Have to say I got really pissed off watching the portugese actors, diving again and again.They're far worse than the italians, and apparently have no respect for the sport they are participating in.Thank god that the ref didn't fall for it, although he should at least have given Ronaldo a booking for his hollywood performance.

Shame on you portugal.

I second that completely, mrbogeyman. Watching a football match like that is a pleasure. It may not be one of the most spectacular matches I've ever seen, I'll remember forever Brazil-Italy in 1982 for that matter, but I'm happy to see matches that are still played in a way that suspends all of my doubts on the real sportsmanship of football for some time, and I'm not talking about Italian football, but about the whole football movement.

Good Game Italy! YOu deserved the win because of your great experience of Lippi and a good play. Well, and you had the last luck needed to get this done b4 penalties.

NOW GO AND GET THAT DAMN CUP FOR THE SAKE OF GERMAN-ITALIAN FRIENDSHIP!! (AND THE PIZZA!! )

Great Fight, germany, no one expected us that far in the tournament, and this is only the beginning

I personally saw a thrilling game, couldnt get up of my chair, was cheering, screaming everything.. and OMG, what an ET... In the end... a country in sadness... but also proud and HAPPY about that great worldcup, and because that loss wasnt cheated or anything. It was a fair game with two great fighting teams! To be the unluckier team, or the a bit uncooler team maybe, isnt that bad. Now we bring this Worldcup to a great end with a great party, the world will never forget!

Quote from Shotglass :

italy played with 2 rows of 4 for almost 90 minutes and only got close to the german goals with counterattacks (pretty much not at all during the 2nd half) ... aka catenaccio

lippi wisely gave up on that in the extra time which eventually caused the whole game which was very even up to that point to turn around

Then this mean that germany played more with catenaccio then Italy, if u see how many times tryied to kick the ball directly to the goal...

3 times? 4 times? in 120 minutes!!!!
At least we tryied about 1 dozens of times...


Please think more and without prejudices before complaining about Italy's matches.

Both played as hard as they can. It was a fun match.
Catenaccio hasnt no more used during last 40 years here. lol

Quote from SpaceMarineITA :

Then this mean that germany played more with catenaccio then Italy, if u see how many times tryied to kick the ball directly to the goal...

germany did play good ol midfield football ... until the extended time german coutnerattacks were a rare sight
italy however only acted from their very strong defensive lines that usually didnt cross the midline at all and tried to score goals with fast counterattacks ... which is the very essence of catenaccio

Quote :

At least we tryied about 1 dozens of times...

almost all of which were offside

Quote :

Both played as hard as they can. It was a fun match.
Catenaccio hasnt no more used during last 40 years here. lol

oh come on youre in complete denial ... it might not be the classical 7-2-1 catenaccio of the 60s but its still the same basic tactic relying on a very stong defense (8 men in this game) with almost no options to develop an attack due to the lack of offensive players (only totti and toni for most of the initial 90 minutes)

klose, podolski, schweinsteiger, frings, schneider, ballack, kehl, mertesacker, lahm, metzelder, borowski, odonkor, neuville, freidrich...well done guys!!!

nobody would have expected us to go that far...great job!

ij the end, it was pure luck on the italian side, congrats to italy and good luck in the final.
but iÄm produ of our young team!

Quote from Shotglass :

germany did play good ol midfield football ... until the extended time german coutnerattacks were a rare sight
italy however only acted from their very strong defensive lines that usually didnt cross the midline at all and tried to score goals with fast counterattacks ... which is the very essence of catenaccio



almost all of which were offside



oh come on youre in complete denial ... it might not be the classical 7-2-1 catenaccio of the 60s but its still the same basic tactic relying on a very stong defense (8 men in this game) with almost no options to develop an attack due to the lack of offensive players (only totti and toni for most of the initial 90 minutes)

Are you joking...?

1) This goes without any argument, you clearly don't know what cattenacio is at all. If Italy played in the cattenacio style they would have had players booked, and Germany certainly wouldn't have got the 2 chances they did get in the 1st half which came 'cause Italy were stretched after attacking.

2) Err... you realise that most of Italy's attacks involved Grosso, Zambrotta, Perrotta and Camoranesi (1st two full backs, 2nd two midfielders). Italy's best chances in the first half involved these players.

Anyway, i won't post here anymore it will annoy me too much. Good game Germany and i can't wait 'til the 3rd place playoff and final at the weekend.

Quote from vladimir :

klose, podolski, schweinsteiger, frings, schneider, ballack, kehl, mertesacker, lahm, metzelder, borowski, odonkor, neuville, freidrich...well done guys!!!

Don't forget Lehmann he was superb throughout the knockout stages .

Quote from joshdifabio :

Don't forget Lehmann he was superb throughout the knockout stages .

**** ME! i forgot lehmann...my very hero...guess i thought i had placed him first.

Quote from joshdifabio :

...

cant be helped if you seriously dont see how a 8-1-1 is catenaccio

Where I watched the game (~900 people) we were all pretty mad at the german players, thoughout the complete game.
Everyone awaited the same team as against Argentina. Well, that team was propably already playing the finals or something... Lots of errors, few will to go after balls, lack of ability to work together, though technically and physically just as fit as before.

For neutral fans this was propably a great game as the teams were very even. So .
But a good hint: If you want to beat france (which I hope you do!) the italian team has to get better pretty fast!
Let the pasta beat the baguette!

Vain

Quote :

cant be helped if you seriously dont see how a 8-1-1 is catenaccio

If they had played that way, you would be right. They didn't though and thus you are wrong. Btw, in the ET, Italy had three strikers plus del Pierro as a substitute. Italy played a very controlled offensive game and was a little better as that than Germany. A deserved win by the slighty better of two very good teams.

Normally the German play is very ugly but they win. This time we played more attractively and lost. I don't know which is better.

Sad Day. I really wanted Germany to go through. Didn't see the game, but reading here, sounded like a good game.

Now I only have 1 team to support, (atm ) and thats goto be France.

I have a Dream ( Seeing Cristiano Ronaldo crying as they loose in Semi's )

Well what a boring game, but for me, Justice is Served. To be fair to the lad, Ronaldo was on fire in the 1st half, and while there was 66,000 people jeering at him also. I am glad France made it, and lets hope for a good final. How can the Portuguse Team and Manager complain about that penalty, is anybody's guess. That was as about as clear cut penalty as you can get.

A quote I saw today, that did make me giggle:

Quote from BBC Sport :

Ronaldo may have cried in Munich - unfortunately for him and his talent, many others were laughing

Portugal should have concentrated more on actually trying to score, than on trying to dive a penalty. It sometimes really looked ridiculous, when the ball came in from the side, and instead of jumping for a header, they fell down by themselves...

Go France!

Quote from Shotglass :

cant be helped if you seriously dont see how a 8-1-1 is catenaccio

Which match have you seen?

I saw Italy playing with 4 4 2 (but with totti advanced at 3/4 of the field) during regular times and 4 3 3 during ETs

You don't know of what are you speaking.

Stupid Thierry Henry again :hide:

Anyway, here's a video, made at the Portuguese (spelling?) training field
Click!

SpaceMarine, I think there's no need to argue over that, everyone has his/her particular view of a football match like that, you just have to take a look at major newspapers worldwide. This was, overall, a tactical victory, although luck played its role, but all newspaper refrain from calling Italian game style 'defensive', while praising the Italian defense. El Pais was particularly hard with the German team. As for bragging about a possible outcome for the final, I'll stay quiet. I'm not superstitious, but as you know, the ball is round. You never can tell, and this semifinal teaches a lesson.

Quote from Fordman :

Sad Day. I really wanted Germany to go through. Didn't see the game, but reading here, sounded like a good game.

Now I only have 1 team to support, (atm ) and thats goto be France.

I have a Dream ( Seeing Cristiano Ronaldo crying as they loose in Semi's )

Couldn't find better words for this

Quote from hrtburnout :

Anyway, here's a video, made at the Portuguese (spelling?) training field
Click!

Thats a Classic

Cristiano Ronaldo official GIF

http://www.phlos.com/ovh/cristianoronaldo.gif

Quote from Hoellsen :

If they had played that way, you would be right. They didn't though and thus you are wrong.

for the most part they did ... if you cant see that the few times they switched up their system and went on the offensive with the support of a few defenders is what separates them from teams like sweden or england which are completely stuck with one tactical system unable to break out of it and surprise their opponents
all of that doesnt change the fact that for most of those initial 90 minutes there were 8 defenders completely shutting off the italian half

Quote :

Btw, in the ET, Italy had three strikers plus del Pierro as a substitute. Italy played a very controlled offensive game and was a little better as that than Germany.

i was talking about the first 90 minutes ... towards the end and during the et lippis genious idea of breaking up the catenaccio and gradually change the system to an incredibly effective 6-0-4 was the reason for our loss

Quote from SpaceMarineITA :

I saw Italy playing with 4 4 2 (but with totti advanced at 3/4 of the field) during regular times and 4 3 3 during ETs

it was an 8-1-1 with totti playing as a libero not as a striker
calling it a 4-4-2 is completely ignoring the fact that the first line of 4 was usually placed within the 16m and the second line directly in front of them ... thats 2 defensive lines not one defensive and one midfield

Quote from Phlos :

Cristiano Ronaldo official GIF

http://www.phlos.com/ovh/cristianoronaldo.gif

They are coming thick and fast now

Oh go on then, let me have a go

Quote from hrtburnout :

Stupid Thierry Henry again :hide:

Anyway, here's a video, made at the Portuguese (spelling?) training field
Click!

I played soccer like 8 years ago and we had that kind of training too...