Euro 2008 - Last roll of the dice...

[Dirko]

GROUP A
Poland are through
Portugal are through unless Finland beat them in the last game by 9 goals...

GROUP B
Italy & France are through

CROUP C
Greece are through
Down to Turkey and Norway...Turkey are ahead by a point. Goal difference is the same.
Turkey play Bosnia-Herzigovnia, whilst Norway play Malta. If Turkey win seeya Norway. If Norway win
and Turkey draw or lose seeya Turkey...If Norway draw and Turkey lose then Norway need to outscore
Turkey to get through...ohh the tension

GROUP D
Czech Republic & Germany are through

GROUP E
Croatia are through
England need a point and they are through. Russia need England to lose and them to win and they are through.
Israel could make it but would have to make up a 11 goal difference...
England play Croatia, Russia play Andorra. Andorra are as leaky as a old boat, so Russia should win. England will choke
at Wembley and send the Russians through

GROUP F
Spain & Sweden are through unless Northern Ireland beat Spain by 10 goals and Sweden lose to Latvia.

GROUP G
Romania & the Oranje are through (KNVB !!!!) aka the Netherlands....

[mighty_tiger_79]

after the other morning I think the POMS will get what they deserve

they will be playing the scots in a friendly

[JK]

Good to see Lamps has come out already and expressed concern about the English supporters turning on them - Yeah, there's a positive outlook!!

[johntheclaret]

Settle down fella's.

Croatia has nothing to play for.

We'll be there.

[Dirko]

Croatia has nothing to play for.

What a incentive to knock out the Poms, they (Croatia) will bring their "A" game hopefully...

[JK]

Settle down fella's.

Croatia has nothing to play for.

We'll be there.

Now come on Johnnyboy, we all know the heartache that follows the Poms on the big stage, particularly in this sport ... I actually think they'll be right, but ya never know ....

[devilsadvocate]

What can be said........

1st goal - Carson = ABSOLUTE HOWLER!!!!! No excuses for that one.
2nd goal - DISGRACEFUL defending by England.

I think Mr Mclaren can clear his locker at half time.

[Dirko]

Well England have done it...LOST 3 - 2 v Croatia...
Russia are in having beaten Andorra 1 nil......

England 2-3 Croatia
For England
Lampard (pen) 56
Crouch 65

For Croatia
Kranjcar 8
Olic 14
Petric 77

OUCH !!

[devilsadvocate]

Unbelievable. Great fighting spirit to get back into the game. Then that cracker from Petric (who scored 4 against Andorra).

In all reality though, England didn't have the results to go through, and tonights performance was not at the standard required. Sure players were missing, but I still think they still have the quality on the park, but just can't put it together.

Will be interesting to see the media fallout. Who will cop it most - Carson or McLaren?

[Dirko]

GROUP A
Poland & Portugal are through.

GROUP B
Italy & France are through

CROUP C
Greece & Turkey are through.

GROUP D
Czech Republic & Germany are through

GROUP E
Croatia & Russia are through.

GROUP F
Spain & Sweden are through.

GROUP G
Romania & the Oranje are through (KNVB !!!!) aka the Netherlands.

KEY RESULTS
From last nights games, England knocked out by Croatia winning and the Russkies getting over the line against Andorra. Norway won easily so did Turkey hence seeya Wegs. All other groups pretty well decided.

[JK]

Will be interesting to see the media fallout. Who will cop it most - Carson or McLaren?

Wayne Bridge should be copping the biggest brunt of it imho ... His defending was woeful and he was too slow, he played the second goalscorer (Petric maybe?) onside, and gave him plenty of other opportunites.

Opening goal a howler by Carson, no question, perhaps could have done better on the last one also but the defender's should have closed the goalscorer down before it got anywhere near the net.

How the Poms missed the likes of a Terry or Carragher at the back ... Also looked sloppy in many other area's from what I saw - SG didn't look to have the greatest game and Joe Cole spends more time diving than Ellen Degeneres!!

Makes the Aussie's World Cup result look pretty good though

[Dirko]

Makes the Aussie's World Cup result look pretty good though

No wink needed. Australia can match it with the big boys, and what we lack in talent make up in heart something England lacks....

[JK]

Makes the Aussie's World Cup result look pretty good though

No wink needed. Australia can match it with the big boys, and what we lack in talent make up in heart something England lacks....

You gotta wonder how much of England's inability to hang tough comes via the collective psyche (not just limiting to soccer either) ... They seem to struggle with the weight of expectation of a large and in many cases, fickle, supporter base.

[blink]

I can't believe a team with so many good players can perform so consistently woeful!

Glad I don't live in a country where this has come to be expected of most of their international sporting teams...

[Dirko]

I can't believe a team with so many good players can perform so consistently woeful!

Glad I don't live in a country where this has come to be expected of most of their international sporting teams...

Yeah as CP said the English "fan" base heap a whole lotta expectations on them...Any football side would falter if the weight is too great.
Very similar to Spain. Once they get to a tournament they always crumble...

[mighty_tiger_79]

best result given the terrible tradgedy of last sunday morning!!!!!!!!

[devilsadvocate]

English press are crucifying McLaren today. They won't stop until he's gone IMO. Even the Croatian coach is heaping it on McLaren especially surrounding his tactics. Playing 4-5-1 was stupidity and it wasn't until Defoe (btw, I'm not talking it up because he's spurs, just saying they needed 2 up front) came on as second striker that the Poms really looked like breaking through.

And yes English fans can be fickle, but I think sport fans the world over are fickle.

Look at the way so many turned on the Aus cricket team in '03 when we didn't make the finals of our own one-day series.
Look at the killing of Pablo Escobar after scoring an own goal in the '94 World Cup.

It will be a VERY quiet summer in 2008 in the UK. Wimbledon anyone?.......

[redden whites]

I assume this ends the debate that ONLY the Italians dive also.

[devilsadvocate]

I assume this ends the debate that ONLY the Italians dive also.

He did have his shirt pulled, but I've seen flies that are harder to knock over!

[Dirko]

English press are crucifying McLaren today. They won't stop until he's gone IMO.

He's GAWN !!

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65599,wa ... acked.aspx