pirlo vs the best midfield in the world is pretty delicious
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 28 June 2012 21:48 (eleven years ago) link
did we ever agree that the ilf fantasy league winner got final say for the year or anythin
like cristiano ronaldo, i don't want that responsibility.
― second only to popcorn (or something), Thursday, 28 June 2012 21:50 (eleven years ago) link
eh he scored an unmarked header (gk might have done better) and cunted one in, hardly definitive.
The desperation for him to be hailed as a current great makes me want to ronan the shit out of ye tbh
lol... that said let's not forget how many chances he completely fucked up in the england game. he's still a cartoon character, so far away from ruthless.
really hope italy can do it now, spain have taken on a really grim feeling. never hated cesc at arsenal but he has this gurning, whinging, ref-baiting face these days that makes me despise him.
― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:35 (eleven years ago) link
he's turned into an ugly man, i think?
― Ну, там твое место, там сабе будь! (darraghmac), Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:40 (eleven years ago) link
i'm missing the reference unless that's simply a direct slur.
― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:43 (eleven years ago) link
he used to be such a looker thoughhttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CBrg2cTGKFU/Rw_AKNLq1CI/AAAAAAAAAM8/fFDvudb11YU/s400/Fabregas.JPG
― Number None, Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:44 (eleven years ago) link
no, you have me rightly
― Ну, там твое место, там сабе будь! (darraghmac), Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:44 (eleven years ago) link
it is weird how he has come to represent the cuntish face of that brutally arrogant team. i think pique spitting on the official's head as they were supposed to be celebrating a world cup was a grim watershed. cesc is like the new ronaldo in terms of smug fuck ref whining though. that smiling face and constant shake of the head is horrendous, someone needs to have a word.
― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:53 (eleven years ago) link
Phil Brown tried to warn us...
― Number None, Thursday, 28 June 2012 23:54 (eleven years ago) link
Say what you like about Fabregas, but at least he wasn't too homophobic to play in England.
― Nessun Biscotto (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 29 June 2012 07:22 (eleven years ago) link
But...the manner in which he was dressed!
― pandemic, Friday, 29 June 2012 07:28 (eleven years ago) link
Germany were disappointing last night, their lack of experience was sorely evident. There were three (I think? Cassano, Pirlo, Buffon) World Cup winners in the Italy team and it showed, they played the game exactly right, and bashed Germany on the counter-attack. Schweinsteiger was totally off-key, when on his day he's an amazingly effectively strings-puller. They didn't seem to know what they were doing. Kind of gutted, as I've really enjoyed watching them pull teams apart.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:18 (eleven years ago) link
Cassano isn't a wc winner.
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:28 (eleven years ago) link
de rossi and barzagli are though.
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:34 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think Germany's problem last night was lack of experience really, except maybe at the back. On their day they could have beaten Italy, probably comfortably.
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 08:41 (eleven years ago) link
tactics seemed wrong. who was meant to be getting at pirlo? ozil? kroos? case of what alan hansen would term "who goes for it? you go for it? i go for it? no one goes for it".
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:42 (eleven years ago) link
not sure Buffon played with a WC winner's command all night tbf
― mr-c-on-deadmau5-complete-wanker (DJ Mencap), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:43 (eleven years ago) link
who was on the right? There was no space made for ozil/khedira to operate in the middle, nobody stretched them
― Ну, там твое место, там сабе будь! (darraghmac), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:45 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah he fumbled badly two or three times very early on and was lucky there was someone there to clean up after him.
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 08:45 (eleven years ago) link
italy didn't look comfortable when balls were whipped into the box (lol buffon almost designed that o.g. earl on), and had no natural full-backs, should've ran at them and put some balls into the mixer, low! easy, bish bash bosh.
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:47 (eleven years ago) link
Cassano's "I'll win the WC because I was born when we wont it" thing always confuses me (given that they actually did win it when he was about 25, but not in the squad).
In my mind De Rossi is still only about 22, but I'm living in Roma's past there.
xpost - Yeah, that's the point, Jim - Italy didn't look amazing or impenetrable, but Germany didn't have the werewithal to take advantage, and Italy did, and I put that down to experience and big-game temperament.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 29 June 2012 08:54 (eleven years ago) link
I actually think Germany screwed up cos they did try to plan for Italy. Went away from their classic shape which BM play and most of Bundesliga and tried to narrow up the midfield. Meant nobody played wide-ish right and Poldi wasn't offering anything left. Of course if they'd played as normal it may have meant the 4 central MFs for Italy dominating anyway but better to go with your usual style I think.
― pandemic, Friday, 29 June 2012 08:59 (eleven years ago) link
Having said that they hadn't come across 2 CFs as good as Cassano and Balotelli so far in the tourney either.
― pandemic, Friday, 29 June 2012 09:02 (eleven years ago) link
a lot of the players from that german team played in the world cup semi last time around and the euro 2008 final. they're not lacking experience on the big international stage, especially when compared italy. players who are not experienced in the latter stages of international tournaments who played last night for italy: cassano, balotelli, montolivo, marchisio, thiago motta, diamanti, antonio di natale (played in a euro quarter final).
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 09:06 (eleven years ago) link
spain are gonna batter italy. vialli may think that spain won't be able to close pirlo down, but I'll be surprised if he isn't completely neutralised. The german's passed their way through the italian defense too often, and it was only rushed finishing that saved them. I certainly don't think they'll be as effective closing down the spanish as the portugese were. Iniesta's been a POTT, and he hasn't even hit full stride yet.
― give me back my 200 dollars (NotEnough), Friday, 29 June 2012 09:07 (eleven years ago) link
If Spain play to their full potential they just won't let Pirlo have the ball in the first place.
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 09:11 (eleven years ago) link
The german's passed their way through the italian defense too often, and it was only rushed finishing that saved them
italians had the better of the chances though.
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 09:12 (eleven years ago) link
Anyway as discussed upthread, current Spanish midfield rollcall of cuntishness - Busquets >> Fabregas > Xavi >>> Silva >>>>> Alonso > Iniesta.
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 09:13 (eleven years ago) link
Possibly being a bit harsh on Alonso there.
also we've already seen spain vs italy. admittedly italy using 3-5-2 instead of the diamond. and we saw that italy could compete with them, match them. until they started fading near the end of the 90 minutes though (which might be the key here).
― tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Friday, 29 June 2012 09:14 (eleven years ago) link
spain are gonna batter italy
They might win, but they won't batter them. I think it will be very close.
― Özil Gummidge (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 29 June 2012 09:26 (eleven years ago) link
forced to predict an italy win by the maths of my work sweepstake. would probably predict 0-0 at 90mins otherwise.
― caek, Friday, 29 June 2012 09:29 (eleven years ago) link
yeah it's gonna be similar to the first Spain - Italy i think except with both sides a little more into their rhythm. think this is a quality match-up of styles.
― ENPBGIW (Noodle Vague), Friday, 29 June 2012 09:35 (eleven years ago) link
munich last night
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/417543_10150897424081510_1034356037_n.jpg
― caek, Friday, 29 June 2012 09:36 (eleven years ago) link
Busquets >> Fabregas > Xavi >>> Silva >>>>> Alonso > Iniesta.
busquets is a cunt obviously but he has been quiet this tournament. fabregas has really developed as a cunt since moving to barcelona.
― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Friday, 29 June 2012 10:45 (eleven years ago) link
He was always a cunt, even at Arsenal, it was just less noticeable because he spent most of his time doing his sad Victorian orphan face (most recently perfected by one L. Modric).
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 10:48 (eleven years ago) link
What's Silva done? That's a lot of >s.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 29 June 2012 10:48 (eleven years ago) link
Signed for City. He seems fine but I wanted to patronisingly convey the exalted goodness of Xabi and Iniesta.
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 10:51 (eleven years ago) link
LOL @ Arsenal buying Podolski.
Man, I want Italy to win so much, it's like 2006 all over again!
― Too Busy Thinking About Mr. Abie (Tom D.), Friday, 29 June 2012 10:51 (eleven years ago) link
All this Spain hate makes me sad.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 29 June 2012 10:55 (eleven years ago) link
He was always a cunt, even at Arsenal, it was just less noticeable
I think people started swaying towards the cunt view following the Hull City spitting and sneering and wearing a squinty leather jacket thing. Then the will he/won't he go to Barca thing and I can't remember what other shit - but it's been a growing viewpoint for almost three seasons.
― you can't stream a pancake (onimo), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:02 (eleven years ago) link
i wanted spain to lose because i promised myself when they won the world cup 2 years ago that i'd stick a tenner on them every other week to win this thing and kind of never got round to it apart from the first tenner. i'm ambivalent about this final now.
― second only to popcorn (or something), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:04 (eleven years ago) link
I kinda want them to break the three-tournaments-in-a-row record actually.
― Matt DC, Friday, 29 June 2012 11:08 (eleven years ago) link
The playing without a forward thing is the deal breaker for me tbh
― Too Busy Thinking About Mr. Abie (Tom D.), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:11 (eleven years ago) link
Like all the Spain MF incl Cesc and want them to win on Sunday.
― pandemic, Friday, 29 June 2012 11:15 (eleven years ago) link
I'd love to see them get the 3-in-a-row record.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:20 (eleven years ago) link
Generally watch games in a pub full of Arsenal fans who will no doubt be supporting Spain (because of Cesc) in the same way they all supported France (because of Henry... and because Italy are "boring") in 2006
― Too Busy Thinking About Mr. Abie (Tom D.), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:21 (eleven years ago) link
really want them to lose. i have italy in the work sweep but would be up for them regardless.
― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:22 (eleven years ago) link
yeah me too. TBH I am the worst kind of disgusting football savage, a permanent neutral who likes seeing great teams win. And I think Cesc is an amazing, amazing player and good looking to boot. Sue me! That said, Italy were tremendous and it would be great to see them defy expectations. So I really will be happy either way unless the game's boring, but it's hard to imagine it will be.
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 29 June 2012 11:23 (eleven years ago) link
I love Italy. Desperate for them to win. It's also by far the better option for excitement.
― Ismael Klata, Friday, 29 June 2012 11:24 (eleven years ago) link