salmson wrote:

sea_point wrote: name one PL left back capable of scoring that goal......

Ashley cole. Six years ago. Maybe. Beautiful goal.

Not a chance Cole would make the run into the box, never was his game. He was quick alright but likes to stay wide and put the ball inathe box...

sea_point wrote: name one PL left back capable of scoring that goal......

Ashley cole. Six years ago. Maybe. Beautiful goal.

sea_point wrote: Wouldn't look too far beyond the usual suspects.

Spain are deserved favourites, Italians if they get out of the group will be dangerous as always. Germans despite loss to Austria are always tough to beat and if they get a game to Penalties they will win, they just have that mental toughness. Dutch play great football, but in the clutch games they lack the composure.

Would be surprised if anyone else is in the Semi Finals, forget England. Despite the SKY hype the key players in the Premiership are all foreign not English...

We'll be tough to beat, but Trapp is like Jack Charlton before him he will just send out his team set up to not embarrass him. So am not expecting any performances to set the heart racing. If we beat Croatia we have an outside chance of getting out of the group, anything less and we can forget it. You have to get something out of every game to survive.

Was in Portugal for the last two weeks so not much time spent online, happy enough with my predictions.

The Portuguese will be dissapointed but with an attacking line of Ronaldo and only Ronaldo their failure wasn't a surprise. Postiger - hello, his club record is terible for a top class striker (a goal evey five games)and Hugo Almeida another spoofer. Don't get me on to Ronnie Light (Nani), all show and no go. As much as a d*ck Ronalado can be I actually felt sorry for the guy having to carry the whole Portuguese attack and the hopes of the Portuguese nation and very nearly getting them to a final if only Nani and Alves hadn't messed up the Penno lineup, they should have won in normal time they had Spain in their pocket and the Spaniards only improved in extra time once they realised they might get out of jail....

Felt sorry for the Italians, a team that prides itself on defense losing Balzaretti early hurt them badly and was very disruptive never mind the injury to Motta that forced them down to 10 me when two goals down and 25 minutes to play.

Spain were clinical with the ball, first two goals were absolute class. Jordi Alba's pass run and shot were absoutely top drawer and make a mockery of the 14€m Barca are paying Valencia (and of course dozens of Premier League transfer prices, name one PL left back capable of scoring that goal)......

Nice prediction, only one team in it !!!!! :woohoo:

LAST post really tells its own stories being 2weeks ago.
ok ireland played awful but the 2 finalists are from our group.

england made me a bit happy by being knocked out by italy in the quarters.

all in all it was an ok few weeks, only 2 0-0 draws as far as i think.

should be an ok final tonight. i got to go with italy, they seem to want it more.

italy 1-0

Greece v Germany in the quarter final should be an interesting one. I think Angela Merkel might sit that one out in Berlin.

soccer ball will be on less than 3 hours.
i can fell this will be very painful. hopefully no more than 3-0

no team named yet but if keane plays we have less chance of winning.

pints in town will make it a better game

cdn.balls.ie/wp-content/gallery/lovelygirls/girl-gifs.gif

could you fix this link sea point

www.balls.ie/2012/06/10/from-ecstasy-to-...-cailin-gif-gallery/

Jaysus what on earth are they up to, zonal marking against a technically better and more mobile team?Madness| How much space have they allowed Modric? Much as I think Keane of the Roy variety is a tw*t, if he was on the pitch Modric would be crapping himself any time the ball came near him. We should be man marking that tricky little fecker...

Defending way to deep and allowing the Croat's to unload shoots on a greasy pitch, c'mon that's amateur time...

link wont work

p.twimg.com/AvDQX0VCAAAk_X7.jpg

connacht fan, good looking bird at that was spotted after we scored the goal.
anyone spot her in the clan terrace before

link wont work. worth looking at twitter or facebook

Sligo beating galway in their own back yard yesterday eve in their own backyard sweet !!!! And no more than going into yesterdays game, also quietly confident that the boys can get a win. Tight at the back and to take one of the few chances they will get. Cox or long to come off the bench to grab it.

You are right rossie, Villa is out, thought I had heard he had reappeared in a recent friendly but must have misheard.

Holland v Germany on Wednesday now looks a big one after today's early result.

group A was actually good if lesser teams.
Poland 1 - 1 Greece
Russia 4 - 1 Czech Republic

Group B: The group of (bored to) death.
Netherlands 0 - 1 Denmark
Germany 1 -0 Portugal

ireland 7.45 tomorrow. win by one. maybe 2-1
spain italy low score. 1-0 or 1-1

the positive for the tournament is that there have been plenty of goals tonite so hopefully it will continue.

borders, afaik villa is out of tournament injured along with puyol and 2 others from world cup. still think they have enough and whoever beats them will win it.
liked the look of the russians tonight but early days.

first time in my lifetime that english have been writing themselves off so on that note i give them a chance. we could play them in qtrs if results go well so who knows!

Group A didn't set the pulses racing tonight, Russia played well in patches against a Czech side who have slipped well off the pace of the top batch of European teams but will be picked off by better sides in the knock out stages I'd imagine.

Group B is fascinating, I'm not a convinced about Germany as most people seem to be. I think this team actually lack the mental toughness when its comes to big games. Holland have a decent side but their key players are aging. Portugal are over reliant on Ronaldo but can't be discounted, Denmark are a workman like team but I'd venture they could play a key role in deciding that group.

Our group should see Spain advance, the shine has worn off Spain a bit recently but who'd bet against them. The form of Villa and/or Torres and how well they are able to lead the line will determine everything as they will have 65+% possession in every game I'd imagine. 75-80-85 against us. I think Croatia are beatable but agree with Seapoint it'll be a safety first approach from Trappatoni. 1 goal should decide that game. Our best hope is Spain to run away with the group and maybe emerge in the dogfight for 2nd. Goal difference could be decisive. I'm expecting us to miss out narrowly on a q/f spot.

In group 4, its hard to see a stand out team. I'm thinking England should advance, France look in a bit better shape and may go through, Ukraine as co-hosts don't look in good shape while it looks one of the weakes Sweden sides to appear at a major tournament in recent times.