Howdy- I need to know who is going to win the soccer matches between Spain and Portugal and Germany and Italy AND the reason(s) why. My buddy is in need of some insightful help from all you soccer afficionados and prognosticators. My condolences to the Brits for their hard fought match against the Italians. They can hold their heads high for their spirited match and remember, there's always the next time"

Spain and Germany.

Edit: England spirited??

I'm liking you already...the two I mentioned will win cos their opponents aren't up to it...not cos they are great sides.

Howdy. I would have to agree with my learned friend. Spain and Germany would seem to be the best sides left.

If you are from Texas I hope you will forgive me for referrring to last year's World Series. Nothing is ever certain is sport.

Football thread !

I think it'll get closer now. These really are the best 4 teams in the tournament. While I also rate Spain and Germany highest, their opposition is very capable of at least grinding out a draw, then win on penalties, or have a moment of magic (or luck) that decides it.

I'm going with Portugal and Germany, to be different.

Germany also have the advantage of being more rested than Italy, who played a grueling 120 minute + penalties match just yesterday; Germany had more rest and time to prepare, and an easier win over Greece.

And why Portugal.. because Christiano Ronaldo is in spectacular form again, and Spain, for all their mid-field passing brilliance don't have a striker who can be considered to be in the same league. But this one could also easily go Spain's way, especially if they score first.

I dont usually hazard a guess (mainly cos if my team is still in it)

but now that I have nothing to worry about...here is my prediction

Germany

Spain

who will win the final? hmmm

I dont usually hazard a guess (mainly cos if my team is still in it)

but now that I have nothing to worry about...here is my prediction

Germany

Spain

who will win the final? hmmm

Germany 1-0

i wouldn't be that shocked to see portugal knock spain out. think their counter-attacking and pace are just what's needed to combat the spanish patience and ball retention.

I dont usually hazard a guess (mainly cos if my team is still in it)

but now that I have nothing to worry about...here is my prediction

Germany

Spain

who will win the final? hmmm

Germany 1-0

That's a tough pick though isn't it?

That's why I bottled it.

My condolences to the Brits for their hard fought match against the Italians

Don't you mean England?

gotta luv our my Scots

corrected in case others on this forum didnt wanna claim our Scottish friends...Ill take them

(actually has no idea how many there are...hoping for not too many...wont be able to afford their beer bills )

........Spain, for all their mid-field passing brilliance don't have a striker who can be considered to be in the same league.........................

Make that "don't play a striker". Strikers are really annoying - they keep wanting to score goals and then they give the ball away four times in every five - it so spoils the perfection of continual possesion. Only if the passing corps has not worn the opposition down into concession through frustrated boredom do they bring on a striker.

OK, so that's a bit of a pastiche - to wind up StevieH - and I do recognise that it would all be different if they had their only top class striker (David Villa) available.

Germany - to start an 8 year dominance of the international game. A Germany Portugal game would be more entertaining than Germany Spain but I think Spain will grind down the hitherto excellent Portugese defence and I just don't see Ronaldo getting enough ball to shine. I would not be surprised to see the Spain v Portugal game affected by a red card!

Edit: strangely I think Portugal would have a better chance of beating Germany than they do of beating Spain. Germany would give them more room to exploit technical skills.

My apologies to any English blokes for inadvertently stating "Brits" when I should have stated Englanders. With that said I am impressed with the degree of sophisticated analysis offered up by the knowledgeable folks on this forum. Your insight is much appreciated and should my buddy achieve success with his picks, the first round will be on me.

If the grass is short, Spain to beat Portugal. We saw in Spains first match, with the grass a tad long, they struggled passing.

I'll hazard a guess that Germany will stuff Italy.

My apologies to any English blokes for inadvertently stating "Brits" when I should have stated Englanders English (we don't use the word 'Englanders' any more)

gotta luv our my Scots

corrected in case others on this forum didnt wanna claim our Scottish friends...Ill take them

(actually has no idea how many there are...hoping for not too many...wont be able to afford their beer bills )

The ladies just love our accent apparently...

Relax migsy...there's only 2.5 million of us!

Edit: Unless you count the ladies...

My luv is rare and limited. Was only offering for those on the fforum. Footie only too. Lol

Portugal vs Germany

//Sent from my dumb phone//

If the grass is short, Spain to beat Portugal. We saw in Spains first match, with the grass a tad long, they struggled passing.

I'll hazard a guess that Germany will stuff Italy.

true that. spain have been complaining a bit about the state of the pitches. grass isn't just a bit long, they chop up too.

Germany - to start an 8 year dominance of the international game. A Germany Portugal game would be more entertaining than Germany Spain but I think Spain will grind down the hitherto excellent Portugese defence and I just don't see Ronaldo getting enough ball to shine. I would not be surprised to see the Spain v Portugal game affected by a red card!

Edit: strangely I think Portugal would have a better chance of beating Germany than they do of beating Spain. Germany would give them more room to exploit technical skills.

...Germany has beaten Portugal already before,so they can do it again,if they come to play...

If the grass is short, Spain to beat Portugal. We saw in Spains first match, with the grass a tad long, they struggled passing.

I'll hazard a guess that Germany will stuff Italy.

true that. spain have been complaining a bit about the state of the pitches. grass isn't just a bit long, they chop up too.

Yeah, true about the pitches chopping up as well. Spain rely heavily on beautiful quick passing, a pleasure to watch. However, a bad pitch will make them suffer.

If the grass is short, Spain to beat Portugal. We saw in Spains first match, with the grass a tad long, they struggled passing.

I'll hazard a guess that Germany will stuff Italy.

true that. spain have been complaining a bit about the state of the pitches. grass isn't just a bit long, they chop up too.

Yeah, true about the pitches chopping up as well. Spain rely heavily on beautiful quick passing, a pleasure to watch. However, a bad pitch will make them suffer.

Say what you want, I dont care if its a cinder pitch they play on, Spain will beat Portugal and Germany will beat Italy.

That is a cast iron guarantee!

If the grass is short, Spain to beat Portugal. We saw in Spains first match, with the grass a tad long, they struggled passing.

I'll hazard a guess that Germany will stuff Italy.

true that. spain have been complaining a bit about the state of the pitches. grass isn't just a bit long, they chop up too.

Yeah, true about the pitches chopping up as well. Spain rely heavily on beautiful quick passing, a pleasure to watch. However, a bad pitch will make them suffer.

Say what you want, I dont care if its a cinder pitch they play on, Spain will beat Portugal and Germany will beat Italy.

That is a cast iron guarantee!

Probably jack. Just saying it will make it more difficult for them. Hopefully it will be a good pitch and we can see the best from them. And I'll off to Thailand tomorrow for a real pint

1min.to go before kick off.thurs.sport news portugal has a torres time.

1min.to go before kick off.thurs.sport news portugal has a torres time.

update after 90mins.torres has a torrid time in the rest room.

well at least 50% of my prediction is now correct

Portugal vs Germany

//Sent from my dumb phone//

Not just the phone.

Still, most of us got it wrong and plumped for Germany v Spain. I loved Jackn'Danny's 'guarantee' - should have remembered that 2 x 70% probablities is a 49% accumulator.

Wise (after the event) @rse

Kantharalak

so who else had fernando torres as top scorer then?