Posts from Football!

Congratulations to all fans of the Russian national team on their WELL-DESERVED advancement to the quarter-finals. Overall, it was a fairly predictable championship. For me, the only surprise was Turkey's advancement to the quarter-finals. I'll take a risk and announce my prediction for the finalists: Portugal/Croatia - Netherlands. 60 40

Portugal is a disgrace. How could they fail so badly in defense during set pieces? It's simply awful, I have no words... :smile18:

Portugal is a disgrace. How could they fail so miserably in defending set pieces? It's simply awful, I have no words...:smile18:

This wasn't a surprise. Nzolom and I discussed during the group stage how poor Portugal was in defending set pieces in their own penalty area and how chronically unable they were to turn around a match that was going badly.

Despite this, I assessed Portugal's chances as 60-40.

I actually fell asleep yesterday during a break. But I was sure that the Portuguese would lose. They don't know how to play against top football teams.
I can't help but mention Russia's game. If they play the same way in the match against the Netherlands, they will win. They just need to convert the chances they create. They could have scored six goals against Sweden (at the very least), but they only scored two.

I can't help but mention the Russian team. If they play as well in the match against the Netherlands, they will win. They just need to capitalize on the chances they create. They could have scored six goals against Sweden (at the very least), but they only scored two.

With your permission, I'll rephrase it slightly.
If the Dutch play as badly as the Swedes, Russia will win.
But for that to happen, the Dutch team needs to at least get high. :)

WOW, WHAT A GAME!!!!!! I don't envy the Germans (who I'm rooting for)... This is something else... To score in just a few seconds... Well, the Croatians naturally fell apart after that. Why didn't Kovac take the penalty kicks? He seems more stable than the young Rakitic and Modric. I don't know. But the fact remains. It feels like the Turks have real luck on their side.

But for that, you at least need to get high on orange. :)

:smile42: Considering the country you live in, the phrase sounds a bit ambiguous :D
Dutch, Swedes... What's the difference? Russia is currently capable of beating any team, so the main thing is that our players don't get high before the match :)

Yes, it's possible! The main thing is the right mindset and luck, and luck largely depends on skill, but our players don't have much of it; they're all too predictable!

:smile42:
The Dutch, the Swedes... What difference does it make? Russia is now capable of beating any team, so the main thing is that our players don't get high before the match :)

If the result on the football field reflected fan support, I wouldn't doubt Russia's victory. :)
But unfortunately, several other factors of success "rule the roost" on the green rectangle. ;)
Fanaticism is like a drug, allowing one to perceive the incredible as obvious.
Gus laid the foundation for a good team that can shine in 2-4 years with proper preparation. This is his undeniable merit – working for the future, which, it seems to me, is why he was invited by Russian football officials.
Russia's victory at the European Championship is theoretically possible. Let them prove it in practice with good teams in the playoffs.
Because there's no one left to help them (Croatia is out ;) ), and the orange players, unlike the old white ones and the yellow ones who played below their capabilities, are also moving, and not less quickly than their opponents.
P.S. And this is what will happen. The Dutch will occupy the midfield, completely leaving Russia's attack on a meager ration. There will be only one way out – to retreat and play closed football. But Hiddink won't be able to play defensively with this squad – that's not the style he instills in the team.
The Spanish have already demonstrated what open football is, breaking through the standing defense like a tin can. Gus could offer the Dutch a man-marking game as a solution, possibly even with elements of pressing. But will the Russians have enough stamina for such a game for long?! Personally, I doubt it, and the individual class of the players is not good enough to press.
The advantage in the duel between the coaches may be on Russia's side. But for me, the role of the team's coach is like that of a driver in a "Formula 1" race. It's one thing to drive a Ferrari, and another to drive a Minardi.
We can, of course, hope for opposite poles: Akinfeev on one side and Pavlyuchenko (and possibly Arshavin) on the other. But without support from the defense, the first will still be as helpless as in the hockey match against Portugal, and the second will no longer squander chances without direction, because there will be "very few" of them.
And regarding the phrase: "The Dutch, the Swedes... What difference does it make?". There is a difference, and a significant one. I keep repeating that the team plays the way the opponent allows it to. The time of footballing Brazil of the 60s and hockey Canada of the 50s is long gone; there is no such difference in class anymore, and there won't be, especially since the current Russian national team is somehow not comparable to these examples.
And everything else is just a tribune-stadium bravado.

Yeah! :smile11: The Turks are on fire!!! I didn't watch the match because I'm saving my energy for the third quarterfinal!! And after the Portugal-Germany match, I'm in mourning :(

It's impressive how passionately the Turkish national team plays!
This is a true display of team spirit – in 3 out of 4 matches, they scored decisive goals in the last seconds and managed to snatch victories!
Bravo, Turkey!!!

Hello, friends! :)

Yes. The Turks are impressive. I haven't seen such wonders in a long time. Now I'll be rooting for them. And regarding Nzol's words... It's all true. But Russia will win. I can bet any amount of money on it.

Portugal – well done!...so what if they lost...they fought to the end...The Germans were great, of course. The game was amazing...But yesterday (Turkey-Croatia) – I barely made it through the first match...It was so boring, I don't think it's ever been this boring)).

Portugal did great... well, even though they lost... they fought until the end... The Germans were great, of course. The game was amazing... But yesterday (Turkey-Croatia) - I barely made it through the first match... It was so boring, I think it was the most boring game ever.

Boring??!! Did you only watch the main time or did you also watch the extra time and the penalty shootout? There was real drama there!!! And that drama more than made up for all the boredom that was in the main time.