And for some reason Swedish head coach Erik Hamrén (yes, in Sweden there'd be a lot less people spelling Erik Mona's first name with a c) have decided to play Markus Rosenberg who plays (most of his time) for the Werder Bremen substitute bench. Based on his past performances in the national team I'd have preferred Tobias Hysén if Johan Elmander isn't ready to play, yet. Nervous, nervous, nervous!
One hour to go.
Sassa brassa mandelmassa!!
best of luck,
or in the timeless words of our record national player Lothar Matthäus:
"I wish you a little bit of lucky"
Vielen Dank.
In trivia: Swedish TV-presenter Johanna Frändén has done her hair in the iconic style of Julia Tymoshenko. It's not gonna happen, but I'd love it if the Swedish team made some sort of statement about the way she's being treated by the current Ukrainian regime.
Really not happy with that first half. Sweden is looking much too timid, and the way the Ukrainians get through on our left flank is going to have consequences™ sooner or later.
Come on now, less long balls, more of those nice crosses that's been the only real right spot so far, and better organised defence for Torbjörn Nilsson's sake!
Blergh. It's no fun being right about this sort of thing.
Is that a rugby player you're talking about? I can't recall anyone having a spectacular game in that match. ;p
It's been a lot like watching the news: A bunch of Greeks desperately chasing a big Czech.
Screams outside noted me of a chances for goals for Poland. One particular scream informed me when we managed to score goal making it even with Russia for their goal in first half.
Mmmm...If we nuke the host nations now, like until they are glass, I might not have to listen to my co-workers talk about football for a while, who's with me!!!! <.< >.> <.<
Mmmm...If we nuke the host nations now, like until they are glass, I might not have to listen to my co-workers talk about football for a while, who's with me!!!! <.< >.> <.<
I just received negative response from my job application, am in debts and no one want to employ me. Go ahead, make my day.
Mmmm...If we nuke the host nations now, like until they are glass, I might not have to listen to my co-workers talk about football for a while, who's with me!!!! <.< >.> <.<I just received negative response from my job application, am in debts and no one want to employ me. Go ahead, make my day.
Dude, I was there for four years. Things have only picked up in the last two years. If foot ball is something that you love, I will totally leave it out of my plans for world domination for you.
In the mean time, is there anything more practical I can do? Where are you based?
Dude, I was there for four years. Things have only picked up in the last two years. If foot ball is something that you love, I will totally leave it out of my plans for world domination for you.Mmmm...If we nuke the host nations now, like until they are glass, I might not have to listen to my co-workers talk about football for a while, who's with me!!!! <.< >.> <.<I just received negative response from my job application, am in debts and no one want to employ me. Go ahead, make my day.
I am completely indifferent toward football.
In the mean time, is there anything more practical I can do? Where are you based?
Well, following your proposal to nuke host nations would put me out of my misery, for starters, as I am Pole. You might want to use high yield bombs/carpet bomb whole nations, however, as my city (Krakow) hosts a few teams but no actual games.
Beyond this, I am afraid the only aid I can think of, would be, if you'd happen to know someone who happens to have firm/corporation in Poland Krakow, directing me to them so I could apply for job there.
Dude, I was there for four years. Things have only picked up in the last two years. If foot ball is something that you love, I will totally leave it out of my plans for world domination for you.Mmmm...If we nuke the host nations now, like until they are glass, I might not have to listen to my co-workers talk about football for a while, who's with me!!!! <.< >.> <.<I just received negative response from my job application, am in debts and no one want to employ me. Go ahead, make my day.I am completely indifferent toward football.
In the mean time, is there anything more practical I can do? Where are you based?Well, following your proposal to nuke host nations would put me out of my misery, for starters, as I am Pole. You might want to use high yield bombs/carpet bomb whole nations, however, as my city (Krakow) hosts a few teams but no actual games.
Beyond this, I am afraid the only aid I can think of, would be, if you'd happen to know someone who happens to have firm/corporation in Poland Krakow, directing me to them so I could apply for job there.
** spoiler omitted **
Alas, I don't think I can help with that :(
Alas, I don't think I can help with that :(
You can still nuke us into plain of glass, right?
And Rosicky goes down.
Damn.
Well, hopefully the Czech Captain can rest fully -- please, Football Gods let CZE lose their last game with Rosicky injured so he can have the rest of the summer to heal and get rested.
*tweets Pontus Wernblom to aim for Koscielny's ankles if he's on the field*
two hours till the big game, slowy getting nervous
Are you gonna steal their bicycles all over again? Or go for the clogs and tulips?
Are you gonna steal their bicycles all over again? Or go for the clogs and tulips?
we will aim for their cheese and weed
Sounds Gouda.
and Go Denmark
soooooooon it starts
gomez again, urgh
Memet Scholl after the last game:
" I sometimes wished someone would go and turn him (Gomez) on his other side, I feared he could get bed-sore"
He did do one thing well, though...
(I suspect I'll be missing this one - finally starting to get sleepy after not getting any sleep at all last night. Yuck!)
He did do one thing well, though...
(I suspect I'll be missing this one - finally starting to get sleepy after not getting any sleep at all last night. Yuck!)
but......but.......it's THE BIG ONE
well not for a swede I guess :-)
Goomez!
Gooooomez!
Gooooooooomez!
Are there any really good websites that have general football news, rumors and opinions?
ESPN.com and SI.com, the two American sports sites, have nothing when it comes to football.
Arsenal.com is awesome but it only has Arsenal news.
I could name you german ones, they will not help you much
For news in English (and mostly about English football, but their Spanish football columnist, Sid Lowe, is pretty ace, I go to The Guardian's football section.
They also do a very good podcast.
I'd also recommend When Saturday Comes, which started out as a fanzine back in the 80's when some guys decided they wanted to give an alternative view on football culture to the hooliganism that was dominating the media-images of the time.
The Football Ramble ain't bad either, and like the Guardian they have a podcast (a bit more, erm, ...free-flowing than the newspaper-folks' one).
And one final podcast recommendation: The European Football Show - they've been doing monthly shows this season, but are aiming at going biweekly.
(Swedish speakers should also go to offside.org (the web presence of the best damn magazine for in-depth articles about football I've ever read).
Today I took out of may mailbox some flyer with note that "You can take it into your hands" and photo of cord-made doll in German-flag t-shirt with pins sticked into it. I think it had something to do with the UEFA games but, like any other unsolicited ads I put it into rack next to mailbox.
Ack! The Spanish are awake (decided to use a forward who takes deep runs).
|
Okay guys I need your help.
I have a plan but I can't do it alone.
Can we all get together soon and take a quick trip to Barcelona? We'll find out where Cesc Fabregas sleeps and kidnap him, bring him back to North London, hypnotize him in to forgetting that his childhood team was Barcelona and remind him how awesome it is to be an Arsenal player.
Who's with me!!!?
. . . . And I don't know how all the Barca fans who said Barca was good enough w/out Fabregas and that he couldn't get off the bench if he left Arsenal are able to sleep at night due to their humiliation.
He may be their best MF. Xavi is approaching his mid-30s now and Iniesta ain't far behind Xavi in age. By the end of next year Fabregas will be the best MF on that team and the 2nd best player!
|
|
How do folks see intentional draws in the final game of Group play?
How often do they happen?
Will Germany and Spain force draws in their final Group games to eliminate their rivals from the tourney, killing off dangerous Ned & Ita teams?
In competitive chess, with which I have experience, this is relatively common. Does it happen in football?
I know if I'm Germany or Spain I'd absolutely put on a bunch of reserve & young players, play defensively and go for a 0-0 draw.
|
How do folks see intentional draws in the final game of Group play?
How often do they happen?
Will Germany and Spain force draws in their final Group games to eliminate their rivals from the tourney, killing off dangerous Ned & Ita teams?
In competitive chess, with which I have experience, this is relatively common. Does it happen in football?
I know if I'm Germany or Spain I'd absolutely put on a bunch of reserve & young players, play defensively and go for a 0-0 draw.
Not in the spirit of the game I'm afraid but it does happen.
|
|
Besides, looking at the groups neither Germany nor Spain are safe. Sure they are in a good position but it is possible that both teams could still be knocked out.
If you play for the draw you could well end up getting beaten. Plus qualifying in first place in your group means that (at least theoretically) your next opponent should be slightly easier. That tends to be more the case at World Cups where the opposition (at least initially) is usually slightly easier but it still follows that Germany and Spain both want to win their groups. If that happens they can't meet each other until the final.
Both teams will be going for a win for that reason.
BOOM!!
France-Ukraine temporarily postponed due to inclement (and dangerous) weather.
Nice pictures of Ribéry and Tymoschuk having a chat in the tunnel below the stands, though.
The game was stopped 4 minutes into the game, and they look soaked to the bone, I doubt this'll be played today.
Earliest possible restart in 30 minutes, they say. Me? I say the pitch looks terribly rain-soaked.
That week was very rainy. Two to three downpours a day from sunday to thursday in southern Poland. As clouds seemed to move from west to east, it all probably went over Ukraine. Today is nice weather so it is possible that it will be clear tomorrow or day after tomorrow on Ukraine too. Or maybe not. You know how unpredictable those Druids tend to be.
Seems I was overly sceptical - or possibly the functionaries are overly desperate.