Euro: Euro 2016 Final: France vs. Portugal, 7/10/2016

[Panteras]

I wonder if Portugal did not have Ronaldo if people would be putting them down so much. I'd bet this bord would be raving all over them. Sheesh no respect.

 

[Live in the Now]

They only won one game so it's far more likely people would be talking about them even worse if they didn't have Ronaldo.

 

[cgf]

I wonder if Portugal did not have Ronaldo if people would be putting them down so much. I'd bet this bord would be raving all over them. Sheesh no respect.

...he says as though I haven't been defending Portugal's run on this forum.

They got through two very tough teams in the knockouts and ended the Welsh dream. They absolutely deserve to be here, but they sure as f*** got here in an ugly way.

 

[Panteras]

They only won one game so it's far more likely people would be talking about them even worse if they didn't have Ronaldo.

how would they be talking about them worse for not having Ronaldo and having reached a final?

 

[Panteras]

...he says as though I haven't been defending Portugal's run on this forum.

They got through two very tough teams in the knockouts and ended the Welsh dream. They absolutely deserve to be here, but they sure as f*** got here in an ugly way.

but when did i mention anyone in specific.... lol the heck....?

 

[Live in the Now]

how would they be talking about them worse for not having Ronaldo and having reached a final?

Because they wouldn't have even made the final.

 

[Moncherry]

Significant chunks of the Poland match as well...though there they certainly showed more initiative than against Croatia...which were the only two matches they've had where they weren't the bigger side. And even in the group matches and against Wales, they were far too content to just fall back without possession; rarely pressing aggressively, and relying on rapid counter-style attacks over the patient possession game they have the personnel for.

I'm expecting Santos to similarly park a bus against France.

They only played more conservatively against Poland towards the end of the match and in extra-time, like everyone else does.

The first half against Wales was drab but that was more due to both teams not being able to break each other down. They came at them in the second half, got their goals, and then progressively sat back on the counter just like every one else would.

I really don't know what you're on about with the group stage, their attack may have been toothless but the "patient possession game" was literally the entire match against Iceland and Austria. The game against Hungary was quite open so no comment there.

So in reality, Portugal only really set up defensively against Croatia. I won't argue that they have perhaps gotten by despite being underwhelming, the three draws in the group stage and coming in third are indefensible. It actually took a lot of excitement out of the tournament for me in regards to Portugal, until the semis. They're in the final but it's not been quite a memorable experience like some of the other runs they've made.

 

[Blueblood9]

...he says as though I haven't been defending Portugal's run on this forum.

They got through two very tough teams in the knockouts and ended the Welsh dream. They absolutely deserve to be here, but they sure as f*** got here in an ugly way.

I feel like people are undervaluing some of the teams Portugal played. Croatia and Poland are sure as hell better teams then Albania Romania and ireland

 

[YNWA14]

...he says as though I haven't been defending Portugal's run on this forum.

They got through two very tough teams in the knockouts and ended the Welsh dream. They absolutely deserve to be here, but they sure as f*** got here in an ugly way.

I agree to an extent. I think Portugal's 'negative play' has been a bit overstated. I think they've been more unlucky than negative.

But I also think that they're a team that will play any style to win. Portugal have never won a major international trophy and I assume that they'll set-up in whatever way they think gives them the best chance of changing that.

No shame in that, really. It's not pretty but there are lots of teams that don't play pretty football.

 

[Jeffrey]

I feel like people are undervaluing some of the teams Portugal played. Croatia and Poland are sure as hell better teams then Albania Romania and ireland

Well both Croatia and Poland could have been decided by a coin flip.... I know they did not go the distance with Croatia but scoring at the last minute of extra time on a counter is not something you see really often.

Also they were very poor in the group stage.

 

[cgf]

The organization of their possession play in those first two group matches, that they had the ball the whole time in, was dreadful. The control of the ball came purely through their opposition conceding them the ball and sitting very deep; refusing to expose themselves by pressing; not from any proper structure. They had the ball but had no idea how to consistently build up attacks without space to beat teams on the break.

It was exactly as toothless & messy as the croatian possession against them. No structure for the players to fall back on; from which to poke & prod their way to real chances. Just a gaggle of talented players trying to figure it out for themselves anew with each attack.

Portugal haven't just bunkered for literally every minute of every match, like Greece 2004; but they've been very poorly coached when they have had to make the match, and have absolutely relied on that same 'sit deep & hope for counters' strategy to get past every team of similar caliber to theirs.

PS - I have been meaning to re-watch the Hungary-Portugal game though, so I won't comment on that until I do.

 

[Panteras]

Because they wouldn't have even made the final.

but that's not what I said.. I said if they were at this same stage without him if Portugal would get the same hate..

 

[Blueblood9]

Well both Croatia and Poland could have been decided by a coin flip.... I know they did not go the distance with Croatia but scoring at the last minute of extra time on a counter is not something you see really often.

Also they were very poor in the group stage.

Do yourself a favor and rewatch the group matches portugal out played all 3 teams just struggled to finish. Hungry scored 2 lucky deflection. Portugal dominated the Iceland game and just had 1 defensive misstep

 

[Deficient Mode]

Portugal did very well in the group stage but were less convincing in the knockout rounds.

As for this match, Griezmann will score a hat trick to equal Cristiano's Euro record in just one tournament, and do the stupid Cristiano pelvic thrust celebration after the third.

 

[N o o d l e s]

3-1 France

 

[Cassano]

Lol. That is not anything like Greece 2004. Portugal is actually pretty good team and it wouldnt be huge surprise if they won it all.

Eerily similar to 2004 Greece. They'll park the bus and win it using ugly football against the heavily favored host nation.

 

[Evilo]

Portugal did very well in the group stage but were less convincing in the knockout rounds.

As for this match, Griezmann will score a hat trick to equal Cristiano's Euro record in just one tournament, and do the stupid Cristiano pelvic thrust celebration after the third.

Cristiano doesn't hold any Euro record.
It's Platini who has 8 goals in a Euro. Ronaldo doesn't have 9 in 4 Euros, he has 8.
So Griezmann needs two goals to tie Platini.
Of course, Platini did it in 5 games.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Cristiano doesn't hold any Euro record.
It's Platini who has 8 goals in a Euro. Ronaldo doesn't have 9 in 4 Euros, he has 8.
So Griezmann needs two goals to tie Platini.
Of course, Platini did it in 5 games.

Griezmann will only take one European championship to do what it took Cristiano 4 to do. That's all I meant. No one is forgetting about Platini.

 

[Evilo]

What I meant is that Ronaldo doesn't have any record. And only 2 goals between them, not 3.

 

[Panteras]

oh so CR didn't even tie Platini yet? lol I thought people were saying he had. Anyways, I didn't see it, but just looking at the details of that 84 cup one can only imagine Platini singlehandedly won it for France. He scored in every match. Evilo was his performance as dominating as Zidane's in 06?

 

[Evilo]

Yes Ronaldo tied Platini, but I wouldn't say he holds any record since he did it in 4 Euros.

Much more dominating.
Platini was simply unhuman that tournament. Much better than what you'll ever see a player do. Much more dominant than 86 WC Maradona for instance.

But it wasn't a WC, it wasn't against England, he didn't cheat with his hand.

 

[NyQuil]

Inhuman.

 

[TRG]

Inhuman.

Comme en français, le "i" en moins.

 

[Panteras]

well if CR scores in the final will uold the record obviously. But we all know he has not been near anywhere as dominant even in his own team.

 

[Evilo]

Inhuman.

Sorry, Spelling Fuhrer !