In the first of them,Portugal squared up to the Czech Republic, and whilst the Eastern Europeans were tactically and technically cute in the Group stage, come the knockout they came up against the irresistible force that is CR7.
Christiano Ronaldo is an entoxicating mix - a playground bully crossed with the kid who stands at the back and cries. His fantastic physique is testament to the work he does. He's one of those players of intense, advanced skill who follow one of two paths.
You can keep your skill and end up as a Luis Nani- fabulously talented but somewhat lightweight and slim - or, like the Portugeezer Supreme- you can add to it by becoming an almost "Hulk" - and I mean the Bruce Banner version. He IS an ABSOLUTE BEAST physically.
What this means, of course, is that allied to his intense talent he has a physical presence that is likely to see off even the best of defenders.
One of the criticisms of CR7 previously has been his failure to drag his team further into Tournaments by his disappointing performances - but that something that can't be levelled at him this time around.
Against Holland he was excellent, his two goals confirming the Portugese superiority. Against the Czechs, who set out to play negatively, he was better still, capping the performance with a superb late game goal that showed his aerial prowess. Coupled with the teams' settled and varied tactical sweep it was enough to show the door to the Czechs.
The middle 3 of Meireles, Moutinho and Veloso had been excellence throughout - couple that with the freedom of expression of Ronaldo and Nani, and Pepe's snarling resistance at the back and you have a team that will give the semi-final a real go.
In the second game up, the German team gave an exhibition of why they've been the most attractive side on view thus far. Their 4-2 besting of Greece could, and perhaps should, been a result that could have been greater if not for their profligacy in netting the end result.
This is a side that could replace their front 3 of Podolski, Gomez and Muller with a trio that is arguably better.
The fantastic Marco Reus played right, Miroslav Klose led the line and Andre Schurlle showed Ashley Young how to play wide left with a threat.
Shweinsteiger and Sami Khedira were excellence personified in setting the defensive/destructive tone, whilst the player of the tournament, the divine Mesut Ozil, ran riot in pulling the strings. There is something rewarding in seeing an attacking MF'ef go on to shape a game- god knows we Swans have been lucky enough to see 2 top class performers in Siggurdsson and Bodde over the last few years, but here is a player who makes even those top class performers seem ordinary in comparison. Ozil is, in my eyes, the MF equivalent of Messi - a sort of Xavi Hernadez or Andres Iniesta with greater goal threat.
You will glean from this I 'm rather impressed by this boy. You are not wrong.
It was a question in this game of when, not if, the Germans would score, and having broken the ice with a terrific strike from Philip Lahm, it was then a question of how many, and when.
A gutsy Greece pulled one back in the second half, with a late penalty consolation, but by then the 4 German goals only begged the question of a settled outcome from a plentiful opportunuty. Through they went.
The third QF was the most disappointing of the games thus far- primarily because Laurent Blanc appeared to have a brainstorm, limiting his team by their starting line up alone, almost ceding to Spain the dominance and initiative.
It seems to me that this is possibly the WORST approach to advance against the Spanish, since they will pass you to death ANYWAY, so you might as well have something of a limited go. Whatever. Blanc's option of a 4-5-1, with the brilliant Mathieu Debuchy, Lille's rampaging RB deployed wide right in a defensive set-up (where he'd never played before!!) being the worst of a sad approach.
Perhaps the most surprising stat to come out of this game was France's overall possession stat of 44% against Spain's 56%. This was significantly BETTER than any other team had achieved against the Iberians- what was tragic was that they did NOTHING with it.
Del Bosque had once again chosen Fabregas as a "false 9", but France's ineptitude and stumbling advance created almost nothing. I felt at one stage that Blanc may have been aiming for a 1-0 or 2-0 defeat so that they weren't necessarily embarrassed. Well, they got what they asked for in a 2-0 shoeing, with Xabi Alonso for Spain answering his occasional critics by getting both.
Spain's 4-6-0, of course, is nothing of the sort since the front 4 constantly rotate to put a target up front - it's just that it can be tenous and extremely fluid, and France's 4-5-1 became a REAL 4-6-0 as they were pushed further and further into a corner. It was painful to watch. Debuchy's slip to let in the Jordi Alba cross for Alonso's first goal was perhaps the best illustration of where France were going wrong. Ah well, this may have been a lesson learned.
That the second goal came from a last minute penalty from Alonso (again - how apt) was immaterial.
It seems to me that the key issue here was one of CONTROL. Spain have evolved a system where we Swans are more familiar in it's regard than many British fans. The key is the ball. When Spain have it, the opposition can do little but defend. Given that they usually top the 65% mark in most games, it's not rocket science to predict that the 35% opportunity is likely to be less successful than the team that is dominating you. WOW. Who Knew??
Well, Vicente Del Bosque for one, and the eleven Spaniards on the pitch too, as their settled and patient probing was like watching a Boa-Constictor strangling, rather than swallowing whole, a goat.
A word here for those critics who find this style a little barren. have you ever considered the teams who line up AGAINST the Spaniards and their outlook?
Almost inevitably, they do so by "parking the bus", and it seems to me that this is one of the more futile approaches they could take. If it takes until the 89th minute or longer- take this approach and the Iberians WILL strangle you.
The last of the last-8 saw the incessantly hyped England take on the Azzuri, and a more one -sided contest you couldn't have wished for - even if it did take a penalty shoot-out to decide.
I sat down to watch this match with a completely open visage- bring it on, and whomsoever played better would undoubtedly win - and, the first 15m were at least competitive, where for each Italian chance there was at least an English riposte. From then on, it can only be said that that Italy dominated, and but for England's persistent and lucky resistance, would surely have won by 2 or three goals. There will be some who praise the English defence, but, for me, the saddest thing was to see a Home Nation team so utterly and abjectively DOMINATED, with a huge propensity to be unable to keep the ball, and to see Andrea Pirlo, the elder statesman as it were, show England how to take over and run a game against International opposition. A truly stunning display, capped, and we'll come back (surely, in this Tournament) to it, by a sublime "Panenka" in the shoot-out phase.
Here's a salutary tale - make of it what you will.
Whilst Christiano Ronaldo was ripping his physique in the Gym, Wayne Rooney took his pasty body to Las Vegas just a month before the tournament. Tonight, Ronaldo faces Spain in the Semi-Final. Rooney, presumably, can go to Vegas again.
Coincidence????
You decide.
Anyway, a Spain v Germany final if there's any justice.
See you soon.
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