Euro 2012

[robertlouis]

Netherlands hopes hanging by a thread as Loew's squad of talented youngsters gloriously come of age. The way they snuffed out Holland's brief surge in the second half was a masterclass in reasserting control. Forget the tired old cliches about efficiency and discipline - this German side is genuinely exciting to watch.

The English like to kid themselves that the Germans invest as much passion into clashes between the two countries as they do, whereas the reality id that the Germans are much more interested in beating the Dutch. When I lived in Amsterdam in the early noughties I went to a Champions League game involving Ajax and Borussia Dortmund. Before the match began, the Dutch unfurled dozens of banners, all in German, which read "You cunts stole all the bikes!" which goes back to winter 1945 when the Germans retreated back across the Rhine by confiscating all the bikes in Holland, and if you know the Dutch, stealing a man's bike is marginally worse than sleeping with his wife.

[robertlouis]

So, after last night's results, England need at least a draw in their final game against Ukraine, who need to win. And Rooney will be available too, so Hodgson will be able to perm one or two from three in-form strikers. Still a way to go, though.

And France looked terrific in their delayed game against Ukraine.

This is a good tournament. Even games where the quality might not be that great have turned out to be exciting. If the locals and the Russians can keep their racism in check, it could even be one of the great tournaments.

[Stavros]

Lucky England! Giving away two soft goals like that, how many would Spain have knocked past them I wonder? At one point John Terry looked like an OAP as he tries to catch a Swedish player heading toward the penalty area. And yet, Walcott's industry, Welbeck's sudden flash of brilliance -this is a lop-sided team which can lose as well as win matches, where Spain and Germany look balanced throughout the field. Oddly, this is the kind of eccentric performance that not only wins matches, but tournaments...and I think this team could even beat Spain as long the defence is solid, and Italy too...

Who gets dropped when Rooney returns? Carroll, Welbeck or Young?

[up_for_it]

So far it's been a good tournament

Absolutely! Both the Portugal v. Denmark and England v. Sweden were great end to end games and Russian came out of the gate blazing. Should be a very interesting Sunday...

[robertlouis]

Absolutely! Both the Portugal v. Denmark and England v. Sweden were great end to end games and Russian came out of the gate blazing. Should be a very interesting Sunday...

Saturday was pretty amazing too. Before the matches started who would have forecast that the Czechs and the Greeks would go through at the expense of the Poles and the Russians?

Agreed - Sunday's programme is intriguing. Germany unless something totally weird happens, but after that it's perm any one of three. Best thing about the Euros is that the games are played at sensible times, so it's easy to catch the excitement live every time.

[naresuan]

can't see beyond Germany and Spain to win it, England were lucky on Friday night, Ireland have been atrocious , Trappatoni should do the right thing and resign, bring in Roy Keane or Martin O' Neill as the next Ireland manager and start playing the younger players like Seamus Coleman and Connor Clifford for Brazil 2014, mmmm....Brazil in 2014, super sexy t-girls and a world cup

[SammiValentine]

Lucky England! Giving away two soft goals like that, how many would Spain have knocked past them I wonder? At one point John Terry looked like an OAP as he tries to catch a Swedish player heading toward the penalty area. And yet, Walcott's industry, Welbeck's sudden flash of brilliance -this is a lop-sided team which can lose as well as win matches, where Spain and Germany look balanced throughout the field. Oddly, this is the kind of eccentric performance that not only wins matches, but tournaments...and I think this team could even beat Spain as long the defence is solid, and Italy too...

Who gets dropped when Rooney returns? Carroll, Welbeck or Young?

England have far to weak centre backs and not a good enough midfield to cope with spain. that includes gerrard he is no defensive midfielder( nor is he really box to box anymore, even he admits that, but thats another story)

Youngs had a bad tournament, tbh hes been wank since Xmas or so after a good start with the mancs.

[robertlouis]

England have far to weak centre backs and not a good enough midfield to cope with spain. that includes gerrard he is no defensive midfielder( nor is he really box to box anymore, even he admits that, but thats another story)

Youngs had a bad tournament, tbh hes been wank since Xmas or so after a good start with the mancs.

England's best hope is that a lot of results so far have flown in the face of both prediction and logic. Ironically enough, given current form, Torres would skin his club colleague Terry far too easily. And he'd do just the same to Ferdinand if he was in the squad. I'd go for Jagielka and Lescott in the centre of the defence and hope that Walcott is fit. Start with Rooney and Welbeck too.

[irvin66]

Who do you think has the most chance for the European Championship in football? I think Germany has a good chance and maybe Portugal or Spain.
Hope not Italy win, for those football players film so bad. I do not know what it is called in English when the player pretend they falling. In Norwegian we call it "filming".

[irvin66]

my bet is: Holland

Sorry mate, they are out!