping Holland but I wouldn't place a bet on it. Whatever it is, tonight's game promises much for the neutrals and I can't wait to watch it.
118 minutes of mind numbing football could not have given an indication of how dramatic the final minutes would be. Rüştü Reçber's mistake had allowed Luka Modrić to cross the ball for substitute Ivan Klasnić to head home after 119 minutes of play, sparking wild scenes of celebration among the Croatians. Even Slaven Bilić joined in the celebration on the pitch. This may have taken their minds off the game for a crucial minute, one which proved to be very costly, Semih Şentürk slamming home an equaliser in the 122 minute, the latest goal ever scored at the European Championships. How the mighty have fallen.
Missing three of your five penalties doesn't help either. Modrić, Ivan Rakitić and Mladen Petrić all failed to convert their spotkicks, making Turkey's job much easier. They converted all three of theirs, putting them through to their first ever European Championship semifinal where they will face Germany. All the major talking points were in the last three minutes of play and the penalty shootout. Very few highlights throughout the rest of the match, the best of the lot being Ivica Olić hitting the bar and Mehmet Topal's 30-yard drive that was narrowly off target. Croatia had the game in their hands. With a minute to go, defense should have been their ultimate priority, not to mention the fact that victory was not yet secure. Many of them had already moved on to thinking about the semifinal before the game was up and this clearly had an effect on them in the penalty shootout. They did not believe they should've been there and completely lost focus and thus were dumped out of the tournament. For Turkey, their fairytale continues and they will hope to deal a similar blow to Germany's hopes. They now have the belief that they can go all the way and that destiny may be on their side. I certainly wouldn't write them off. Lightning usually doesn't strike twice, let alone three times. You wouldn't bet against them being fourth time lucky anymore.
Moving on to the sensational, open secret of the day, Cristiano Ronaldo has finally come out of the closet, announcing his desire to "complete his dream" by moving to the world's biggest football circus, otherwise known as Real Madrid. Ungrateful, narcissistic prick. Well a world record fee and a player should suffice for the world's best player. But you'd expect him to show a bit more respect to Sir Alex Ferguson and Man Utd, the two elements in the equation that made him who he is today. Instead he says, "It is my opinion. That is why I don't mind if people get upset. It is my decision. It is what I want." Notice the blindingly obvious constant in that quote. I, me, my. All what he wants. And apparently the decision was taken before the Champions League final. Talk about focus on the season, he was already planning for the next one!
What has he done for Man Utd? In his time they've won an FA Cup, a League Cup, two Premiership titles and the Champions League. Quite an impressive tally of trophies. And he achieved all of this in five years. From an immature 18-year-old, Sir Alex and his team fashioned Ronaldo into a purebred, terrorising opponents on the right wing while maintaining his unnaturally prolific goalscoring rate. For all he's won at Man Utd, he's no legend yet. David Beckham's right foot has done more for Man Utd than Ronaldo. As has Eric Cantona, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Roy Keane, Denis Law and many others I've left out. He may be one of the best players United have ever had, but that does not make him a legend. He certainly has a whole lot more going forward than Keane but Keane is still held in higher regard than Ronaldo. Judging by achievements, he has certainly repaid Man Utd's £12m investment in him. But doesn't he want to establish himself as a legend at the biggest club in the world? Sure if he ends up staying (which he won't), he'll get attacked by fans and the press for a whole season but another standout season and it'll all be forgotten. He's only 23. It's not as if he's heading towards 30 and wants a new challenge. There is still so much more to be achieved at Man Utd.
"It is a dream, a step forward," says Ronaldo. In which world is Real Madrid a step forward? They may be the world's richest club but they are definitely not the best team in the world. He also said, "For me, it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it." That train may only pass once but would you give up a first class seat on your train to take a second class seat on that train? If Ronaldo had any sense of loyalty and sense, he wouldn't even have thought about leaving for Madrid. Going there would only herald the return of the Galactico era, one in which every player was a global icon but could not pass the ball among themselves. In the end it's his choice and as of now it looks like being an extremely unwise one. Maybe he will return to Manchester in a few seasons' time, with his tail between his legs, making up for lost time. For now, Madrid fans can lick their lips while United fans lick their wounds. However, no player is bigger than any one football club, and it is certainly not the first time United will have sold a key player only to bounce back stronger. Ronaldo may be full of himself but United, or rather Sir Alex will never let him influence them.
A quick prediction for tonight's game between Russia and Holland. Russia are definitely second favourites to win but tonight's game should be full of intricate passing patterns and beautiful football all over the park. Guud Hiddink is not known for dour, defensive tactics. While this may prove to be Russia's undoing against the Dutch, it can certainly work in their favour and in Andrei Arshavin, they have a true superstar. Marco van Basten's team will know what they have to do against the Russians. If they play to their capabilities and in the same manner that they have played throughout the tournament, they will be through. I'm tipping Holland but I wouldn't place a bet on it. Whatever it is, tonight's game promises much for the neutrals and I can't wait to watch it.
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