daniel robert chapman wrote:Without even beginning to think about the game, the Netherlands deserve some sort of award for the wonderful numbers they are wearing on their shirts.

fer real, they are stylin' right now (the orange/white/light blue... i like).

good game today.

daniel robert chapman wrote:Without even beginning to think about the game, the Netherlands deserve some sort of award for the wonderful numbers they are wearing on their shirts.

The Dutch numbers have a certain 'Sensible Soccer' appeal to them.

The typography on all the Puma shirts looks like it was designed on Ceefax.

simmo wrote:There is an unwritten rule that all truly great games of football happen whilst I'm at band practice.

Where was I last night? Band practice. What did I get instead? Romania 0 - 0 France. Fuck's sake.

I'm looking forward to Spain v. Russia though.

aldofarian wrote:The Dutch numbers have a certain 'Sensible Soccer' appeal to them.

Don't... get... me... started... I... love... this... game... And, you're exactly right, I hadn't clocked that but it must be a subliminal part of the appeal.

simmo wrote:I'm looking forward to Spain v. Russia though.

That's that game fucked then.

daniel robert chapman wrote:

simmo wrote:I'm looking forward to Spain v. Russia though.

That's that game fucked then.

Pretty much.

In all seriousness though, all the good games have been later kick offs. The earlier kick offs have largely been dire. I'm not sure if this is coincidence, or reflects a meaningful pattern... heat, maybe? atmosphere?

Early kick offs:

Switzerland 0-1 Czech Republic - pretty rubbish
Austria 0-1 Croatia - rubbish
France 0-0 Romania - dire

Later kick-offs:

Portugal 2-0 Turkey - pretty good game
Germany 2-0 Poland - very good game
Holland 3-0 Italy - great game

Hmmm.....

Van der Vaart's depth charge (here at 00:41) was ungodly. I wanted to fuck that pass.

Gio's assist and the subsequent goal was the highlight, but this was a definite runner-up.

I can't stop watching it.

aldofarian wrote:The Dutch numbers have a certain 'Sensible Soccer' appeal to them.

I keep being reminded of this fantastic waste of my youth everytime they employ the overhead camera angle.

hip priest wrote:

aldofarian wrote:The Dutch numbers have a certain 'Sensible Soccer' appeal to them.

I keep being reminded of this fantastic waste of my youth everytime they employ the overhead camera angle.

See, now you've got me watching Amiga SWOS highlights on YouTube.

Oh man, the memories I have of SWOS.

I'm wondering if they deliberately stuck the better fixtures in the evening.

daniel robert chapman wrote: Amiga SWOS highlights on YouTube.

Ahhh, Andy Legg and Barcelona in the same video, Genius.

I watched France game with Romanian friends. They were joyously reeling off how many defensive midfielders they have in the squad. The game plan is to draw the first 2 games and sneak a 1-0 against the Dutch (like they did in qualifying). It's beautifully anti-football.