EURO 2012

is it me or is it a kinda new thing to laud players on how intelligent their play is? xavi, schweini, iniesta, pirlo, modric etc. are most probably better regarded than robben, ribery, rooney, maybe even the whole real attack despite these players being more 'exciting'.

― Smothered, Covered and Chunked!!! (a hoy hoy), Monday, June 18, 2012 8:20 PM (16 minutes ago)

that is a sort of counterintuitive bias that you will find in a lot of football writing that favours players who run games over those that decide them

the worst example of this i've seen is ppl averring that alonso is more important to madrid than ronaldo

That demonic trailer for Rooney a minute ago - did they get him all dressed up & posing for about five seconds of film, or is it all cgi or what? How do footballers' schedules work?

FTW: Would it be too clichéd to suggest that you played as a False number nine when you played?

MC: Actually I was generally used as a right midfielder. I would have preferred to have been a central midfielder but I was never as physical as some players. In fact I think one of the reasons I love Michael Carrick is that if my ability was anywhere near that level, that’s the type of player I’d have been. He’s not the most physical but he reads the game so well. Unfortunately, I was normally shunted out to the right instead.

http://footballthisweekend.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/big-interview-michael-cox-of-zonal.html

― dis civilization and its contents (nakhchivan), Monday, June 18, 2012 8:43 PM (2 minutes ago)

this could end up working out nicely for England

the angle makes Moyes look like he should be signing this

fuck hansen et al apologizing for shay given

he has been fucking dogshit this tournament, ireland might even have had a chance of not being a total embarassment if he didn't concede retarded goals at the beginning of every half

he's probably not fully fit but it's his own fault for not saying something

yeah i've read that and if it's true he is a disgrace

i'll be charitable and just assume he's too old, his reflexes have gone and he is playing terribly

he's not the best on the ball but spain should still occasionally pass to arbeloa when he's in acres of space out wide level with the penalty area.

It's not much of a match but it's still quite gripping. I could see Spain screwing this up yet, there's got to be a chance coming sometime.

this kind of situation is croatia's best bet

Nice trivela cross.

Gawd, that was it!

wow

fucking modric that is amazing

like to see navas come on, not sure who would come off though, it's usually silva but he's been good

oof, great chance lovely from modric.

he's not the best on the ball but spain should still occasionally pass to arbeloa when he's in acres of space out wide level with the penalty area

both him and alba look like they're offering interesting options out wide, but spain seem to be determined to stick with the ineffectual 10m wide attacking line.

saaaave.

well he's on but now has no-one to cross too. hm

not quite a sitter but rakitic should've scored there

spain are there for the taking

srna and perisic taking the gareth bale magical go faster stripes to new extremes

well he's on but now has no-one to cross to

Yeah that passage with him cutting up & down the touchline and no outball was hopeless

they shd play the barcelona midfield three with silva and navas either side of torres

kind of feel xabi is there for political reasons to some extent

agreed

spain haven't got anyone on the pitch likely to score imo. Should get cesc on. I really think croatia will score and tbh spain wouldn't be hard done by.

Why not Llorente? I know Cesc has scored once from deep but it's not like having a forward-forward on.

i just assume torres is the only CF who is going to get any playing time

yeah playing both xavi and xabi alonso doesn't even make sense in theory

Ireland looking vaguely dangerous

lol i forgot mata was even in the squad

del bosque has fucked up today

spain leaving themselves short handed at the back is madness

i wouldn't say Italy are holding on exactly but...

shoot FFS

that was pathetic

the worst elements of arsenal

omg Spain, ffs FFS FFS

actually arsenal aren't usually this bad

So often they do that, get in behind then turn back to ensure possession instead. Busquets' is only the most criminal example.

not quite sure why spain do high corners into the box when they don't have puyol.

Ireland have now fielded all five of their strikers in this game. Some of them even played up front

i guess i'm not a football sophisticate because this no CF thing isn't my thing*

*unless it's messi

D'oh.

Navas not offside?

on the other hand they DID walk it in

yeah thought he was off

nope

Great, great movement from Iniesta. He did well not turning back there.

um, surely Navas was "active" there