EURO 2012

[NJReds]

Originally Posted by WMR

If Germany and their manager had treated the first half like the second they might have won today. Germany is best when they're on the front foot. Going defensive was a mistake and invited Italy to take advantage.

They gave Pirlo and Cassano too much room to operate, and the good Ballotelli showed up today. Prandelli has this team playing well right now.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by WMR

If Germany and their manager had treated the first half like the second they might have won today. Germany is best when they're on the front foot. Going defensive was a mistake and invited Italy to take advantage.

The went defensive against the Greeks as well. They looked great in the round robin part but really didn't click in the knockout stage.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by NJReds

They gave Pirlo and Cassano too much room to operate, and the good Ballotelli showed up today. Prandelli has this team playing well right now.

Yep.

Italy (along with Spain, Brazil, and Argentina) is probably the most technically gifted team in the world. Backing up and trying to form a defensive shell is a sure-fire way to see them net a few against your squad. I'm really surprised Loew went so far away from what had been working so well.

He is going to get absolutely eviscerated in the German press.

[BuckeyeRed27]

This clearly proves that the US could win the Euro

[reds1869]

Should be an interesting final. A clash of styles featuring two technically superb sides.

[improbus]

Originally Posted by WMR

Yep.

Italy (along with Spain, Brazil, and Argentina) is probably the most technically gifted team in the world. Backing up and trying to form a defensive shell is a sure-fire way to see them net a few against your squad. I'm really surprised Loew went so far away from what had been working so well.

He is going to get absolutely eviscerated in the German press.

Is this the third or fourth tournament in a row where the Germans play the most beautiful football, become the tourney darlings, and then flame out before finishing it off? There definitely seems to be a pattern.

But, they really missed a healthy Schweinstwiger. He was a non factor. It would be like having a less capable Buffon or Pirlo.

[Betterread]

Originally Posted by improbus

Is this the third or fourth tournament in a row where the Germans play the most beautiful football, become the tourney darlings, and then flame out before finishing it off? There definitely seems to be a pattern.

But, they really missed a healthy Schweinstwiger. He was a non factor. It would be like having a less capable Buffon or Pirlo.

Germany has a squad of very good quality, but wouldn't go so far as to call the "the most beautiful football". They just can't win the big games.

Comparing Schweinsteger to Pirlo is ignorant. The Italian comparison is Simone Pepe. Ozil is Germany's midfield general. He has 10X more class than schweinsteger. But I give Schweinsteger credit for having a pretty good tournmanment before the Italy game - no temper tantrums, especially.

[improbus]

Originally Posted by Betterread

Germany has a squad of very good quality, but wouldn't go so far as to call the "the most beautiful football". They just can't win the big games.

Comparing Schweinsteger to Pirlo is ignorant. The Italian comparison is Simone Pepe. Ozil is Germany's midfield general. He has 10X more class than schweinsteger. But I give Schweinsteger credit for having a pretty good tournmanment before the Italy game - no temper tantrums, especially.

Hmmm. Germany did beat England 4-1 and Argentina 4-0 in the last World Cup in consecutive games (while Spain struggled to 1-0 wins over Portugal and Paraguay), and nearly every one of those goals was a work of art. If you get a chance, watch the free kick Schweinsteiger makes to Muller for the first goal vs. Argentina. Simply perfect.

Also, my comparison between Schweinsteiger and Pirlo isn't as far off as you think. They both play further back on the pitch than Ozil, who plays a role closer to the one Messi plays for Argentina, where he roams behind the striker. Messi is a much more clinical finisher obviously and Ozil is a superior passer, but their positioning is similar. In contrast, it isn't very common to see Pirlo in the penalty area.

But, without a healthy Schweinsteiger, the German attack was pathetic vs. Italy. They couldn't get anything going. I'm sure there were many more factors, but his role is huge on that team.
Is Ozil better, probably, but they looked pretty hopeless without Schweinsteiger linking the play between the back and front.

[improbus]

Originally Posted by Cedric

Should be an awesome final.

I hope so, but I am very pessimistic. Both teams are notorious divers (I'm looking at you Iniesta). Both generally like the slow the game down (although Italy has been playing more attacking soccer than they usually do, but that may be a product of playing England and Germany who both hid in a shell and invited Italy forward). Spain likes to strangle the game to death in the midfield and use their passing as a substitute for defense. But, for all of their talent, they haven't scored many goals in this tournament, unless you count the Ireland game when even Torres could score. I just get the feeling it is going to be a cagey final and end with less than 2 goals scored. It definitely feels like penalties.

[Betterread]

Italy and Spain have featured briliiant midfield play this tournament. Spain dominated midfield possession in every game. Even against Italy. Italy's strength is its defense to midfield linkup play. DeRossi has been magnificent this tournament at leading the Italian defense' distibution. On the second Italian goal vrs Germany, Italy defended a corner kick and whenthey won the ball deep in their end it was one, two short passes to Montolivo who had time to pick out and deliver a ball over the German back line to an umarked Balotelli. Balotelli took one touch to move the ball in position to shoot. The whole movement took about 10 seconds.
I though Portugal played Spain the toughest. They fought hard to win back possession in midfield and while spain still held the ball longer, they did pretty well in possession themselves. But they were horrible at finishing their chances, so they lost.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by improbus

Is this the third or fourth tournament in a row where the Germans play the most beautiful football, become the tourney darlings, and then flame out before finishing it off? There definitely seems to be a pattern.

But, they really missed a healthy Schweinstwiger. He was a non factor. It would be like having a less capable Buffon or Pirlo.

If the Germans can take any consolation from this, it's that the starting lineup is filled with young players who will be around for a few more cycles, and most of them now have both World Cup and Euro experience. Just look at the ages of some of these guys who got significant playing time:

GK Neuer (26)
DF Hummels (23)
DF Badestuber (23)
DF Lahm (28)
DF Boateng (23)
MF Khedira (25)
MF Schweinsteiger (27)
MF Oezil (23)
MF Schuerrle (21)
MF Podolski (27)
MF Mueller (22)
MF Bender (23)
MF Kroos (22)
MF Reus (23)
FW Gomez (26)
FW Klose (34)

Barring injury, the only player I don't expect to see on the team at the next World Cup in Brazil and the next Euro tournament is Klose at 34. A lot of these guys could probably still be on the team for Russia in 2018. Not only that, but most of these guys either start for teams that regularly make the Champions League or will be soon.

Meanwhile, if you look at the Italians, they're going to be losing some of the players that were keys to their success in this tournament pretty soon. Buffon is 34, Pirlo 33, and Di Natale 34, so Italy won't have these guys to rely on much longer. Much of the rest of the team is the 27-29 age range and might not be around for Brazil, and probably won't see the next Euro tournament or Russia in 2018, and most of their recent call-ups are older than most of the German starters. Really they can only expect to have Balotelli around for a long time.

Spain isn't quite as old a team as Italy and has been working younger players into the mix, but again some of their stars are at their peak right now and will probably bow out of international play between the next World Cup and the next Euro.

[Yachtzee]

Mario Balotelli = The OchoCinco of Soccer

[improbus]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Mario Balotelli = The OchoCinco of Soccer

So much closer to Tyson (or maybe Jerome Brown), only without the criminality so far. You have to take into account his size and menace, two things Ocho doesn't have.

BTW, I hate the camera angle. The far side is difficult to follow.

[improbus]

That was a foul. Ramos obliterated Balo.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Wow that Alba goal was amazing. That pass and timing couldn't have been more perfect.