Germany - Turkey

[Euro2004]

Man.. what have you been watching?? This competition overall when you look at the quality of football played was way better than EURO 2004.. At least we had an attacking Dutch team in the first place!! Seriously!!! :blink:

You didn't see Germany EURO 2000 or 2004 then.. :LOL:

Joke at the back!! I think there were 2 teams that were jokes at the back in this tournmanet and I don't want to give any names.. :P

The best GK in the competition by miles!! Hail Boruc!! :nw:

Whoaa!! Man.. Stay there!! <_< Three comebacks in a tournament.. Not deserving the semi-final?? :huh: Who deserved it? Sweden with their +35 aged squad?? Greece with the best (!) football of the competition?? We were lucky at some stage but you do create your own luck sometimes and it was the case..

My friend I'm not wishing to offend anyone, I am merely saying my opinion.

The quality of football in this competition has been terrible. Holland played good counter-attacking stuff, but their performance was magnified by how bad the Italians and French were, and the Russians exposed them. Defending is an art, football isn't just about passing and skill. The average fan doesn't understand that. It's like basketball fans that think that the US are the best because of their flashy dunks, or boxing fans that like KO specialists but consider counter-punchers to be boring. It's simply a lack of understanding, and that's what plagues football. There is no way that this competition is of a higher quality than 2004. 2002 was the worst tournament I've seen in terms of quality, closely followed by this one.

And yes Russia are very poor at the back when confronted with movement of any kind (as Spain showed in the first game and England showed in qualifying at Wembley), as are Germany (as Turkey, Croatia and even Austria showed). Portugal can't defend set pieces as Germany showed. Italy can't defend or attack, neither can France. Holland counter attack well but are limited elsewhere, etc. This is a sign of low quality my friend. I understand that Turkey have done very well and you are perhaps blinkered by this, but in reality only Spain have performed at a consistently high level in this tournament.

Whoaa!! Man.. Stay there!!  <_<  Three comebacks in a tournament.. Not deserving the semi-final??  :huh:  Who deserved it?

Croatia deserved it and possibly Portugal. Letting teams miss big chances against you, like hitting the post; scoring deflected goals, and relying on goalkeeping errors is not deserving of a semi-final spot. Turkey have thrilled us all with their heart and spirit but in reality that is all they had, which is alot more than many of the other teams in this tournament, including Greece. Nonetheless, the quality of the teams has been terrible.

[drakos13]

Well done to Turkey for putting up a fight and showing great spirit, but how on earth did these 2 teams make the semi final?

Let's analyse the journey of these 2 shall we...

Germany: Finished 2nd in a very weak qualifying group to get to euro2008 behind an average Czech team. Once they got here they were in the weakest group of the tournament and how did they fair? They were pretty solid against Poland, the weakest team in the tournament. They were beaten by Croatia and were pressured by a very mediocre Austrian team.  In the quarter finals they beat a team that can't defend set-pieces to save their collective lives. And tonight they were dominated by Turkey's 2nd team. How on earth did this s%$#! team get to the final??

Turkey:  Finished 2nd in qualifying as we all know, then drawn in a tricky group (not strong though).  Portugal scored 2, had 1 disallowed, hit the cross bar twice and the post once, i.e. the game could quite easily have finished 6-0. In the next game Turkey played an average Swiss team in what was an even game and Arda scored a 90th min deflected winner. In the following game the Czechs dominated for 75 mins before Cech made his first blunder by failing to keep out an initial shot which resulted in a goal. Then came a mistake that Cech may never make again in his career. The Croatia game saw them hit the bar and miss an open goal before scoring 1 min from the end. Senturk scored a great equalizer, and the Turks made it through the lottery that is the penalty shoot out.

The point is Turkey had an awful lot of luck. Yes they showed heart but they were definately not a team worthy of a semi-final spot.

This tournament generally has been entertaining in the sense that we've seen alot of goals but it's the weakest major tournament I've ever seen. Consider the other teams:

Switzerland:  Average. They pass well but can't score or penetrate teams.

Czech Rep:  Good defence, but apart from Sionko they have nothing going forward.

Portugal:  Great passers, wonderful dribblers, but a disgraceful defence, weak keeper and no frontline.

Germany:  The worst German team in my life time. The defence is disorganised and can't handle movement, while the midfield lacks imagination. The frontline is good but not lethal.

Austria:  Rubbish! Nothing else to say.

Croatia:  A good team. Very solid and keep possession well and have some fantastic players like Corluka & Modric. But they are not spectacular. The fact that this team is one of the strongest in the competition shows how much weaker this tournament is compared to others.

Poland:  Smolarek is good. Can't think of anything else positive to say. They can't attack, can't defend, can't pass. They're terrible.

Italy:  The worst Italian team of my lifetime. An Italian team that can't defend! What is the world coming to? They lack imagination, are aging and slow and have no width.

France:  The worst French team of my lifetime. Would someone care to tell me what the strengths of this team are? With Ribery they are poor, without him they should be banned from stepping onto the pitch!

Romania:  No imagination, nothing going forward and no guts. Terrible.

Sweden:  I can't remember who it was, but someone here referred to Sweden as a great team. All I can say is "watch more football son". They are unadventurous, have no pace and rely on Ibrahimovic for everything.

Spain:  The only fantastic team in the competition. If they don't win this tournament it will be a travesty.

Russia:  Phenomenal going forward, a joke at the back. Full of fantastic players and the Spain-Russia semi-final should have been the final.

Greece:  I hope the Greeks are watching the games to realise what they could have acheived, because, with all due respect, if Turkey can make the semis then Greece certainly could have. But, this team can't attack, they have no width, can't keep the ball, & lack imagination.

What a s%$#! tournament full of technically inept teams filled with weaknesses.

On Germany:

Be fair........worst team in your life?.....The Croatia game coould have very easily been 2-2, Poland Germany played great, and vs Austria the game was really all Germany, and if Gomez could score an open goal from 1/2 meter it would have been an easy 2 or 3 nil...... Also Im so tired of people discrediting Austria, they really showed a lot of courage and heart, they played so hard and made every game difficult for their opponents, and entertaining to watch (except they cant finish their chances, they should have BURIED Poland, and beat or tied Croatia too) they just have that horrible striker who cant finish a chance, but they could make them and did.... Its the game of their life for Austria vs Germany, what do you expect them to have a s%$#! performance and rollover? That doesnt happen in football anymore, teams in tournaments can always put up a brave fight and Austria did. Theres no shame for Germany, how about some credit to Austria for a change, IMO one of the most entertaining and spirited teams of the tournament, who were seriously favoured to get stepped on and instead played great, with a very fast and physical game and courage......Bravo Osterreich!

Croatia - overated......1 germany victory and they are a top team....they couldnt finish anything vs Turkey, and their defense was pressured by the Turks...lets not mentioned they deserved nothign from that Austria game...which you rag on Austria for being "rubbish" and Germany for being pressured by them.....but what about Croatia and Poland who were also pressured by them (and Austria looked far more dangerous vs Croatia and Poland than vs Germany)......

Switzerland- the unluckiest team of the entire tournament man....your talking about how Croatia deserved to be in the Semis as it was so close that they hit the bar.......and what about Switzerland.......they dominated the hell and hit posts of Czech Rep, who with 1 shot all game scored....horrible luck. Then vs Turkey they were totally dominant and got even worse luck.....Turkey did better than Czech, but Swiss at one end could have won the game and at the other lost it on a deflection....definitley unfair to say they couldnt penentrate, they were rattling posts and making big chances, but such s%$#! luck no other team had.

Spain the only fantastic team???

Really? From what a 4-1 exagerated win vs Russia then what have they done?

they were bailed out at the last minute to beat Sweden, rested their team vs Greece, and vs Italy could not make more than a half chance against a backup Italian team, who Camoranesi had the only good chance of the entire match with Spain only being able to shoot garbage from outside the area and win on penalties....please! Italy was missing their top midfield and defensive players that game and Spain could do nothing.....everybody keeps forgetting that Spain were nothing special vs Italy, and starting CBs were CHIELLINI AND PANUCCI and Italy was also missing Pirlo and Gattuso who are instruments in all the work offensiveley and defensivley for Italy.

Sweden are a great team. They are a team thats been in every major tournament since early 90's and always has big footballing talents. thats what i classify as a great team in general, matches vs Sweden are never an easything if you are anybody, Greece, England, Portugal, Spain etc...so yes thats how I say great team, as for rubbish, maybe you should watch more football son, because you clearly werent watching that Spain Italy game, nor paying attention to the lineups!

[REY]

Semifinal 1, Basel, game 29

Germany 3 - 2 Turkey

half-time (1 - 1)

Ref. Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

Formation/Line-ups:

-------------------------Lehmann----------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Friedrich---Mertesacker---------Metzelder----------Lahm

---------------------------------------------------------------

------------Ballack------ --------Rolfes-------Hitzlsperger

Schweinsteiger---------------------------------------------

------------------------------------Podolski-----------------

-------------Klose--------------------------------------------

===================================

------------------------Senturk------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

U.Boral------------------------------------------Kazim R.--

-----------A.Akman---Aurelio------Altintop----------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

H.Balta----------------------------------------------Sabri S.

------------M.Topal-----------------G.Zan------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------Rustu R.----------------------------

Substitutions :

Germany

46' Torsten Frings (Rolfes)

90' Marcell Jansen (Klose)

Turkey

81' Mevlut Erdinc (Akman)

84' Gokdeniz Karadeniz (U.Boral)

90' Tumer Metin (Kazim)

Match Details :

22' [0 - 1] U. Boral

26' B. Schweinsteiger [1 - 1]

53' S. Senturk YC

79' M. Klose [2 - 1]

86' [2 - 2] S. Senturk

90' P. Lahm [3 - 2]

S. Sarioglu YC

[Euro2004]

On Germany:

Be fair........worst team in your life?.....

I didn't say they are the worst team I've seen in my life, I said they are the worst German team I've seen in my lifetime. This shows that relatively speaking, they are worse than ever. Alan Hanssen and Mark Lawrenson (legendary Liverpool defenders) said that they believed this defence is the worst one the Germans have ever had. They have one top player: Ballack. The rest are average or downright poor. Metzelder? Metersacker? Lehmman? Hitzlesberger? Lahm? These guys wouldn't get into into Greece's team. How many German players could you have said that about in the past? The are industrious but nothing else.

The Croatia game coould have very easily been 2-2

Perhaps we watched a different game because Croatia certainly deserved to win the game. It could have been doesn't mean anything. Germany could have scored from the 1 Ballack shot they had against Spain and that would have been 1-1, but on the basis of play they should have lost 5-0. On the basis of play, Croatia were the much better team and deserved the 3 points.

Poland Germany played great

Having read your posts in the past I've always been in the impression that you're clued up when it comes to football, which makes this statement all the more surprising. Poland were not just poor, their performance against Germany was by far the worst of the tournament by any team. The Polish defence was immobile, disorganised, and clearly outclassed. Their midfield was uncreative, had no width and provided no protection for the defence, while their frontmen were non-existent. Poland played greatly? I'd hate to see what they were like if they played poorly.

vs Austria the game was really all Germany, and if Gomez could score an open goal from 1/2 meter it would have been an easy 2 or 3 nil......

That's ridiculous. The game was very even, but it was Austria that made the early running and the game was all about them having no imagination and having their crosses easily dealth with by the German backline. This game also highlighted why Germany are poor, because, yes Austria showed heart, but they are a terrible team and it took a German wonder-goal for them to break Austrian hearts.

Also Im so tired of people discrediting Austria... except they cant finish their chances, they should have BURIED Poland, and beat or tied Croatia too)

:blink: What chances? The phantom penalty? And Croatia banged in an early goal then strangled the game. That doesn't mean they deserved to get beaten. They were merely efficient and at no point did Austria look like they weren't going to win the game. Austria were relying on Ivanschitz's fairly poor set-pieces and they were generally very easily dealt with.

Croatia - overated......1 germany victory and they are a top team....they couldnt finish anything vs Turkey, and their defense was pressured by the Turks

Croatia are a very good team, one of the better teams in this tournament (top 3 imo). They didn't just beat Germany, they were the better side against Turkey (where does this idea that Turkey were pressuring them come from?) and in qualifying they dominated and beat England twice. Croatia are a very neat team with a brilliant defence and tremendous self-belief. Nevertheless the fact that they are one of the best teams in this tournament, further highlights my point that this is a particularly weak tournament (the 2nd I've ever seen in terms of good teams - the worst being 2002) because in past tournaments this Croatian team would have been good, but not have been in the top 3 teams.

Switzerland- the unluckiest team of the entire tournament man....your talking about how Croatia deserved to be in the Semis as it was so close that they hit the bar.......and what about Switzerland.......they dominated the hell and hit posts of Czech Rep, who with 1 shot all game scored....horrible luck.

Again this further highlights my point. You think that this Swiss team was so good, so let me ask you a question, would this Swiss team have made any sort of impact at Euro 2004, Euro2000, Italia 90, etc?

Spain the only fantastic team???

Really?  From what a 4-1 exagerated win vs Russia then what have they done?

They were the only team to play a high level of football consistenly throughout the tournament, and who had no major weaknesses. Portugal for example played wonderful football but couldn't defend a set-piece to save their collective lives. That doesn't make them an elite team in the same way that a flashy boxer, with great hand-speed, skill and power can't be a great boxer if he has a glass jaw and gets KO'd all the time. The Spanish are the only team not to have any evident, big weaknesses.

They showed that with their clinical finishing in the 1st game against Russia in their 1st meeting. Against Sweden they were composed and won it at the death (they were never in the danger of losing). Against Greece their 2nd team showed that their quality eminates throughout the squad. Italy were next and they tried to stiffle the Spanish and it nearly worked too. But you need a bit of luck to win a tournament and the Spanish had it in the pens. Then came Russia who may have edged the first half, but a 2nd half Spanish master-class decimated them. Their final victim was Germany and as GS1905 said, that was the most 1 sided final he's ever seen. Want to know why? Because the Spanish were so much more superior to them or any other team. They are, at this moment, Europe's only fantastic team and the proof is in the pudding.

Sweden are a great team. They are a team thats been in every major tournament since early 90's and always has big footballing talents. thats what i classify as a great team in general, matches vs Sweden are never an easything if you are anybody, Greece, England, Portugal, Spain etc...so yes thats how I say great team, as for rubbish, maybe you should watch more football son, because you clearly werent watching that Spain Italy game, nor paying attention to the lineups!

So a great team is a team that qualifies for major tournaments and makes life hard for the opposition? Rosenborg frequently qualify for the Champions League and playing against them is never easy because they are organised and physical. Does that make them great? That might make them a good, solid team, but certainly not great. The definition of greatness is "notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding".... The only team in this tournament that fits this bill is Spain, no one else. Which is why this tournament is so comparitively weak. Point proved, case closed, conclusion: watch more football... "son". :LOL:

[GS1905]

Sweden are a great team argument of yours has really surprised me drakos!

I can't speak about Germany, Russia, Italy .. etc as Euro2004 does but this is clearly the worst ever Swedish team I saw..

Peter Hansson, 36 years old for God's sake?! Can't Sweden produce a younger CB to save their lives?! :LOL:

Sweden were the "Geriatricos" of this tournament and deserved to go out.. In fact I'd rank them the third worst team of the competition after Poland and Greece..

[drakos13]

gs: ok please go tell any Euro coach Sweden is a s%$#! team..... Ggo tell spain they are rubbish, who beat them only in the last minute. I am saying as a football nation Sweden is never a team that has been looked forward to as an easy opponent for the last 14 years.

Hell even in qualifying Sweden beat Spain 2-0 - can they be that horrible? Im judging Sweden as a footballing nation, and theyre always tough, and always difficult team to beat. Greece had one hell of a time with them, Sweden was sitting back and still making tons of chances vs a Greek side with 5-4-1..... vs Russia they lost.....ok whats your point? Holland got the same thing.... Im not saying Sweden should be a finalist or semifinalist, but they are a reasonably strong team every year. This year, less so than other Swedens. They did not get their 'asses' kicked by anymeans. Ends up Sweden had a very difficult group, with the champion and semifinalist-arshavinized russia afterall...

2004:

My definition of great, and the way i use it is not the same way I mean like "one of the greats' but they are great overall as a competitor can play at any level of the game and showed that in being in every tournament. I do not mean great great as in legendary.....my english use of words is different, theres a way i use the word great maybe different than yours. Great means more like "legit" in this case, and in the case I use it. deal, ok BRO?

Euro2004:

About Austria - ok, go watch the 2 Austria matches. Croatia had 1 chance after the penalty the entire game and were pinned back. The final touch in the area was not there, nobody can say Austria was not worthy of a tie, NOBODY.

As for Poland, if you seriously didnt see their chances, you did NOT watch the game, end of story. What chances? What the hell match did you watch?

As for Switzerland - what the hell are you talking about Italia 90 for??? Im saying they were UN LUCKIEST TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT KANEIS MISH WRA OLOKLHRO KEIMENO MYPOS ZHTW POLLA NA DIVASEIS TO POST PRWTA ...... i dont need to repeat myself, i said they were down on luck, and they really were. thats football.

Also why didnt you mention relevant tourneys like WC 2006? Oh because Switzerland won their group, and only lost out on the quarterfinals by penalty kicks.....

[DUDE]

As for Switzerland - what the hell are you talking about Italia 90 for??? Im saying they were UN LUCKIEST TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT KANEIS MISH WRA OLOKLHRO KEIMENO MYPOS ZHTW POLLA NA DIVASEIS TO POST PRWTA

Sweden are a good team, nothing more.

Euro2004 is correct that Germany are bad, although not the worst German team. Italy and France however have reached an absolute low and Portugal are terrible at the back. So even if I do disagree with Euro2004 in the minor details, overall he is correct, and sorry to say file but you're the one that should read the point properly. The ultimate point he's making is that Euro 2008 and World Cup 2002 were the worst tournaments ever in terms of quality. You are saying that the Swiss are a good team and were unlucky not to progress, he's saying "fine, but would they have even come close to progressing if they were in a stronger tournament, like Italia 90?" Which goes back to his original point that this tournament was of a low quality.

Perhaps if both you idiots stopped arguing and putting eachother down with "watch more football", "son", "BRO" kai alles m*****es, you'd understand eachother.