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Euro 2008- Group A (R); SUI, CZE, POR, TUR
Topic Started: May 22 2008, 10:36 AM (661 Views)
Mr. Pither
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Great picture historyman. I enjoyed both of Wednesday's games. The rain effected the first half of Switzerland-Turkey but it cleared up and the field drained fairly well in the 2nd half and I thought that helped Turkey's passing game. The Swiss had some chances but Demirel again came up big for the Turks but historyman is right, Hakan Yakin could have put the game away with that sitter in front of goal in the first half. The ball may have skidded a bit on the wet turf but that is still a chance a professional player should put away. A tough loss for the Swiss who have been incredibly unlucky in this tournament but in an even game it was the Turks who made the decisive plays (Demirel's saves and Ardan Turan's game winning goal.)

The Czechs did play better against Portugal but it wasn't good enough. It wasn't just Cristiano Ronaldo but also Deco who played well in this game and while Sionko did look dangerous for the Czechs, it was Portugal, who on almost every attack, looked like they could score. They may open themselves up a bit with their attacking style but they are an enjoyable team to watch and as rosarino wrote, they look like they can score on any team.

I'm looking forward to that winner take all game between Czech Republic and Turkey.
P-I-T-H-E-R ...as in Brotherhood, but with PI instead of the BRO and no HOOD
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Merengue
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I wonder how the postgame announcement that Luis Felipe Scolari will be leaving Portugal after the tournament is complete to coach Chelsea next season will effect the portuguese? Either it disintegrates them when they get to the knockout stages or it will bring them even more together to win one for Big Phil (Felipao.)

The Czechs did make it uncomfortable at times for Portugal especially on set plays but in general you had to like Portugal's play in this game and even without a world class center forward, they still have a lot of offensive weapons. I got the impression Portugal can kick it even more into gear in the later rounds. But that was before the announcment Scolari will leave once the tournament ends.
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Simon
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Merengue,Jun 12 2008
12:10 AM
I wonder how the postgame announcement that Luis Felipe Scolari will be leaving Portugal after the tournament is complete to coach Chelsea next season will effect the portuguese?

Yes that will be interesting to see. I think the Portuguese will be alright, as Scolari has had a longer stint than most as a national team manager and the players must really have known that he would leave after this, his third tournament with them, even if they didn't know the details of where he'd go. I heard that the deal was signed a week ago, with an agreement to only announce it when Portugal had qualified for the last eight. That they've done so with a game to spare can only help them as any disruption the announcement caused will have been worked out by the time the quarters come round. I wonder about this from a Chelsea perspective as Scolari is a volatile bloke who's never managed a European club side and in fact hasn't been in club football for seven years, but I suppose that's a topic for a different thread.

He may not find it too disorientating as Chelsea are apprently close to signing Deco and already have 3 of the 4 Portugal starting defenders. On which subject, to reiterate the point made after the first game I thought Portugal's defence was all over the place at times yesterday. It seems alarmingly easy to get in behind their full-backs and once crosses are coming in it isn't just Ricardo who is vulnerable, their defence seemed to go awol time and again, both in open play and at set-pieces. The Czechs weren't and aren't great coming forward but they were still unfortunate not to score a few goals. My gripe with this tournament is that there are too many teams who just don't look like they can score goals, or worse don't look interested in scoring goals. There's nothing more frustrating for a neutral viewer! So it's refreshing to watch a Portugal team whose attitude seems to be 'you may score against us, but we'll score more than you'. It would be great if a team like that could win it, rather than a team like Greece, but I suspect that in modern international football an approach like that will blow up in your face sooner or later.
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Winslow
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We saw very clearly in this match how much trouble Ricardo has with crosses, and I have no idea why the Czechs didn't start Koller. It would've made a big difference.

Nuno Gomes, who I always saw as an attacker with more will than skill, has added some nice subtleties to his game. Twice so far, his give-and-go flicks have put teammates through--including yesterday's messy opening goal.

Pither's right that the Turks made all the decisive plays in the other match--and that includes Yakin for Switzerland! He should've had a hat trick. The Swiss were so unlucky.
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Simon
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Winslow,Jun 12 2008
04:33 AM
Pither's right that the Turks made all the decisive plays in the other match--and that includes Yakin for Switzerland! He should've had a hat trick. The Swiss were so unlucky.

That's true, it's funny when you sit down to watch a Turkey game featuring a striker partnership of Eren Derdiyok and Hakan Yakin... playing AGAINST the Turks!
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gaviota
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I find it insightful to read from Simon that the deal to sign Scolari as Chelsea coach was delayed until Portugal qualified for the next round. Simon's point that by qualifying early, that may lessen any "shock" to the team of his departure is a good one. Portugal have been a fun team to watch in these Euros and I'd like to see them keep playing awhile longer.

By the way I read that UEFA are considering in the event that Czech Republic and Turkey tie their final group game that the match may be decided by penalty kicks to determine which team advances along with Portugal. The Czechs and Turks are even now on points, goal difference, goals scored, goals allowed, in other words they are even in all the tie breakers which exist. So if they then draw their head to head match rather than decide who moves on via a coin flip, they may end up shooting penalties! I can't ever recall that situation happening before, can anyone else?
CHAMP13NS
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shelsoccer
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I was wondering about that scenario last night. Thanks for the info, gaviota. It'll be interesting and controversial if that's how it plays out.
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badgerboy
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As regards the possibility of a penalty shoot out between Turkey & Czech Republic.

To clarify - UEFA aren't "considering it". It's already in the rules of the competition. If two teams are level on points, goal difference & goals scored and play each other in the third match & draw it - then a penalty shootout will take place.

Obviously this only counts when it's just two teams that finish level.

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Simon
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I'm certain that hasn't ever happened before. I'd have thought if two teams were level on all the criteria listed then they might send the team with the fewest yellow cards into the next round or something similar.

I was thinking about how such situations have been handled in the past. In 1958 England and the Soviet Union finished dead level in the group stage and played an extra play-off game to decide the team who advanced. That's impossible given the tight schedule of modern tournaments. Alternatively, of course, there has been the coin toss - which is ridiculous. I think I'm right in saying that Italy qualified from the semi-finals to the final of Euro 68 on the toss of a coin! So perhaps penalties is the best option...
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dafyd
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And it didn't happen today. Czechs to a 2-0 lead, only to sit back and try and hold the lead during the second half. Big mistake, as Turkey came back to score 3 goals in the last 15 minutes. By the time Turkey had tied the score, the Czechs showed they simply couldn't switch back into high gear.
Leper In A Stange Land
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El Profe
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What a fantastic comeback by Turkey! Fully deserved too as they controlled the 2nd half and the Czechs had made it 2-0 when Turkey were temporarily down to 10 men as an injured defender's sub was waiting to enter on the sidelines when Plasil scored on a nice counter at the far post. But Turkey kept coming and they were shredding Czech Republic's left side of their defense. Once they scored to make it 2-1 they were like a tidal wave pushing forward against the Czechs and when Peter Cech dropped the wet ball on an easy cross and Nihat knocked it in, everyone thought penalties were on the way with only 3 minutes remaining. But the Czech defense got caught and Nihat beat their trap to hammer a shot past Cech to win it and set off a delirious celebration. Tough loss for the Czechs but what a great comeback by Turkey and it is good to see a team's attacking mentality pay off with a historic win.
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Real Ray
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Tremendous match!

And like I said early in the thread, Turkey was going to be a tough out. I felt they would get one goal back, but never did I think they would win in regulation.

Got to feel bad for Cech-he makes that play 99.9% of the time.

You have to wonder too, if a team like Turkey, with so many of its players playing in Turkey (and on the big 3 teams) if they have the advantage in these situation. It's an intangible, but I think it helps keep the spirit of the group high as well as a better chemistry in crunch time matches like today.

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rosarino
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Incredible drama on Sunday. I didn't have a team in that Turkey-Czech Rep. match but I found myself jumping with joy when Turkey tied it then later won the game. My wife looked at me like I was crazy but it was Father's Day so she didn't say anything! :o

Real Ray raises an interesting point about the team spirit of a national team built around three clubs. Does that help them or hinder them due to the great rivalry between the three big Turkish clubs? I don't have an answer to that but I really enjoyed the enthusiasm Turkey showed in the 2nd half. The Czechs just didn't have an answer defensively on how to stop them.
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Hector
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Interesting theory Real Ray. I too don't know if that contributed to Turkey's success or not but they showed great determination in fighting back from 0-2 down. Especially with the Czech 2nd goal coming when Turkey were playing well but were temporarily handicapped by their defender getting injured. I liked how Sabri on one wing and Ardan on the other kept running at the Czech defenders. Good idea to test the goalie with long shots and crosses since the ball was wet due to the rain.
iPuerta amigo, Sevilla esta contigo!
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historyman
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An unbelievable finish to last night's game. It will surely go down as one of the greatest ever comebacks in the history of international football.

Yet just think how different it could have been. Polak hit the post when the Czechs were already 2-0 up, and had he scored then surely the contest would have been over. But if you don't make the most of the few chances that are presented to you then you'll be made to pay sooner or later, and the Czechs experienced that last night.

What has happened to Petr Cech? A season or two ago he was arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Now he seems like a man very unsure of himself, hesitant when once he would have been commanding. Shortly before Turkey scored their first goal they sent in a cross which you would have expected Cech to claim, but instead he stood rooted to his goal-line and one of the Turkish defenders had a free header which he agonisingly put wide.

It does seem that Cech's injury woes over the past couple of seasons have made him somewhat insecure. The cross that he dropped for Nihat's equaliser should have been such a routine catch, but he must have taken his eye off the ball for a split second and paid a heavy price. What will Chelsea be thinking?

What a fantastic strike from Nihat to win the game! I was expecting him to try and take the ball around Cech and put the ball into an empty net, but instead he unleashed that devastating finish.

So it's Croatia v Turkey in the Q/F. After their performance last night, who would write the Turks off for this one?
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