Great diary Tommy, loving the diversion into Euro 2012.
Please don't compare this Eng squad to '96 though, we're gonna stink the place out. That's the most depressing thing about the Hodgson appointment - complete lack of ambition. Harry would have given us the closest thing to El Tel we could have - whatever happened, it would have been fun to watch.
Now we're gonna be dull, drab, suffocating and die a slow & painful death.
A potential Eng vs Ire quarter final is an enticing prospect though (until we get outplayed & lose). I really hope I'm proved wrong and if we win, no-one will care how we played - just can't see it though.
Also, not being funny - but I can't see a single London landmark in any of those pics!
Believe me, I'm not comparing the two squads, just noting the similarity between the midfield options. I'd love the Irish to do well, going to be watching their game today while with rampant interest.
Regarding the pics, they're really bad. Does anyone (Machka) know how to zoom the camera function on the IPad2? I'm looking out of my kitchen window now and the Shard is just over an inch tall as I see it, which while may not sound like much is pretty big, those photos are coming out smaller than my natural view. My digi camera is in the boxes for the move, along with the rest of my life.
A wet Sunday in the United Kingdom. What better to do than play poker and watch some football. The poker side of today? I sucked worse than a Dyson unemtpied for a decade. Splutter, splutter, smell a little bit. So to the football and Group C's opening matches.
We begin with the reigning champs and favourites for the tournament taking on the only team in world football who get more media pressure than England. Spain versus Italy. Goliath taking on a slightly smaller Goliath. Both are fancied to advance from the group stages and given the history of both teams, especially Italy, you could be forgiven for thinking this would be a dour affair. Spain not picking a recognised striker didn't help expectations.
The game started cagey. La Roja showed their excellence in fits and starts, hiccup fast passing, lightning movement and Anton Du Beke level dancing through the middle of the Azzuri defence. Without a traditional centre forward the play of Silva, Inesta and Fabegas among others dotted the ball around the deck at blink and you miss it speed. However without a real goalscorer on the end of the moves all of their play amounted to frustration with Buffon rarely tested. It was great to witness but so is Schubert's Eighth Symphony, and that doesn't finish either. For their part, the Italians grew into the first half and were arguably the better team when the first half drew to a close. Casillas was the much busier keeper and the Italians clearly felt they could grind out one of their trademark single goal wins.
The second half started quicker, with Italy still the stronger team. A great chance fell to that splitter of opinions in the Premier league, Mario Balotelli. The camera person obviously quite liked Mario, he was focussed on more than any other player. The irony being the look in Mario's eyes seemed to say 'How can I get on TV today?' You know, if he wasn't a supreme athlete I'm pretty sure you'd see him on Big Brother. He had a great chance around the hour mark. Sergio Ramos made an uncharacteristic error and allowed Balotelli through on goal. At this point 'Super Mario' was hit by a time and space wormhole which slowed his running pace down to a crawl. Either that or he thought the Spanish fullback's mentality after losing the ball was similar to his own. Just before the Man City striker finally decided to pull the trigger on the shot, Ramos was back in play with a goal saving tackle. Soon after Balotelli was subbed for Di Natale, the man hounded by the italian press for missing his spot kick in a shootout against the Spainish in a previous tournament. Today was his day for redemption. Igniting the pitch with some much missed pace Di Natale was through on goal, opened up the body marvelously and glided the ball into the corner. Spurred into action Spain found a higher gear and almost immediately equalised, another break neck passing move this time with the finish courtesy of a lively looking Fabregas. And so, in accordance with the prophecy, this game ended with honours even.
We turn to the evening match in Poznan. Ireland and Croatia. Both teams knew that to have a realistic chance of progressing from the group, they had to win this game in the Polish rain. This game is the closed I've seen so far to a Premier League game. Physical challenges conducted with honour, giving and getting in the proper spirit, playing like men rather than children on roller-skates, it was a sweat and spit of a game. Croatia shot out early with a quick headed goal only to be pulled back quite quickly by a classic Irish set piece. But as the game went on the class of the Croatian cavaliers shone bright in the drizzled night. Modric pulled more strings than a master puppeteer and looked so good I've decided to drive him to Manchester just to show him where he'd have to live if he signed for Man U. Yes, lovely Moss Side. Hands off Fergie.
Croatia went on to tear apart the Irish defence both sides of the break, first with a delightful **** over Given off of a failed Irish clearance. The player would have been offside in old money rules as the clearance was just after a Modric shot with Jelavic well off. But apparently he was in phase two. I, like anyone who hasn't digested every fiddle with the regulations of the game, have no idea what this means. Just after the second half started the game was effectively over as a contest, a strong header rico-Shay-ing (sorry about that) into the net off of post and then a helpless Given forehead. Keane was felled later on in the box and a clear penalty wasn't given, which just added to the frustration for the men in green. Despite this, the right team won. So Croatia looked classy and confident, but with sterner tests ahead. And Ireland need to bond together and climb a footballing Everest to advance.
Another day down and only one Group left to play. I wonder who's in that one.
Spain 1 - Italy 1 Fabregas Di Natale
Croatia 3 - Republic of Ireland 1 Mandzukic(2*) St. Ledger Jelavic
*For Fantasy Football people, some people are marking one of Mandzukic's goals as a Given OG. I think they are wrong as the ball was heading into the net off of the post anyway but check your Fantasy Football listings for that ruling.
Good luck with the house move BTW....hope it all goes to plan without any hitches. Actually, house moving is in the top 3 most stressful things you do in your life, apparently. The other two are getting hitched and watching Engerrrrrrr...land in major footy tournaments
*For Fantasy Football people, some people are marking one of Mandzukic's goals as a Given OG. I think they are wrong as the ball was heading into the net off of the post anyway but check your Fantasy Football listings for that ruling. Posted by TommyD
Still lurking and enjoying the blogs Tommy, nice work.
As for Euro2012, I've found this first round of games very entertaining, it's got the makings of the best international tournament in years, putting aside whatever England might do.
I fancy we could actually have a good run, though to watch, maybe not as pleasing on the eye as most other teams, a bit like my beloved Stoke City!
As for your Mandzukic / Given opinion, I have the opposite view, where I was thinking how could anyone consider giving a goal to Mandzukic for a an attempt that was not on target?
Without the intervention of Given the ball was obviously destined to roll along the goal line, hit the other post and be cleared to safety by an Irish defender
Cheers TD. Really enjoying your reports. Good luck with the house move BTW....hope it all goes to plan without any hitches. Actually, house moving is in the top 3 most stressful things you do in your life, apparently. The other two are getting hitched and watching Engerrrrrrr...land in major footy tournaments Posted by MAXALLY
Is that watching England on the BBC or on ITV? I have my own opinions on that matter, and I have a feeling they will appear in a report very soon. Both have their plus points. Both, in my opinion, have huge minus points to their coverage.
Thanks for your good wishes on the move, it's this week. I've been living out of boxes for a fortnight now, that's why I haven't changed my underwear. Well it's one of the reasons.....
*For Fantasy Football people, some people are marking one of Mandzukic's goals as a Given OG. I think they are wrong as the ball was heading into the net off of the post anyway but check your Fantasy Football listings for that ruling. Posted by TommyD
Still lurking and enjoying the blogs Tommy, nice work. As for Euro2012, I've found this first round of games very entertaining, it's got the makings of the best international tournament in years, putting aside whatever England might do. I fancy we could actually have a good run, though to watch, maybe not as pleasing on the eye as most other teams, a bit like my beloved Stoke City! As for your Mandzukic / Given opinion, I have the opposite view, where I was thinking how could anyone consider giving a goal to Mandzukic for a an attempt that was not on target? Without the intervention of Given the ball was obviously destined to roll along the goal line, hit the other post and be cleared to safety by an Irish defender Posted by TheDart
Cheers for the comments Darty
On the goal/own goal, I disagree it was hitting the other post and coming out. My reaction when you had that side on camera shot was that the ball was angling in and if there was nothing to inhibit it, the ball would have hit the inside netting on the other side of the goal. My only concession is that the ball would have hit the goal line on the way (2/3 over it IMO but still not in yet) and if there was an immense amount of side spin then it may have spun onto the post. I just don't think the ball would have that much spin though in that spot.
It'll be interesting to see that angle again, I was sure at the time but as always ready to be proved wrong.
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Cheers for the comments Darty On the goal/own goal, I disagree it was hitting the other post and coming out. My reaction when you had that side on camera shot was that the ball was angling in and if there was nothing to inhibit it, the ball would have hit the inside netting on the other side of the goal. My only concession is that the ball would have hit the goal line on the way (2/3 over it IMO but still not in yet) and if there was an immense amount of side spin then it may have spun onto the post. I just don't think the ball would have that much spin though in that spot. It'll be interesting to see that angle again, I was sure at the time but as always ready to be proved wrong. Posted by TommyD
As we agree to disagree, I guess it would be somewhat underhand to bring up that you felt the Portugal effort that hit the bar and came down on the line was initially in, so I won't mention that ;
You haven't got Shay Given in your fantasy team by any chance?
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : As we agree to disagree, I guess it would be somewhat underhand to bring up that you felt the Portugal effort that hit the bar and came down on the line was initially in, so I won't mention that ; You haven't got Shay Given in your fantasy team by any chance? Posted by TheDart
Haha. Doesn't quite help your case that as my initial reaction here was own goal. We'll agree to disagree, trying to find the goal on YouTube but UEFA have been very quick to block anything on there.
Do you reckon your report will make the early edition of tonight's papers? Am looking forward to your take on the game in your inimitable style.
Just a quick note as well Moss Side is the blue side of town, future United players reside in Alderley Edge or Prestbury, absolutely stunning area of the country so Mr Modric will be welcomed most warmly as & when.
Hope all goes smoothly with the move & doesn't interfere too much with my enjoyment you bring to Euro 2012
Hi Tommy, Do you reckon your report will make the early edition of tonight's papers? Am looking forward to your take on the game in your inimitable style. Just a quick note as well Moss Side is the blue side of town, future United players reside in Alderley Edge or Prestbury, absolutely stunning area of the country so Mr Modric will be welcomed most warmly as & when. Hope all goes smoothly with the move & doesn't interfere too much with my enjoyment you bring to Euro 2012 Cheers again Mike Posted by Woogie8688
Haha, nh, WP.
i don't write the reports until after all of the day's play and after I bust my nightly MTTs. Yesterday's should have been up earlier but I had to tape the Irish game as the GF decided the last ever episode of Desperate Housewives was more important.
#whipped
I'll try to get them up as soon as I can, they normally take about 15-20 minutes to write, edit and post. But if I somehow manage to get a deep run in the MTTs they will be late. However after my performance yesterday I wouldn't be too worried about that.
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Haha, nh, WP. i don't write the reports until after all of the day's play and after I bust my nightly MTTs. Yesterday's should have been up earlier but I had to tape the Irish game as the GF decided the last ever episode of Desperate Housewives was more important. #whipped I'll try to get them up as soon as I can, they normally take about 15-20 minutes to write, edit and post. But if I somehow manage to get a deep run in the MTTs they will be late. However after my performance yesterday I wouldn't be too worried about that. Posted by TommyD
I need an early night tonight ffs!
Plus not sure how many more steak dinners you can buy me in Vegas with all the run good vibes I give you!
FT bubbled the main. FT-ed and cashed in the £110 BHer. If I had held it together a bit longer I would have turned a decent profit into a good profit but hey ho, it's all learning.
Day 4. The place? The Ukraine. The reason? To chase some leather around a field with other sweaty men. And so we turn to the final group in the European Championships. Group D.
First up it was England versus France. England came in with an unprecedented lack of expectation, I doubt it'll last. France themselves are on the comeback from a change of generation, the old generation famous for implosion, the new generation looking fresh, exciting but undoubtedly expected to implode at some point.
With the camera firmly fixed upon a man who cannot line up for two games, the match began. France started the stronger, Nasri the controlling force for the men in blue. They probed, they prodded without real bite in the early going. The one scare came when Hart let a catch slip through his fingers. The English nation held it's breathe, really not wanting another in the recent string of fatal keeper errors. The England took the game by the throat. Well, maybe not by the throat, but at the very least they tugged at the lapell. The new blood of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Young started to show some invention, Wellbeck seemed to slowly grow in stature as the caretaker Rooney and England forced the first real chance of the game. A zippy move played in Milner who rounded the Keeper and the goal was as unprotected as a buffet at a SPT. Sadly he could not gorge. But England were boosted and they went on to make the breakthrough. A poor challenge by Evra led to a Gerrard free kick from out wide. Now Stevie G as the nearly unintelligible Jamie Carragher calls him, is Captain for a reason. He knows that with the scores tight and the first decent freekick of the game, you should always aim for the biggest target you can. May I introduce the forehead of Joleon Lescott. The Liverpool man delivered perfectly for the former Everton defender to out-muscle Diara with ridiculous ease, leap like a salmon at the back post and put England ahead.
Sadly for England it was not to last. Not even to last long. Within ten minutes France were level. Ribery, a figure who drifted in and out of the entire game, was the lynchpin in a move that forced two thirds of the England team practically into the six yard box. The ball found it's way back to Nasri whose laser-like effort slipped past the England backline and into a disappointed Hart's near post side.
They second half was a much more cagey affair with France arguably the better side, but not by a long way. Gerrard and Parker cleaned up most of the midfield, yet in the sweltering heat both teams looked sapped of strength on the seventy minute mark. Much has been made of the refereeing with accusations of bias in favour of France. Not to dwell on these things but one thing that can be said was that Mr Rizzoli viewed an ill-timed challenge which caught man while honestly going for the ball as a bookable offence. He viewed a clip to end a move in the middle of the park but not risk any injury as just a foul. Not everyone's philosophy of how the game should be played or what is a worse challenge, but that was his outlook.
The game drifted into a stalemate that honestly I think both teams would have taken before the match started. They should have just done a deal at the coin flip and put Back To The Future on the screen for players and fans to enjoy instead.
And we finish the debut games with Co-Hosts Ukraine taking on Sweden. Both teams featured a talisman frontman captain. Both teams felt this was a game they had to win to qualify. Which doesn't explain why the first half was a messy affair. Neither team taking the bull by the horns, Ukraine looking nervous as one of the hosts. The best chance for either team fell to their talismans, or is that talismen? Doesn't matter, both Ibrahimovic and Shevchenko fluffed their lines and a more or less uneventful first half drew to a close. I can only assume in the break that both skippers retired to a room together and watched that Back To The Future DvD which should have been at the earlier game. Because both men found their touch in the second half.
First it was Ibrahimovic, displaying clever movement in the box to peel away from his marker and tap in from close range. Sweden were ahead, the crowd dismayed, the riot police on stand by, the Ukrainian escorts as interviewed by The Sun in the most ridiculous piece of sensationalism begun to ring the paper exclaiming their dismay at a potential loss of earnings that night. However their own legend was still on the pitch and despite feeling every ache and pain of a long career, he still had goals in them there boots. First it was a deft headed goal to level the score. The crowd erupted, the riot police let out a sigh of relief, the escorts got off the phone. Then a corner was swung in and the Swedish defender at the far post inexplicably decided to move away from said post, allowing enough of a gap for 'The Shevster' as Chelsea fans never called him to power another headed goal into the net and the Ukrainian fans into delirium.
The scorer of that brace left the field to a standing ovation, he will forever be their legend and deserved that moment. Ukraine held on to take te early lead in that group. Sweden hit a speedbump which may be too bumpy to climb over.
So that's every team seen and a tournament exceed expectations to this point. It might well be a good football summer after all.
I was told a funny rumour yesterday by a site regular who was railing me. Now he may have been pulling my leg as he has form for being a joker but I did sense he was being serious. If not then congrats man, you sold that bluff to perfection. I thought I better make a quick statement on it in case someone has been spreading this rumour because it is woefully inaccurate.
For those of you who don't know I am a Moderator on the Sky Poker forum.
As a Mod I do not receive any extra Cash4Points, nor do I know of any other Mods who do.
Also I have not received a hoody for being a Mod. I did get a Sky Poker Hoody around the same time as I became a Mod but this was for winning the UKOPS Christmas main Event, I got a Hoody and a lovely bracelet for the win.
Also I have not received a special Mod Cap. Seriously, a cap? Do people honestly think us Mods put on a special cap before we delete a drunken Friday night thread?
I have not received any goodies, either financial or merchandise, for being a Mod. I Mod for free because I am trying to help the forum run smooth and be fun and informative for everyone Whether or not people think I am any good is up to you guys, but that's what I am trying to do.
When I agreed to become a Mod I always said I would be totally transparent when it comes to stuff like this. I didn't ask the Reg who started this rumour as I didn't want to put him in a awkward spot, but I would like to let the rumour starter know they can freely PM me, post here or ask me at a SPT. I don't bite. Unless you ask nicely.
Lol at the rumours. For clarification, it was not me! But you did tell me once that the boom switch you were given after signing your 'we are the mods' papers did help you bink your Vegas seat............stir stir stir.
Nice reports from last night Tommy. Lol at the rumours. For clarification, it was not me! But you did tell me once that the boom switch you were given after signing your 'we are the mods' papers did help you bink your Vegas seat............stir stir stir. Posted by MAXALLY
haha, I guessed it wasn't you mate. You'd ask me to my face, probably over a beer, more than likely in my round. You doing Blackpool?
Oh and everyone knows I knew where the boom switch was long before I became a Mod
I was told a funny rumour yesterday by a site regular who was railing me. Now he may have been pulling my leg as he has form for being a joker but I did sense he was being serious. If not then congrats man, you sold that bluff to perfection. I thought I better make a quick statement on it in case someone has been spreading this rumour because it is woefully inaccurate. For those of you who don't know I am a Moderator on the Sky Poker forum. As a Mod I do not receive any extra Cash4Points, nor do I know of any other Mods who do. Also I have not received a hoody for being a Mod. I did get a Sky Poker Hoody around the same time as I became a Mod but this was for winning the UKOPS Christmas main Event, I got a Hoody and a lovely bracelet for the win. Also I have not received a special Mod Cap. Seriously, a cap? Do people honestly think us Mods put on a special cap before we delete a drunken Friday night thread? I have not received any goodies, either financial or merchandise, for being a Mod. I Mod for free because I am trying to help the forum run smooth and be fun and informative for everyone Whether or not people think I am any good is up to you guys, but that's what I am trying to do. When I agreed to become a Mod I always said I would be totally transparent when it comes to stuff like this. I didn't ask the Reg who started this rumour as I didn't want to put him in a awkward spot, but I would like to let the rumour starter know they can freely PM me, post here or ask me at a SPT. I don't bite. Unless you ask nicely. Posted by TommyD
Considering who asked my guess is the rumour was started a second earlier in that person's head. Hook, line & sinker!
Comments
Believe me, I'm not comparing the two squads, just noting the similarity between the midfield options. I'd love the Irish to do well, going to be watching their game today while with rampant interest.
Regarding the pics, they're really bad. Does anyone (Machka) know how to zoom the camera function on the IPad2? I'm looking out of my kitchen window now and the Shard is just over an inch tall as I see it, which while may not sound like much is pretty big, those photos are coming out smaller than my natural view. My digi camera is in the boxes for the move, along with the rest of my life.
We begin with the reigning champs and favourites for the tournament taking on the only team in world football who get more media pressure than England. Spain versus Italy. Goliath taking on a slightly smaller Goliath. Both are fancied to advance from the group stages and given the history of both teams, especially Italy, you could be forgiven for thinking this would be a dour affair. Spain not picking a recognised striker didn't help expectations.
The game started cagey. La Roja showed their excellence in fits and starts, hiccup fast passing, lightning movement and Anton Du Beke level dancing through the middle of the Azzuri defence. Without a traditional centre forward the play of Silva, Inesta and Fabegas among others dotted the ball around the deck at blink and you miss it speed. However without a real goalscorer on the end of the moves all of their play amounted to frustration with Buffon rarely tested. It was great to witness but so is Schubert's Eighth Symphony, and that doesn't finish either. For their part, the Italians grew into the first half and were arguably the better team when the first half drew to a close. Casillas was the much busier keeper and the Italians clearly felt they could grind out one of their trademark single goal wins.
The second half started quicker, with Italy still the stronger team. A great chance fell to that splitter of opinions in the Premier league, Mario Balotelli. The camera person obviously quite liked Mario, he was focussed on more than any other player. The irony being the look in Mario's eyes seemed to say 'How can I get on TV today?' You know, if he wasn't a supreme athlete I'm pretty sure you'd see him on Big Brother. He had a great chance around the hour mark. Sergio Ramos made an uncharacteristic error and allowed Balotelli through on goal. At this point 'Super Mario' was hit by a time and space wormhole which slowed his running pace down to a crawl. Either that or he thought the Spanish fullback's mentality after losing the ball was similar to his own. Just before the Man City striker finally decided to pull the trigger on the shot, Ramos was back in play with a goal saving tackle. Soon after Balotelli was subbed for Di Natale, the man hounded by the italian press for missing his spot kick in a shootout against the Spainish in a previous tournament. Today was his day for redemption. Igniting the pitch with some much missed pace Di Natale was through on goal, opened up the body marvelously and glided the ball into the corner. Spurred into action Spain found a higher gear and almost immediately equalised, another break neck passing move this time with the finish courtesy of a lively looking Fabregas. And so, in accordance with the prophecy, this game ended with honours even.
We turn to the evening match in Poznan. Ireland and Croatia. Both teams knew that to have a realistic chance of progressing from the group, they had to win this game in the Polish rain. This game is the closed I've seen so far to a Premier League game. Physical challenges conducted with honour, giving and getting in the proper spirit, playing like men rather than children on roller-skates, it was a sweat and spit of a game. Croatia shot out early with a quick headed goal only to be pulled back quite quickly by a classic Irish set piece. But as the game went on the class of the Croatian cavaliers shone bright in the drizzled night. Modric pulled more strings than a master puppeteer and looked so good I've decided to drive him to Manchester just to show him where he'd have to live if he signed for Man U. Yes, lovely Moss Side. Hands off Fergie.
Croatia went on to tear apart the Irish defence both sides of the break, first with a delightful **** over Given off of a failed Irish clearance. The player would have been offside in old money rules as the clearance was just after a Modric shot with Jelavic well off. But apparently he was in phase two. I, like anyone who hasn't digested every fiddle with the regulations of the game, have no idea what this means. Just after the second half started the game was effectively over as a contest, a strong header rico-Shay-ing (sorry about that) into the net off of post and then a helpless Given forehead. Keane was felled later on in the box and a clear penalty wasn't given, which just added to the frustration for the men in green. Despite this, the right team won. So Croatia looked classy and confident, but with sterner tests ahead. And Ireland need to bond together and climb a footballing Everest to advance.
Another day down and only one Group left to play. I wonder who's in that one.
Spain 1 - Italy 1
Fabregas Di Natale
Croatia 3 - Republic of Ireland 1
Mandzukic(2*) St. Ledger
Jelavic
*For Fantasy Football people, some people are marking one of Mandzukic's goals as a Given OG. I think they are wrong as the ball was heading into the net off of the post anyway but check your Fantasy Football listings for that ruling.
Posted by TommyD
Still lurking and enjoying the blogs Tommy, nice work.
As for Euro2012, I've found this first round of games very entertaining, it's got the makings of the best international tournament in years, putting aside whatever England might do.
I fancy we could actually have a good run, though to watch, maybe not as pleasing on the eye as most other teams, a bit like my beloved Stoke City!
As for your Mandzukic / Given opinion, I have the opposite view, where I was thinking how could anyone consider giving a goal to Mandzukic for a an attempt that was not on target?
Without the intervention of Given the ball was obviously destined to roll along the goal line, hit the other post and be cleared to safety by an Irish defender
Thanks for your good wishes on the move, it's this week. I've been living out of boxes for a fortnight now, that's why I haven't changed my underwear. Well it's one of the reasons.....
On the goal/own goal, I disagree it was hitting the other post and coming out. My reaction when you had that side on camera shot was that the ball was angling in and if there was nothing to inhibit it, the ball would have hit the inside netting on the other side of the goal. My only concession is that the ball would have hit the goal line on the way (2/3 over it IMO but still not in yet) and if there was an immense amount of side spin then it may have spun onto the post. I just don't think the ball would have that much spin though in that spot.
It'll be interesting to see that angle again, I was sure at the time but as always ready to be proved wrong.
You haven't got Shay Given in your fantasy team by any chance?
i don't write the reports until after all of the day's play and after I bust my nightly MTTs. Yesterday's should have been up earlier but I had to tape the Irish game as the GF decided the last ever episode of Desperate Housewives was more important.
#whipped
I'll try to get them up as soon as I can, they normally take about 15-20 minutes to write, edit and post. But if I somehow manage to get a deep run in the MTTs they will be late. However after my performance yesterday I wouldn't be too worried about that.
Day 4. The place? The Ukraine. The reason? To chase some leather around a field with other sweaty men. And so we turn to the final group in the European Championships. Group D.
First up it was England versus France. England came in with an unprecedented lack of expectation, I doubt it'll last. France themselves are on the comeback from a change of generation, the old generation famous for implosion, the new generation looking fresh, exciting but undoubtedly expected to implode at some point.
With the camera firmly fixed upon a man who cannot line up for two games, the match began. France started the stronger, Nasri the controlling force for the men in blue. They probed, they prodded without real bite in the early going. The one scare came when Hart let a catch slip through his fingers. The English nation held it's breathe, really not wanting another in the recent string of fatal keeper errors. The England took the game by the throat. Well, maybe not by the throat, but at the very least they tugged at the lapell. The new blood of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Young started to show some invention, Wellbeck seemed to slowly grow in stature as the caretaker Rooney and England forced the first real chance of the game. A zippy move played in Milner who rounded the Keeper and the goal was as unprotected as a buffet at a SPT. Sadly he could not gorge. But England were boosted and they went on to make the breakthrough. A poor challenge by Evra led to a Gerrard free kick from out wide. Now Stevie G as the nearly unintelligible Jamie Carragher calls him, is Captain for a reason. He knows that with the scores tight and the first decent freekick of the game, you should always aim for the biggest target you can. May I introduce the forehead of Joleon Lescott. The Liverpool man delivered perfectly for the former Everton defender to out-muscle Diara with ridiculous ease, leap like a salmon at the back post and put England ahead.
Sadly for England it was not to last. Not even to last long. Within ten minutes France were level. Ribery, a figure who drifted in and out of the entire game, was the lynchpin in a move that forced two thirds of the England team practically into the six yard box. The ball found it's way back to Nasri whose laser-like effort slipped past the England backline and into a disappointed Hart's near post side.
They second half was a much more cagey affair with France arguably the better side, but not by a long way. Gerrard and Parker cleaned up most of the midfield, yet in the sweltering heat both teams looked sapped of strength on the seventy minute mark. Much has been made of the refereeing with accusations of bias in favour of France. Not to dwell on these things but one thing that can be said was that Mr Rizzoli viewed an ill-timed challenge which caught man while honestly going for the ball as a bookable offence. He viewed a clip to end a move in the middle of the park but not risk any injury as just a foul. Not everyone's philosophy of how the game should be played or what is a worse challenge, but that was his outlook.
The game drifted into a stalemate that honestly I think both teams would have taken before the match started. They should have just done a deal at the coin flip and put Back To The Future on the screen for players and fans to enjoy instead.
And we finish the debut games with Co-Hosts Ukraine taking on Sweden. Both teams featured a talisman frontman captain. Both teams felt this was a game they had to win to qualify. Which doesn't explain why the first half was a messy affair. Neither team taking the bull by the horns, Ukraine looking nervous as one of the hosts. The best chance for either team fell to their talismans, or is that talismen? Doesn't matter, both Ibrahimovic and Shevchenko fluffed their lines and a more or less uneventful first half drew to a close. I can only assume in the break that both skippers retired to a room together and watched that Back To The Future DvD which should have been at the earlier game. Because both men found their touch in the second half.
First it was Ibrahimovic, displaying clever movement in the box to peel away from his marker and tap in from close range. Sweden were ahead, the crowd dismayed, the riot police on stand by, the Ukrainian escorts as interviewed by The Sun in the most ridiculous piece of sensationalism begun to ring the paper exclaiming their dismay at a potential loss of earnings that night. However their own legend was still on the pitch and despite feeling every ache and pain of a long career, he still had goals in them there boots. First it was a deft headed goal to level the score. The crowd erupted, the riot police let out a sigh of relief, the escorts got off the phone. Then a corner was swung in and the Swedish defender at the far post inexplicably decided to move away from said post, allowing enough of a gap for 'The Shevster' as Chelsea fans never called him to power another headed goal into the net and the Ukrainian fans into delirium.
The scorer of that brace left the field to a standing ovation, he will forever be their legend and deserved that moment. Ukraine held on to take te early lead in that group. Sweden hit a speedbump which may be too bumpy to climb over.
So that's every team seen and a tournament exceed expectations to this point. It might well be a good football summer after all.
England 1 - France 1
Lescott Nasri
Ukraine 2 - Sweden 1
Shevchenko(2) Ibrahimvic
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