EURO 2012

Joseph Barton ‏@Joey7Barton

Think this makes Englands performance nowhere near as bad as certain media types made out. England would of beaten Germany on this showing.

unlike martin samuel he didn't complain about hodgson's failure to use 'england's baresi', 20 yr old player without a position phil jones

omg england's baresi?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2165149/Euro-2012-Why-did-Roy-Hodgson-Phil-Jones--Martin-Samuel.html

tbf Samuel just quoted Capello, I'm sure he didn't write the headline.

i think i just threw up a little

not even englands trabelsi tbph

Phil Jones was outstanding for half a season and calamitous for the second half. Might have been better in there than Henderson though. Rio Ferdinand was taken to France 98 without making it onto the pitch so I'm sure Jones will recover.

It should be illegal to link to Martin Samuel by the way.

the headline might have been written by someone else but it doesn't traduce his horribly conflated argument which confuses 'phil jones could one day be a very good player' and 'phil jones is presently slightly better at charging around than jordan henderson'

both of which are true enough

England's Chimbonda at a push

england's chimbonda (former wigan fullback who gets a move to a top six side in their late twenties) = leighton baines

I was wondering how long it'd take that argument to appear, didn't think Barton'd be the fool delivering it. Though if I had, I'd've bet good money on it containing the words 'would of'.

you would'of bet

man do i miss this guy

Redknapp said: "You never know what you're going to get with Mario Balotelli but one thing is certain - he is a major talent.

"He stunned Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-final and his second goal was fantastic. I actually tried to sign him for Tottenham before he went to Manchester City. I'd admired him for a while and I went over to Italy to watch him play. I was impressed and I met up with him too.

"We wanted him on a loan deal but his club weren't keen and it never happened. Shame because he's definitely got it and, at only 21-years-old, he'll be terrorising defenders for many seasons to come."

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0629/soc_g_euro-29_mb_576_576.jpg

love pirlo and motta in that pic. this is the most likeable italian team i have experienced. i have a soft spot for di natale, so would like to see him play even though balotelli and cassano have been great.

My gf has a 'soft spot' for di Natale, too.

A guy who sends work my way is a ringer for di Natale, I've been wrestling hard with whether to mention it or not.

I like the way they don't seem to have anyone who puts his hands together to implore a referee. That's the main thing.

There hasn't been much of that from any team and also not that much diving and play-acting, not even from Portugal

http://www.oleole.it/media/main/images/blogs/images/group1/subgrp166/iniesta_452179.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/euroaction/bp28.jpg

need to do a poll "diving and playacting vs fouling and kicking" and then abuse everyone who thinks that the former is somehow a worse form of cheating in football.

Not been much fouling and kicking either!

spain really are impressive, they've managed to make all my french friends root for italy on sunday ! which is quite a feat considering there's usually not a lot of love between france & italy in football

Balotelli managed by Redknapp would have been awesome. What a lost opportunity!

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/euroaction/bp34.jpg

Platini has to be stopped

the perfect tournament would be all teams playing each other all the time everywhere

Turning the Euros into the CL is a bold/bonkers idea yes.

Just give it to Turkey, but imo this could be a good chance to back down from the 24-team format. Knock-out format, everyone enters, the first few rounds are two-legged home & away, it'd be great.

NB that won't happen

Ha, yeah, make it like the old UEFA Cup, no qualifying, unseeded draw, over 2 years away you go.

Isn't that basically the old European Championships... I mean in the 60s?

Supposedly, but afaict nobody's ever seen even a single moment of any of these tournaments (bar Panenka's coup-de-grace)

has there been a red card since the two in the first game?

Irish dude vs Italy?

https://p.twimg.com/Awpl7GWCMAARzQz.jpg:large

diamante looks like a homeless person

still, tho

/diamanti

front row, center: Giovinco

Been wondering which player was more hard done by* this tournament, Cazorla (10' v Ireland, 6' v France) or Mata (hasn't got off the bench).

*not wrongly, just in an ability/opportunity sense

Pirlo needs a place in this team: good defensive midfielder who also has a bit of skill.

― Omar (Omar), Monday, June 14, 2004 1:48 PM (8 years ago)

Been wondering which player was more hard done by* this tournament, Cazorla (10' v Ireland, 6' v France) or Mata (hasn't got off the bench).

*not wrongly, just in an ability/opportunity sense

― boxall, Sunday, 1 July 2012 03:50 (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

gotze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-A23c30toM&feature=player_embedded#!

Been wondering which player was more hard done by* this tournament, Cazorla (10' v Ireland, 6' v France) or Mata (hasn't got off the bench).

*not wrongly, just in an ability/opportunity sense

― boxall, Sunday, 1 July 2012 03:50 (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

gotze

― Smothered, Covered and Chunked!!! (a hoy hoy), Sunday, July 1, 2012 6:13 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

just somebody that i used to know...

heh

are gooners worried about podolski yet? he has been absolute pony

A lot of players don't perform at summer championships for whatever reason. Xavi has been poor, etc.

It's a Newcastle Stéphane Guivarc'h after WC '98 circumstance.
xp

To be fair, Van Persie has been pony as well, whereas Rosicky was amazing in Euro 2004 and has done very little of note since, even before the injuries.

my initial reaction was to say poldi has way more pedigree than guivarc'h ever had but it's not true really is it

he'll probably be alright tbf