Yesterday at the Euros #12

For the last time in the group stage...

It would have taken an extraordinary set of circumstances for France to go out of the competition at this stage, but they did their bit to make it happen. Though they had 58% of the ball and carved out plenty of opportunities, they simply didn't work Andreas Isaksson enough. That was down to two things - France's wayward shooting and Olof Mellberg, one of the stand-out players of the tournament so far and unlucky to be going home at this stage. Time and again he got in a block or a crucial tackle in and when he didn't, France failed to hit the target. Hatem Ben Arfa got a start and had three efforts in the first half, and they gradually got closer to the crossbar. He was taken off after an hour, but if he'd been left to the end, he might have found the target. Sweden, already eliminated and with coach Erik Hamren resplendent in a waistcoat reminiscent of Terry Griffiths' world snooker championship season of 1979, could have been forgiven for not really giving a damn, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic, inevitably, came up with the goal of the tournament so far ten minutes into the second half. Watch it. It's quite fabulous. Hugo Lloris kept France in it with a couple of what for him are routine saves, but for anyone else would be ones for the scrapbook, but he was helpless when a late Swedish break lead to Samuel Holman crashing a shot off the bar which Sebastien Larsson smashed into the net. If only Sweden had found this form earlier.

Ukraine edged the other game on points, but one defensive mix-up allowed Wayne Rooney to head England into a lead early in the second half. Andriy Pyatov had Steven Gerrard's cross covered, but a slight nick off Yevgeny Khacheridi diverted it past him and into Rooney's path. Back came Ukraine and they caught England out on the break and Marko Devic's looping shot was cleared from out of the back of the net by John Terry. It looked over the line and one replay was all it took to confirm that. "Great defending by John Terry" boomed Andy Townsend on the ITV commentary in the UK. Yes, but only if you discount that he was caught out by a high ball, completely done for pace and the ball crossed the line. Stand by for the same tired arguments about how to resolve these once-every-two-year issues and intransigence on both sides. The role and positioning of the extra official might be more pertinent, but basically, one bloke fucked up. Other than that, it really was rather dull, as we've become used to with this iteration of the England national team which makes Gerrard's claim of "nobody will fancy playing us" seem spurious at best. The Italians are hardly likely to be fretting as they breakfast on their delicious pastries and tiny cups of coffee this morning. Oleg Blokhin, meanwhile, suggested a journalist who asked a tricky question join him outside for a "man conversation". Lovely turn of phrase, these Ukrainians.

So England, unbelievably, top the group and play Italy in the quarter-finals. France come second and play Spain.

Today, nothing! A day off before the quarter-finals. Tomorrow, you are saved another missive.

Vague round-up #5

Man it was cold. Maybe it's time to think about having a break for winter.
And some daft, lanky, self-opinionated tosser slapped someone.

Ladies and Gents of the Euroballs community.....

The first joke of 2012 is this.....


Zlatan Ibrahimović has been named the 2011 Serie A player of the year.

Rumours that Zlatan was responsible for counting the vote remain unconfirmed.

Football: "I'm tired of Ibrahimovic"

Football has hinted that it's getting bored of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and is already looking forward to the day he retires.
Ibrahimovic, who turned 30 on Monday, has annoyed the world of football with his egotistical rantings, show pony on-field behaviour, rubbish ponytail and the fact that despite this, he's won eight straight league titles in three different countries.
"Ibrahimovic is no longer burning inside me like back in the day", football told assembled hacks. "Sometimes, I thought of little else. Now it's not like that; I'm interested in other things.
Today, his antics and self-publicising have become routine and while I still hope he'll do something incredible, he's just not the same player he was when he was younger".

Ibrahimovic, Zlatan

Tall Swedish striker currently on loan at AC Milan from Barcelona, who has a propensity to talk out of turn and fall out with coaches. Moved to Barcelona from Internazionale in the summer of 2009 in a deal with took Samuel Eto'o (and forty million quid) in the opposite direction, and then promptly decided his Big Break wasn't worth the effort and agitated for a move back to Italy. Clearly not as highly thought of by the top coaches (Guardiola, Capello, Mourinho) as he clearly is by himself, he appears destined to stand out as a player who never quite delivered on his potential, particularly in big games. Also one of the laziest bastards ever to step onto a football pitch.

Serie A Round 29: The Ibra show

Catania 1-0 Lazio
Roma 1-4 Juventus

Bologna 0-1 Cagliari
Chievo 1-0 Palermo
Inter 3-0 Reggina
Torino 1-3 Sampdoria
Genoa 2-0 Udinese
Fiorentina 1-0 Siena
Napoli 0-0 AC Milan
Lecce 2-2 Atalanta

Milan missed out on the chance to cement their third place spot after being held in Naples. In truth the Rossoneri were fortunate, as Marek Hamsik was dubiously ruled offside for a second-half goal and Napoli had much the better of the match. Carlo Ancelloti’s men continue to look far from their best without Kaka, and they now have Genoa just four points behind them after their win at Udinese thanks to goals from Giuseppe Sculli and Diego Milito’s 15th of the campaign.

Inter remain comfortably top after strolling past bottom side Reggina at the San Siro. Makeshift centre-half Esteban Cambiasso opened the scoring from Dejan Stankovic’s delightful backheel, before Zlatan Ibrahimovic stole the show as usual with a penalty and then a well-taken lob to seal the points. Reggina were woeful and sit bottom six points adrift. Juventus copped the result of the weekend with a 4-1 beating of Roma at the Olimpico. Vicenzo Iaquinta opened the scoring finishing a sublime team move, before Simone Loria equalized for the hosts. Parity did not last long, however as Iaquinta headed in his second before Olof Mellberg and Pavel Nedved completed the scoring.

Roma are now three points behind Fiorentina in 5th as a solitary Adrian Mutu goal was enough for the Viola to dispatch Tuscan rivals Siena on Sunday. Cagliari kept up their hunt for a UEFA Cup spot after a 1-0 win at Bologna while Michaele Paolucci gave Catania a well-deserved 1-0 win over Lazio, a result which dents Delio Rossi’s own European ambitions. At the bottom, Chievo continued their impressive run with a 1-0 win over Palermo at the Bentigodi – 3 wins in the last 4 for the flying donkeys now, moving them six points clear of the drop. Torino’s home defeat to Sampdoria – goals from Pazzini (his 8th in 10 games), Diana and Sammarco giving Samp their first away win in three months – means Torino remain third bottom, only ahead of Lecce on goal difference after the southerners scored a last-minute penalty to earn a perhaps fortuitous draw over Atalanta. Bologna are far from safe, two points above them.