Euro 2024

[Bobfoc]

I'm going to say no because it would undermine my point and make me look less clever.

[Adam]

That stat from Matterface about Germany being the first hosts eliminated in the Quarter Finals is completely misleading, isn't it? Because Austria/Switzerland and Poland/Ukraine hosted 2008 and 2012, and all presumably went out in the groups?

[Szumi]

Neither France or Portugal have been even average in this tournament I feel like. Still reckon France to edge this purely because Portugal keep handicapping themselves by playing Ronaldo.

[Mad Jack]

8 hours ago, Baddar said:

Demiral wasn't so fortunate. Immediate 2 game ban.

Well... one grabbed his crotch. The other used a neo-fascist salute taken from a death squad that the European Parliament declared a terrorist group.

[lanky316]

Should have just pretended he was a huge Babymetal fan.

[Chris2K]

This has "last five minutes Pepe/Ronaldo winner" written all over it.

France are seemingly incapable of creating a decent chance, are being so careless with possession, and have Maignan to thank that they're not two behind.

[Chris2K]

Now they have chances! And nobody to score them.

[Kyle]

Reaching the end of my tether with extra time tonight, this better have the decency to end in penalties.

[Szumi]

Not sure why Portugal insist on playing with 10 men every match and having no ST up top.

 

Seriously, Robert Martinez caters everything about this side to Ronaldo, who is well past it. He's ancient and awful. Portugal playing with Jota or Ramos up top would be very, very scary.

[Malenko]

Just now, Szumi said:

Not sure why Portugal insist on playing with 10 men every match and having no ST up top.

 

Seriously, Robert Martinez caters everything about this side to Ronaldo, who is well past it. He's ancient and awful. Portugal playing with Jota or Ramos up top would be very, very scary.

I'm in a WhatsApp group with my friends from back when I lived in Portugal. They spend 90% of the time making fun of how bad he is atm. I remember one of them screaming (capital letters) that fucker gotta miss now because he didn't want him to be the undeserving hero in that penalty vs Slovenia. People I talk to who actually like and watch the sport want him to be dropped. It's not like if Roberto Martinez dropped him he would be sacked. Fernando Santos did drop him in the last world cup and Ramos did well in his absence.

[Szumi]

What a missed opportunity by Portugal there. I cannot believe how stretched France let themselves be there.

[Bobfoc]

I'm in two minds about this. I don't want France to win, but I also don't want Ronaldo to win.

[Chris2K]

I fully expect Portugal to win this shoot-out. France don't feel like they have any natural penalty takers on the pitch.

7 minutes ago, Chris2K said:

I fully expect Portugal to win this shoot-out. France don't feel like they have any natural penalty takers on the pitch.

I'm sorry Jules Koundé, I wasn't familiar with your game.

[Bobfoc]

It looks as though France have done their research on Costa. They're sending him the wrong way a lot.

[gunnar hendershow]

Imagine how much of a blowout that would've been if Portugal had a striker.

[Chris2K]

12 minutes ago, Chris2K said:

I fully expect Portugal to win this shoot-out. France don't feel like they have any natural penalty takers on the pitch.

Quality analysis as always. Bye Ronaldo!

Imagine if we were watching the winners celebrating, instead of a loser sulking.

[Malenko]

Just now, Chris2K said:

Quality analysis as always. Bye Ronaldo!

I wish it was that simple. He says he still wants to play the world cup. Roberto Martinez won't tell him no.

[Adam]

5 great penalties. Three of them by defenders too!

[gunnar hendershow]

1 minute ago, Malenko said:

I wish it was that simple. He says he still wants to play the world cup. Roberto Martinez won't tell him no.

Not if his presence causes them to fail to qualify which is a realistic proposition.

[Malenko]

8 minutes ago, gunnar hendershow said:

Not if his presence causes them to fail to qualify which is a realistic proposition.

Doubt it. 16 european qualifiers for the new World Cup. They'll most likely still be there. Regardless, obviously he's annoying, conceited, arrogant, and some bad things as well, but from 2008 to 2016 there's not much you could do. Portugal was in midst of a rebuild after the end of the mid 90s to mid 2000s generation and Cristiano Ronaldo was leagues ahead of everyone else in Portugal (and most of the world, realistically). Now, he's just static in the area most of the times, and he doesn't even get his fair share of goals anymore (when it matters he obviously does not) and there are quite a few good individual midfield players in the portuguese national team that could create lots of chances for a striker that actually moves around into open spaces and knows his role. What a fuckin' waste.

 

EDIT: Also, he's a massive Sol Campbell.