Serie A @ the Euros: Day 5
(Oh my good god, Inler.)
Aw, all the defenders in the back with Cech! And Ujfi looking fierce already. Rawr.
So, Grygera.
He got forward well in the first half (during which he and Juanku switched flanks, but I couldn't tell if it was for attacking or defending reasons), but the whole defending thing didn't work out real well for any of them.
He did get to jump around with Ronaldo a lot and, hell, a lot of people would kill for that. Silver lining?
They actually contained him quite well for much of the first half, but it wasn't enough, and the second goal went right through Grygera, Ujfi and Rozehnal. (Defensive flaw #1: Putting junk before duty. So to speak.)
(Talking to Big Phil about Chelsea.)
Ouch. Taking one for the team.
OUCH. And taking yet another one.
I love this sequence so much.
Grygera and Ujfi are basically just watching, meanwhile Cris is in tears.
I think Ujfi may have fouled Grygera, but who touched Ronaldo?
Janku's turn. (Well hello, Mr. Quaresma. How did you get in here?)
I would say he was actually the least to blame for the defense's problems -- he was crucial in the Czech attacks, and made a couple good blocks in the defense.
This may or may not have been a block -- the referee said it wasn't -- but my point is that he was actually keeping the ball off goal.
Plus, he assisted on the one Czech goal.
Additionally, he continued his habit of giving the referee several pieces of his mind. Good man.
Despite his greatest efforts, however, the defense were still periodically very ragged.
(WOE.)
Hello, Rozy. (I'm sorry, but Rozehnal is very hard for me to spell. I hope Rozy is ok with everyone.)
There's always a strong chance I'm very wrong in these things, but I sort of thought he was awful.
Awful moment, the first.
(We see you, Janku -- Rozehnal's not alone here.)
He just sort of stood and watched the first, sloppy goal, when it seemed like he could just step up and whack it away.
Then, later, he had a horrible touch-cum-backpass that basically put Nuno Gomes in alone.
He did get back and close him down, though, so I guess he wins some points for that.
And the entire defense was AWFUL for the last goal, something of which the expression on his skeletal face indicates he was very aware.
Other than the defensive problems, he was engaged in srs business like setting up walls.
And celebrating the Czech's awesome goal, when everything look ever-so-rosy.
The game wasn't great, but at least he got a hug in. That's something.
For his part, Ujfi was busy, dancing with Nuno Gomes.
In good news, he didn't commit a single handball today, and also was totally rocking his biker 'stache.
In bad news, the defense he's suppose to be leading gave up three goals, two of which were not good.
He had a great headed cross of a corner that almost drew the Czechs level at two, but it was not to be.
When the header didn't work, he tried both showing some skin and flashing his karate skillz but those, too, were denied.
So, he went back to smacking Cris around.
"THIS GUY FELL DOWN. TOTALLY ON HIS OWN."
(This is why we love Ujfi.)
Look at him -- he's actually rolling his eyes.
So, the Swiss. Two starting Serie A players: Frosty Behrami, and Gökhan "OMG I Am So Pretty" Inler.
He is a beautiful, beautiful man.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am wracked with guilt and regret for ignoring him all season.
In addition to pretty, he's also seriously badass.
He basically storms around in the midfield being wildly skilled, kicking ass, and keeping his perfect poker face the entire time.
Alright, given how wet the pitch was, the skill part sort of fell by the wayside today, but the badass and poker face were firmly in place.
(So. Wet.)
Look at that -- trying to act all innocent, but wearing a little, secret smirk.
See? Just lurking there all the time. Nnnnnnnngh.
He did drop the poker face when Phil sat on him, but that was mostly it.
Ok, I lied -- we got his happy face, which is really not very different from his usual expression.
And his sad face, on which it is probably not appropriate to perv. Unfortunately.
Behrami, obviously, is Inler's polar opposite.
If he's not sticking his tongue out or contorting his face during the match, you can be pretty sure he's dead.
And today's monsoon was basically made for Behrami's muppety self.
Even when the weather's perfect, he's a hustle-monkey, but when it's wet and he gets to slide around, too?
WOO HOO!
Thiiiiiigh.
(When other people were doing the sliding, he was totally jealous.)
When the hair was still dry -- look at that body.
Oh, look, a Turkish sandwich for Behrami.
The rain had been bucketing down for a quite a while when the Swiss scored their goal.
The ball actually stopped in the goal mouth, and Frosty was slopping towards it when Hakan Yakin tapped it in.
Yakin's parents are Turkish, so he didn't want to celebrate.
Behrami, however, had no such connections to their opponents, and wanted to celebrate like whoa.
Aarrrrrms. Wet kiiiiiiiiit.
KING OF THE MUPPETS. (And Yakin's saggy, wet briefs.)
*sigh*
Sadly, after all that joy and frenzied effort, they lost on a deflected goal in the last 30 seconds of injury time.
Which means that, even with a match left, they have no chance to advance.
The muppet was devastated.
*pets*
God, the poor, poor kid.
*sniffle*
At least his team is taking care of him. Only two more years, Frosty. The World Cup is waiting!
Sweden trained today, but hero!Zlatan and his gimpy knee went and talked to the press instead.
"Hee. Yeah. My goal was sweet."
[A frightening juxtaposition of nose and Adam's Apple, y/y?]
Romania and France seem to have had closed practices today, but the Austrians were out getting ready for tomorrow's match, and you know what that means:
ALEX MANNINGER! *ahem* Ok. That is all.