Fingers crossed…
---------------Plyd----Correct----Almost----Wrong----Pts
mattk----------1--------1------------0------------0--------------3
John L---------1--------0------------1-----------0--------------1
Coldie---------1--------0------------0-----------1--------------0
London C----1--------0------------0-----------1--------------0
Here’s your cigar, London. Now go to bed, just like me 
Good morning fellow footy fans!
This just in: Bierhof is injured and will almost certainly miss the England-Germany match. The question is: is this German reverse-psychology propaganda or true? The training footage that saw him limping about appeared real enough…
The footage of Bierhoff’s injury looked real enough. I worry that his replacement will turn out better than him; I don’t rate him much.
Must-try link: right here.
It’s a pared-down version of the match engine from the game Championship Manager 3, loaded with pre-set squads so that you can play out Saturday’s England-Germany game. I tried an adventurous 3-4-3 formation with Shearer, Owen and Phillips up front. Wiped the floor with the Germans! Shearer scored twice in a 2-0 win, but I had 18 shots on goal compared to their 6. Are you paying attention Kevin Keegan?
Ok, Inzagi, can be a moaning pouter, but he is one of the best players in the world in the last 9 yards…
anyway, Ze Germans Vill Demolish ze English Nancy Boys vit typical German Mulletted effeciency!!!
I’m hearing on the news that not only is Bierhoff (great drinking name) out but the senior players in the German squad are revolting. Well, we know that but they’re also trying to get rid of Matthaus before Staurday’s game - serious rebellion, got to be good news as long as they don’t succeeed in ousting the old grannie.
Won’t be able to update the table on Saturday myself due to technical difficulties - i won’t be able to focus - so if anyone is compos mentos, please feel free.
Onwards to revenge.
I’m watching the game with me Dad, which means a weekend away from the PC as he doesn’t live in London.
---------------Plyd----Correct----Almost----Wrong----Pts
mattk----------2--------1------------1------------0--------------4
John L---------2--------0------------1-----------1--------------1
Coldie---------2--------0------------0-----------2--------------0
London C----2--------0------------0-----------2--------------0
And mattk stretches his lead in this match where the most interesting thing on the pitch was the grass growing. Thank goodness the Swede’s make much more interesting cars, and furniture, and pop music, and…
So, it seems the Germans are playing two big lads up front AND Matthuas.
Think i’d be tempted to go 3-5-2 with Shearer and Phillips starting and with Owen coming on after an hour or so. Any thoughts ?
Just poking my head in here to suggest this way of aligning numbers (the {code} and {/code} vBulletin tags will make the “code” use a monospace font):
......... Plyd .. Correct .. Almost ... Wrong .. Pts
mattk ...... 2 ....... 1 ...... 1 ........ 0 ..... 4
John L ..... 2 ....... 0 ...... 1 ........ 1 ..... 1
Coldie ..... 2 ....... 0 ...... 0 ........ 2 ..... 0
London C ... 2 ....... 0 ...... 0 ........ 2 ..... 0
Arnold,
Thank you very much ! That’s absolutely wonderful and very much appreciated. Sorry if this thread doesn’t make too much sense, it’s kind of like the World Series except it goes on for a month.
All i need now is for my crystal ball to become a little less blury.
Jesus, last night’s game was a turkey (har har). Both sides just hoofing the ball into the air in the hopes someone on their team might get to it and I swear there must have been a good thirty minutes either side of the break without a single shot, on goal or otherwise. Definitely worst game of the tourney … I hope.
A few notes on individidual players: Larsson’s still not quite there, but he had a few nice touches and certainly put in more of an effort than most of the players. Izzet, in his first outing in a Turkey shirt, didn’t make much impression one way or another. Ljungberg (???, cannot be bothered trying to spell Arsenal players names properly) I thought was dire. Turkey’s keeper did well on the few occasions he had to. Unfortunately Tugay (Rangers midfielder) looked pretty good - better than Mjallby …
I honestly can’t decide whether to be even sadder about Ireland not qualifying (because just them being there would have made the game more interesting, to me), or to be happy they didn’t (because with all their injuries this extremely poor Sweden side probably would have beat them!). What do you think John?
I hope that comment wasn’t addressed to me! I’m from Switzerland and know a few things about soccer.
Arnold, I dont think I have to point out the flaws in your last statement about being Swiss and about football
coughcoughcoughChristianGrosscoughcoughcough
coughcoughDutchNationalTeam3Servette0coughcough
Tonight is the the Night that the Dutch kick some Danish Arse! Can’twaitcan’twaitcan’twaitcan’twaitcan’twait!!
Grumblegrumblegrumblegrumble - the clog boys probably will win, what with the piss-poor excuse for a team we’re currently able to muster. Not that I’ll be watching the game, anyway - my Danish girlfriend is visiting this weekend
Well, enjoy your ill-begotten victory - when was the last time you were European champions, anyway ?
S. Norman
- Putz
And you choose sex over football? A match by your own national team, even? Norman, you disappoint me! Surely, your girlfriend, too, will want nothing else then to dream away at the sight of her secretly beloved Jon Dahl Tomasson, full speed on his way to yet another shot 2 meters wide of the post 
Newsflash:
SDMB Posters In “Action In The Box” Sex/Football Metaphor Scandal!
Coldie sez:
- I guess I walked into that one, but it unfortunately demonstrates my level of knowledge in these matters.
Right, time to come out of the closet: I much prefer sex over football. The sad fact is that any televised spectator sport bores the living hell out of me. I’d rather watch a German-dubbed rerun of “Greg & Dharma” for entertainment.
There, you made me admit it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go home, put the champagne in the fridge, take the phone off the hook and get some fresh strawberries to go with the dark Lindt chocolate…
S. Norman
I hope the sex was good mate, because your team’s out of the tournament
The Netherlands 3 - Denmark 0
And dammit, I could even have gotten the score right if that idiot Schoenberg would have had the common decency to make that penalty. This was the first (and probably last) time that I was actually hoping for Van der Sar to miss a penalty
The first half is better forgotten, as both teams failed to impress. The Netherlands played as stiff and nervous as in the match against Czech, and the Danes created some chances, but failed to capitalise on them. The shot that hit the bar was not a problem for Van der Sar, I think. Although he did seem surprised that the ball hit the bar rather than go over it
After the VERY liberating first goal (thank you, messieurs Bergkamp and Kluivert!), The Netherlands finally showed some of the form we’re expecting to see from a tournament favourite. Boudewijn Zenden showed that ideal position is left wing, and Schmeichel showed that it’s time for retirement: why didn’t he try to intercept that pass that enabled Ronald de Boer to score 2-0?
The 3-0 was a very calmly made one by Zenden, after an incredible rush from defender Reiziger.
Points of concern: a bit too many yellow was shown by the Swiss ref, especially on our side. But moreover: goalie Van der Sar was substituted by Liverpool goalman Westerveld five minutes before time. Van der Sar appears to have hurt a leg muscle. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious, although I have enough confidence in Westerveld as a decent goalie.
There’s a huge party going on in my street right now. Quarterfinals, here we come!