MARIUS WATCH

[CaleyD]

Robben offside and in thick of play for the goal!!  Romania have become one dimensional. Nearly every forward ball going to him.  Think Nicolita should have been man to come off there he's been anonymous most of the game.

[SMEE]

I logged on to say I could see marius coming off soon......but the substitution beat me to it! Being honest here....I dont think Marius upped his value any from this showing

[alternative maryhill]

Not a surprising decision. He did nothing wrong with the ball when he had it, but he doesn't really have the pace to play a chasing game. If this is Romania going out though, got to say Marius played more minutes than I expected him to.

[TomCaleyJag]

and the Italians are 1 up on France too ......

Make that 2  :007:

[RossP]

He didn't put a foot wrong in my opinion. Can only think of maybe one misplaced pass? Mutu has been way too greedy and the crosses in the box have been Kirk Broadfoot-esque.

Marius must be getting used to not getting any service by now though!?  :rolleyes02:

At least he's not out injured a la Frank Ribery...  :023:

[CaleyD]

Hard for Marius to do anything when not getting the ball!! He was getting into space and screaming for the ball only for Mutu to take it and run into 3 defenders.

[TomCaleyJag]

Quote from the Commentator...

"Apart from Mutu the other two haven't been good enough. One of them plays for Inverness Caledonian Thistle. You need to be playing for the likes of Ajax, you know, premier league clubs, top clubs."

Sorry, am I alone in thinking ICT is an SPL (Scottish premier league) club????

[alternative maryhill]

Who's the utter c0ck that's summarising again? Just inferred that Romania couldn;t possibly expect to go through when they have a player that plays for "Inverness Caledonian (*choke cough splutter*) Thistle"... Think I'll send him a jobby in the post.

[SMEE]

Wasnt it mark Bright that said that?

[TomCaleyJag]

Wasnt it mark Bright that said that?

Indeed.

At least our player got 59 minutes while Celtic's Vennegoor only gets 7  :blah01:

[TomCaleyJag]

:009: :009: :009:

[FortressICT]

Mark Bright doesn't really have a clue but it is a good point considering the standard at ICT but well done Marius on even getting into the squad.  

And thats them pretty much out, 2-0.  Van Persie.

[SMEE]

I got Van Persie in my dream team, so its not all bad news :001: :022:

[TomCaleyJag]

Well done Romania. Three very good performances, just their luck they had such a tough group!   :020:

If only Mutu had scored that penalty! :018: One thing Romania weren't beaten on in any of the games was the support. Incredible fans, including outsinging a stadium 4 fifths filled by Dutch, even after they went behind!   :022:

Well done Marius Niculae. :001: 71 minutes by my calculations? To be totally honest not 71 amazing minutes of breathtaking football, but he never really put a foot wrong. ICT legend

HAI ROMANIA

[alternative maryhill]

Mark Bright doesn't really have a clue but it is a good point considering the standard at ICT but well done Marius on even getting into the squad.  

And thats them pretty much out, 2-0.  Van Persie.

From a completely neutral viewpoint it is a valid point, but there was something about the tone of voice that really grated - like we're a novelty act or something. Besides, he only made the comment because we're a team based in the UK and he was pandering to what he feels are the preconceptions of a UK-based audience. If Marius had still been playing with Mainz in the German seond division, he probably wouldn't have made the comment because people don't feel they know anything about Mainz. Also, Mark Bright's career never really took in any of the bigger English clubs as far as I can remember, yet I bet, had he been selected for a major finals, that he would have taken issue with you if you had suggested to him that he didn't have the right to be there.

[FortressICT]

Are you trying to make a point against me there?

[alternative maryhill]

Are you trying to make a point against me there?

Not intentionally, no - sorry if it came across that way. My objection was mainly to Bright's sneering tone. We are almost certainly the smallest club to be represented at the finals, but it doesn't automatically follow that a national team which contains players from smaller clubs will have no hope of competing against teams who draw all their players from champions League clubs, nor that the players from smaller clubs cannot contribute effectively in a major finals.

That probably doesn't make much sense. Sorry. Some beer has been taken.

[kencar]

It's a shame but lets face it Romania were rather poor tonight. Far too much emphasis on trying to give Mutu the ball and then to stand back and watch him go. That right 'winger' was hopeless and should have been hooked at half-time. It must have felt a lot like playing for ICT for Niculae with the supply he got. Ho Humm. Let's just hope that's not the last time we see Marius in action  :007:

[FortressICT]

No i wasn't thinking you were, no worries at all. 

Just didn't really understand it tbh! :004:

[Yngwie]

Marius looked very slow (now theres a shock) and wasn't in the game much, but he hasn't let himself or ICT down in this tournament.

I'm still very surprised he got called up for the squad, and then surprised again that he got an appearance let alone a start.

[Alex MacLeod]

Only teams made up of players from Premiership or equivalent clubs should be there.....................suppose thats why England aren't

[Harry Chibber]

I was playing footie tonight so couldn't watch the game, if anyone has Niculae highlights for the game or video of any of his shots it would be greatly appreciated

Well done Niculae on getting a start... he may not have excelled this season as an ICT player but he still goes down as an ICT legend!!!

[Yngwie]

Iif anyone has Niculae highlights for the game

Just watch highlights of a typical ICT away defeat last season and you'll get the picture!

[Caley]

I was playing footie tonight so couldn't watch the game, if anyone has Niculae highlights for the game or video of any of his shots it would be greatly appreciated

Marius had very little of the ball, certainly nothing that could be called a "highlight".

Think "Marius in a SPL away game" and you'll get the picture.

Sorry, but unlike some other prominent posters, I've had the jabs and been innoculated against "marius fever".

[Caley]

Just watch highlights of a typical ICT away defeat last season and you'll get the picture!

Think "Marius in a SPL away game" and you'll get the picture.

Spooky!  :015: