Intermission

Apologies for the lack of updates over the last few days, but my knee has ballooned, so I'm not spending as much time as normal in front of the PC. Normal service should hopefully be resumed by the end of the weekend.

Euro 2008 Review: Just five games left

And elsewhere, the Euro 2008 blog gets as random and as haphazard as I expected it would, but all in all the football has been superb. Turkey reached the semi-final last night having led their games for a total of two minutes, but it's better to lead for just the last two minutes that just the first 88. And they'll face Germany in the semi final, with their embarrassment of riches up front, and their, well, guaranteed at least one embarrassment a game at the back. Turkey look to be aiming for the Greece approach, but aren't as organised at the back, and look to score through Ardan or Nihat's creativity, rather than through set pieces. I told you to look out for that pair. Okay, Nihat's a given and should be well known from when Bayer Leverkusen played Manchester United in the Champions League, but Ardan was an unknown quantity in these shores. Just forget everything else I said about Turkey. Especially the bit about them finishing bottom of Group A. Mertesacker and Metzelder are good for at least a mistake each per game, and Joachim Löw's use of Marcell Jansen as a late sub against Portugal, despite his performance against Croatia suggests he has a chance of playing. His performance was blamed on a shoulder injury.

In the meantime, we've got two more quarter-finals, and Italy eliminated France to strike fear into the hearts of Spain. Raymond Domenech's horoscope suggested that the end of their tournament would be the best time to propose to his girlfriend on live TV. The French Russell Grant clearly doubles up as the French Jeremy Beadle. The only people unhappier than the French, were the Spanish, as their record against the Italians is poor, and appears to have reached the point of being a psychological barrier, rather than a sporting one. The Spanish view of Italian football is one of anti-football rife with cheating, fouling and play-acting, something which has mainly been absent this tournament. No goals, penalties, important free kicks or sendings off have been caused by play-acting - although Jan Koller's face-holding antics after Volkan Demirel pushed him in the chest may have helped increase the ban to two games, especially considering Bastian Schweinsteiger was only banned for one game for a similar push to the chest.

The other quarter final sees the Netherlands face Russia. Russia seemed like a team reborn after Andre Arshavin was available for the Swedish game. Inspiration as well as being at the heart of the two best team goals in the tournamen revitalised Guus Hiddink's men, after the misfortune of the Spain match, and the misfiring against the Greeks. The Dutch on the other hand look excellent going forward and frail at the back. Just like Germany. In some respects a Dutch-German final would be a fantastic spectacle and one likely to feature a lot of goals, but I would be suprised if both made it. After fancying a Croatia-Portugal final in the top half (I know I didn't say it on here, but I'm hardly going to pretend I got it wrong just for the sake of it, am I?), I'll give the kiss of death to the Italians and the Russians. The latter after penalties. And as Tom Dunmore of Pitch Invasion points out, any Total Football we see tonight, is more likely to come from the Russians.

One In, Aul In

And the headings get worse. Both a statement of fact and a promise for the future. The Gareth McAuley saga is finally over, and hopefully this means that now he and David Norris are on board, and given the 'no comment' about Shola Ameobi, maybe our attempts at conducting transfer business via the press are over.

Well. Almost.

“We have made an enquiry about Shola [Ameobi] but not a bid." - Jim Magilton, 14th June
“If I could get [José Emilio] Guerra I would. We have made an enquiry to Barcelona about him and we will see what happens." - Magilton, 14th June

Magilton has almost stated that he's still after "back four players" - likely to be another centre half and a left back, with maybe more cover at full back, "strengthening the midfield" - rumoured to be after a left midfielder, although a right midfielder seems more urgent, given we don't have a natural one, and a striker. No mention of a keeper, so either Nick Colgan's staying as backup to Shane Supple, or he's staying open-minded about the level of keeper he's looking for. All of which leaves next season's team looking like this.

GK: Shane Supple or New signing
RB: David Wright or Alex Bruce
CB: Gareth McAuley
CB: New signing or Richard Naylor or Alex Bruce
LB: New signing or David Wright
RM: Square peg. Probably David Norris or Jon Walters or Danny Haynes
CM: Owen Garvan
CM: Velice Sumulikoski or Tommy Miller
LM: New signing or Alan Quinn
CF: New signing
CF: Jon Walters or Danny Haynes or Alan Lee or Pablo Couñago

Clear as crystal then.

Which way now?

While I'm here, and waiting for my Open University mark to arrive any day now. (Who am I kidding, they tell me it'll be here by August) I'm looking at where I go next. "Exploring psychology" or "Welfare, crime and society". The latter sounds more interesting and is a new course, but forces me down the 'Criminology with Psychologial studies" route. The former still gives me the choice. So that's a decision, isn't it? Well, maybe.

Anyone for Pim?

And the first new signing of the year is in. Pim Balkestein arrives from SC Heerenveen on a Bosman. Only as he's 21, we have to pay a tribunal fee. Balkestein hasn't set the Eredivisie alight, given that he's yet to make his debut. He was also so desperate to sign for Ipswich/leave the Friesland club* that he paid his own air fare for his trial towards the end of last season. Certain fans of The Veen think he deserved a chance and that it's another lost opportunity for their youngsters. Wonder if he met Billy Clarke, Michael Synnott or Sammy Moore during his trial.

Suggestions that this was a Jordan Rhodes style signing were later quashed when it was Simon Hunt, rather than Balkestein's father who was appointed Town's new European Scout. Hunt was European scout when we signed Ulrich Le Pen, Amir Karic, Nabil Abidallah and Guillermo Graaven. £2.5million and nine games between them. I say games, I mean substitute appearances. They probably didn't play 90 minutes between them. Whoo-hoo.

*Delete as appropriate

Euro 2008 Review: First Round, Part One

Okay, as titles go it's effective rather than pretty. Not bad if this was to be all about Romania. I'm not going into too much detail, but let's have a look at the highs and lows of the first eight games:

The Good
* The entertainment factor. So far, only Romania v France and Greece v Sweden have disappointed. And they were down to teams who have to sacrifice style to level the playing field.
* The quality of the counter-attacks. Especially those of the Dutch. Less than thiry seconds between a save at one end, and a goal at the other. Spain and the Czechs got in on the act too.
* The lack of playacting. In most of the games at least. Not a single goal has come from a player conning a referee. Mind you, only one penalty so far (and that was cast-iron), and most of the free-kicks have been rubbish.

The Bad
* The injuries to Alexander Frei and Chistian Wilhelmsson. The former was the main hope of the co-hosts, and the latter was the best thing about Sweden v Greece. His performance, not the injury.
* The punditry. van Nistelrooy's goal was legitimate, according to directives from FIFA. The BBC even read the directive out (rule 11.4.1 of the refereeing code: "An opposing player cannot be offside when one of the last two defenders has left the field of play"), while accusing UEFA of closing ranks to protect the referee, because he got the decision wrong. Which he didn't. Gordon Strachan and Martin O'Neill questioned this. Shouldn't they know the rules as part of their day jobs? As rules go it's not the greatest, but it's to stop players stepping out of play to avoid being offside/playing someone onside. There could be a little room for manoeuvre for situations such as Panucci's mind. Ah well, bang goes the 'not much detail' bit.
* ITV. Once again, they prove they are shit at sport. Unless the nation is now known as Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, in which case I apologise.
* The Spanish and Dutch defences. A lackluster Russian attack, and goals from breakaways made those results looks a lot better than the winning Nations deserved. Both looked shaky at the back. Spain will get probably get away with it until the quarter finals, but the Dutch won't be so lucky.

The bit where I highlight things I've got right so far
* Lucas Podolski being Germany's one to watch. Although if I'd known that Joachim Löw was going to play him at left midfield, I might have chosen someone else....
* David Villa's goalscoring record is even better than it was last week.
* Like I say, Cesc Fabregas can do everything. Including head the ball.

Let's ignore the bits about Patrice Evra being France's one to watch (not picked) and the same with Andrei Arshavin - with a little more research, I'd have realised he was suspended for two games. Poland's Kuba Blaszczykowski also withdrew two days after I previewed Group B.

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