EURO 2012

england have simply got to win this group, the fixtures will be dreary as shit otherwise

has eng-ita really not happened in a decade?

http://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=787

Did anyone see a possession stat for the Spain game?

62/38 according to http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18181161

Spain's unwillingness to go for direct penetration is frustrating. I've seen a lot of people, during last night's game, and two years ago at the World Cup, say they find Spain really boring and stifling, but I find real pleasure in watching their movement patterns, the deftness of touch. Xabi makes no sense in the team though; I'd have Fabregas in ahead of him, play Fab with Silva, just off Torres, and then Xavi, Iniesta, and Biscuits in a revolving triangle in the middle.

Spain are lucky they've got a keeper as good as Casillas; he made two extraordinary saves last night which effectively kept them in the competition.

If we meet them on Saturday, and I have a suspicion that we won't, I think they'll stifle and boss and outclass us, and win 1-0. But I think we might win the group...

we had a pool at work for dis btw, a $5 pool and a $2 pool

i drew netherlands for the $5 pool and denmark for the $2 pool

in summary, i no longer give a shit about this tournament

I thought the linesman's call looked right but I haven't looked at it again since the replay. Didn't make any difference anyway, Croatia needed a goal to put Spain out regardless of whether it finished 1-0 to them or 1-1 and they didn't get it.

Bilic very nearly got his tactics right but if anything Croatia were too disciplined towards the end, they weren't prepared to go for it until very late on, after the goal even.

Am I right in thinking that as long as France don't lose by more than one goal they are definitely through tonight?

Think so - the only way France could conceivably in trouble is if Sweden win convincingly and Ukraine win and top the group. England just need to not lose and they're through.

Jesus was definitely ahead of the last defender when Fabregas played the ball to Iniesta, and was level when Iniesta played the ball to him. Whether he was technically offside, due to being active or inactive or whatever, is one of those things that everyone's going to disagree on. My gut instrinct at the time was that Spain were VERY lucky to be allowed the goal, both for Iniesta's shoulder-control and Jesus being active when fabregas played the ball to Iniesta.

I think they can lose by one and go out on goals scored if England also lose by one, but otherwise I think that's right.

they have a better goal diff than england at the moment tho right? By +1?

this is handy

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3284/euro-2012/2012/06/19/3184870/euro-2012-group-d-permutations-england-france-close-in-on

thx mate

MINI-LEAGUE

i was convinced last night was going to be spain 2 - 2 croatia .. at 15-1 was worth a pop? or was i a fool?

i was deffo a fool when at 43 mins i put £2 on the same score thinking i was getting 240-1, then realised after betting it was for half-time score.

Wait, UEFA dropped the hammer on Bendy to the tune of £80,000! Didn't realize their fines went that high, or is that only when they're dealing with Associations rather than players?

fwiw my call for tonight

england draw with ukraine
france beat sweden.

(zzzz)

they reckon paddy power will foot the bill for n.b. anyway

240-1 for four goals in two minutes isn't very generous! You want to change bookies imo. That Victor seems like a smashing fellow, he'd see you right.

england draw with ukraine
france beat sweden.

that's how i'd call it

figure England would have a marginally better shout against Italy than against Spain if they get thru. wouldn't even be slightly shocked if Ukraine win tonight tho.

Italy were so bad last night

although i guess Spain weren't great either

this is all relative tho

i think England will beat Ukraine though

Goal of the tournament so far - the Balotelli one? Theo?

hoping he drops Carroll and plays Rooney off Wellbeck. Ukraine's backline looks pretty porous but our midfield is still o_O. tbf, having Young on the left and Milner on the right mightn't be as limiting with Rooney who won't rely on having proper wingers the way Carroll does.

definitely not Walcott. It was a deflection/fluke

gott - Ronaldo's second v Netherlands

Just trying to think of shots from outside the box that have actually gone in. xp

Mario's was v. nice, that second Gomez goal against the Netherlands was pretty tasty too.

I think i liked Di Natale against Spain the best. Or Ronaldo the other night

The Polish one v Russia was a screamer

Kuba's for Poland vs Russia was a good thump.
Gomez first vs Holland my fav, tho RVP/VDV both got nice goals this tourney, shame they didn't get more of them mind.

The Polish's guy's left-footer on the run was very sweet.

Debating whether to bother watching the games live tonight. I've been having to split my sleep in 2 sections for the duration of the Euros so far and it's really not working. Feel like tonights games will be routine. Still I'd hate not to witness bonkers events live should bonkers events happen.

I liked wellbeck's flying aerial backheel, that's gotta be top 10. xp

England are winning in two categories though - best header and best improvisation

There's potential for a French and/or English meltdown. Recommended viewing tonight imo.

Given wins best header surely?
xp

haven't we suffered enough?

Ireland are going to sweep the "worst" categories tbfttl

Nah that's Holland's to win.

If this were a 24-team tourney you'd only be ninth-worst atbf

thumbs up to holland imo, did exactly what they're there at tournaments to do, it's just unfortunate they kept it relatively in-house is all

I'd thought the Italians might be this tournament's big team to implode, given the Serie A situation, but they clearly don't give a fuck.

Our work sweepstake has an prize for 'worst team' as well as winner and runner-up. Not looked at the stats yet, but Ireland lost all three and conceeded more than the Dutch, right?

Yeah, -8gd v -3gd. Ignoring stats, I think Holland were more pathetic, though.

Goal of the tournament so far:
1) Polish one on the break v Russia
2) Balotelli overhead kick
3) Welbeck incredible trailing foot thing

Tonight:
France 1 Sweden 1
Ukraine 3 England 3