Group D

[tonyloo]

Why would Sweden push, thats what Greece wanted? They did the right thing waiting for Greece's horrible long balls and win the ball after that.

The tactics Greece used was so easy to read, those tactics might have worked against England or something who would've pushed like maniacs and lost their positions.

The only chances Greece had was after mistakes in Swedens build up play.

Ibra was man marked the entire game but got away from that dirty hairy thing once and scored immediately. That tells you something.

 

[Cro Nerazzurro]

That tells you Ibra is worlds class, and that you need world class moment to win agains Greece.

Why would Sweden push up? Maybe t win game?

Why would greece attack if Sweden were so defensive?
We can wait and wait...

On the other hand, Sweden didnt make msitakes in defence, it was Greece that pushed them, but still had everyone on right position so Sweden couldnt do anything althought 3 of hellas players were on sweden defenders...

Greece horrible long balls? What did Sweden do? Same thing, horrible crosses and long balls that all ended on Kyrgiakos and co.

 

[Jimmy]

Are you for real, Cro? Greece just had the worst performance a single team has had in a major competition since I can remember, and that comes from someone who ADORED the 2004 tactics. This was however different.

Just look around the 40th minute when three Greek defenders pass the ball five metres to each other for two minutes. It ends up with Dellas seemingly deliberately kicking the ball away to a throw-in when they realised that Sweden aren't a pressing side and had done their home-work. It was the most bizarre thing I have ever seen.

How a team like that cannot deserve to lose a game, is beyond me.

 

[Cro Nerazzurro]

Man, like I said, those passes are ok, they have right to do it, and wait for Sweden to attack them. Sweden didnt, so sometimes it ended like it was in 4oth when Dellas did that.
But hey, no one is perfect, for sure Otto didnt tell Dellas to do it, for sure Dellas didnt want it to end like that, it was just his try to do good for the team, but his long pass was awfull.
Its not like every attack it was like that.

 

[Hasan]

Team like Greece are disgrace for european football, I can't believe there is someone in this world(except Greeks) who can cheer for them and who actually enjoy in their "game".

 

[Luka]

Well Poland deserved every praise, but listen for this:

Greece is defensive team. OK.
They defended superb, Ibra was invisible, Sweden didnt have one chance, onyl when stupid Nikopolidis did mistakes Sweden could do something...but still, not enough, nothing special.

Everyone are talking about Greece short passings in defence, so what? they are allowed to, they are doing it so Sweden comes attack them, and then they can do a counter or some stuff...but no, Sweden didnt push at all.
So why is Greece defensive team that doesnt want to attack and win, when same Sweden didnt want to push at all?

Greece did push, at 0-0 they clsoed down Sweden defence, and Karagounis had chance cause of that, and sometimes Sweden had to kick long balls, or send them into throw in.

Sweden didnt deserve this win. Its not cause I am Greece fan, its just I watched game too closely, and know what I saw.
Draw would probably be most fair.

Greece was waiting for Sweden to press them. If they didn't like someone pointed out, they just passed the ball between them, for a minute or two, and after the deadline they kicked a long ball, and see what happens. This is a tactic ?

90% of the teams agains Barca doesn't press them, because they know what danger comes out of this, and do they pass the ball between their deffenders ?

I agree though, with the part that they had right to do so, everybody does. But it's the result that is being judged by the fans. They were playing deffensively, as they had right to do so, and they were punished eventualy. Maybe not of the first goal, but because of what happened that followed. The whole tactic was constructed, with the fact that Greece won't be loosing. When they lost this first goal, after that it was a lost cause for Greece.

Sweden played a lot more offensively. I don't like to do it often, but just take a look at the tactics. Greece played with 5-3-2 formation. 5 deffenders when deffending. That's a lot. It was obvious after 5 minutes what Greece will be playing.

They got the result 4 years ago, but it won't work all the time, or even most of the time.

 

[Hammoudi]

Cro, I probably agree alot with you, but I am on the extreme here.

Like Jimmy said, that was one of the most pathetic display by a team in a major competition. Heck, even French Polynesia will attack and play some football if they make it to a big tournament.

And these aren't tactics, these are primitive techniques. I can bring 11 cavemen and instruct them to close all spaces and pass the ball around and probably they will get few points, but that is not football!

 

[brehme1989]

I agree the display by Greece was pathetic, but don't tell me the French played much better against Romania! Consider also which players each team has(comparing France and Greece) and then tell me who played worse.

Otto made a terrible tactical game, Sweden didn't catch the bait, and there was no alternative.
Greece could only score by accident(Hansson header backwards) or by a set piece. Sweden could have only scored by Zlatan and he evaded the defence only once and scored.

Good idea by Otto, bad game though.

 

[Cro Nerazzurro]

Well I never said Greece played good, or beautifull.
BUT Sweden did nothing more to deserve win.
Greece, alongside Austria are worst team on Euro, They dont have one creative player, no player in Greece can rely on pace, they are all fighters, playing with their hearts and defensive tactics.
Philosophy is to pass the ball and try to make opposite team open, and then attack and do something, or to close them down when defending and try do some counters.
They were trying that, and when Sweden didnt have any wish for pushing and scoring, all they had to do is longer balls, cause they cant pass ball like Barcelona or Spain.
And you could see why Dellas and Greeks are no great footballers, cause they dont know do make good long pass...So why attack them?
Its obvious they are not class and quality, jsut united,tactics and heart.

And now ppl say they are disagrace.
Should Karagounis dribble past 4 players, should Basinas make one touck thru ball no look pass?
They were playing their game, and deserved at least point cause Sweden,favorites, werent any better.
Thats all I wanted to say.

Greece could score only by accidence?

How about Charisteas solo and poor shot? How about Greece clsoe down, Karagounis one on one, but did poor...

Sweden could onyl score by accidence or brillance of Ibra...

 

[brehme1989]

Well, it was a bad game. When you see Charisteas going past 3 defenders, it means the other team is not serious enough

 

[Cro Nerazzurro]

Charisteas is life form, hope he will make some nation cry and make Greeks and me happy soon

 

[ataturk5]

absolutely delighted the greeks got beat, got wot they deserved, nothing. the worst example of anti football up to now. sincerely hope they go home without a point. i would love it if turkey won( unlikely i know), good football and great people

 

[brehme1989]

Worst example of anti-football? Does that make them the best example of football?

I made a joint bet with a friend that Greece will get no points! Odds are 11-1 and we placed 2 euros each

 

[brehme1989]

I want both games to end up as draws, then we'll have the Russians beat the Swedish and the Greeks beat the Spaniards. All teams will have 4 points. Just for the sake of it

Realistically, Greece-Russia 2-1 and Spain-Sweden 3-1

Though I'd like Sweden to beat the Spaniards. I really enjoy the underdog doing well in such competitions.

 

[Cro Nerazzurro]

New day, new begining...same old passion, FORZA HELLAS!

 

[rockball]

Forza Ibra!
Beat those diving bitches.

 

[Adam]

First half was even as Spain dominated at the beginning but we took over the last 25. 1-1 is a fair sofar.

Ibra showing his class with some nice passes and a goal scored with sheer determination and strength.

 

[brehme1989]

I want more goals

 

[Alex de Large]

LOL, Zlatan is out now, Zlatan injured score goals and is better than Torres or Villa, amazing.

 

[lonewolf19]

Man these recurring injury for Ibra is scaring me. I really hope he will have a nice summer and put those injuries behind him