Comments on: Europop 2008: Group B - Germany 0 Poland 0

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:01:40 +0000

What did I tell you about writing off the Germans?

By: CarsmileSteve

CarsmileSteve — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:51:01 +0000

BLIMEY!!!!

all to play for…

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:50:48 +0000

And Group B is wide open, with Croatia leading as it stands on votes won.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:49:37 +0000

Yes, it’s a draw.

By: Alan

Alan — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:39:31 +0000

is this a tie?

By: Alyson Tamara Guard

Alyson Tamara Guard — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:53:33 +0000

Oh don’t worry about it if you were ill! I’m just excited! I want to see what people think of our tactics! They aren’t just mints in a box! Er…that’s apparently your football humour! Ours involves coaches telling players to jump in the river!

Alyson

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:55:30 +0000

The France-Romania match will be TODAY, it was going to be yesterday but I was too ill for orgafun, sorry!

By: Alyson Tamara Guard

Alyson Tamara Guard — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:41:19 +0000

When are the French going into battle? I can only keep them in the tunnel for so long (they have tunnels in your football? I’m Australia, we have races, as in the team is coming down the race, don’t ask me why!).

All I know about your football is the phrase “keep it tight at the back!”, which I yell at all Sunderland games on TV, even if we are attacking.

Alyson

By: lockedintheattic

lockedintheattic — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:08:31 +0000

Poland just edging it for me - great fun euro-r&b, lovely voice, great ethno breakdown in the middle too.

Germany sounds great but just goes on for too long - i lost interest half way through, which just gifted the win to the Poles for me.

By: fernando

fernando — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:10:03 +0000

A boring 0-0 draw. Both “correct” but not willing to risk anything.

By: Alyson Tamara Guard

Alyson Tamara Guard — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:03:01 +0000

I’m voting for Poland, and in return, I want them to play to their obvious strengths - Alicja Janosz tracks! Get to it Poland!

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:34:27 +0000

Is Miller actually ’scatting’ here? Is this the equivalent of stepovers?

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:19:14 +0000

Meanwhile a quick Google image search for ‘Ania Szarmach’ reveals:

a) she has a namesake with quite a spectacular hair/moustache combo.

b) there are other football related puns that I could make but will refrain from doing so in this family-friendly tournament.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:14:12 +0000

A couple of people here appear to be writing off the Germans, and everyone knows you can never write off the Germans. I disagree with all the ‘its too long’ comments - going on for ages and ages is one of the things Germans do better than any other nation. It’s their national sport. Anyway, it’s long, but so efficient! The Germans play a nice, sensible, well-paced game and know their patient but always deft and skilful play will see them through.

That said, the Polish team turn in an admirable performance as well, certainly a more successful variant on Turkish tactics from earlier in the round. There’s certainly talent upfront but the back line is kind of clumsy and I expect the Germans to take advantage of their occasional high-profile fumbles.

This is the closest contest yet for me, but I’m going to plump for the Germans because I applaud the coach’s brave tactics.

By: koganbot

koganbot — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:51:15 +0000

Um, no futbol analogies from me, as I am going meteorological instead.

Germany: Clouds are certainly NOT gone, as otherwise the men manning the foghorns would have nothing to do, and the dancers would be lacking the wisps and ripples that direct their own motion. The violins provide warm Rumanian pizzicati: not a violin story, but not the driest eyeball in the hemisphere either. The singer wisely subordinates himself to the atmosphere, being no great storm himself; is adequate, but a more assertive fellow could have made things interesting, rather than leaving the spotlight to the strings.

Poland: First track in this year’s tourney that I’d heard before. R&b, but with Europroducers tossing bombs at the dancer’s feet. Warm doleful singer backs her feelings up with synth daggers. Not quite achieving the ache that would assure her victory, but lots of music on her side.

I’m leaning Germany, for the detailed beauty of its soundscape, but Poland has its own rude beauty, so this match is worth a few more listens before I vote.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:29:19 +0000

Hmm, really do not want to reward excessive length, singing in English and the international aspect of the German track - but its quite good. A radio edit may have got this for the German’s but the Polish track isn’t half bad either. I think this will be close, and will muse a few days upon this.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:09:31 +0000

I’m completely undecided here. The German one I think starts very well but does go on too long (or more accurately goes to a place I’m less interested in) - the Polish one is quirky and tricksy but I don’t know if the song’s that convincing. Both good but flawed, I’d say.

By: lex

lex — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:59:45 +0000

hey, no controversy at all, our star player Schwarz (not Schwartz) is clearly the most significant player on court, regardless of Miller’s contribution.

our length is necessary to weave our magic, and surely our flair is so spellbinding that you really never want us to stop? plus, we don’t pull out all the stops until after halftime…

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:56:58 +0000

Poland no pushover by any means however - I see good teamwork here and an attempt to interrupt Germany’s control of so much of the pitch with some quick one-twos. A likeable team and coach (excellent pre-match conference) and even if their going forward may not amount to much this could be closer than anyone dared to suggest.

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:50:34 +0000

TWELVE minutes?! there’s no doubting the Germans technique and their kit these days is exquisitely stylish and elegant but I question their insistence on dragging out results which they could wrap up much quicker as many of their clubs are well known for (tho these in turn are often criticised for such brutal ‘long ball/route one’ tactics free of any real skill). personally i find Germany’s intricate pass-pass-pass game goes to the other extreme much of the time but it can and will work against the weaker teams.