Gabriele Marcotti's daily diary: Are Russia really that good?

3. Those of us who are trained print journalists sometimes snobbishly believe that people working in television are dim, superficial and, generally ignorant. Such stereotyping is wrong, of course. Except when it's right. As was the case with the people working for the German network ARD-Das Erste who ran a segment previewing the semi-final between Turkey and Germany. Both countries' flags were supposed to be displayed in the background (very imaginative, I know).

They got Turkey right (well done!) but, somehow contrived to get the order of the colors in the German one incorrect (the black stripe was in the middle). Imagine BBC One displaying an England flag featuring a white cross on a red background and you get the picture. Heads will roll and rightly so.

2. OK, so Turkey have four players suspended and another three definitely out for tonight's semi-final.  Another two are highly doubtful. Fatih Terim has twelve fit outfield players and two goalkeepers to choose from. Guess he won't be making all three subsitutions.

1. How about a little reality check? Over the past forty-eight hours I've heard Guus Hiddink's Russia compared with everything from Brazil 1970 to Tiger Woods to the 1992 "Dream Team". Steady on, people.

Russia were soundly beaten by Spain (yes, they hit the crossbar twice, but they also conceded four goals). They limped to a 1-0 win over Greece, arguably the worst team in the tournament.  They beat Sweden, a team who are also not particularly good and whose best player - Zlatan Ibrahimovic - had a knee the size of a watermelon.

Oh, you say, but they didn't pummel a brilliant Holland side? Well, yes, Russia looked impressive. But it did finish 1-1 after 90 minutes. And Holland were actually far more pedestrian than the crew on the Oranje bandwagon would have us believe. Marco Van Basten's crew were basically a counterattacking unit who were outshot by a poor Italy side (16-13) and an even poorer France side (18-13). In fact, had the referee given a penalty for Andre Ooijer's fairly blatant handball against Les Bleus, the whole tournament could have taken a decidedly different spin. So let's wait until tomorrow night to anoint Russia as the second coming, shall we?

Comments

[Gaz]

Gab

You are thinking too hard.

Just enjoy the tournament for what is so far. Which is a refreshing, attacking and quality tournament.

The Russians have played well. Yes, they lost to Spain in the first match. The German had a similar fate against Croatia and which of the 2 got to the semis?

The only downer for me are the players faking injuries that then forces the opposing team, when in attack ,to kick the ball out.

Gaz

[Andrew]

I Agree entirely. The semi-final against Spain in comparison to the group stage result should be a better indication of the potential of this Russian side. The hype over Arshavin seems even more premature than that over the team as a whole. He played fantastically in the ONE game he was avaialable in. Let's wait to see if he can maintain than level over a sustained period!

[Mike]

"And Holland were actually far more pedestrian than the crew on the Oranje bandwagon would have us believe."

Finally, someone who's been watching the same tournament as me!

[stelios]

Greece may in your opinion be the worst team however they had 2 semi-finalists in their group.The bottom line Greece with a population of 10 million have won the EURO yet England with 80 million have yet to do so .Every second major competition they don't evan qualify for , how much they don't make it to the world cup in south africa ?

[Roberto birquet]

Eighty million Englishmen? Who let in the other 30 million? For heaven's sake, give them all a trial!

[Robert]

The third Russian goal really summed the Dutch up. Trying to play offside from a throw in from which you cannot be offside. They were waiting to be found out and found out they were.

[nicki, california,usa]

Yes,indeed, the Russians are that good! Just watch the videos of Arshavin, Palyuchenko, etc. They are incredible.

[nicki, california,usa]

Yes,indeed, the Russians are that good! Just watch the videos of Arshavin, Palyuchenko, etc. They are incredible.

[joe]

finally a reality check

and arshavin is not suddenly the best player after one or two VERY good performances, although he is an extremely good player from performances prior to this tournament

i certainly hope that germany don't win with how poorly they have played this tournament

[Ian Thomson]

Finally someone exploding the myth of the Dutch side.

Their first against Italy was still offside, no matter what convenient interpretations of the law are invented by UEFA to justify the decision. Goals two and three came after the ball had been cleared off their own goal-line, and the first twenty minutes of the second half saw Del Piero and Toni both miss a couple of chances, Pirlo come close with two free kicks, and Italy camped firmly in the Dutch half.

Good team, yes, but I think it was Rodney Marsh who always warned about making "knee-jerk reactions".