What a weekend!!!… If the first weekend was anything to go by this weekend turned out to be just as unpredictable. England’s Danny Welbeck set off jubilations and brought back hope for the English fans with one of the outstanding victories of the tournament. Poland buoyed by home support but unfortunately still bit the bullet and is now out of the tournament. Russia who sent out a statement of intent with their 4-1 thrashing of the Czech Republic also bowed out. Czech Republic are through along with Greece to the knock out stages. As mentioned earlier, in my other post this was a Group of Equals and fortunately/unfortunately for some it was some few moments of magic which turned the Group on its head.
The Dutch were left to reflect on a poor tournament coming in as one of the favorites. Germany continued their impressive form and Portugal have started gelling at the right time, which in turn contributed to the exit of the Danes and Dutch. No football fans can complain though about the quality of the games we had on display.
While France dashed the mood of the Ukrainian supporters and along with the rains, the English supporters were reveling in joy. Theo Walcott’s half volley was one of the special goals while Andy Carroll’s thunderous header was all the more emphatic. While Danny Welbeck’s finish was all about flexibility and eventually responsible for snuffing out Swedish hopes.
The theme of the tournament though has been the performances of the so called under performers this season – Arshavin, Carroll, Bendtner, Torres who all seem to have put their miserable club form behind and are now looking to write new chapters in their career.
Starting with the Friday fixtures between Ukraine and France, it was all France from the word go, with brief moments of joy for Ukraine. Menez scoring an emphatic opener to justify his selection while Cabaye has just carried on his Newcastle form for his country. The way he held off his marker to finish off the goal was particularly noteworthy. Between those two defining moments, Ukraine did create chances but had nothing to show for it. Shevchenko’s shots on target were the only threatening weapons in the Ukrainian armory and like the rain Ukraine’s challenge on the night fizzled out after a while. Things though are not bleak and Ukraine still has the opportunity to qualify.
Based on the performance against France where England stuck to two rows of four players, an entertaining game was least expected. The English manager, Roy Hodgson got his tactics correct and once again exposed Sweden’s vulnerability in the air and Carroll’s header was the end product. The goal made in Merseyside and something which has been absent all season. Walcott’s introduction at a crucial juncture and the WOW reaction on his face after that lovely half-volley was Jekyl and Hyde football at its best. No one knows what to expect from Walcott, but the contribution he made on the night was telling. While Melberg’s header(s) had given Sweden a sniff of victory, it was not to be as England proved that they are not going to go down without a fight.
Much was expected of Poland and fairytale script was in place but in the end it was the Czechs and the Greeks who are going into the knock out stages. For all their dominance, Poland’s contribution to the tournament will be remembered for their beautiful stadiums and sportsmanship rather than on field display. Poland was the better side in most of the game but like Kroh-Deli against the Dutch, Jiracek took his chance and in the end were rewarded for their stubbornness. The Czech squad has resolved not to shave, till they are in the tournament, while this is not entirely acceptable to their spouses, girlfriends. The players won’t mind it too much if they are lifting the trophy on the 1st of July.
And while Greece was the surprise qualifiers, it was the abject and effortless performance from the Russians which was an encounter oozing with lethargy of the Russians and the concentration of the Greeks. The Greeks have had their fair share of criticism and with the economy in a downward spiral, their ability to focus and make the best of the situation is what has got them through this Group.
While the Dutch must be left pondering about their performance, the tactics of the coach were puzzling enough. It resembled a FIFA (game) line-up, with all the attackers thrown in and not an ounce of defending was on display. While the games franchise, has in built AI(Artificial Intelligence), the Dutch players seemed to lack the basic intelligence to defend their goal.
As arm chair critics, we shouldn’t be too harsh on professionals, but it did beg the question of us viewers..Why?. Ronaldo ….hate him or love him, the man delivers when the pressure is on him, the man was possessed, players like him try and take the game by the scruff of the neck. In this match though he was creating an aura of his own and if not for the goal post, he could have had a hat trick or even more. Rafael Van der Vaart, aleast justified his selection with a wonderful goal, but Huntelaar was disappointing and his presence on the pitch was very much invisible.
While the German juggernaut rolled on, the Danes at least exposed their susceptibility to set-pieces with a well taken corner. Podolski’s goal had initially given the Germans the lead but from what we saw on display, the Germans seem a very intent side and with an average age of 25 years, it is going to be very hard for the opposition to keep up with them. Lars Bendner another of those youthful products applying the finishing touches to a dominant display once again.
A lot will be written about the Dutch failure but spare a thought for the Danes who were unlucky. What was seen as a stepping stone for the Dutch team to achieve greatness, will now be remembered as one of the most pathetic displays ever. The heavy dominance of attacking prowess was exposed time and again as the Dutch never found the balance to get favorable results. Portugal’s belief in their own abilities and their star player’s ability to inspire are also worth mentioning. The game though was a very open box to box game and while it was Portugal who was on the positive end this time round.
In the knock out stages though, Portugal will have to tread carefully as the Czechs have the ability to expose their weakness and take their chances ruthlessly. As a lot of players keep on insisting, “It’s not how we start the tournament that matters, but it’s how we end”. With much more tougher opponents to come , it would be good if the Portuguese keep this in mind.
Behind the Veil 