Free Bet

A spectacular Euro 2008 came to an end last weekend and Spain signalled a change in Tournament football which, we hope, is here to stay. In contrast to the dour World Cup knock-out matches we were forced to endure two years ago Europe put on a show.

The last four were a far cry from the predictable negative-thinking formations which have plagued football over recent years. Turkey were absolutely superb and deserved a place in the final. They were Euro 2008’s Rocky Balboa- they came straight ahead, were great to watch and did not know when they were beaten. When Slaven Bilic leapt on to the pitch in celebration following Croatia’s last minute “winner” the gods of karmic retribution got to work- and Turkey got up from the canvas to deliver one more knock-out punch. If Nihat- who produced the tournament’s best finish in the dying moments against the Czechs- was on the pitch, they’d have made the final.

As soon as Arshavin served his suspension Russia were simply awesome. They outclassed Sweden and outplayed Holland - who had outplayed everyone else - before they hit the wall against the Spaniards. Pavlyuchenko was class throughout and Zhirkov was refreshingly ambitious for a right-back. Watching them dismantle the hitherto brilliant Dutch was an exhibition of Guus Hiddink’s managerial brilliance. Having a Russian spy in the Orange camp was simply too much for them.

Germany were simply Germany. Again, they had a straightforward-looking route to the Final, (England had a straightforward-looking qualifying group) but they did enough to get there. The highlight was a superbly attacking display against Portugal. Ballack’s net-busting free-kick against Austria is still just passing Mars but Croatia were on another planet when they smashed them in the group stages. Considering Germany carried some truly awful players with them to the final- Gomez, Kuranyi, Metzelder- to come out as runners-up is a testament to mental fortitude over natural ability.

Spain were the best team in the tournament and deserved winners. David Villa’s destruction of Russia and his finish to see off the Swedes earned him the golden boot but Fernando Torres came good at just the right time. With no particular height or strength in the side, it was a victory for craft, skill and vision- a victory for football. Of course we had a huge list of free bets on the game. With Senna guarding the back four superbly, the embarrassingly-talented midfield was allowed to run the show- and what a show they put on. Xavi and Iniesta were superb and Fabregas was the best substitute since Roger Milla.

Three of the last four had virtually no physicality or route-one dimensions to their game and the other one was Germany (and Germany will always be Germany). As for the other sides, Italy proved that lumping it up top to a bungling Frankenstein of a striker (Luca Toni) won’t get you very far. It’s all well-and-good having 25 chances to score, but if you have a 50 pence-piece for a head, two left feet and a complete inability to run, you’re not getting very far. France were dreadful. DREADFUL. Holland played some truly outstanding stuff and Schneider’s goal against Italy was as good a counter-attacking goal as you will ever see.

It has to be said that Austria and Switzerland qualifying automatically was a shambles and it’s something UEFA need to be looking at. Had Scotland and Northern Ireland (who beat France and Spain respectively in the groups don’t forget) played instead, it could’ve been even better. Make the hosts qualify from now on. (England thoroughly deserved to stay at home of course).
Hopefully, Euro 2008 will be the catalyst for free-flowing, attacking, passing football. It will certainly be remembered as a wonderful spectacle. What a crying shame England didn’t get there