Team of Euro 2008

I said as the Euros closed that I would put up my team of the tournament. I have not chosen players who are necessarily obvious, but those who I feel would be great additions to the West Ham squad, in the hopes that one day Mr. Curbishley may just look at this and agree!!! (Yeah right!)

I have not gone for anyone like Arshavin or Sneijder because I know that they are players that are not affordable to us, so I looked back through my blog posts to see what names I had mentioned.

GK - Boruc (Poland)
RB - Anyukov (Russia)
LB - Balta (Turkey)
CB - Marchenas (Spain)
CB - Kolodin (Russia)
RM - Harnik (Switzerland)
LM - Arda (Turkey)
CM - Roger Geurriero (Poland)
CM - Engalaar (Netherlands)
FW - Mutu (Romania)
FW - Pavyluchenko (Russia)

Not surprisingly Russia had the most players in my team, I was not silent on the fact that I favoured them as the tournament progressed. I know that this is just a bit of fun, but there are players here who I believe will go on to be top quality players in world football.

There is only a few weeks to go until the Premiership kicks off, lets see who the Hammers actually bring in other than the exciting young Icelandic defender Eyjolfsson. With the likes of Zamora and Pantsil looking to be off, I hope we do replace them with players of a better quality.

Euro 2008 - The Final

Spain 1 - 0 Germany

I can't believe it has finished. It doesn't seem that long ago that I sat and wrote the first of these posts. Here we are though at the end of what has been a thoroughly entertaining competition packed full of exciting free flowing football for the most part.

The football on offer last night was a fitting end to the championships and the team that had played the most consistent, beautiful at times breathtaking one touch football, won through. It says something that even though their talismanic striker, David Villa was forced to sit out due to injury, the marauding Spaniards managed to outwit and outplay a German team that have at times looked fantastic and at others have looked like they don't have a clue.

It is also fitting that the team of the tournament included 9 of the Spanish side that have entertained us so well. I will be putting up my personal team of the tournament in the next couple of days, it will probably be a reflection of the players I would like to think would be realistic targets for West ham!!!

Now the football is over I will be cheering on Andy Murray against Nadal and will also be looking forward to the start of the Olympics - there is also the small matter of the start of the Premiership in mid August. Spain have triumphed in one major this Summer - will Nadal be next and will it inspire athletes from that nation to perform above and beyond what they thought possible? We'll have to wait and see.

Euro 2008 - Semi-Final #2

Russia 0 - 3 Spain

For all my hopes that the Russians could win the tournament it is now impossible. They were once again, for the second time in this competition, out classed by a skillful, well disciplined Spanish side.

The first half saw a fairly even contest. Although Spain always looked the most likely to score, the Russians did hold their own. However the second half took a different complexion. The Spanish visibly upped their game and the Russians were left floundering. Arshavin looked a shadow of the figure he had done in the past two games and Pavyluchenko got no service into the box where he is most lethal. The Spanish on the other hand - even without David Villa due to an early injury - were creating chances a plenty. Torres looked powerful, Fabregas' passing was sublime. The finishes from Xavi, Guiza and Silva were all fantastic.

The final is far to hard to call. The fast breaking powerful Germans versus, the quick thinking, intelligent, skillful running of the Spanish. A game that will be entertaining if both teams don't get cagey because it's a final!!!

Euro 2008 - Semi-Final #1

Germany 3 - 2 Turkey

If you are a football fan, time has flown by. To think that we are now at the semi final stage of this years tournament. If you are not a football fan you will no doubt be counting down the days until it is all over and you don't have to have football interrupting the proper TV that you enjoy. However you have probably also chosen not to read this post anyway!

I read this morning somewhere that Germany are the Man Utd of international football i.e. lucky. Well I think that last night there was one team (Turkey) who were lucky to get through to the semi, but they were called brave and plucky and never say die - whereas the Germans outplayed the Portuguese and fully deserved their place in the semi. That said when Germany win in the last minute we have a go at them for being lucky, and 'poor old Turkey', but actually they were brave, plucky and never say die!!! My point being just because the underdog didn't get the luck, us Brits have to get over it and congratulate Germany on a gutsy performance against a buoyant Turkish side (who in fairness outplayed the Germans for large parts).

A five goal thriller ending with probably the better (overall) of the 2 teams progressing. I still fancy the winner of tonights game to be the tournament champions, but with grit and determination and players like Podolski, Klose and Schweinsteiger, you can never rule the Germans out.