 EURO 2008 UEFA CUP 20/06/08 - Well, what would you know! I have one of my four guesses in the Semi-Final and what a display it was by the Germans. The only problem is, for this great attacking force led by the heroics of Captain Marvel Micheal Ballack (Yes I am being nice about a blues player; imagine him alongside Fabregas in the Arsenal midfield.) was astounding.
The only problem for the Germans when they play the highly efficient Croatians in the semi finals is that defence. Really as an Englishman, I hate to give the Germans a round of applause but the way they dealt with the supposed best player in the world Cristiano Ronaldo was astonishing. At some points last night, I was wondering how come in the Premiership week in week out we see a completely different player, one of my colleagues suggested you don’t realize that Wayne Rooney is what makes Ronaldo work so well. I’m starting to think he may be right! The goals last night were great, the Portuguese never looked like potential Champions and it must of been the fact that so many of their best players had got to the champions league final, they just wanted to go on holiday! I also love the fact Chelsea have now hired a manager, who has not won with Portugal in three major sporting competitions. Chelsea are employing a loser? What’s going on here? Good luck to that, if Ballack plays like how he did for Scolari last night Chelsea might make the top four, but I think it’s looking bleak for the poor sod at the moment. He can't even win with all the talented Portuguese in three attempts of a major competition! His days look numbered as Chelsea boss, you’re all going to say the 2002 World Cup, but I think a lot of amateur coaches could of won with the players at his disposal in 2002 in South Korea. Remember had it not been for David Seaman forgetting how to goal keep against Ronaldinho it would of probably been England lifting that beautiful gold trophy!
Anyways, Germany well done, but sorry the Croats are going to beat you silly in the next game. Can’t wait, because Croatia has fit women and its nothing better than watching our arch nemesis getting a hiding! Also Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, you got some serious thinking to do! Portugal, you gotta learn how to play as a football team, and you can moan your player got shoved, he was just weaker than Ballack, enough said! Crisitano you need to get serious, you got the football world at your feet, yet you’re not in the same mould as a Platini or a Cryuff or even the great Zidane. Move to Real when you’re mature and can handle the pressure, like Zidane and Beckham did. If you go now, you won’t be remembered 'cause the Club is too volatile and has too many players. This is coming from someone who couldn’t think of anything better than Man United rotting in hell. I would rather though we beat Man U with Cristiano Ronaldo, maybe we could then say Fabregas is the true prodigal son! Then if United do sell him, with that monstrous price tag being shouted about, they could buy a whole brand new second eleven and Arsenal will kiss goodbye to a possible title for the next ten years!!!
Also this is to Scolari, Chelsea don’t like losers…..
19/06/08 -
Portugal vs. Germany
Croatia vs. Turkey
Netherlands vs. Russia
Spain vs. Italy
Whoops! It’s Euro 2008 and we are already at the Quarter Final stage that went quick. Oh yeah! It’s because I haven’t been keeping much focus because England haven’t been present. Well this is probably a good thing because I would have been more embarrassed by the humbling the French got in the group stages. That goes to show you, when you bring an injured old fogey like Vieira to a tournament instead of motor in-form Mathieu Flamini and old legs Lilian Thuram instead of the worlds best defender that’s right I said it Phillipe Mexes. Well he certainly is the most in-form yet Domenech left him at home, cause of his distaste of the Italian game. Who’s the sucker? Domenech!! Well England now have an Italian in charge, maybe if we get lucky he’ll drop the Rio’s, Rooney’s, Gerrard’s, Lampard’s, Terry’s after he gets some defeats under his belt and realizes these tossers don’t deserve to wear the three lions shirt!
Well everyone is surprised by the last 8, but I’m not, Croatia are a country with a young talented team, who should make it to the Final. Portugal have not had a real challenge, and Germany are suffering from not having a decent coach, who don't tell insane nutters like Jens Lehmann to retire already! The Croat’s are also playing for Arsenal whiz Eduardo, a man who helped them get to the tournament in the first place with some outstanding displays! Didn’t he score with a header against England with a defence that contained Ferdinand and John Terry? He sure did! Spain are my favourites, they got the best two strikers in the world at the moment, backed up with one of the most incredible midfields you have ever seen. How can a midfield be so good, that Cesc Fabregas can’t even make the starting IX? Apparently its cause of some Barcelona players called Xavi and Iniesta. My problem with this though, if Xavi can’t be arsed as I have seen him with Barcelona sometimes this year, your team gets killed. But the reason why I don’t think Spain will win, although they got Silva and Iniesta to play on the wings is that Spain have a dodgy defence. Puyol is a man mountain but he isn’t that same crazy-haired nightmare that Arsenal had to penetrate past in the champions League in 2006, he’s beatable and his defensive partner sucks. If anything Sergio Ramos should play centre back, but Aragones feels he’s better suited as a full back, which will probably be the reason the Netherlands after they have disposed of Russia will go on to beat Spain in the Semi-Final, because Holland have a proper team. What I find more disturbing Van Basten will realize his second preference IX is better than his first preference, especially with how easy they beat Romania, the team which was actually the second best in the group, but Mutu had to miss against Buffon. Huntelaar is the only striker besides Villa and Torres worth buying at the moment, and only God would be kind to let Arsene Wenger to break the bank for the Dutch wizard. But Wenger does not buy ready made packages
So my prediction is a Croatia vs. Holland Final. It should happen, and it’s going to be a great game of football if it occurs. Two great footballing sides, not reliant on a single individual like the ageing World champions Italy are with Cannavaro and midfield playmaker Andrea Pirlo. If I was to select one, it’s going to have to be the Dutch to beat Croatia, just because they have the better fire power up front and players who have won significant trophies, that does not mean Croatia won’t spring a surprise. It’s anyone’s guess, but I would love to see Spain end their hoodoo, just because it’s unfair how good some of their Superstars are… |
