Euro 2008 Group Stage Highlights
Before we jump into the Quarterfinals tomorrow afternoon, let's take a moment to take stock of what we've seen so far. Here are my highlights:Best Team - Holland (9 goals in three games in the Group of Death).
Best Player - David Villa (4 goals in three games).
Best Goal - Wesley Sneijder's against Italy.
Best Commentator - Andy Gray
Best Game - Italy vs. Romania - Goals, disallowed goals, penalty misses. It had the lot.
Worst Team - France (a shadow of the team that won in 1998 and 2000).
Worst Player - "Super" Mario Gomez
Worst Match - France vs. Romania
Worst Commentator - Tommy Smyth
I'd love to here what you lot think.
posted by gatorbob @ 10:08 PM
1 Comments:
I agree Gator. The Dutch have been marvelous and I hope they'll continue to entertain like they have in the rest of their games. Their center-backs are the only weak link that I've seen, and VDS has plugged those holes so far.
Villa has been really good. I think Sneijder has been as good. And I have noticed Turkey's Arda Turan, Russia's Yuri Zhirkov, and Romania's Razdan Rat as well.
As for the goals, I think you could take your pick of many of the Dutch goals. I personally liked Van Bronckhorst's and Van Persie's second. But Turan's had a stylish run of goals too.
Andy Gray is class. And I think that ESPN may have realized that Smyth is not the kind of awful that gets viewers to tune in like Cosell could. Smyth is simply wretched and when you get the side-by-side comparison, it's so obvious. I think it's possible that we'll hear he's gone after this.
My favorite game has been the game that the Turks came back from 2 down to win 3-2 versus the Czechs. The atmosphere must have been epic in the stadium that night. I also liked the way the Dutch demolished the French with such swagger.
You're right about the French being awful, but that's Domenich's fault. He doesn't have a scooby from start to finish--wrong squad, wrong starters, wrong subs, and that stupid bell-hop jacket. The tumbrel awaits that 'git.
But the worst team by far were the Austrians. They are pub-level up front. In their games, they had plenty of opportunities to capitalize on their opponents errors that even Dean Windass would have converted.
Mario Gomez is pants. I'd also say that Luca Toni has been a clown so far. Nic Anelka was so bad, you wondered whether it was sabotage.
I'm looking forward to the quarters.
I agree that the Portugal Germany game has the most potential to be a cagey disappointment. Both teams had poor previous outings, the Portuguese must be riven with complications due to the idiot behavior of Cristiano, and then Chelsea. And they are at heart a negative bunch of divers.
But Germany can't score bar Podolski. Gomez and his silly hairband should be sent home for sure. But they haven't looked really good since their first game.
Spain vs. Italy will also be a bit cagey just because of Spain's coach and the tournament mentality of the Italians.
I think Croatia Turkey and Russia Holland are the two games that will best live up to the hope for good entertainment.
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