posted Jun 19, 2008

"Leo27" - Don't be ashamed old chap, but vot are you zinking about?

Commonsense tells me that it has to be Portugal; but, as I said before, wouldn't surprise me a bit if it goes the other way.

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posted Jun 19, 2008

"Leo27" you are driving me round the bend. You're certainly not English, maybe a Latvian fishing boat captain?

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posted Jun 19, 2008

Next to the Portuguese over the past few years, the Italians have become downright respectable in comparison. I don't know how these Portuguese players and supporters can live with themselves by winning not through fair competition but cheap little tricks and cheating.

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posted Jun 19, 2008

Portugal may have the flair, but Germany is a team for the big occasion. If the Germans can keep Ronaldo in check (they have a plan for this) then they will win, probably 1:0.

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posted Jun 19, 2008

i believe firmly that portugal wil win.though germany cld pull up a surprise since big boys remain big boys.
but i feel it's time they go home,ie germany

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posted Jun 19, 2008

In my opinion Germany will win over Portugal. Germany has shown the determination to reach the semi-finals of both World cups and European championships regardless of the shape they are in.

Portugal has talents, but it's like the 'poor cousin' of Argentina: both are teams that believe that it is more important to be aggressive, diving, unpleasant, etc. rather than simply display their talents. They like to provoke their opponents, red cards, etc.

Germany is particularly good at putting teams like these in their place, they just do the work, as in World cup final 1990 when they won against Argentina. England, on the other hand, has allowed itself to be provoked and lost their cool..
However, Portugal has often shot itself in the foot by playing dramatics, i.e. it doesn't get results in the end.
In my opinion, if Portugal was to play 'honest', they are in better shape than Germany at the moment. But very likely they will revert to type, and they will loose.
My prediction is that Germany will likely play Croatia in the first semi-final.
Holland will also go through (their problems are never at quarter final level, they come later).
Being Italian, I don't really want to speculate on Italy-Spain! Clearly Spain is very strong,whereas our team has had its..problems..
There must be a reason why, however, Spain has not reached the last 4 in a Euro championship since 1984, and the only entry in a World cup was in 1950 (4th place). I think it is not to do with self-belief, I think that they do not want it enough, and neither do their fans.

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posted Jun 19, 2008

I disagree with all posters who say that there will be a lot of diving. If the Germans continue to play their game without committing fouls, then the Portuguese will be found out, maybe even getting a jellow for diving. Then they will be forced to stop this ugly part of their game.

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posted Jun 19, 2008

exactly!!!

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posted Jun 20, 2008

"I see "fair teh middlin'" is still bitter about the 2006 match (I bet you're only blaming the Portuguese players for that atrocious ordeal) or perhaps its the 2004 semi-final you're bitter about or maybe the World Cup 2002 qualification?"

Of course, it would have been nice to have seen the Germans go -- especially as their fans are always banging on about how consistent they are.

However, 2006 still hasn't healed on account of both the English and, more so, the absurdness of the Portuguese in the Dutch game

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posted Jun 20, 2008

We are not cousins with the hispanic argies. We may be with the brazilians but certainly not with spain and anyone else in latin hispanic america....

Now we need a strict manager that will curb all the diving cheating and injury-faking taht we do. We don't have to do what the italians, argies, spanish, french, germans do. We should behave as the Swedes and Swiss do cos their the best example of excellent behaviour in football. In fact we should look at the Swedes and Swiss for excellent examples in lots of areas outside sports and football.

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