Uhohspaghettio wrote on 06/17/12 at 21:19:30:


Please be more specific. What was the large amount of luck with regards to the NL? I do not think that if a team loses all three of its group games that this has anything to do with good luck or bad luck. GER outplayed NL and NL essentially stopped playing and kicked it back a notch after they scored against POR. The NL played way to lethargic against POR and looking at all the counters and changes of POR they deservedly won.


Uhohspaghettio wrote on 06/17/12 at 21:19:30:


Can't agree with that. In the GER-NL game, Germany had the qualitatively and quantitavely better chances and I would rather call the NL lucky for not going down with 4 or more goals (remember the header from Badstuder and the free kick from Schweinsteiger in the first half, or Hummels solo or Klose almost getting the ball from the NL goalie to name a few?).

I do see your your point with the NL-DEN game. That was tragic.

In summary, in my opinion, in two games (against POR and GER) the NL were the weaker team, but probably should have won against DEN.


It will be interesting to see what will happen next with the Elftal. I would imagine that van Marwijk will have to go and probably that van Bommel's international career is over as well. But otherwise I wonder what else will happen. The main players aren't getting younger. 

Sneijder is currently 28, Robben 28, van der Vaart 29,  Huntelaar 28, van Persie 28, de Jong 27.

What do you guys think? Will this cast of "characters" try again in 2014 in Brazil?

Plan C activated - cheering for Malmö FF's old gold trainer Roy Hodgson.

The Danes would've needed Rommedal to get anywhere - the big teams just have too many good replacements on the bench while smaller countries feel every injury.

C. Ronaldo was the best player today in both matches.

1-1 Portugal-Netherlands so far, it appears that this game will have both sides with an advancing strategy.

Willempie wrote on 06/17/12 at 17:32:10:


But the Greeks beat Russia

  1. internal result                      
  2. internal goal difference               
  (if more than two teams tied)                         
  3. most goals made internaly    
  (if more than two teams tied)   
  4. goal difference (total)               
  5. most goals made (total)    
  6. Uefa-coefficient                        
  7. Fair play during the tm                  
  8. coin flip

Uhohspaghettio wrote on 06/17/12 at 15:42:44:


Or even better, in for example Spain - Ireland, after 20 minutes Ireland scores with a beautiful header, the Spaniards offer a draw and everybody goes home...

Imagine if in football they brought in a rule where the teams could agree to a draw early... 

They would line up, kick-off, pass it around the back for a while and suddenly the captain of one side would put out his hand for a draw, the other would accept and they would all go home. And a win is only worth twice as much as a draw again. I wonder how long it would remain the world's most popular game.