Euro 2012 - Knockout Stages

[RobRoyal]

Gray Lineker actually made a sensible comment for once! "That was a load of rubbish, wasn't it?"

Good ol' Gray.

I thought it was pretty entertaining

[Flyingkiwi]

What a mug Ronaldo must feel now. All for the glory and he didn't even take one. Serves him right.

Would have put my house on Moutinho not scoring either, bizarre, mincing run-up.

To be fair to Ronaldo (And I detest the man as much as anyone), opting to take the last penalty in a shoot-out is only glory chasing if your opponents miss (And then, only once; providing you don't). If they don't, it's effectively the first penalty of sudden death and must have a hell of a lot of pressure attached to it.

[Vision]

Been saying this for several years now but it seems in far more cases than you would think, the first team to miss goes on to win a penalty shoot out.

[Hoop Blah]

I've always thought you need your best penalty takers on penalties 1, 4 and 5 as these are the ones that usually carry the most pressure.

Obviously it runs the risk of meaning 4 or 5 don't get to take them, but seeing as even you're best takers can miss I'm not sure how much difference would make. It was very good to see Ronaldo looked so miffed.

I can't believe the amount of comments to the effect of 'but why has a centre half taken one'. Since when did you're position on the pitch dictate how good you are at penalties? The centre half who missed for Portugal (can't remember his name) hit an almost perfect penalty, and being a defender never stopped the likes of Dicks, Pearce, Bruce or Unsworth from being excellent penalty takers.

[Hoop Blah]

Mmmm - which country is Messi representing in the Euro's again??

I'm sure his 72 goals last season (50 in La Liga) may have had something to do with Barcelona's success in the, er, Spanish Cup (a tournament on a par with the Johnstons Paint Trophy)

What are you on about you plum!

The point is that the number of games we play is pretty irrelavant, and as a comparison the Barcelona players (or the Spanish) have played more than our lot and it doesn't seem to be harming them. Nobody mentioned Messi specificially, although of course he plays a part in how Barca can control games.

As a comparison, here's the number club games our starting XI outfield players (plus Walcott) played in last year, and the same for the Spanish + Fabregas*.

Johnson - 29
Terry - 44
Lescott - 44
Cole - 37
Milner - 36
Gerrard - 25
Parker - 34
Young - 32
Rooney - 44
Welbeck - 40
Walcott - 46

Arbeloa - 38
Ramos - 50
Pique - 38
Alba - 50
Busquets - 52
Xavi - 51
Alonso - 52
Silva - 49
Alvaro - 36
Inesta - 47
Fabregas - 49

* all figures from Wiki but they look pretty accurate to me.

As you can see, the Spainish players have played more than our lot, a total of 100 appearances between them, yet they don't look half as tired. Yes that might be down to the intensity of the relative league games, or the way the two teams play, but it does show, IMO, that the number of games is a real non-argument.

[11.30 from paddington]

Mmmm - which country is Messi representing in the Euro's again??

I'm sure his 72 goals last season (50 in La Liga) may have had something to do with Barcelona's success in the, er, Spanish Cup (a tournament on a par with the Johnstons Paint Trophy)

What are you on about you plum!

The point is that the number of games we play is pretty irrelavant, and as a comparison the Barcelona players (or the Spanish) have played more than our lot and it doesn't seem to be harming them. Nobody mentioned Messi specificially, although of course he plays a part in how Barca can control games.

As a comparison, here's the number club games our starting XI outfield players (plus Walcott) played in last year, and the same for the Spanish + Fabregas*.

Johnson - 29
Terry - 44
Lescott - 44
Cole - 37
Milner - 36
Gerrard - 25
Parker - 34
Young - 32
Rooney - 44
Welbeck - 40
Walcott - 46

Arbeloa - 38
Ramos - 50
Pique - 38
Alba - 50
Busquets - 52
Xavi - 51
Alonso - 52
Silva - 49
Alvaro - 36
Inesta - 47
Fabregas - 49

* all figures from Wiki but they look pretty accurate to me.

As you can see, the Spainish players have played more than our lot, a total of 100 appearances between them, yet they don't look half as tired. Yes that might be down to the intensity of the relative league games, or the way the two teams play, but it does show, IMO, that the number of games is a real non-argument.

And there's the old myth that 'we don't do well in tournaments because we play too many club games' blown right out of the water.

The fact that Ashley Young only played 32 games this season, doesn't appear to have helped his tournament performance.

[Blakey's Right Peg]

What a mug Ronaldo must feel now. All for the glory and he didn't even take one. Serves him right.

Would have put my house on Moutinho not scoring either, bizarre, mincing run-up.

To be fair to Ronaldo (And I detest the man as much as anyone), opting to take the last penalty in a shoot-out is only glory chasing if your opponents miss (And then, only once; providing you don't). If they don't, it's effectively the first penalty of sudden death and must have a hell of a lot of pressure attached to it.

True. I suppose Fabregas effectively did the exact same thing and has come away looking the hero.

[Hoop Blah]

Ideal in ill-informed total bollocks post shocker.

[Flyingkiwi]

What a mug Ronaldo must feel now. All for the glory and he didn't even take one. Serves him right.

Would have put my house on Moutinho not scoring either, bizarre, mincing run-up.

To be fair to Ronaldo (And I detest the man as much as anyone), opting to take the last penalty in a shoot-out is only glory chasing if your opponents miss (And then, only once; providing you don't). If they don't, it's effectively the first penalty of sudden death and must have a hell of a lot of pressure attached to it.

True. I suppose Fabregas effectively did the exact same thing and has come away looking the hero.

Well... No... Because had Fabregas missed it would not have meant that Spain were eliminated; just that the shoot-out continued.

[Hoop Blah]

The fact also remains that most players coming into the English leagues from abroad struggle with the physical demands so I don't think there's any weight in the idea that our players aren't in good enough condition.

[soggy biscuit]

[ZacNaloen]

The fact also remains that most players coming into the English leagues from abroad struggle with the physical demands so I don't think there's any weight in the idea that our players aren't in good enough condition.

Doesn't that lend extra credence to the idea that we are knackering our players out because of the physical demands compared to other leagues?

[Starfish]

The most important question on the thread still remains unanswered...

A German victory with the weather we're having in Bavaria at the moment = me in with a very good chance of picking up a drunk 23 year old and getting my brown wings 2012. Leaving the house now - pray for Starfish.

No luck in the q-fs. Weather really hot today and I am getting ready to leave the house soon to hit a beer-garden. I'll gladly take vanilla, btw.

[Blakey's Right Peg]

Well... No... Because had Fabregas missed it would not have meant that Spain were eliminated; just that the shoot-out continued.

No what I mean is Fabregas was also chasing the glory, but for him it obviously came off. He was initially down to take the second penalty but said he wanted to take the fifth.

[Blakey's Right Peg]

Anyway, Loew starting Kroos ahead of Muller tonight.

Always thought he looked the better player at Bayern.

[superreadingfan]

No surprise, Germany defense has been terrible

[Fluff]

Cracking 2 nd goal by Balotelli

[superreadingfan]

This is about the time I start quoting all the people who said Germany were going to walk this tournament and I was trolling for stating the opposite

[tulip]

Very happy with the way this game is going!

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Cracking game tbf.

Everything the Iberian borefest last night wasnt