Demitri_C Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Considering that England won't be winning this tournament, and I'm watching a lot of matches as a neutral, I don't think it's particularly bizarre to want the better sides to watch to advance. The Greeks play hideous football and are shit. It's slightly embarassing they've gotten through imo. chindie mate this is absolute nonsense. we deserve to be in the next round. i agree we dont play the best football but no one can question the courage and the fight of our side. russia are a bloody good side and we beat them and prevented them from scoring. they blew the czcchs apart and we managed to get them only to shots from long distance. i for one am not embarrased we have gone through So you'll forgive me for being disappointed that a fun Russian team have fallen foul of a stupid rule on deciding a tie break and a bunch of no-hopers advanced. they knew the rule before kick off they only have themselves to blame. maybe they expected an easy ride against us who knows. but the facts speak for themselves we have been royally screwed by officals in this tournament thuis far. that alone is a achievement for getting through Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I don't understand why a red card that results in a ban is able to be taken off, but a yellow card isn't. One of those stupid rules that makes no sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted June 17, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted June 17, 2012 chindie mate this is absolute nonsense. we deserve to be in the next round. i agree we dont play the best football but no one can question the courage and the fight of our side. russia are a bloody good side and we beat them and prevented them from scoring. they blew the czcchs apart and we managed to get them only to shots from long distance. i for one am not embarrased we have gone through I didn't say the Greeks didn't deserve to go through - they matched the criteria, through they go by the rules of the tournament. I'm just massively disappointed by that fact. I've got nothing against Greece. But I contend that they are poor, poor side. Poor sides beat good ones all the time, thats fair enough. I just think it's a shame, as a neutral, such a bloody bad side advanced. IMO it is embarassing, for the Russians, for the Poles, possibly for the tournament. The Greeks have been crap. they knew the rule before kick off they only have themselves to blame. maybe they expected an easy ride against us who knows. but the facts speak for themselves we have been royally screwed by officals in this tournament thuis far. that alone is a achievement for getting through I didn't say they didn't know the rule. They've **** up, they should have beaten Greece. I personally dislike the rule. In this case, it's lead to the advancement of a side that will make the spectacle of this tournament worse. If I was Greek, I'd be overjoyed (and **** knows they need something to be happy about). But I'm not. I'm interested in watching a fun tournament. Last night was the first Greek game I didn't watch. In the others I've seen a laughable side play. I'd sooner see less of that and more of a fun side, like the Russians were. I won't get on to the refs screwing you angle, poor decisions have been made tournament over. Congratulations to the Greeks for getting through. I'd rather they hadn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Right this group is now history and we can consign it to the archives. 3 poor teams and one average one. The games were a bit better then I thought they would be, but there was a lack of quality in all of them apart from the Russia v Czech one. Good riddance to group A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legov Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 blablabla OT Demitri, but just out of curiosity, are you Greek by nationality, or British but ethnic Greek, or both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I didn't say the Greeks didn't deserve to go through - they matched the criteria, through they go by the rules of the tournament. I'm just massively disappointed by that fact. fair enough but barring the first game have russia been good? i would say the czechs have been the best team of the group I've got nothing against Greece. But I contend that they are poor, poor side. Poor sides beat good ones all the time, thats fair enough. I just think it's a shame, as a neutral, such a bloody bad side advanced. IMO it is embarassing, for the Russians, for the Poles, possibly for the tournament. The Greeks have been crap. we cant be that bad if we managed to draw against the hosts opening game (again just like portugual 2004 which we won) and then beat beat russia something not even the czechs could do I didn't say they didn't know the rule. They've **** up, they should have beaten Greece. I personally dislike the rule. In this case, it's lead to the advancement of a side that will make the spectacle of this tournament worse. If I was Greek, I'd be overjoyed (and **** knows they need something to be happy about). But I'm not. I'm interested in watching a fun tournament. Last night was the first Greek game I didn't watch. In the others I've seen a laughable side play. I'd sooner see less of that and more of a fun side, like the Russians were. fair enough you can understand why. but this si what i am talking about what has whats going on in the country got to do with our national side? i dont hear them talking about spains huge debt or portuguals? as for the rule i think maybe you might have apoint but i guess that rule is set up to prevent such negative teams and try introduce more positive play I won't get on to the refs screwing you angle, poor decisions have been made tournament over. if all these decisions were going against england we would never hear the end of it. remember lampards goal against germany? that was only one instance and look how they went on! Congratulations to the Greeks for getting through. I'd rather they hadn't. fair enough but i am one proud greek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I'd like to see them come up against Germany. Hopefully Merkel will be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanishVillan Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Congrats to the Czechs and the Greeks. Party on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Bye bye massive flag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted June 17, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted June 17, 2012 fair enough but barring the first game have russia been good? i would say the czechs have been the best team of the group The Russians were the best side in the group by a distance imo. If they could finish they'd have a goal difference of about +20. They absolutely trounced the Czechs, should have scored about 4 again against Poland and only conceded from a screamer, and by the sounds of things should have had a few against Greece too. Admittedly the Greeks should have a pen. Had Kerzhakov been firing on all cylinders they'd have walked the group. we cant be that bad if we managed to draw against the hosts opening game (again just like portugual 2004 which we won) and then beat beat russia something not even the czechs could do I don't think anyone from a neutral position can claim the Greeks 'aren't that bad'. Despite results, they've been poor imo fair enough you can understand why. but this si what i am talking about what has whats going on in the country got to do with our national side? i dont hear them talking about spains huge debt or portuguals? as for the rule i think maybe you might have apoint but i guess that rule is set up to prevent such negative teams and try introduce more positive play Greece are a talking point of the world at the moment, it's not a huge leapr to make reference to the country being buggered, the team is the country's representative after all. As for Spain etc not having the debt mentioned, have you not heard reference to Group C as 'the Group of Debt'? if all these decisions were going against england we would never hear the end of it. remember lampards goal against germany? that was only one instance and look how they went on! The Greeks have had poor decisions, so have other teams (in Englands first game the ref was unable to decide minute to minute what constituted a foul. In other games refs have been keen to hand yellows like sweets one minute and turn down cast iron calls the next). It's slightly absurd to make out theres some kind of conspiracy against the Greeks, because they're Greek, like you've suggested. The plus side of our continental leaning supporters here being a bit uptight about the refs, of course, is that whenever someone claims that England is somehow unique for whinging about the ref, I'm pointing to these threads. A Dutch supporter and a Greek in particular fair enough but i am one proud greek And thats unsurprising but please, glance over the top of the Hellenic glasses for a moment - you're probably the worst team in the whole thing and while there have been some poor decisions against you, it's probably the least of your worries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Russia had a soft underbelly though, they blew the Czechs away in two spells of the game, the first half and the final twenty minutes or so. They almost **** it up royally at the start of the second half when the Czechs had a lot of good chances. I dont know whether that was lack of ability from Russia or complacency. I'm willing to bet it was the latter though, and I guess that's what might have done for them last night too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 OT Demitri, but just out of curiosity, are you Greek by nationality, or British but ethnic Greek, or both? i was born in uk, my grandfather was from greece, parents are from cyprus. confusing i know. i support greece, cyprus and england. hopefully it will never come down to me having to choose one in a game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted June 17, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted June 17, 2012 Russia had a soft underbelly though, they blew the Czechs away in two spells of the game, the first half and the final twenty minutes or so. They almost **** it up royally at the start of the second half when the Czechs had a lot of good chances. I dont know whether that was lack of ability from Russia or complacency. I'm willing to bet it was the latter though, and I guess that's what might have done for them last night too. Oh no doubt. I was talking to a mate about them the other night, he reckoned you had to consider them dark horses. I argued they're a good side but had 2 major problems - they've not got a striker or attacking player generally who is genuinely top class/amongst the very best in the world, Kerzhakov being decent, and Arshavin being inconsistant and lazy. And secondly, they're incredibly full of themselves, and believe themselves to be far better than they are, which leads to the complacency that leads to the scares they had in other games, and I agree that it is probably what cost them them ultimately. But I still reckon they were best side in that group. The Poles suffered for having 4 decent players and then a pretty average squad behind them, and being unable to really pressure sides for any length of time. The Greeks are simply poor, fairly well organised but with nothing otherwise, they don't even really have anything approaching the Poles '4 good players'. And the Czechs are just decent across the board barring up top where they're wanting. For all of Russias flaws, I'd have bet on them to beat each of those teams 9 times out of 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Russia are an odd side too. For a country of 140 million people (and approaching 300m people when they were the USSR) you would expect them to have had more success down the years. They always kick ass at the Olympics so they are a sporty bunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Back in the day Russia used to do well at tournaments. They even won the Euros in the 1960s, as well as getting go the semi finals of the world cup a few times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 They got to the world cup semi finals once, in 1966. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted June 17, 2012 Moderator Share Posted June 17, 2012 Their Linesman made the final Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted June 17, 2012 Author Moderator Share Posted June 17, 2012 Their Linesman made the final In more ways than one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Russia are an odd side too. For a country of 140 million people (and approaching 300m people when they were the USSR) you would expect them to have had more success down the years. They always kick ass at the Olympics so they are a sporty bunch. I think Ice Hockey would be their number 1 sport and they are usually in top 4 of World Championships. Woefully underachieved in football for population size but how many great players have they actually produced in say the last 20 years maybe Karpin, Mostovoi and Onopko if was pushing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Is Ice Hockey that big a deal though? It's a bit like Rugby Union where only a handful of countries take it seriously and call it a global sport isnt it? According to the International Ice Hockey Federation Russia have about 60,000 registered Ice Hockey players. (sauce) which is an absolutely tiny percentage (less than 0.05%) of their population. I dont know how many people play for fun and dont get registered or how many attend ice hockey games, or what kind of audiences those games get on TV, but I find it difficult to accept that Ice Hockey is taking millions of people away from football pitches in Russia. I might be horribly wrong of course, but the numbers dont really add up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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