Euro 08 Grades

So this was a post a few of you have been waiting for, a rating of how all the Madridistas did in the Euro tournament. Let me first start by saying that I am so happy that Spain won. As many band wagon fans have come to the conclusion is Spain played the best football of the tournament and that ’sexy’ football has returned to the international scene. Now tell the EPL to leave the CL alone!

Phil Ball had a cracker of a comment on Spain’s win and the tournament in general:

Spain’s win has been about good technique and imagination – something that the English, for all their boasting about their over-hyped and inflated Premier League, would do well to note. You never know, this tournament might just influence people to play football again. Stranger things have happened.

That is the truth though, and I hope it lively’s up the domestic league and the continental competitions.

But in all seriousness, Spain were not playing the best football of the tournament alone, I think Holland and Croatia should share that honor, its just that Spain were able to combine the style with some functionality against Italy and Germany, some thing the other two teams lost when they were put to the test. Spain played great football, dont get me wrong, they seriously worked there group hard, but while the game against Sweeden and Greece would have ended in draws, that functionality served them well with winners. Something previous Spanish teams would not have done. The style of play has never changed for Spain, its only now the players believe in it and can fight for the cause.

So while I thoroughly enjoyed the football showcase that Spain put on to reach the finals, it was their will to win that I enjoyed more. I have been a Spain fan since the 94 World Cup, the Luis Enrique incident, so I have seen plenty of beautiful, flowing football over the years. But I have never seen the grit and determination that the Spanish players showed while playing that beautiful football, something the players and Arargonese must be complimented on. I guess leaving Raul at home was not a mistake at all, but I cant complain, he will be fresh for the new season, and Spain has a trophy once again, so all is well!

Cheers to Spain, and the hero of the national team that have made all us Spanish football fans so proud!

Lets begin the ratings from worst to best. And the dubious award for the worst Madridista at the European Championships will have to go to….drum roll please

TA DA!!!! HE IS INJURED AGAIN, YES FOLKS ARJEN ROBBEN!

Score: 4

I think it goes to show that all the Madridistas at the Euro Cup did well when Arjen Robben was our worst player. And it was mainly because he cannot keep himself healthy. The guy was injured before, during, and after the tournament. The brief appearance he did make was impressive, but that was not enough to save his tournament, as his troubled little chicken legs couldnt withstand more then a cameo sub role and a few days training.

Lets hope he can get his fitness issues straightened out before the start of the new season, because I am this close to calling him a waste of money if he is gonna be injured for half of the season. Regardless of how well he plays.

Pepe

Score: 6

An emphatic goal for his adopted country against Turkey and a strong performance against Milan Baros in the second game did his reputation no harm. Things looked good for the bald giant, but despite playing so well, Portugal coach Scolari used his third group game to let the reserves have a run out. But Pepe maintained his place, and was to be hammered by the pace and trickery of Eren Derdiyok and Johan Vonlanthen. Pepe didnt look comfortable next to Fernando Meira, who often put him in a precarious position, and Portugal went down to two Hakin Yakin goals.

In the quarter final against Germany, Pepe was stretched by the width of the Germans and looked out of sorts on set plays, allowing Germany to put two past him in 30 minutes. The third German goal was not his fault, and all in all it was a decent tournament for Pepe, but disappointing for the Portugese. Lets hope he is back to his best for Real come August.

Don Fabio

Score: N/A

So much sorrow for Fabio, who missed his last tournament with a knee injury. He cheared his woeful team on from the bench, but could do nothing about the pathetic teams Donadoni put on the field. Should not have made it out of the group stage if Mutu wasnt a wanker, Italy failed only less miserably then France on living up to their last World Cup performances.

Wesley Sneijder

Score: 8

Wesley played really well, and showed his true qualities with a goal against Italy, some probing stuff against France, and the only real stand out performance against Russia. He labored hard in the Dutch midfield, and made some really great passes for his team mates to have a pop at goal. His ability to dictate play and control the tempo of the game was a highlight that will hopefully carry over in to his league form. Still ot a maverick genius like Guti, his functional play is a welcome relief whenever that maverick genius goes off the boil though.

Ruud

Score: 7

He looked tired at times, but he really did have a good tournament as usual, with two goals, an expert Maradona to release Robben for Van Persie’s goal against the French, and the ability to still be the focal point of the Dutch attack even with Klaas and Kuyt breathing down his neck.

Ruud may have needed a vacation more than anything this summer, but considerin his inury and subsequent layoff from surgery, he should not be to beat. These are his final years as a pro, so he will be looking to finish in style, probably with a CL trophy.

Christoph Metzelder

Score: 7 (a +1 for that lumberjack beard he rocker)

So here is a guy who missed most of the season with a foot injury. Actually, this is a guy who misses most of his club season with an injury before an international tournament, and then plays out of his mind during that tournament. He didnt play out of his mind this time, but he was still very solid for Germany, compossed on the ball and good in the air. He looked weak when someone with speed ran at him, like Torres, but he often got away with it because of decent positional sense or just plain luck.

But it was nice to see him playing again, and that he was not to rusty after a long layoff. His lack of pace is a handi-cap, but he could fill in nice with Pepe I think, as long as we have Diarra or Gago in front of him to keep the direct runs away from him.

Sergio Ramos

Score: 5/9

The group stage was not kind to Ramos, who has a poor end of the season with Real, didnt play particularly well in the pre-tournament friendlies, and he was bad in the first two group games. Aragonese had a talking with him, which the press made out to be an arguement, which it wasnt, and that was that. Ramos then exploded in the knockout rounds, and was back to being one of the best, if not the best, right back in the world. He was cautious yet collected against Italy, while he absolutely ravaged the vaunted left side of Russia, forcing Zhirkov to check his runs.

He then made Lahm look ordinary (Torres made him look like a chump!) when he combined with Silva and Iniesta on the right, and he was a driving force for the whole team with his tireless running. He really never looked bad in the knock-out rounds, and I really really hope this is the Ramos we see this year because I was a little disappointed last year with him.

Iker Casillas

Score: 9

He was outstanding this tournament, and anyone who says Buffon or Cech is the best keeper in the world must look no further then this tournament to prove who trumps who. Buffon made one incredible penalty stop, but other then that he was average, conceding more then Casillas easily, while Cech had a tournament to forget. Casillas on the other hand, was outstanding.

He did not concede in the knockout rounds, he made two penalty saves against Italy and he lead by example for the whole team. He deserved to lift the trophy for Spain, and he can only get better at 27! Incredible tournament for Iker, now he must have his eyes on the Champions League.

So there it is, an fair assessment of the Madrid players in the European Championships. I for one have always thought we should have more players then that in the tournament, but circumstances permitted, it was a good one to watch none the less. Until the World Cup, no more internationa football for awhile . Oh well….

Category: Team News

Tags: Team News

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