Holy shit! 3-1 ^_^

[yisk]

I am glad, but I have lost 50 dollars! All of us did the rate on a victory of Holland.

To justify creation of this theme here, I shall warn Thomas: after a match of Germany with Turkey there will be terrible fights. So it is necessary to be more cautious!
Turks are barbarians. And when they will start to lose, they will play dishonestly.

[Silfir]

I don't get it. When did Turkey play dishonestly?

If anything, we have to respect their fighting spirit. To turn around not one, but three games in a row despite having been behind is something.

Of course, the Germans practically invented fighting spirit, so there's no way in hell we'll lose. You Russians take out Spain or Italy or whatever so we can kick your asses into the next decade

[warheart]

Gotta replay this, because there's no way Russia will kick our spanish asses in semis, they'll get another 4 goals

Nah, to be honest, I'm quite impressed with Russia's match yesterday. Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko are both so freaking good, and I hope we can take Italy out today to have a rematch.

In the other hand, I don't think Turkey can do anything against Germany, many important players will miss the match.

[PeanutGod]

Germany should be too strong for Turkey to overcome. People are now saying that we shouldn't count the Turks out, but if there is one thing that has remained a constant in football, it's that the German's ALWAYS do well in the World Cup/Euro Cup.

Besides, I want my half nation to stuff the Turks. After those dodgy matches the Turks had when they started attacking people at half time........they've made me sad to support football at times.

Russia yesterday were awesome. Arsene Wenger should now go and buy Arshavin, since he looks like he's going to be a huge star. And Podolski, who is tearing shit up with the Germans.

Italy vs Spain should be a good match tonight, although I think Italy will win it, since Spain always have the same habits as holland, where they do well, then fail to deliver in the big matches. I hope Spain win, but the head says Italy.

[Grey]

Besides, I want my half nation to stuff the Turks. After those dodgy matches the Turks had when they started attacking people at half time........they've made me sad to support football at times.

An Englishman criticises another country's football fans? Such hypocrisy :P

I'm guessing a Germany vs Italy final, with Germany the eventual victors. But Russia really have impressed me - I hope they do well. Still, Holland weren't playing with their best players, and I think under some serious offence Russia will crack. We'll see soon enough though...

[PeanutGod]

Aye, that whole Switzerland vs Turkey game a few years ago has just stained Turkish football in my eyes. Whilst they play with passion, they do get very zealous over the whole thing, as the violence from the Turkish fans and players showed. And I know English football fans are nuts. Can't condone it, but our players haven't ran down into the tunnel after the match and started a fight. It seems going into Turkey to play is a very frightening prospect.

But let's not get into a race war here. I've got nothing against Turkish people before someone starts throwing ideas around. I just think they need to remain a bit calmer.

Hopefully Germany will win the entire thing, but I think Italy will take the crown. I just see them winning the entire thing by a couple of fluke goals and a lot of defending (which is basically what Italy is all about). I hope to god I'm wrong, I really do, since they're boring as hell to watch.

[Grey]

After the last World Cup I especially don't want Italy to win. And with all the corruption scandals that have been going on in Italian football I really don't think they deserve to either.

[Silfir]

When Italy won against France with Romania losing, I started to get this nagging feeling: "That's it. Now the Italians are going to win." It's still there and it sucks. Go Spain, kick their asses.

I'm glad for your trust, but we Germans are pessimists now, ever since losing to Romania 1:5 or only barely beating the Faroes 2:1 in 2004. 2006 helped a lot, but we won't be able to truly believe in our chance to win this cup until we are in the final, ahead by 2 goals in the 89th minute. And even that's only because we won't be playing the Turks in the final.

Mind you, I'm far from seeing us in the final already. Those Turks are going to be real tough to play against, even if they really have to substitute their third goalkeeper in (I heard they had a jersey made for him). Hopefully we'll secure a high enough lead relatively early (by "high enough" I mean 5 goals at LEAST).

Or we just hold the 0:0 until the last minute (without scoring 1:0 in the 119th minute - that was a dumb move, Croatia ) and then win in the penalty shootout.

EDIT: Um, PeanutGod, about that constant of Germany doing well in the ECs... You might check out our results from 2000 and 2004 again. It's true, in the WCs we haven't been taken out in the group stage since 1978 (the "Shame of Cordoba", as it is known). And technically, that wasn't even the first group stage, but the second - We've ALWAYS survived the first group stage in WCs. Not so in the ECs, sadly, that's why a LOT of use were REALLY afraid before the match against Austria.

On the other hand, the last KO-stage match we have lost at an EC was the 1992 final against Denmark.

EDIT2: By the by, I think it blows not to have the English in the tournament. Come back in 2010 so we can have ourselves a nice penalty shootout.

[PeanutGod]

I hate Penalty shoot outs between Germany and England. I never know who to support :P

Silfr - True, 2000 + 2004 weren't great times. But on the whole Germany have always been a very solid team who do well, not so much for their massive skill base (although they do have very skillful players) but more for their brilliant cohesiion and team work. I just hope they beat Turkey.

[yisk]

Turks have other belief. And their belief does not speak them to be tolerant. It should be understood.
By the way, in Russian the word "turk" is abusive since ancient times. And I consider, there were reasons for it...

But I do not wish to start racist conversation. Let's look a match. O____O