# The Euro 2000 thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 10, 2000, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954 "2000-06-10T13:36:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/41 "2000-06-13T15:38:58Z")
What the England team against Germany will be: Seaman / P Neville, Adams, Campbell, G Neville / Wise, Ince, Scholes, Beckham / Shearer, Owen And what it should be, in my humble opinion: Martyn / Barry, Adams, Keown, Neville / Barmby, Gerrard, Scholes, Beckham / Phillips, Owen Seaman will get the nod because he made a couple of vital stops, but he didn’t look at all convincing. He’s turning into a hairy version of Peter Shilton. The Nevilles were just average; Gary has no real replacement, but I’d like to see Gareth Barry given a go just for some “big match” experience. Gerrard for the same reason; get some high-pressure experience for the long-overdue step into Ince’s shoes. Shearer is out not because he’s played badly, but just because his physical style may be too easy for the Germans. I think the forwards need pace and trickery; hoofing the ball at Shearer will be bread-and-butter for the nine-foot-tall German defenders. **Coldfire** , who would be your ideal starting XI from the Dutch squad? Anyone else? Who would you be picking from the countries you support and why? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/42 "2000-06-13T15:49:17Z")
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_E. VAN DER SAR M. REIZIGER\_\_\_\_J. STAM\_\_\_\_F. DE BOER\_\_\_\_B. ZENDEN R. DE BOER\_\_\_\_P. COCU\_\_\_\_E. DAVIDS\_\_\_\_M. OVERMARS \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_D. BERGKAMP\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_P. KLUIVERT ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/43 "2000-06-13T16:03:13Z")
**Coldfire** , have you seen this site? The highlight has to be Dennis Bergkamp’s diary of the tournament; possibly the dullest thing I’ve ever read. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/44 "2000-06-13T16:15:32Z")
Bergkamp boring ? Surley that can’t be true. Actually, he is a little like Steve ‘Interesting’ Davis. Mattk - i’d go along with most of your team even though it sounds a bit too radical all in one go. Can’t understand not picking Cambell though, he was about the good thing that came out of the second half and Keown just isn’t international class. i was also surprised by Neville. P. - never liked him but thought it was the best i’d seen him play - but again, not international class. Bring on the Barmby boy - should have done that instead of Wise when Macca went off. That was a large part of the reason why we lost all shape and purpose ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/45 "2000-06-13T16:50:07Z")
**London\_Calling** , I see your point, but the changes so far are so slow and piecemeal that nothing’s really changing. All of those lads have Under-21 and/or Premiership experience, so I’d be disappointed if they were awed by (gasp) Lothar Matthaus’ pace or (swoon) Oliver Bierhoff’s ball skills. Campbell/Keown is a close call, but Keown seems to have a better mentality, concentrating on defending. Campbell always ends up trying to show off or charge upfield - great against, say, Luxembourg, suicidal against anyone else. I do rate him, though. Phil Neville I thought had a poor game - the odd cross didn’t make up for a generally poor defensive performance. Roll on Saturday, though. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/46 "2000-06-13T17:47:58Z")
So, I’m confused, I didn’t get to see the game, but London\_Calling tells me Phil Neville played well, but mattk says he was crap. Who else saw it? ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/47 "2000-06-13T17:56:55Z")
Probably the dullest game yet, but a surprise result nonetheless. Spain were tricky and threatened to run rings around a side that had (Erik Mykland apart) more in common with a basketball team than a football team. Norway defended from start to finish, despite playing Solksjaer, Flo and Iversen as a front three, although they looked occasionally dangerous on the break. Spain started brightly (especially Etxeberria), but the longer the game went on the more desperate they looked. The goal was completely down to the Spanish keeper, Molina. He came out too far and too late, and Steffen Iversen leapt like a salmon on heat to loop the ball into the net. I hope Spain do better in the next match, because Norway are the visual equivalent of Valium. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/48 "2000-06-13T19:03:12Z")
android - Phil Neville was crap, just the best i’ve seen him play. Didn’t see the Spain vs. Norway game but at least a Tottenham player scored. OK, back to watch the Balkans dust up… ---
**Author:** ![\_oo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e9a140/32.png) [@\_oo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_oo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/49 "2000-06-13T19:34:00Z")
hmmm…stayed up till 4am watching Spain vs Norway, expecting a little more from Solksjaer (cutie-hehe), oh well, i guess they were concentrating more on defending. ---
**Author:** ![PeterB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@PeterB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeterB)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/50 "2000-06-13T19:46:17Z")
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA England SUCK. /me hates football, by and large. Unless Chelsea are playing, because, frankly, they rock. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/51 "2000-06-13T19:56:18Z")
> [@](#): > > … Spain will probably get one or two goals in. 2-0? > > … it should be a complete walkover for the VERY highly skilled Yugoslavian team. They have some of the most terrifying strikers in the tournament. 4-0? Got any more sharp predictions Coldy? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/52 "2000-06-13T20:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > London Calling, It was Norway. The commentator went on to mention (IIRC) Winston Churchill, Neville Chaimberlain, and Enoch Powell. … and Clement Atlee and Lord Beaverbrook. F\*\*king amazing, this Balkans match. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/53 "2000-06-13T20:40:02Z")
Damn right, **Ruadh**. Fantastic match, probably the best yet. Slovenia could and should have won. Yugoslavia had the big-name players and the predators, but Slovenia looked their equal for the first hour. Once Mihajlovic was sent off, with Yugoslavia already trailing 3-0, I was sure it was all over. But then… Slovenia crumbled. Completely. Like they expected to walk it. First Savo Milosevic, on as a sub, then Ljubinko Drulovic, then Milosevic again. Slovenia could have won it in injury time with a header cleared off the line. Yugoslavia looked rampant and walked through the Slovenian defence at ease, but their own wasn’t much better and the keeper didn’t live up to his reputation. I hope the remaining games are this good! ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/54 "2000-06-13T21:12:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > London Calling, It was Norway. The commentator went on to mention (IIRC) Winston Churchill, Neville Chaimberlain, and Enoch Powell. > > … and Clement Atlee and Lord Beaverbrook. > > F\*\*king amazing, this Balkans match. > \*\* Well, i was with him in his train of thought until Enoch and Beaverbrook, then he somehow left me. I’ll put it down to too much Reindeer meat. The Balkans Dust Up: WHAT an amazing match - this sort of thing does’t hapen in real life, does it ? Thought the game similar to England vs. Portugal in it’s openess (err, naivity). Seems like everyone is throwing caution - and tactics - to the wind. Don’t know what’s got into everyone, but i like it (to quote Dick Emery). Please, please Coldie, predict a German win. This is becoming a breathtaking Tournament. Can it continue ?? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/55 "2000-06-13T23:43:33Z")
Hello, my name is Coldfire and I know f\*ck all about football 😃 Yup, those predictions I made this afternoon sucked donkey balls, to put it mildly. Spain were even more naive than England were against Portugal. But at least we can give the English credit for losing to a team that actually plays _football_. God, how I hate the computer-orchestrated chickenshit defense-based Norwegian football. Three strikers, yet they play with 11 man behind the ball. Wankers! Of course Molina messed up greatly with that goal. But the most horrifying part was that Spain kept on trying to force a breakthrough THROUGH THE CENTER (which was packed) and left the outsides unattended. It was like watching 8 year olds play. They can have all the talent and experience in the world, if they keep playing like that, they’re gonna be home in a week or two. Just like in every other European or World Cup that I can remember. Slovenia made a HUGE impression on me, despite Yugoslavia slacking their way through the first half. Their players are much better technically than what I thought they would be. I mean, their top striker plays in Greece, for Gods sake. Who was expecting a team of THIS quality? Certainly not the Yugo squad, by the looks of it. No way did they deserve the draw, after being asleep for most of the match. But is WAS a night of surprises. I honestly don’t know what to predict for Saturday, London\_Calling. On quality, the English squad should win 3-0. But these are GERMANS. The good thing that comes to mind is that the English ARE capable of beating the Germans at their own game: that is, winning by sheer determination in the last 5 minutes. Guess which Champions League match I am referring to 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2000, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/56 "2000-06-14T05:47:57Z")
The one in which a NORWEGIAN scored the winning goal? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2000, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/57 "2000-06-14T08:13:52Z")
One boring as hell match. One great one. This tounament is really looking up!! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2000, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/58 "2000-06-14T08:54:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > The one in which a NORWEGIAN scored the winning goal? 😉 > \*\* Don’t you just love the irony, ruadh?? ROFLMAO 😃 ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2000, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/59 "2000-06-14T09:06:07Z")
That Champions League game was the only time I’ve seen Germans so utterly distraught – terrible shame. Okay, I’ve thought about this and it struck me that at least Coldie had the balls to actually make predictions. Everyone’s got perfect 20/20 vision in hindsight but he courted – and received – ridicule for chancing a view. Think we should all have the balls to do the same so here’s my prediction (and in this Tournament almost anything seems possible at the moment – and that’s just in the last 30 minutes of a game) for tonight’s episode: Italy 2 Belgium 1 Read it and weep in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2000, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954/60 "2000-06-14T09:14:18Z")
1-0 to Italy, with Luc Nilis being sent off for 2 bookable offences. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-euro-2000-thread/21954.md?page=4)