EURO 2012

jim'll fix yr lazy assumptions about futbol sudamericano

Thread has been enjoyably diverse and off-topic today.

I do think Ozil has a true playmaker's vision, and has also been surprisingly efficient in possession at this tournament. As ZM has observed, for someone who can place difficult long passes so well, it's perplexing that he is not a good finisher, yet.

French midfielder Samir Nasri turned 25 on Tuesday but according to the sports daily L'Equipe, he had better make the most of any celebrations, as he faces potentially a long ban from the national side.
His behaviour at Euro 2012, which included two outbursts at journalists and being deemed by several team-mates as a disruptive influence, is the reason why the squad's 100,000 euros ($125,000, 80,000 pounds) a player bonuses are now under the scanner.
Nasri has also put at risk sponsorship money paid to the French Football Federation (FFF) based on independent polling about the behaviour and popularity of "Les Bleus" during major competitions.
The FFF had already seen each sponsor reduce its contribution by two million euros after the 2010 World Cup, which saw players go on strike and then exit at the first stage, and a threat of a 20 percent reduction if the team's popularity dipped more.
The results of the latest poll are unlikely to make happy reading for either the French football authorities or the players.
L'Equipe estimates that with FFF president Noel Le Graet up for re-election in December, he will want to make an example of Nasri and the Manchester City star could face a ban of up to two years, ruling him out of the next World Cup finals.

Ozil has 49 assists in two seasons at Real. Xavi has 19 in the last two years for Barca. Clearly that only shows a very, very partial element of their overall contributions, and Xavi is probably still the superior player, but Ozil is super-effective at club level.

Pretty sure one of the team-mates who cites Nasri as a 'disruptive influence' is Malouda. They'd be better served making sure he never finds his way into the National squad again.

Ozil has 49 assists in two seasons at Real. Xavi has 19 in the last two years for Barca. Clearly that only shows a very, very partial element of their overall contributions, and Xavi is probably still the superior player, but Ozil is super-effective at club level.

I always feel assists are a bit of a difficult thing to measure. Like how often has Xavi picked the through ball that opened a team up for e.g. Iniesta to square a ball for Messi to tap in? Messi gets the goal and Iniesta gets the assist but Xavi created the chance iykwim. Barcelona's rotation of possession in front of a defence probing for gaps means that assists will be spread more evenly across the team.

Ozil has been killing it for my FFL team as well, he's been very effective for Germany this tournament. He's not at Xavi level but hey he might well get there.

Nasri is a nasty punchable little shit and I revel in his misfortune.

I always feel assists are a bit of a difficult thing to measure

totally. they are completely unmeasurable in fact. it's impossible to say who was responsible for a goal other than the scorer. "assists" seem to me like a stats-obsessed American's take on football.

also because it helps that every man and his dawg has a ff team now, although maybe that is an imported american thing too

I have a weird thing with Samir Nasri where I'm always surprised to see him turn up in any team he plays for. I spent large parts of last season watching Man City and going "huh? Nasri? He's there?" despite knowing full well he plays for them. I do the same when I see him for France. I think my brain just refuses to accept his existence.

re. Larsson, there's some of his autobiography quoted here, which covers his departure from Feyenoord: http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s302/st37269.htm

nasri being a dick who often doesn't perform when you want him to? p old news surely

/embittered arsenal fan

in ten years you'll have him in a top 20 list

Three lines into your link, ailsa, and there's a horrible "always given 110%" :(

I shall persevere against my better judgement.

Four lines in and the author has confused reign and rein :(

After that it's c&p all book extracts - Henrik has a better editor. I just sneaked a peak at his 3rd place play off goal in the '94 World Cup - proper Henrik goal - springs the offside, touches round the keeper, dummies to put the defender on his arse, rolls the ball into the empty net and reels away celebrating.

in ten years you'll have him in a top 20 list

― Ну, там твое место, там сабе будь! (darraghmac), Wednesday, 27 June 2012 11:14 (23 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

top 20 players city wasted their money on?

that's a tough field already

top 20 players focussed on winning titles

all strong zing

top 20 players city wasted their money on?

nasri aside this is a good q

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B4 imo

it's between him and Santa Cruz

He should have had J%C3%B4 on the back of his shirt.

don't forget benjani

negredo eh, who saw that coming?

Predicting a pretty boring game - Spain will dominate possession and Portugal will defend to fuck and then win 1-0 through something amazing from Ronaldo.

That sounds like the opposite of boring tbh

I think 2-1 to someone, probably Spain. I'm a bit torn tbh, admired Spain for years but the possession without penetration they're often exhibiting in this tournament is boring me. Portugal much more willing in attack on recent evidence and Cron seems to be on a mission to prove he's better than some wee guy on his holidays. Still think Spain vs Germany would be the best final so idk :/

Think Portugal will try to come and play a little bit rather than just sit back. They were v passive vs Germany and they lost that game. Destroyed Spain in a friendly.

Yeah, I want a Spain-Germany Final. I'm still on a liking Spain bandwagon.

remember this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExL-u9zJLsk

This Gaby vt is woeful

I love his tantrums. It wasn't even offside!

did anyone just watch that terrible shit?

gaby trying to make it seem like roy took over a village team and organised them in 4 weeks.

Liam Brady predicting Arbeloa and Ramos are going to "do" Ronaldo

I fear that Almeida will not be as useful as Postiga but I hope I'm wrong

The music and everything was so odd, xpost.

I love the received wisdom that you can "do" or mark* the best footballers in the world out of games. Like no-one's tried that while they were becoming the best in the world.

*I do know this can be done, I just think it's passed off as too simple by pundits

Ramos doesn't even play on the same side of defence as Arbeloa, Pique does.

Arbeloa's a fine defender but I bet Del Bosque wishes he had a Jordi Alba attacking style right-back, to get in behind Ronaldo who likely will not track back much.

Most teams managed it with Messi at the last World Cup, but that was by putting two defenders on him most of the time and leaving space open elsewhere.

i wish he would play ramos at rb and martinez or someone as cb
xp

Portugal haven't been all that good in the tourney so far. Thought they looked at their best going frwd vs Denmark and only just squeaked that one. Czech Rep were similar to France vs Spain in that they had zero ambition to cause the other side defensive problems. They did quite well vs Holland but that dutch MF was disastrous.

I think Portugal are pretty good and could win tonight. Good defence and they gave Germany a tough time when they abandoned their negativity.

Okay what was with the speeches.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I would be all down with Aretha in midfield.

Ronaldo as much of a diva etc etc

can't be any worse than Diana Ross