Ahem special one, how to go ahmei when someone is so happy at genting? HUH HUH HUH?
It has been an alright Euro2008 so far. Going into the last game of the Quarter finals it looks like that
Germany-Turkey and Russia-Italy/Spain.
Oh wow! where are the favourites France and Portugal? France got out in the Group of Death losing out to Italy and Holland and more embarrassingly even finishing below Romania. Portugal and Holland looked like the true favourites going into the semi finals in which the latter was playing breath-taking football. With an attack like Sneijder-Robben-Van Nistelrooy more like “Real Madrid attack” it was amazing watching them take apart the French and Italian defences and beating them by 3 goals.
Portugal on the other hand had an attack reading Ronaldo-Deco-Simao-Quaresma. Oh wow! It’s such a talented team with fast wingers but somehow I feel that the attack is too light-weighted because they do not have a focal point to aim at. However, they lost out to Germany during the quarters because of their inability to defend set pieces. Sounds familar right? (Yeah, Liverpool) In the end, it hurt them badly and they were not able to recover from conceeding 3 goals.
While many were predicting a Portugal-Holland finals, Germany and Russia had other ideas. Bastian Schweinsteiger rose from the dumps after getting a red card during the qualifying stages with a goal. Klose and Ballack scored from set-pieces from the risen hero and while the defence doesn’t look as solid as the Portugal’s and France’s, their best hope will be to score more goals than the other team.
Russia on the other hand, led by Guus Hiddink, really look special. No wonder Amos said the big man would never coach a team that he doesn’t see potential in. While the defence look like a bunch of unknowns, they actually have the abilty to hold down the free-scoring Dutch to a single goal. Andrei Arshavin is SUPERB. I’m pretty certain many of the top clubs will be looking to prise him away from Zenit St Petersburg. He plays the role behind Roman Pavluchenko and OMG they look better than a Gerrard-Torres partnership (: BIG CLUBS WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
I’m predicting that the Germans will go all the way although I wonder if Russia can spring a surprise. Or maybe the Pirlo and Gatusso-less Italy and find a way to get past Spain and then show the world what the world champs are made of.
Where are the Liverpool players! Reina is the back-up keeper for Spain behind Casillas. Arbeloa and Alonso are also reserve players. Babel and Kuyt are playing wingers for Holland and Kuyt is a surprise choice on the right wing but poor Babel got injured just before the tournament. With England out of the tournament, Gerrard has been resting and I hope when the season starts again he’ll be at his best once again.
Back at home, the transfers have been hotting up. With interests on Alonso, Benayoun, Pennant, Riise and Crouch. I still can’t wait for Liverpool to get a right-winger and some more defensive cover.
It’s going to be a fun fun year (: