OT: Euro 2016

Just switched on the TV at half-time of the Italy-Sweden game to hear two of the studio "experts" (Bob Ley, Taylor Twellman?) refer to Italy as "Spain".

SMH

Mike the Brit said:

Just switched on the TV at half-time of the Italy-Sweden game to hear two of the studio "experts" (Bob Ley, Taylor Twellman?) refer to Italy as "Spain".

SMH

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Si!

Italy scores a goal from nothing that deserves to win a boring match.

Sensational goal from Eder. Italy have barely got out of second gear in a very poor game, but then they haven't needed to. Sweden have been awful.

Full time, possible penalty for Sweden right at the end not given.

yes !!!

EDER grandissimo goal after also a Parolo crossbeam

1-0 Italia !!!

FORZA AZZURRI !!!

BritPat said:

Full time, possible penalty for Sweden right at the end not given.

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No pen. Just a dive. Most imaginative thing the Swedes did, so far as I saw.

how poor is that Swedish team.

We should have tore them a new one last Monday.

Italy is going to be a pain in the butt to knock out of this tournament. Not sure they will win it all (probably not, in fact), but it'll take a very good effort to beat them.


EDIT: Which reminds me. I just said "Italy *is*..." Why do the Brits say "Italy *are*..."? Italy is a singular noun. Italians is a plural noun. Italy IS. Italians ARE. What possible reason is there, grammatically, to use a singular noun with a plural verb?

Galeb said:

Gotta love the Irish.

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Irish fans out of control at Euro 2016 - in the best possible way - CNN.com

A few more examples of the seriousness of the Irish football fan.

ivanvamp said:

EDIT: Which reminds me. I just said "Italy *is*..." Why do the Brits say "Italy *are*..."? Italy is a singular noun. Italians is a plural noun. Italy IS. Italians ARE. What possible reason is there, grammatically, to use a singular noun with a plural verb?

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Because it's a group.

It sounds weird to me to say "My family is all Patriots fans". Sure, you can say "The Patriots is a great team." But would you say "The Patriots is great guys"?

So it's natural enough for me to say "Italy [meaning the group who play football for the national side] are going to be hard to beat". Are you attributing agency to the set (which is singular) or to the members of the set (which is not)?

Ah, the off-season ...

Terrific finish by Perisic puts the Croatians 1-0 up against the Cezch Republic. Deservedly so too, they've been hammering on the door.

Mike the Brit said:

Because it's a group.

It sounds weird to me to say "My family is all Patriots fans". Sure, you can say "The Patriots is a great team." But would you say "The Patriots is great guys"?

So it's natural enough for me to say "Italy [meaning the group who play football for the national side] are going to be hard to beat". Are you attributing agency to the set (which is singular) or to the members of the set (which is not)?

Ah, the off-season ...

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It sounds as wrong to us as it sounds right to you.

On a serious note, it's just the way it is. They do at least have consistency on their side:

New England has the best offense with a GOAT. vs. The Patriots have the best offense with a GOAT.

It's our language, don't forget

Great half for Croatia but only one goal to show for it. The Czechs simply cannot play any worse.

ctpatsfan77 said:

It sounds as wrong to us as it sounds right to you.

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Yes. English, God love it, is a mess of a language, and, let's face it, there are more annoying things we could of argued about.

Lovely goal from Rakitic - 2-0 Croatia.

Mike the Brit said:

Yes. English, God love it, is a mess of a language, and, let's face it, there are more annoying things we could of argued about.

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*have

Croatia have been just as good as any team I've seen so far.

BritPat said:

It's our language, don't forget

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Yeah, but we now outnumber you 4 to 1.