UEFA EURO 2016

Which country will you root for?

  • Total voters
    27
Forostar said:
I'm watching Belgian television now. Man what a deception they're experiencing out there. And I feel with them. They expected much more from this match.
A good first quarter, but then their play became chaotic. Their defense became a problem but it was also difficult to reach their attackers. Too crowded.

In the Belgian studio, there's a big discussion now about the coach and Jan Mulder, a Dutch guest, defends him. He feels that it's not (just) the coach but he also puts blame in the (abilities of some of the) players. It's more about psychology, a mental thing. The Belgians are kind of offended by his criticism, and "prefer" to blame the coach.
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I think it's both. Marc Wilmots has been absolute shit as a coach, and Belgian players do seem to lack a certain edge that you need in international team tournaments. They're not aggressive enough on the defensive end, and not clinical enough on the offensive end.
 
The Flash said:
Belgian players do seem to lack a certain edge that you need in international team tournaments. They're not aggressive enough on the defensive end, and not clinical enough on the offensive end.
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Kinda reminds me of how Spain used to be before they finally won the EURO.
 
Night Prowler said:
Kinda reminds me of how Spain used to be before they finally won the EURO.
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Yeah, maybe. Their attacking core is still young, though they need to start producing defenders. Kompany, Vertonghen, Vermaelen and Alderweireld aren't getting younger. (Probably some midfielders, too, their main midfielders are at 27-28 right now)

This current team will have another shot in 2018 at the World Cup, but I'm not sure about 2020. New faces have to be there.
 
The Flash said:
Kompany, Vertonghen, Vermaelen and Alderweireld aren't getting younger.
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To be fair, Spain's starting defence in 2008 had 3 30-year olds (Marchena, Puyol, Capdevilla) and a 22-year old (Ramos) + 32 year old Senna in midfield. Although I guess Belgium won't have Iniesta and Xavi... Either way, with a proper coach Belgium could've won the tournament. Dunno who they can get now, or who's free. Surely there are good coaches in Belgium that can do better than Wilmots.
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
Ok, Wales then. Didn't see this result coming, but I was always going to support the winner of this one against the Portuguese crybabies.
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Portugal must be the first ever semi-finalist without winning a game. Cannot have happened before.
 
Going to watch the game tonight in a bar. Pretty sure my friends will root for Italy and probably most of the bar :( If Germany wins, I'm gonna have a Schn3id3r to celebrate :D
 
Oh my God. Wales. Fucking Wales. They only have 2 players and they're in the semi-finals of a major tournament. Ridiculous. I really don't know what I want to happen in the semi-final between Wales and Portugal. The lucky, diving, boring one man team that is Portugal? Or the cheating piece of shit that is Gareth Bale?
 
Wales' success, imo, is proof that England's problem is not Premier League players being overrated but merely the lack of a system. Wales is a two man team on paper, but the likes of Ashley Williams, James Chester, Chris Gunter, Joe Allen and Joe Ledley have been brilliant when put under a strict system that knows what it's doing.
 
The strength of Wales is that is a well functioning team. Plus one or two star players. But that team aspect, which makes Iceland so strong as well (and Poland), certainly was the big factor.

England were tired. They didn't have much condition. Hodgson was so smart to not give the players a single day of rest after a heavy season. The Wales players (and most other countries as well) could be free for about a week or so.
 
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