I didn't see what you saw, maybe my eyes are blurred by the GL fanboy worship of him but I was impressed as I thought he'd be slower. I'll try to observe better next time.

Does it really matter? Podolski does have good acceleration, and even if he isn't as agile as Gervinho or Walcott he's not the sort of player who looks to take people on with the ball. His game is more about movement and linking up with players.

Yann M'Vila is fit & will take part in full French training tonight. #AFC target could well face England now. (via @tomwfootball )

any news on whether Koscielny will start or benched by mexes of all people ?

Sina wrote:any news on whether Koscielny will start or benched by mexes of all people ?

don't think he will start


Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Monday’s Group D opener with England, Blanc suggested that the Arsenal defender might have to wait a little longer to win his fourth cap.

“We’ve got two big players in central defence and I hope they play very well tomorrow,” he said.

“Koscielny has had a very good season with Arsenal but, as you know, you need experience at centre-back and players that work together in terms of instinct.”

Expected France XI


*Alou Diarra on stand-by

Koscielny highly unlikely to start, given Blanc's comments.

So Really Hope Theo and Welbeck start and make runs behind their Defence
then we will see if some certain Defenders will be missed or not

Roy Hodgson may start Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain ahead of Stewart Downing against France

SOURCE:Daily Mail

Tottenham legend and former England coach Glenn Hoddle says Arsenal whizkid Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain can repeat the heroics of Manchester United striker Michael Owen at the 1998 World Cup.

Hoddle wrote in the Mail on Sunday: "I feel Oxlade-Chamberlain showed enough on his debut a fortnight ago to demonstrate that he deserves a start ahead of Stewart Downing.

"Sometimes when you’re young you don’t understand about the pressure and there is less fear. It is similar to the dilemma I had with Michael Owen in 1998, although Roy does not quite have the attacking options I was blessed with in Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham. That allowed me to ease Michael into the tournament.

"But this team need some pace, which Oxlade-Chamberlain would give you, as well as the ability to come inside and rotate with Young. He seems full of confidence and a mature lad, so if he starts I don’t think he would let England down one bit."

Confirmed Eng team: Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Parker, Gerrard, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Young, Welbeck.

Well this will be interesting

England 1-1 France

Oxlade-Chamberlain played 77 minutes for England. He impressed in the first half, particularly when drifting past Diarra & Cabaye to feed in Young for a chance (was called offside ultimately). Faded in second period, but positive for a guy making just his 2nd ever start for his country.

Walcott appeared for just 3 minutes. Koscielny was unused substitute for France.

England has been playing very boring football under Roy. The ox was given more defensive role yesterday which he did okay. If England played more attacking than they did yesterday then i think England could've won the match.

djoe26 wrote:England has been playing very boring football under Roy. The ox was given more defensive role yesterday which he did okay. If England played more attacking than they did yesterday then i think England could've won the match.

He didn't play Walcott against a defense lacking pace. #Facepalm.

Beautiful assist from Arshavin to Dzaegov for Russia's first goal against Poland.

We need this Andrey.

If Arshavin put as much effort into his club performances we wouldn't be thinking of selling him. It's very possible that he's extra motivated because he knows he's in the shop window. There's simply no guarantee that he would come back to Arsenal and put in the same sort of performances.

Czech Rep 2-1 Greece

Rosicky played the first half for Czech Republic and was influential. Pulled the strings in the midfield, and played a lovely pass in the build-up to the opening goal.

Substituted at half-time with achilles injury. Coach Bilek "hopes" he is fit for third game v Poland. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/10286046

I have been tracking Arsenal’s players who are playing in Euro 2012 and here are their numbers through round 1:

Top 5 Passing percent (20 passes or more):

100 – Alou Diarra, Midfielder, France (37/37)
98.2 – Damien Perquis, Center Half, Poland (55/56)
97.9 – Nigel de Jong, Midfielder, Netherlands (47/48)
97.4 – Ibrahim Affelay, Midfielder, Netherlands (38/39)
96.3 – Robin van Persie, Forward, Netherlands (26/27)

–

8 – Shots by Robin van Persie*
4 – Shots by Lukas Podolski (tie for 8th)
3 – Shots by Tomas Rosicky
1 – Shot by Nicklas Bendtner
10 – Key passes by Wesley Snjieder*
7 – Key passes by Andrei Arshavin (3rd best)
2 – Key passes each by Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky
1 – Key pass by Lukas Podolski
1 – Pass by Theo Walcott
0 – Other stats generated by Theo Walcott
2 – Assists by Andrei Arshavin*
2 – Through balls by Andrei Arshavin (2nd best)
1 – Through ball by Robin van Persie
1 – Accurate crosses by any Arsenal player (Arshavin, 1/7)

100 – Percent of people who believe that Andrei Arshavin’s “natural position” is in the center of the pitch
90 – Percent of people who believe that Arsene Wenger played Arshavin “out of his natural position”

Arshavin’s actual position on the pitch v. Czech Republic:



2 – Offsides by Andrei Arshavin*
9 – Total lost possessions by Zlatan*
8 – Total lost possessions by Samir Nasri (2nd worst)
5 – Total lost possessions each by Nicklas Bendtner and Robin van Persie
2 – Total lost possessions by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
6 – Successful dribbles by Fábio Coentrão (Portugal)*
3 – Successful dribbles by Andrei Arshavin (4th best)
2 – Successful dribbles by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
1 – Successful dribbles each by Rosicky and Podolski

1 – Successful tackles by each of Nicklas Bendtner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
0 – Successful tackles by any other Arsenal player playing in Euro 2012
2 – Interceptions by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
1 – Interceptions each by RvP, Bendtner, and Podolski
1 – Number of Arsenal’s defenders who have played in any of the opening matches of Euro 2012
1 – Number of red cards by Arsenal’s defenders playing in the opening matches of Euro 2012 (Wojciech Szczesny)

10,310 – Meters covered by Andrei Arshavin
10,518 – Meters covered by Tomas Rosicky
10,637 – Meters covered by Lukas Podolski
10 – Number worn by all three of those players
20,000 – Leagues covered by Nicklas Bendtner in his Wondrous Nautilus

7am

*Leads all players at Euro 2012 in this category

Russia 1-1 Poland

Arshavin played the whole game for Russia, again captaining his side, and was excellent in the first half; The Arshavin of old. Set up Dzagoev's header with a free-kick and was a real menace in the Poland defence.

He must have put on an Arsenal top at half-time. He was very poor in the second half. Lost the ball on literally every occasion, and failed to track back at all. Very familiar scenes.

Szczesny was suspended for Poland.

Update:

Arshavin: 2apps, 0 goals, 3 assists
Rosicky: 2 apps, 0 goals, 0 assists
Szczesny: 1 app, 1 conceded, 1 red card
Van Persie: 1 app, 0 goals, 0 assists
Bendtner: 1 app, 0 goals, 0 assists
Podolski: 1 app, 0 goals, 0 assists
Oxlade-Chamberlain 1 app, 0 goals, 0 assists
Walcott 1 app, 0 goals, 0 assists
Mertesacker: 0 app
Koscielny: 0 app

Go Germany!



cant speak German

^^ I can

srigooner wrote:^^ I can

Ich liebe Deustchland


No translator or nothin'