@TStael You're kidding. Watch it again. He runs straight at Ronaldo and aims to knee him. The fact that he happened to hit to ball does not make it OK. That challenge could have been made without risk of injury had Payer chosen to.
0-1 to PT, sans Ronaldo - how's that for a result!
Satisfying in more ways than one, but I did flip off the telly as soon as the said man started strutting about sans shirt promoting his undies, lol.
Not exactly the goal-rich final I was hoping for, but also, if France could not use their luck against DE better than this, well - congrats to Portugal!
@FinneousPJ it is very plausible we both filter per our preferences, a bit at least, but logically, if FR was planning to fiendishly take out Ronaldo, I'd not think they'd use their own key player for it risking sanctions etc.
I cannot say I know Payet before this tournament, but he has not come across as vicious and cynical player to me, so I prefer to think him not so vile.
It did delight me, ever so slightly though that PT only seemed to play better without their superstar, as a team pulled together by great fighting spirit. I like France, and think they have great individual talents, but Dechamps clearly has not managed to nurture particular creativity in their team-play. Another country that needs must kidnap Conte, eh?
Edit: @FinneousPJ - just what you needed for your prediction, right? Congrats on that account, plus for the result that must be very satisfying to ye!
@TStael I'm not saying team FRA was planning anything but Payet had a split second decision where decided to do a dangerous play. If you can't see it you're wrong
@TStael I'm not saying team FRA was planning anything but Payet had a split second decision where decided to do a dangerous play. If you can't see it you're wrong
If you think that was intentional you're blind. Not even a foul
I knew the 24 team format would be a disaster, but I didn't think it would break down this quickly. They need to undo this immediately. The World Cup has now surpassed the Euros as the best show in International Football, and with Chile's heroics the Copa America is quickly catching up.
The unexpected, once again... I was not heavily supporting either of the teams, but I am happy for the portuguese, who achieved what they couldn't in 2004, when their victory seemed already written.
As predicted I got the opposite of the result I predicted. I expected a one-goal victory to France and got a one-goal victory to Portugal. The only thing I failed to not predict was that the match would go into extra time.
Thank you to all the participants, and see you in two years!
P.S. As for the final, I felt that I would be disappointed the day I learned Portugal had beaten Wales. They defeated every team I supported... They remind me Greece from 2004, and I find it funny that it was exactly Portugal who suffered then, and now they're winners in the same style. They finished 3rd in their group, and all this win would have been impossible with 16, not 24, teams on Euro. I agree with @booinyoureyes that this tournament was not as fascinating as the World Cup, and before Euro had always been more interesting than the World Cup... In the same time, it gave us Wales and Iceland, and I have nothing againt Portugal except their playing style. France just was not ready for the final, they didn't live up to the expectations, their manager made mistakes. I agree with this article a lot: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12025/10498270/portugal-win-euro-2016-five-factors-in-france8217s-surprise-defeat
But ... althouth it was not always exciting, it was inspiring. How else to react when a country loses its best player - its greatest ever player - in the early moments, but still proceeds to win a first ever major tournament in his absence? This was a team triumph. The flaws of the favourites contrast sharply with Portugal's resolve. Where Spain were brittle, they stood firm. Where Germany erred, they removed risk entirely. And where France appeared weighed down by the occasion, they rose to it.
You can love and you can hate Ronaldo. But I can't find any footballer like him in history. Even in his injury he still managed to become MotM.
My title defense ended in greater disaster than the Golden State Warriors' AND the Spanish national team at the 2014 World Cup, but I had great fun! Congrats to @FinneousPJ Baldur's Gate Euro 2016 Champion (despite his slandering of Payet's good name )
We should continue a thread for the upcoming season (though it is a mere formality, as Atletico will win everything ). I look forward to the transfer season.
Thank you @Bengoshi . I really enjoyed it. I may have not been around to make predictions at each turn (I spent many nights out watching the games though.) It was cracking.
Personally... I can't wait two years. How do you feel about running one for the Olympic games?
I think he well might, but I perso find it a pity. The reason being: I watched him with bated breath two years back, in World Cup - yet I did not feel the same now, in Euros, two years of maturation and all.
I simply cringed internally that Bogba, whose fan I remain, had not evolved more. As comparison, Müller caught all our attention surely, at his WC debut - and he evolved from thence forward.
My personal and very speculative take is: Pogba might well benefit from "out of comfort zone" exposure unless Juve can do what Bayern M could with Müller. Or should I put this down to Dechamps, the nationla trainer... hum... don't like the feller...
PS. Enjoy holidays + thx a lot for keeping the score! I only wish the final had been less like Germany-Argentina at its least flattering, lol!
I was on vacay for 5 weeks, but I just wanted to revive the thread and thank @bengoshi for setting the up the betting and administrating the scores etc. Well done!
I'm suprised it went so well for me, but congrats to @FinneousPJ on your well-deserved win!
I like your style JB, but as I post this, you must know we shall disagree.
I frankly do not think that the Golden Ball winner should be convicted or suspected of tax evasion. Having a skill without ethics or morality is empty to me, when much of the commercial proposition is based on admiration, borderlining adoration.
If Ronaldo has no solidary to his home nation of Portugal, which is financially struggling and not unconcerned of tax cohesion, I think it makes it only worse. I'd playfully enjoy he'd be condemed to scrub his own statue of pigeon-poo, to compensate his hundreds of millions of a tax sting - and tickets be sold to the spectacle. For the public good, and Portugese tax receipts... ;-)
Just because he is an ok footie player does not mean tax evation is ok too.
@TStael Anyone can be suspected of anything. That shouldn't matter until the suspicion proves correct. Even then, I think a sports award should be based on merit within the sport, not ethics without.
Comments
Except... Zlatan is not in Manchester. Manchester is in Zlatan.
POR 1 FRA 1 POR win on penalties
Did not see any intended malice in Payet tackle though, perso.
Gotta hand it to PT though - France almost seemed more disarrayed following Ronaldo injury. Balance tipped very heavily for FR, obviously.
Satisfying in more ways than one, but I did flip off the telly as soon as the said man started strutting about sans shirt promoting his undies, lol.
Not exactly the goal-rich final I was hoping for, but also, if France could not use their luck against DE better than this, well - congrats to Portugal!
I cannot say I know Payet before this tournament, but he has not come across as vicious and cynical player to me, so I prefer to think him not so vile.
It did delight me, ever so slightly though that PT only seemed to play better without their superstar, as a team pulled together by great fighting spirit. I like France, and think they have great individual talents, but Dechamps clearly has not managed to nurture particular creativity in their team-play. Another country that needs must kidnap Conte, eh?
Edit: @FinneousPJ - just what you needed for your prediction, right? Congrats on that account, plus for the result that must be very satisfying to ye!
I was not heavily supporting either of the teams, but I am happy for the portuguese, who achieved what they couldn't in 2004, when their victory seemed already written.
The final match-by-match prediction rating:
1) @FinneousPJ 38 points
2) me 33 points
3) @Skatan 32 points
4) @Cahir 29 points
5) @Montresor_SP 28 points
6) @booinyoureyes 19 points
7) @Anduin 16 points
8) @TStael 15 points
9) @Argas 8 points
10) @Sparkleav 6 points
11-12) @Pecca and @TheElf 0 points
The final overall prediction rating:
1) @FinneousPJ 101 point
2) @Skatan 83 points
3) me 77 points
4) @Anduin 69 points
5) @Montresor_SP 68 points
6) @Cahir 65 points
7) @booinyoureyes 63 points
8) @Doubledimas 55 points
9) @Sparkleav 26 points
10) @TStael 15 points
11) @Argas 8 points
12-13-14) @mattman , @Pecca and @TheElf 0 points Sorry, @TheElf...
Thank you to all the participants, and see you in two years!
P.S. As for the final, I felt that I would be disappointed the day I learned Portugal had beaten Wales. They defeated every team I supported... They remind me Greece from 2004, and I find it funny that it was exactly Portugal who suffered then, and now they're winners in the same style. They finished 3rd in their group, and all this win would have been impossible with 16, not 24, teams on Euro. I agree with @booinyoureyes that this tournament was not as fascinating as the World Cup, and before Euro had always been more interesting than the World Cup... In the same time, it gave us Wales and Iceland, and I have nothing againt Portugal except their playing style. France just was not ready for the final, they didn't live up to the expectations, their manager made mistakes. I agree with this article a lot: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12025/10498270/portugal-win-euro-2016-five-factors-in-france8217s-surprise-defeat
But ... althouth it was not always exciting, it was inspiring. How else to react when a country loses its best player - its greatest ever player - in the early moments, but still proceeds to win a first ever major tournament in his absence? This was a team triumph. The flaws of the favourites contrast sharply with Portugal's resolve. Where Spain were brittle, they stood firm. Where Germany erred, they removed risk entirely. And where France appeared weighed down by the occasion, they rose to it.
You can love and you can hate Ronaldo. But I can't find any footballer like him in history. Even in his injury he still managed to become MotM.
We should continue a thread for the upcoming season (though it is a mere formality, as Atletico will win everything
Question: Where will Pogba go, and for how much?
Personally... I can't wait two years. How do you feel about running one for the Olympic games?
I simply cringed internally that Bogba, whose fan I remain, had not evolved more. As comparison, Müller caught all our attention surely, at his WC debut - and he evolved from thence forward.
My personal and very speculative take is: Pogba might well benefit from "out of comfort zone" exposure unless Juve can do what Bayern M could with Müller. Or should I put this down to Dechamps, the nationla trainer... hum... don't like the feller...
PS. Enjoy holidays + thx a lot for keeping the score! I only wish the final had been less like Germany-Argentina at its least flattering, lol!
I'm suprised it went so well for me, but congrats to @FinneousPJ on your well-deserved win!
I still remember how he decided to fight on in the final.
I frankly do not think that the Golden Ball winner should be convicted or suspected of tax evasion. Having a skill without ethics or morality is empty to me, when much of the commercial proposition is based on admiration, borderlining adoration.
If Ronaldo has no solidary to his home nation of Portugal, which is financially struggling and not unconcerned of tax cohesion, I think it makes it only worse. I'd playfully enjoy he'd be condemed to scrub his own statue of pigeon-poo, to compensate his hundreds of millions of a tax sting - and tickets be sold to the spectacle. For the public good, and Portugese tax receipts... ;-)
Just because he is an ok footie player does not mean tax evation is ok too.