DAY 11 - D-DAY - Italy v France & Romania v Holland

Strangely I'm not nervous at all...

Expected line-ups?

I think we might see this:



Or this:


Maybe Cassano will save the day but it will all be in vain like 4 years ago

Romanian manager Piturca said during today's press conference he doesn't want to be informed of the score of the Italy v France match, because he's not going to manage his team in a different way because of the score in another match...

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:I think we might see this:

Buffon
Zambrotta Panucci Chiellini Grosso
Gattuso Pirlo De Rossi
Cassano
Toni Di Natale

Most likely, expect I would like to see Ambrosini over Gattuso.

Only a win would do, coz Romania are not losing tomorrow... I am hoping they draw with Holland. So Italy will have to beat France in regulation time, for the first time in 30 years!

Don Leo wrote:Romanian manager Piturca said during today's press conference he doesn't want to be informed of the score of the Italy v France match, because he's not going to manage his team in a different way because of the score in another match...

Yeah right, I bet by the second half he will be glued to his radio if Romania are not winning by then

This is about our B-team at the moment (with Vennegoor excluded because he's pinchhitter/supersub & Robben, who needs playing time, from the A team). Either Marco's plays something like this or maybe more likely he's 'strengthen' this team by a few starters.

-----------------Stekelenburg-----------------
Melchiot-----Heitinga-----Bouma-----de Cler
----------De Zeeuw------Engelaar-----------
Van Persie--------Afellay------------Robben
--------------------Huntelaar------------------

bluenine wrote:

Don Leo wrote:Romanian manager Piturca said during today's press conference he doesn't want to be informed of the score of the Italy v France match, because he's not going to manage his team in a different way because of the score in another match...

Yeah right, I bet by the second half he will be glued to his radio if Romania are not winning by then

Found it a strange remark too. Even if he doesn't want to know the for real (which I do not believe) Romanian fans will make him aware if things are going their way, so if he doesn't hear anything he knows he still needs a goal.

bluenine wrote:

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:I think we might see this:

Buffon
Zambrotta Panucci Chiellini Grosso
Gattuso Pirlo De Rossi
Cassano
Toni Di Natale

Most likely, expect I would like to see Ambrosini over Gattuso.

Only a win would do, coz Romania are not losing tomorrow... I am hoping they draw with Holland. So Italy will have to beat France in regulation time, for the first time in 30 years!

We didn't beat you for 30 years either...

Just to explain the permutations for tomorrow:

Scenario 1. If Romania win, they go through, the result of the other game does not matter

Scenario 2. If Romania draw with Holland, then:
a)if France win, they go through
b)if Italy win, they go through
c)If Italy and France have a draw, then Romania go through

Scenario 3: If Romania lose to Holland by 3 goals or less (except 3-0)
a)if France win, they go through
b)if Italy win, they go through
c)if Italy and France have a goalless draw, Romania go through
d)if Italy and France have a score draw, Italy go through

Scenario 4: If Romania lose to Holland 3-0 or by more than 3 goals
a)if France win, they go through
b)if Italy win, they go through
c)if Italy and France have a draw, Italy go through

So most likely, Romania are goin through!!

Grazi, that's very clear. I'll print that & distribute it among the guys I'm watching with so there will not be discussions about what's going to happen...

Don Leo wrote:This is about our B-team at the moment (with Vennegoor excluded because he's pinchhitter/supersub & Robben, who needs playing time, from the A team). Either Marco's plays something like this or maybe more likely he's 'strengthen' this team by a few starters.

-----------------Stekelenburg-----------------
Melchiot-----Heitinga-----Bouma-----de Cler
----------De Zeeuw------Engelaar-----------
Van Persie--------Afellay------------Robben
--------------------Huntelaar------------------

I think Sneijder could start in place of Robben ..

Huntelaar will score

What about this bullshit:

from bbc.co.uk:

Italy and France face the unprecedented prospect of a penalty shoot-out to determine who finishes third in Group C if the two sides crash out on Tuesday.

World champions Italy and France face each other in the final Group C match with both almost certainly needing a win if they are to make the last eight.

But if Romania beat Holland, ending the pair's progress hopes, a draw would not separate the teams in the standings.

Therefore, a shoot-out would be played even though both sides would be out.

It would be the first time in tournament history two teams who have been eliminated from a competition would have to play out a penalty shoot-out for the purposes of determing future co-efficient points.

The co-efficient can affect a team's seeding for future international tournaments.

However, it is just one potential scenario in a whole host of permutations from the final round of matches in Group C.

Here, BBC Sport details what could happen...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/italy/7457863.stm

Penalties to decide who's the ultimate loser....

Oh boy, the humiliation

(not that it's going to happen anyway)

For the most important game in Romania's recent history:

--------------Lobont
Contra--Tamas--Ghionea--Rat
---------Codrea---Chivu
Nicolita-----Cocis----Mutu
----------Marius Niculae

Let' hope for an other 1-0. And this is what a romanian sport paper predicted after the draw, months ago.


http://i0.data.gsp.ro/47E44317DA74AC78186BB00A85324BA17/mare.jpg

Bluey
Maybe I am just plain stupid but scenario 4c:

France - Italy 0-0
Romania - Holland 0-3

1 Holland 3-9 10-1
2 Italy 3-2 1-4
3 Romania 3-2 1-4
4 France 3-2 1-4

results without the Dutch
Italy 2-2 1-1
Romania 2-2 1-1
France 2-2 0-0

Why are Italy to go through then? Isn't it all square between Romania and Italy?

They are through because the coefficient of Italy is higher?

@ ricardo, yes to your last question, it is explained in the bbc link in don leo's post

110% wrote:@ ricardo, yes to your last question, it is explained in the bbc link in don leo's post

tnx mate,
I wanted to verify because the link was from the BBC...

Don Leo wrote:This is about our B-team at the moment (with Vennegoor excluded because he's pinchhitter/supersub & Robben, who needs playing time, from the A team). Either Marco's plays something like this or maybe more likely he's 'strengthen' this team by a few starters.

-----------------Stekelenburg-----------------
Melchiot-----Heitinga-----Bouma-----de Cler
----------De Zeeuw------Engelaar-----------
Van Persie--------Afellay------------Robben
--------------------Huntelaar------------------

IF you'd asked the average Dutch fan 2 months before the tournament, i think he'd have put about 5 of those players in his first team!

Sacchi Issues Plea To Van Basten

"We're hoping, dear Marco, to thank you not only for the beautiful soccer that your team is displaying, but also for the favor you could do for your old teammate Roberto and all your Italian admirers. With respect, admiration and friendship, Arrigo,"

Cesare Maldini: “Van Basten can forget about Milan job if Holland lose tonight”

“Van Basten has a two year contract [with Ajax after the Euros] but I know that after he wants to come to coach in Italy.

“Will it be at Milan? We will see. But for sure he will want to arrive in Italy with a clean slate, and he cannot do this by losing to the Romanians on purpose.”

Basta! 1 more word from Italy & we should start:

--------------------Midget------------------------
RVN---------VDV---Vennegoor-------Huntelaar
------------------van der Sar--------------------
-----------Timmer-------------Stekelenburg-----
Engelaar----------------------------------Melchiot
------------------Boulahrouz----------------------

I am afraid if we put Vennegoor in the back he probably play as brilliant as a world class defender like John Terry!

If Cesare Maldini really said that I indeed hope we lose with 20-0 and my evening will be even better to see the Italians to take penalties against France who is the better LOSER...

Why Italians cannot stop bribing for at least one day....?

I dont have the feeling that we are gonna play an EC match today

That's what the plebs choose for tonights match!

I have great hopes for Italy and France, I would love to see tons of goals and Italy winning of course.

Yeah a 4-4 is really going to happen with these two teams

ANyway, imo we should win as well! Otherwise, after we won the ec, this will be our Australia.

And the Germans will be moaning again!

Italian press speculates that the line-up will be as follows:

(4-3-1-2): Buffon; Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso; Gattuso, Pirlo, De Rossi; Perrotta; Toni, Cassano.

Afellay wrote:

Cesare Maldini: “Van Basten can forget about Milan job if Holland lose tonight”

“Van Basten has a two year contract [with Ajax after the Euros] but I know that after he wants to come to coach in Italy.

“Will it be at Milan? We will see. But for sure he will want to arrive in Italy with a clean slate, and he cannot do this by losing to the Romanians on purpose.”

What Cr@p is this !

Just for that I want us to lose

Axeslammer wrote:

Afellay wrote:

Cesare Maldini: “Van Basten can forget about Milan job if Holland lose tonight”

“Van Basten has a two year contract [with Ajax after the Euros] but I know that after he wants to come to coach in Italy.

“Will it be at Milan? We will see. But for sure he will want to arrive in Italy with a clean slate, and he cannot do this by losing to the Romanians on purpose.”

What Cr@p is this !

Just for that I want us to lose

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This can't be real

Axeslammer wrote:

Afellay wrote:

Cesare Maldini: “Van Basten can forget about Milan job if Holland lose tonight”

“Van Basten has a two year contract [with Ajax after the Euros] but I know that after he wants to come to coach in Italy.

“Will it be at Milan? We will see. But for sure he will want to arrive in Italy with a clean slate, and he cannot do this by losing to the Romanians on purpose.”

What Cr@p is this !

Just for that I want us to lose

Read his quoutes Axe. the headline is not exactly what he said but is concluding i think. the last part where he says:

“Will it be at Milan? We will see. But for sure he will want to arrive in Italy with a clean slate, and he cannot do this by losing to the Romanians on purpose.”

This is where they get it from and its perfectly understandable. but no way is Van Basten going to do that. i think Maldini means that if the dutch show clear intent of trying to lose then he shouldnt come but that is not going to happen.

Yef wrote:


That's what the plebs choose for tonights match!

has Boulahrouz been varnished?