Posts from the ‘Euro’s’ Category

The Spanish Armada

The Invincible Fleet overwhelmed Italy last night with an awe-inspiring display leaving no doubt in any football fan’s mind that these distinguished galleons are not only the best in the world, but possibly the best in history.

It is nigh on impossible of course to compare era’s and I have to rely on old footage to watch the Brazil 1970 vintage. My fond memories of the Dutch side as a young whipper-snapper in ’74 and ’78 mean that I more often than not list them as my all-time favourite national team, yet they didn’t win a bean.

The West Germans post England 1966 were pretty indomitable but one of my favourites were Brazil in 1982. The likes of Zico, Sócrates and Falcao played with such panache, but memories play tricks and they didn’t even make the semi’s in World Cup ’82.
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Final thoughts

I have hung my tipping boots up. “The Germans meanwhile look head and shoulders above the competition” I said on the eve of their semi-final. The same quality precognition I had when I bet on Russia and Holland making the final four.

Once again the Germans came up short despite almost everyone enthusing over them. It is now 16 years since Die Mannschaft last won a major tournament. Failure is a not a word Germans like to hear and Joachim Löw’s golden generation, who I think are mostly products of an extensive and systematic youth programme which began after Germany flopped at Euro 2000, now have to go in search of gold in Brazil in 2014. No European nation has ever won a World Cup in the Americas.
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England pay the penalty…. again

And I quote: “Now for the winner takes all stage, although in the past we have seen countries play for penalties. I just don’t see that this time.” I wrote that the other day and then England came along last night.

For the whole of extra time we played to protect our goal and take the game to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out. Yet, what we didn’t account for is our record in penalty shoot-outs!
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Portugeezers

A lifeless, uninspiring performance from the Dutch this evening has sent them packing with their tale between their legs. From the very beginning of the tournament Holland played with a death wish in the group of death and they got what they deserved.

Portugal meanwhile with Ronaldo finally showing as much panache as hair gel ran the show scoring twice and hitting the woodwork twice. So dominant was Ronaldo that he could’ve, should’ve become top tournament goalscorer tonight after just one 90-minute performance.
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From Theo to hero

Blimey we ain’t going to win any beauty contests playing like that but it was a thrilling game with a never say die attitude and I don’t believe I am the only one chuffed for Theo Walcott. He gets a lot of stick from all sorts of quarters including his own club’s fans. If you don’t want him Gooners, then we can find room for him down at The Valley.

At 1-2 we feared the worse, we couldn’t string a pass together, Gerrard and Parker were knackered, Young was running around in circles, Milner was having a shocker and the scene was set for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
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Bulldog spirit

I was pleasantly surprised by that. I thought England started both halves with good intent and showed a lot of industry. Often it was a little backs-to-the-wall but white shirts bravely threw themselves into shot after shot. The type of character that makes an Englishman cheer but a Spaniard or Italian whince.

There were some good performances, in particular Parker, Welbeck and Young. Oxlade Chamberlain also showed patches of fearlessness. I did think Johnson was poor though. Sadly after we took the lead we played so deep we were almost playing in Volgograd whilst the French were in Donetsk.
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The Euros

During the 52-year history of the European Championships there have been more turn-ups than any other national competition. Czechoslovakia and Greece have both been champions as have Denmark, who were only in the finals because Yugoslavia was beating itself up at the time. Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey and even England have each made it to the semi-finals. Yet almost everyone expects nothing from Roy’s England team at this year’s event. And that maybe *big maybe* is our most potent weapon.
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