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I'd be surprised if Italy beats Spain. Going by what the 11 on the field for each side has shown recently, Spain should win. I don't care what pther players in a Spanish uniform have done in the past. This Spanish team has looked better, therefor they deserve to be the favorites.
I don't buy the resting players hurt them argument. How much time did they have off before the first group game? Rest certainly didn't hurt them there.The Russians just outplayed them. They looked real good in doing so as well.Well, that was certainly disappointing. They outplayed us on nearly all levels and deserved to win. I wonder how much affect it had to bench 9 players in the previous match because the whole team looked totally out of sync and almost out of shape.If Italy beats Spain tonight, and I think they will, all 4 semi finalist will be the runners up of their respective group.
Eh, certainly he's missed a few but I think the announcers are overemphasizing it. I actually think the worst decision this ref made was telling the players to kick it out of bounds. That to me is completely beyond his role. He's just not calling the ticky tacky fouls and letting them play. I think Spain is trying too hard for a whistle and if I was their coach I would tell them to quit dramatizing and play through it. You have to adjust to how a game is being called and this is one reason why Italy does so well on the big stage (this is also one reason why Italy is the most hated national team)....refs do not like to decide games at this point and swallow their whistles quite often. I'm not saying this is right, but it is to be expected. This ref is just not going to call a penalty kick without it being blatant and he wants the game decided on the pitch, which of course plays into Italy's "style."
My ESPN went dead about 5 minutes agoI really dislike Andy Gray. His incessant whining about the referreing is really taking away from anything he has to add to the game. Both teams are diving left and right and I think the calls, no calls have been fine. NO way did Spain deserve a PK for any of those "infractions"Of course I missed the last 5 minutes of regular time and I hope the feed gets back during extra time.
Spain has been getting hacked in the box. They haven't been diving. The only one that I thought might be a dive was when Silva went down before the half, but the replay clearly showed he was stepped on. Were any of them worth a PK? Maybe, maybe not, but the cummulative total sure was.
You can't be serious. I have seen women's games with more contact and less bodies on the grass.My ESPN went dead about 5 minutes ago
I really dislike Andy Gray. His incessant whining about the referreing is really taking away from anything he has to add to the game. Both teams are diving left and right and I think the calls, no calls have been fine. NO way did Spain deserve a PK for any of those "infractions"
Of course I missed the last 5 minutes of regular time and I hope the feed gets back during extra time.
Everybody goes down like they've been shot. That's just modern soccer. The replays have clearly shown that the Spaniards have been getting hacked though. They aren't taking dives. They may be exaggerating injuries, but they definitely have legitimate complaints.You can't be serious. I have seen women's games with more contact and less bodies on the grass.My ESPN went dead about 5 minutes ago
I really dislike Andy Gray. His incessant whining about the referreing is really taking away from anything he has to add to the game. Both teams are diving left and right and I think the calls, no calls have been fine. NO way did Spain deserve a PK for any of those "infractions"
Of course I missed the last 5 minutes of regular time and I hope the feed gets back during extra time.Spain has been getting hacked in the box. They haven't been diving. The only one that I thought might be a dive was when Silva went down before the half, but the replay clearly showed he was stepped on. Were any of them worth a PK? Maybe, maybe not, but the cummulative total sure was.
I think Andy Gray is the best soccer guy out there. Certainly 1000x better than old onion bagMy ESPN went dead about 5 minutes ago
Couldn't agree more - Spain clearly attempted to win the match today while Italy played hoping to get a lucky break or have Buffon win it for them.
Super game against Italy. I watched it in Mexico in an Italian restuarant.
I'll have to respectfully disagree. In fact, I'll take Tommy Smythe 100 times out of 100. I think Andy Gray is pretty much the #### Vitale of soccer. You either like him, or you like the game.I think Andy Gray is the best soccer guy out there. Certainly 1000x better than old onion bagMy ESPN went dead about 5 minutes agoI really dislike Andy Gray.
I actually don't mind Vitale as much after meeting in person. Very soft spoken guy off the camera.I'll have to respectfully disagree. In fact, I'll take Tommy Smythe 100 times out of 100. I think Andy Gray is pretty much the #### Vitale of soccer. You either like him, or you like the game.I think Andy Gray is the best soccer guy out there. Certainly 1000x better than old onion bagMy ESPN went dead about 5 minutes agoI really dislike Andy Gray.
If Italy had won after playing a 9-0-1 all game, and basically wasting 3 hours of everyone's lives, I might have bailed from this tournament (probably not though).The Spain-Russia semifinal could be a lot of fun. Two attacking teams with somewhat shaky defenses. You know Russia is dying to get another crack at Spain after getting smoked in the group stage (without Arshavin). Let's see what difference he makes in the re-match.Couldn't agree more - Spain clearly attempted to win the match today while Italy played hoping to get a lucky break or have Buffon win it for them.
eagles2007 said:
Actually, I think the opposite. I think Tommy Smyth = **** Vitale....a guy who will never say anything bad about someone or critique someone's performance when they play like ####.guru_007 said:I'll have to respectfully disagree. In fact, I'll take Tommy Smythe 100 times out of 100. I think Andy Gray is pretty much the #### Vitale of soccer. You either like him, or you like the game.HellToupee said:I think Andy Gray is the best soccer guy out there. Certainly 1000x better than old onion bagguru_007 said:My ESPN went dead about 5 minutes ago
:sigh:The Kansas Comet said:
This should be a poll. I think both are much better than anyone else broadcasting the games on ESPN, but I would go with Gray over Smythe.guru_007 said:I'll have to respectfully disagree. In fact, I'll take Tommy Smythe 100 times out of 100. I think Andy Gray is pretty much the #### Vitale of soccer. You either like him, or you like the game.HellToupee said:I think Andy Gray is the best soccer guy out there. Certainly 1000x better than old onion bagguru_007 said:My ESPN went dead about 5 minutes agoI really dislike Andy Gray.
I understand that thinking, but as a Germany fan I'm going to say no to that.ConstruxBoy said:Bonzai said:jonessed said:
I sigh in relief following the elimination of Italy from any major tournament. David Villa did piss me off today though. Luca Toni and Villa dove at record highs today, it was ugly. Now if Turkey loses all will be well in the soccer world.
I didn't get to see the game, but I'm going to guess we didn't start our "A" lineup.That being said, I would like to think our bench is capable of better than 1:0 against a team like Barbados.
I'm not so sure about that.I do think Germany will win, but at this stage in the competition, the teams are pretty evenly matched, IMO.
Without looking it up, I think the Soviet Union was decent in the 80s.
Euro Cup 1988 second place, lost to the Netherlands
Yeah I'm well aware.But I don't count out any team who can pull off comeback wins against the Czech Republic and Croatia until the final whistle blows.
) leading the attack, they'd be left terribly vulnerable in the back. By sitting back and letting Spain attack all day, they let the back 4....the Italian strong point...take the pressure off of their midfielders and strikers.
