Euro 2004: Group D

[El Sop]

Or threw it away (Ireland)

You mean in a match vs Spain? That's one of the few good memories I have...

I don't know what the hell Advocaat thinks by letting Bosvelt play... that's just crazy. Reiziger.. depends on the system he wants to play. If he wants backs to run forward, he better put in Reiziger instead of Heitinga. For Frank de Boer... all I can say is I even prefer him over Bouma! Please, Bouma is wetting his shorts before every match and crying in a corner of the dressing room.. He's faster than De Boer, true, but De Boer has a magnificent pass and is at least not afraid. In the next match Stam can take care of Koller, and the rest doesn't need to play man to man, so then you can put De Boer in...

I agree on de Boer replacing Bouma. I think Holland has to reinforce its midfield, especially against the Czechs. That's were they lost it against Germany as well. 4-3-3 won't work with terribly off-form wingers like Zenden and vd Meijde, so I'd go 4-4-2 again and hope for the best. In that light choosing Bosvelt is not that weird.

 

[Dr Jimbo]

Maybe we should start a WC2002 sour grapes reminiscence thread.

You mean in a match vs Spain? That's one of the few good memories I have...

Bastards. We only lost because of the 'no need to practise penalties' philosophy that affects Ireland and England managers. *
Funny to see that Mick McCarthy's Sunderland lost in the playoffs on a penalty shootout...



*This also pertains to the 'forwards should take penalties 'cause they know how to stick it in the net from 12 yards' debate in the Group 2 thread.

 

[Hitro]

Well, today (or tomorrow...) there are two games in this group.

Will Germany manage to beat the Latvians? If so, will it be convincing or a pain like for the Czechs?

Who will win in the Holland-Czech clash? The Czechs dominated in their qualification group, will it be different this time?

And will people spit at each other?

 

[Marla_Singer]

Will Germany manage to beat the Latvians? If so, will it be convincing or a pain like for the Czechs?

Germany is the exact opposite than France. There's less individual talent in Germany but an excellent organization.

Just imagine if France and Germany were playing in the same team, with the German organization and the French individualities.... we would rule !!!

Oh wait ! That's what Italy and Sweden are about !

 

[MrPresident]

And will Robin Hood come to the rescue of Maid Marion Pahars before she is forced to marry the evil Sheriff of Nottingham?

 

[Hitro]

And will Robin Hood come to the rescue of Maid Marion Pahars before she is forced to marry the evil Sheriff of Nottingham?

Christian Ziege? Ah no, that was Tottenham.

@Marla, the French team would just need another coach, they should finally take out some of the old players and replace them with the great younger ones they have. There are few German players who could enhance the French team.

 

[MCdread]

I see Germany beating Latvia by moe than just 1 goal, with more or less difficulties. I think Völler should play with two strikers tomorow, and since they had a draw against the dutch, seek a win by as many goals as possible, in the possibility that they may finish with the same points as the dutch.

About the other game, I'm not sure what to expect. Advocaat may be changing his tactics, and that may bring more interest to the game. With the line-up and the system they had against Germany, I believe they're screwed, even if the Czech Rep. wasn't exactly great against Latvia.

 

[Hitro]

I see Germany beating Latvia by moe than just 1 goal, with more or less difficulties. I think Völler should play with two strikers tomorow, and since they had a draw against the dutch, seek a win by as many goals as possible, in the possibility that they may finish with the same points as the dutch.

He will play with two strikers. And the rest is right as well of course, but the one thing it all depends on is the attitude they play with. If it is remotely like in the Holland match we might see another Saudi Arabia tomorrow. But if it is anything like in the matches before Latvia might be in second place after the matches...

 

[MCdread]

Isn't Latvia Lithuania's neighbour?

 

[Hitro]

Isn't Latvia Lithuania's neighbour?

And apparently the better one.

 

[El Sop]

Bastards. We only lost because of the 'no need to practise penalties' philosophy that affects Ireland and England managers. *
Funny to see that Mick McCarthy's Sunderland lost in the playoffs on a penalty shootout...

I thought that was Holland's unique philosophy! They have the worst record (*) of all countries when it comes to penalties, but the you-cannot-practice-them philosophy will ensure they will never win a penalty shoot-out. And heck, the Dutch can always blame Seedorf

(*)Recent losses of the Dutch after penalty shoot-out:
EC92 lost to Denmark
EC96 lost to France
WC98 lost to Brazil
EC00 lost to Italy

Recent wins of the Dutch after penalty shoot-out:
















(long empty list)

 

[El Sop]

Newest rumoured squad of the Dutch:

Van der Sar;
Heitinga, Stam, Cocu, Van Bronckhorst;
Bosvelt, Seedorf, Davids;
Van der Meyde, Van Nistelrooy, Robben

Quote from Dutch teletekst (ceefax) http://teletekst.nos.nl/gif/821-01.html

Nederland speelt overigens net als in de wedstrijd tegen Duitsland met één spits. "Anders zou ik mezelf belachelijk maken",aldus Dick Advocaat.

(Holland wil play with one forward only, just like the game against Germany. "Otherwise I would make myself look ridiculous", said Dick Advocaat)

Holland is playing 4-5-1 I didn't notice that against the Germans, Holland just played ridiculously bad. Advocaat really doesn't know what he want anymore. The only thing he wants is not to look ridiculous, if you'd ask me.

 

[jack merchant]

Chances are he just wants to confuse the Czechs - however, we can only hope he doesn't completely bamboozle his own squad again too.

This 'I'd make myself look like a fool if I change tactics' thing is grounds for immediate dismissal as a coach IMHO.

 

[El Sop]

This 'I'd make myself look like a fool if I change tactics' thing is grounds for immediate dismissal as a coach IMHO.

Yeah, and put Willem "niet lullen, lekker gaan ballen" Van Hangem in.

 

[Dell19]

This 'I'd make myself look like a fool if I change tactics' thing is grounds for immediate dismissal as a coach IMHO.

Yeah thats an idiotic statement for a coach to make, basically saying that he is unwilling to change to tactics that actually work because then he will have been wrong... What ever happened to learning from mistakes?

 

[SanPellegrino]

Just imagine if France and Germany were playing in the same team, with the German organization and the French individualities.... we would rule !!!

that is what we proposed 60 years ago, but only part of you were convinced of that

(SP slaps himself for bad joke)

 

[Hitro]

Once again the attitude of the German team is disgusting. They showed in the Holland game that they can do much better but once again they seem to think a supposedly weaker opponent can be beaten without to run and fight.
Hamann shows one of those many games for which I don't like him. And what does Ballack do? Anything at all? Compare that with the Holland game and you see that it's not about actual potential but only about effort.

And then the only tactic they use are high crosses, not necessarily bad but why did he play Bobic then and not Klose, who is the ideal player for that kind of game, i.e. depending on headers.

 

[Suppersalmon]

Latvia 0 -0 Germany

Latvia held out for the draw could this see the Germans going home early this year ?

 

[Hitro]

If they would have played the whole 90 minutes like parts of the second half they would have scored a clear victory. And what the hell was Klose doing in the last minute.

But well, now we have to beat the Czechs. That's gonna be really easy, compared with Latvia.

 

[Inter4]

Germany now has a worse situation than ITALY..