Who To Support now

[papereyes]

Its durch

yes, another side that's labelled as dull when they've often been actually quite good at playing a tight game and retaining the ball.

[papereyes]

Nine of the team that started in Florence would have played in Dortmund -- eight now that Frings has been suspended -- but some key things have changed. For a start Klinsmann has been able to keep his players together for eight weeks. This has meant he has been able to apply, without interruption, the philosophy he believes in. It is based on mental and physical fitness. "Some people laughed at us," said Christoph Metzelder when discussing an American fitness regime that involves dragging weights around the pitch. "But as hosts we didn't have any qualifiers so we had to have extra fitness training. It's a tactic that might decide this World Cup."

Yesterday Klinsmann paid a glowing tribute to his American fitness coach Mark Verstegen "and his buddies". Metzelder said that Germany's training was "individually structured" and Klinsmann and his staff are likewise enthusiastic about one-on-one psychological encounters. "Psychological work has a huge impact in a competition like a World Cup," he said. "We're at a stage now where the mind-set will decide games."

Clever Klinsmann.

[frimleygreen_shotspur]

Its durch

yes, another side that's labelled as dull when they've often been actually quite good at playing a tight game and retaining the ball.

point taken.as stanley holloway sang,"get me to the durch on time"....

[frimleygreen_shotspur]

Nine of the team that started in Florence would have played in Dortmund -- eight now that Frings has been suspended -- but some key things have changed. For a start Klinsmann has been able to keep his players together for eight weeks. This has meant he has been able to apply, without interruption, the philosophy he believes in. It is based on mental and physical fitness. "Some people laughed at us," said Christoph Metzelder when discussing an American fitness regime that involves dragging weights around the pitch. "But as hosts we didn't have any qualifiers so we had to have extra fitness training. It's a tactic that might decide this World Cup."

Yesterday Klinsmann paid a glowing tribute to his American fitness coach Mark Verstegen "and his buddies". Metzelder said that Germany's training was "individually structured" and Klinsmann and his staff are likewise enthusiastic about one-on-one psychological encounters. "Psychological work has a huge impact in a competition like a World Cup," he said. "We're at a stage now where the mind-set will decide games."

Clever Klinsmann.

please don't mention klinsman.schards has put out a retrospective contract on said gents well being.

[The Silk]

Italy have played well but the thought off them going 1-nowt up after 20mins and Playing out time in a crucial game would be a disaster for the spectator

Which is something that they haven't actually done this tournament.

I quite agree, however, i don't think they have needed to.

Against the US and Aussie the played as though they "should win" no matter how they played. Ghana and the Czechs were classic italy, One first half goal (27 & 40) and one on the break in the last ten mins ((84 & 87). the Ukraine were a different proposition in so far as they played like they had already achieved all they could and for me rolled over with out much of a fight.

Don't get me wrong this Italian team is much better than most thought coming into the WC but in a crunch game we may see the ruthless and not the free flowing italy.

I hope to god i'm wrong, and i probably am

[igoe agogo]

Well I put £3 on the frogs at 14s so allez france.

[FiNeRaIn]

Hate all four teams left in it, and would love to see them all loose. If an atomic bomb is the only way to achieve this, I fully support the idea.

Then why do you have that oxf*rd avatar, you retarded muppet.

You know why, you've were sending me PM's all day yesterday

[Mr Angry]

Germany for me; I think the way they have hosted the tournament, and the almost non-stop accolades from England fans out there saying how friendly the locals were etc etc etc...

.....one thing that annoys me; I was going to have £50 e/w on France at 12's, but didn't pull my finger out so missed the chance.

Typical!

[Farnborough Royal]

Italy, have Italian relations.