Qualification from Group C is on a knife-edge with all four sides still in with a shout. Listen to the songs, vote on which you prefer, and click below the cut for managerial comment, analysis, and previews.
How to vote: Simply vote for the track you like best in each match. If you download, please try and vote! (You will need to press the “vote” button separately in each game.) And remember, Group B is also still active until Monday!
France v Italy: Which of these tracks do you prefer? [ballot]
- France: Melissa Mars 64%
- Italy: FPI Project 36%
Total Voters: 28
Poll closes: 29 May 2008 @ 12:00
Loading ...Holland v Romania: Which of these tracks do you prefer? [ballot]
- Holland: Johan 57%
- Romania: Simplu 43%
Total Voters: 23
Poll closes: 29 May 2008 @ 12:00
Loading ...FRANCE: Melissa Mars – “Apocalips”
The manager says: “This is it folks, no turning back! If we don’t win this round, we’re going home, despite the manager’s efforts to find French songs in Miami and in a castle in Scotland, and I won’t be happy! You wouldn’t want me to be unhappy, not in France! They will hit me with baguettes on the team bus! Vive La France!”
Our analyst says: The French side seem to have finally clicked, in time for what might be their toughest game – will it be too late? Confident, attacking play, bursting forward from the midfield in support of a striker prone to technical lapses but with an eye for goal. A classically Gallic approach, this, which will please loyal fans but may not be enough to ensure qualification.
ITALY: FPI Project – “Everybody (All Over The World)”
The manager says: “This is the Popazzuri’s most direct, attacking formation so far. I’ve got to give credit to the lads for throwing everything they had against a strong Romanian side, but we’re going back to basics against France, with one of the sounds we gave the world. This time, we’re throwing every euphoric house piano forward, with a smattering of carnivalesque brass and the odd diva sample thrown in for good measure. Forza!”
Our analyst says: Italy’s fluid play builds from the back, and you get the feeling the goals could come from almost anywhere. Some of their set-piece tactics are perhaps a little over-familiar, but they won’t be relying on them too heavilyto get the point they need here.
HOLLAND: Johan – “Pergola”
The manager says: “OK then. You want voetbal? We’ll give you a group that named itself after the Netherlands’ own Johan Cruijff. Tired of the same old Euro-technopop? Johan gives you what the Dutch do best: guitar-driven pop with a twist of the sardonic.”
Our analyst says: Pop purists may be appalled by Holland’s approach here, eschewing Total Pop in favour of packing the midfield with gritty reducers – but if it gets them the win they need the manager won’t care.
ROMANIA: Simplu – “Mr. Originality”
The manager says: “I’m very impressed with the way my boys (well, actually actually one girl and three boys, to be precise) have handled themselves so far in the tournament – we’re an inexperienced side but they went out against way more experienced French & Italian opposition and more than held their own. Two draws suggest that we’ve been playing a touch on the defensive side so far, and we need goals to get us through, so we’ve decided to that the time has come to throw caution to the wind with a clearer attacking game. All of Romania is behind Simplu, and we’re hoping that Mr Originality can score the goals we need!”
Our analyst says: The European game is strewn with teams who’ve tried to imitate Western Hemisphere tactics and come a serious cropper. On this showing Romania won’t be joining them – this is strong, attacking football but without the defensive naivety which often characterises European attempts to play in this style.
COMING NEXT… Greece and Sweden hold an advantage in Group D: Greece will qualify with a single point against Spain, and a draw for Sweden against Russia would make qualification almost certain. Anything other than a win for Russia and Spain will send them home, and in Spain’s case they need to beat Greece by several clear goals. Who will hold their nerve and who will break? Find out on Tuesday.
..and what could be more appropriate for my final group game selection than a song with a football-themed video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxyOTV4iJHo
A superb goal in the first minute for Italy! But France regroup well and actually pull one back just a few minutes later from a corner. Great start. Very nice to hear ‘Everybody’ as I kinda missed it at the time (it fell just short of the top 40 iirc) and despite it’s age no objection to it’s appearance from me this time as I often find myself hankering for dance music that sounds like this.
I do like the French track a lot too tho, except for…the voice! Unfortunately the whispery accent irritates rather than allures.
Now the Dutch aren’t too bad either at least not if you like Phoenix, Das Pop and the like. Unfortunately for them the raucous Romanians are showing them ZERO respect and throwing their maverick wingers forward – seas of yellow and orange clash in the stands but i sense the latter may be outnumbered too.
France: A whispery, giggling French babe who makes Paris Hilton seem like a full-throated thrush in comparison. Secret ingredient is the tunefully somber chording that undergirds all this alleged fun; result is a whispery wet dream that straddles dramatic darkness. Really tacky, but good.
Italy: Buoyant house w/ bouncing piano worthy of Marshall Jefferson and sampled vocal passion that actually delivers emotion. Probably could use more of a song in front, though I know that’s not the point. Likable entry, but it loses my vote to the French mindfuck. Good contest.
Holland: Indie pop that may get something positive from its restraint, which serves to highlight the harmonic blips of beauty. I’d prefer a stronger singer, but I don’t have my usual urge to shoot such a guy. Might want to slap him, however.
Rumania: Now this one squirts on cutesypop like frosting, but deep beats nail it down. The hammy vocals are a problem, in that fun is being represented here without actually being created. So the question is whether the emotion of the underlying rhythm and song is enough to carry this. This could grow on me once I adapt to the sinigng, but I’m leaning towards Holland.
I’m looking forward to Lex’s commentary on Holland vs. Rumania.
Romania – clearly the manager has told them that, win or lose, they should just go out there and enjoy it and by hell they’re entertaining to watch. This side go through their full catalogue of flicks, stepovers, bicycle kicks and all manner of showboating. Sometimes they pull it off, but they’re as likely to bump into one another or fall flat on their arse as get it into the back of the next. But, like the golden age of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle, tremendous fun nonetheless, if somewhat cackhanded.
Holland – gritty reducers MY ARSE, these are skinny indie boys if ever I saw them. The song itself isn’t bad at all but their treatment of it is a bit tentative and weedy. This feels like it should by rights be a Waiting For The Man type chugger, but they’re seemingly content to waste time by the Elliott Smith corner flag instead of going for goal. But they made a small picture of a gnome come up on my ipod, and I liked that. Obviously having a vested interest in this I’m holding out for a draw, but leaning towards Romania.
(The expert analyst was a little bit pressed for time this round, I will admit)
I thought “oh-noes, ’tis the French Mum” but then it got much better. I like it! Italy = boring dance music, it’s not 1988 anymore.
Holland are okay, kinda like the jaded songs former members who weren’t the main ones of bands like Pavement would make. It’s like they are having a kick-about. I accidentally voted for Romania. I’m not sure if I should have, they are shouting “booyakashah” for a start.
These polls end tomorrow, so get yer comments and votes in please!
Oh why did FRA and ITA have to play each other? These are probably the two best songs of the entire tournament so far (excluding my own selections, of course), voting against either would be really hard considering some of the rubbish I’ve had to vote for. Plumped for monster ITA house in the end but there’s nothing wrong with FRA’s Paradis-a-like at all. Both managers deserve to go through, I think they’ve been two of the most reliably excellent.
ROU – more comedy wacky bullshit, aagh. Stupid “to the left, to the right” voices actually unlistenable. OK-ish Eurodance backing not enough to salvage it. NED – not great but not that bad either, competent Dandy Warhols tribute act (I liked…two Dandy Warhols songs, I think). NED, reluctantly.
A defeat for Italy that would have been a pummelling if the polls had closed last night. And I have to say I didn’t think Holland stood a lot of chance in their game, but as it stands they came close to pulling off a win.
Congratulations to France, who top the group, and Italy, who also progress. Commiserations to Holland and Romania who ensured the finish was a lot tighter than many predicted.
zidane_headbutt.gif :(
Thank god the other game was a draw, I’ll certainly be putting the side through their paces ahead of the next round.
Wow, I wasn’t expecting that, I thought I’d be knocked out – that’s a great win for France! Revenge for Germany 06! I won’t get hit with baguettes now! Need to be on our toes, the 1/4 finals loom large. Need to get some training sessions in…
Brava Italia, vive la France!
I think Holland needs a younger manager next time . . . .
Bah. I knew my track was a risky choice but looks like it wouldn’t have mattered anyway after that great French track. Still, can’t be too disappointed, after my first bit of research I was convinced I was screwed, getting three draws against teams with this kind of heritage is not too bad at all I reckon