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You are here: Home / Sports / Euro 2016 Semi-Final France v Germany Open Thread

Euro 2016 Semi-Final France v Germany Open Thread

by Randinho|  July 7, 20162:56 pm| 91 Comments

This post is in: Sports

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91Comments

  1. 1.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:02 pm

    Hope this isn’t another “play it safe” game.

  2. 2.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:04 pm

    No 3rd place game?

  3. 3.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 3:07 pm

    So far not playing it safe, amazing dribbling and passing…

  4. 4.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:08 pm

    @eclare: yes!

  5. 5.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 3:08 pm

    I doubt Schweinsteiger will last 90 minutes and if he’s replaced by Weigel that defensive midfield will play together for the first time.

    Müller as a false nine hasn’t yet opened his scoring account.

    The French defense is a bit suspicious, but I suspect Les Bleus will nick this.

  6. 6.

    Calouste

    July 7, 2016 at 3:10 pm

    @raven: There hasn’t been one since 1984.

  7. 7.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    @Calouste: I guess I thought because there was one in Copa it was some kind of regular deal.

  8. 8.

    scav

    July 7, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    Thinking only historically (large scale), this should be the game with more zip than the final because of the teams involved.

  9. 9.

    Calouste

    July 7, 2016 at 3:22 pm

    @raven: I think it is a regular deal, the World Cup has one, and I think all the other continental tournaments as well. The Euros are the exception though.

  10. 10.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:24 pm

    @Calouste: Thanks

  11. 11.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 3:25 pm

    The game for 3rdplace is like playing game 7 of the World Series after one team already leads 4-2. Completely useless.

  12. 12.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 3:27 pm

    @scav: Agreed…cannot ignore the past

  13. 13.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:29 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: There used to be a 3d place game in the NFL.

  14. 14.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 3:30 pm

    @raven: Emphasis on ‘used to’.

  15. 15.

    raven

    July 7, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: Yo, I just asked, I don’t pretend to know much about this game but I still watch it.

  16. 16.

    Amir Khalid

    July 7, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    Germany look to be bossing the match. If i were a betting man, I might put money on them to score first.

  17. 17.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 3:39 pm

    @Amir Khalid: Eventually something is going to get through, just too much time attacking.

    ETA: time of possession is going to be interesting, as a college football fan that means alot, assume it means alot here too. Novice fan.

  18. 18.

    Chris

    July 7, 2016 at 3:39 pm

    “France vs. Germany”

    Oh no. Not again.

  19. 19.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    Müller simply isn’t his usual self.

  20. 20.

    Amir Khalid

    July 7, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    @eclare:
    Dominating possession can mean more chances at goal for your side, and fewer chances to come at you for the other side. Of course, the only stat that really counts is the score.

  21. 21.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 3:47 pm

    Oh shit

  22. 22.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 3:47 pm

    Whoa!

  23. 23.

    Roger Moore

    July 7, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    @Chris:

    “France vs. Germany”

    This Time It’s War Football!

  24. 24.

    Amir Khalid

    July 7, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    And France come off with a 1-0 halftime lead thanks to a penalty.

  25. 25.

    Ridnik Chrome

    July 7, 2016 at 3:55 pm

    @Chris: Comment of the Day. Where would you like your Internet delivered?

  26. 26.

    cmorenc

    July 7, 2016 at 3:56 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    Germany look to be bossing the match. If i were a betting man, I might put money on them to score first.

    I’ll take that bet for $1000.
    :=)

  27. 27.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    Germany can fuck right off but that was a terrible penalty call.

    And I can listen to Alan Shearer do in-game analysis all day long. He’s so good at explaining the game.

  28. 28.

    cmorenc

    July 7, 2016 at 3:59 pm

    That was about as clear an instance of a “hand of God” handling foul as you’ll ever see, except it was a defender who committed it. Yeah, sure Maradona got away with it as an attacking player in 1986, but when you’re a defender, you’re not likely to get lucky enough that no one on the ref crew sees it. I still don’t understand how at least the lead AR missed Maradona committing an obvious handling offense, since it happened toward his side of the pitch with no intervening players.

  29. 29.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    More of the counter factual BS “analysis” at halftime….somehow, France leading one nothing is a problem? B/c now they have to play with the lead? Yeah, no. Bob Lea….”What will Didier DeChamps do now?” Um, how is that the operative question, moron?

  30. 30.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    @humboldtblue:

    Germany can fuck right off but that was a terrible penalty call.

    I thought that was your thing now.

  31. 31.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:03 pm

    @humboldtblue: looked pretty clear to me…arm up, hand up, hit the ball, possible scoring chance affected, in the box….

  32. 32.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:05 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: Terrible penalty calls or fucking Germans?

  33. 33.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:06 pm

    @humboldtblue: Fucking right off.

  34. 34.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:08 pm

    @philadelphialawyer: Nah, that’s a natural movement for balance and the ball is banged into his arm, unfortunate call

  35. 35.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:09 pm

    @humboldtblue: Totally NOT natural. Announcers just agreed….

  36. 36.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:09 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: I guess I’ll fuck right off to the penalty spot then.

  37. 37.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 4:09 pm

    @humboldtblue: Yes, I thought the replay was pretty clear. Looked like he gave the ball a terrorist fist bump.

  38. 38.

    cmorenc

    July 7, 2016 at 4:10 pm

    @humboldtblue:

    Germany can fuck right off but that was a terrible penalty call.

    Um…I’m speaking as a competitive-level soccer referee of 20 years experience, albeit below the international level. That was a handling call ANY competent referee would have made against Schweinsteiger, a classic “hand of God” type foul except one committed by a defender. The challenge in making such a call in crowded corner-kick scrums is for the CR or AR to have the angle to see it through the churning mass of bodies – not sure whether the CR directly saw the handling offense himself, or else whether his lead AR saw it and communicated what happened to the CR through either his flag or the wireless headset communication system refs at higher-level games have (which ARs often preferably use in situations which would result in a PK if the CR accepts the AR’s input about the situation and makes the call – to lessen potential controversy if the CR decides to overrule the ARs input and decline to call the foul).

  39. 39.

    Amir Khalid

    July 7, 2016 at 4:10 pm

    @cmorenc:
    Fortunately, I’m not a betting man.

  40. 40.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:11 pm

    @philadelphialawyer: Whereas the BBC crew agrees it was a poor call so now we have dueling announcers and I’ll go with Henry and Shearer, who ya got?

  41. 41.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:11 pm

    @eclare: yeah, he actually punched at the ball…

  42. 42.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    @cmorenc: I bow to your experience but that still looked like a terrible call and that the ball was headed into the arm.

  43. 43.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    @humboldtblue: Whoever the ESPN guys are…one Englishman and one American….and, oh yeah, the ref!

  44. 44.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:18 pm

    Boateng out. That really hurts.

  45. 45.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:18 pm

    @philadelphialawyer: Well of course you have the ref he’s probably a lawyer too.

  46. 46.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:19 pm

    @humboldtblue: LOL!

  47. 47.

    Randinho

    July 7, 2016 at 4:20 pm

    @humboldtblue: It wasn’t any worse than the Boateng penalty.

  48. 48.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:20 pm

    Bayern’s gonna love that.

  49. 49.

    Amir Khalid

    July 7, 2016 at 4:21 pm

    Boateng is off with an injury. Die Mannschaft didn’t need that.

  50. 50.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:23 pm

    @Randinho: Oh there’s a big difference

  51. 51.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:27 pm

    Every time I see Kroos I think of this fascinating excerpt from a book on how Germany completely overhauled its national scouting and youth systems that has led to this extended run of excellence

  52. 52.

    Morfydd

    July 7, 2016 at 4:27 pm

    Like Bayern won’t win it all going away.

    On review, the Schweini call was good, but I’m overall not impressed by the refs. I assume I’m still a beginner and can’t see the calls right but my German neighbor says the refs have been bought. Germans tend to the conspiracy theories though…

    I could watch Draxler and Õzil pass back and forth all day tho.

  53. 53.

    Morfydd

    July 7, 2016 at 4:28 pm

    Uh, thanks refs for feeding the CTs…

  54. 54.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 4:30 pm

    Woo! Woke the dog!!!!!

  55. 55.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    I guess now the French have twice the problem, leading two nothing. Whatever WILL they do?!?!?!?

  56. 56.

    Amir Khalid

    July 7, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    Germany need at least one goal in the 90 minutes to keep their hopes alive. Still not there, though …
    ETA: And as soon as I post that, France score. I think it’s going tp be les Bleus in the final.

  57. 57.

    Morfydd

    July 7, 2016 at 4:32 pm

    Neuer stay in your fucking box! :(

  58. 58.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    Well that was a fantastic time for the stream to die. Germany are 6-1 against host nations in semifinals

  59. 59.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    July 7, 2016 at 4:36 pm

    I clearly understand this sport even less than I thought, because there’s a bunch of stuff going on that seem like obvious fouls that aren’t getting called. The French bodycheck in ways that would make a hockey team proud.

  60. 60.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:37 pm

    @humboldtblue: Oh, you’re watching it on a stream? Thought you were British = fucking right off.

  61. 61.

    Randinho

    July 7, 2016 at 4:37 pm

    @humboldtblue: Schweinsteiger also had his arm extended. Seen them given for less, but I will agree to disagree.

  62. 62.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    Now Löw has taken out both of his defensive midfielders. Sané is an out and out winger.

  63. 63.

    Morfydd

    July 7, 2016 at 4:39 pm

    It’s not that I’m afan of kicking the guy in the back, but when he just picked you up by your jersey and dragged you out of bounds and the refs didn’t call it…

  64. 64.

    philadelphialawyer

    July 7, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    @Tissue Thin Pseudonym: Eh. Don’t forget, all is not always what it seems…teams that are losing tend to do a lot of playacting. What is in reality a big nothing can look like a body check, if the other guy flops to the ground…

  65. 65.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    When it’s not you day, it’s not your day.

  66. 66.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    July 7, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    @philadelphialawyer: My opinion on that started long before the French scored their first goal.

  67. 67.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    @SRW1: @SRW1: Sane was the only offensive player that he could still bring on. Now it really shows that Löw went to the Euro with only one center forward, Gomez who is injured. Not that Löw had any good alternatives, though.

  68. 68.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:43 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: Oh no, Yank all the way, originally from Philadelphia in fact (even though I live in a California county named after a German), but I was smart enough and virtuous enough to avoid law school unlike some people.

    And I only have intense dislike for the German National team not Germans or Germany and not for any rational or valid reason but simply because they are so fucking good. I’m a Klopp type, not a Bayern type.

  69. 69.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 4:44 pm

    @Onkel Fritze:

    You have no love for Poldi?

  70. 70.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:48 pm

    @humboldtblue: Well, seems like you’re getting your way on this one.
    Umm, Philadelphia….got robbed there last August.

  71. 71.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: You should talk to a lawyer about that, those Philly folks are vicious, feral beasts.

  72. 72.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    @SRW1: I think at this point Löw only takes him along to cheer up the rest of the team at breakfast time.

  73. 73.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    @humboldtblue: If the lawyers there are as competent as the police, I think I’ll pass.

  74. 74.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    July 7, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    Just so long as France beat Portugal.

  75. 75.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    And France nicked it. Means I was at least once right. Well, the French defense was also suspect.

  76. 76.

    Randinho

    July 7, 2016 at 4:55 pm

    Interesting factoid: Griezman has never played professionally in France.

  77. 77.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 4:55 pm

    @Tissue Thin Pseudonym:

    The French have a tendency to do it at home.

  78. 78.

    Randinho

    July 7, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    @Tissue Thin Pseudonym: Word.

  79. 79.

    eclare

    July 7, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    Le Bleus! Germany never recovered from that penalty kick. Awaiting abuse.

  80. 80.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    @Tissue Thin Pseudonym: Agree. The French need to absolutely stomp all over Portugal. Their game has been atrocious.

  81. 81.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 4:58 pm

    I hope the Iceland guys trademarked that Uh and are now swimming in royalties.

  82. 82.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 4:59 pm

    So Germany has broken with two traditions: Never win against Italy and always win against France.

  83. 83.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 5:06 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: Next you’ll tell me that Christmas eve has been replaced in importance by Christmas day and that you can make beer any old which ya want.

  84. 84.

    Morfydd

    July 7, 2016 at 5:09 pm

    I’m pretty sure France (as a military force) has stomped all over Germany on a regular basis. I was in a museum in Munich when I realised the invader “Ludwig” must have actually been a Louis. And then there was Napoleon…

  85. 85.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 5:14 pm

    @humboldtblue: Never the beer. NEVER!!!1!!1!

  86. 86.

    Morfydd

    July 7, 2016 at 5:17 pm

    @Onkel Fritze: you can make the beer as pure as you want. The Germans will then mix it with lemonade, cola, seltzer water…

  87. 87.

    humboldtblue

    July 7, 2016 at 5:17 pm

    @Morfydd: Look on the bright side, the last time the Germans battled in and around Marseille … umm … that’s not a bright side, is it?

  88. 88.

    randy khan

    July 7, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    Not entirely coincidentally, French hero Antoine Griezmann’s sister was featured in an article in the New York Times sports section today;

    Sis

  89. 89.

    Onkel Fritze

    July 7, 2016 at 5:20 pm

    @Morfydd: Seltzer water? Who does such a terrible thing? Nobody I know.

  90. 90.

    SRW1

    July 7, 2016 at 5:20 pm

    @Morfydd:

    Can I toast you with my Radler?

  91. 91.

    cmorenc

    July 7, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    @humboldtblue:

    @cmorenc: I bow to your experience but that still looked like a terrible call and that the ball was headed into the arm.

    You’re asking the wrong question for this type of situaton – why was Schweinsteiger’s arm avoidably extended into the space into which the ball would likely be played? That was not a “natural” position that it would be anatomically difficult for a position to avoid taking in that sort of situation, or to put it the way the USSF prefers to put it Schweinsteiger deliberately, unnaturally extended his arm to make his body “bigger”. I prefer the concept of a situation avoidably within the deliberate control of the player (particularly one at this high level of the game), but you reach the same result either way.

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