Euro 2012

[Ian]

When oh when are England going to learn how to win on a penalty shoot out ? Saying that, Italy deserved to win anyhow.

[greener_09]

Yeah tell me about it Ian i really thought this might be their year but i think im more upset about losing the £200 i would have won if they'd made the final

[vintly]

Unlucky greener, but was that bet on England from the heart, or from the head? I think we played to form, and aren't quite nipping at the heels of the top four in Europe. If there was a Euro League, we'd be somewhere in the middle with Turkey and Sweden.

Germany to win the final with a total of 3+ goals.

[David]

I was gutted for them Ian. I always root for England unless they are playing Northern Ireland. 

[F1fanaticBD]

History shows England has always been slayed by the Gods of penalty shout-out, so not try to win it within 120 mins. It feels like they will never be able triumph with this shoot-out, so best possible way is to avoid it

[Scott]

From a non football fan, so many soccer games end in ties.  Can they not tweak the rules like other sports?  Make the goal bigger, don't allow the goalies to wear sticky gloves?  Make the ball smaller?  I dunno, but if, like when I'm extremely bored or drunk, I find myself in front of a soccer telecast and it ends in a tie, I don't even want to watch the artificial shootout. It's a joke to waste two hours of my time only to have it decided on luck.

Better yet, why not, at least for playoffs, play sudden death overtime?  The games could go on for hours, but at some point the players would get so tired someone is going to score.   

[Jericoke]

From a non football fan, so many soccer games end in ties.  Can they not tweak the rules like other sports?  Make the goal bigger, don't allow the goalies to wear sticky gloves?  Make the ball smaller?  I dunno, but if, like when I'm extremely bored or drunk, I find myself in front of a soccer telecast and it ends in a tie, I don't even want to watch the artificial shootout. It's a joke to waste two hours of my time only to have it decided on luck.

Better yet, why not, at least for playoffs, play sudden death overtime?  The games could go on for hours, but at some point the players would get so tired someone is going to score.   

Soccer fans don't seem to care.  No point in messing with the sport when you've already got half the world watching.

I don't mind ties.  I think the NHL was wrong to eliminate them.  Sometimes the teams are just evenly matched, what's wrong with recognising that?  (And of course, there is the playoff overtime where the tired team makes a mistake and loses at 5 AM.)

[Scott]

Then soccer can stick to that half of the world that already has its attention, and stop moaning about why North Americans don't get the sport.   

I'd much rather watch baseball, american football, basketball and hockey any day of the week...and of course F1. 

Besides, ties don't often mean teams are evenly matched (crap goalie and a good team vs a great goalie and a crap team), and in the case of a game being decided by penalty kicks (which is really what we were talking about), as long as the kicker(or whatever you call the guy who kicks the ball - I wanted to say punter, but I understand that has another meaning in the UK) shoots the ball at the goal, it is pure luck that the goalie dives the right way.   

[Jericoke]

Then soccer can stick to that half of the world that already has its attention, and stop moaning about why North Americans don't get the sport.   

Americans don't care if anyone else watches NFL, NASCAR, baseball or basketball.  Why does everyone else care if Americans watch soccer?

Besides, plenty of Americans watch soccer, they just don't watch American soccer.  Who can blame them?  The MLS is minor league.

I'd much rather watch baseball, american football, basketball and hockey any day of the week...and of course F1. 

Besides, ties don't often mean teams are evenly matched (crap goalie and a good team vs a great goalie and a crap team), and in the case of a game being decided by penalty kicks (which is really what we were talking about), as long as the kicker(or whatever you call the guy who kicks the ball - I wanted to say punter, but I understand that has another meaning in the UK) shoots the ball at the goal, it is pure luck that the goalie dives the right way.   

I used to love playing soccer, but just never really watched it.  It's not TV friendly.  And the penalty shootout is ludicrous. 

[cosworth151]

Besides, plenty of Americans watch soccer, they just don't watch American soccer.

A few years ago, the Columbus Crew won the MSL championship. I live about an hour's drive from Crew stadium. The first time I heard about them winning was when someone on here congratulated me!

[Jericoke]

Besides, plenty of Americans watch soccer, they just don't watch American soccer.

A few years ago, the Columbus Crew won the MSL championship. I live about an hour's drive from Crew stadium. The first time I heard about them winning was when someone on here congratulated me!

Since 2007, the Toronto FC have played 169 MLS games
They've won 41 of them.  (And tied 49... )

I don't think we'll be winning a championship any time soon.

And yet they outdraw the Toronto Maple Leafs, in a supposed 'hockey town'.  (To be fair, the soccer team has more seats to sell than the hockey team - but that doesn't help the baseball, football or basketball teams)

[Ian]

Germany 1 Italy 2

Favourites are going home.

[David]

Germany 1 Italy 2

Favourites are going home.

Must have been a late goal for Germany? I was listening on the radio in the car and it was 2-0 with like 90secs to go when I pulled into the drive.

Nice final for the Ferrari garage, Spain v Italy!

[Ian]

Handball in the penalty area in the 4 mins extra time.

[David]

Spain 4, Italy 0! Alonso might be hard to listen too round the garage for the Ferrari mechanics come Silverstone.