good old Bayern qualities

I think it was only  me as you well know that compared the Portuguese tactics in the first half to Chelsea, to be fair you played much better in the 2nd half, but with the talent on the field, why play so deep?

No matter, still the right result.

Germany dominated although Portugal played well according to their defensive strategy (which I think is a bit awkward though when they have such good players).

Spain is the biggest favorite to win followed by Germany and Holland.

We only played deep on the last quarter of the first half, and I still say for you to compare the densities of both teams when either was attacking. Germany put much more defenders on it's backside and in front of the goal area than Portugal and that was much more nitid on this second half.

If anything, the team that showed a much more defend-first-and-counterattack-later was not the portuguese team. 

Of course you'll say it's the right result when that couldn't be further from the truth, but oh well.

Edit - And to those who still press the "Portugal was defensive" key, I find you really really funny , especially after that second part which showed who was the real defensive team in the game.

Too much Bayern, too few Dortmund today. Won a game, won't win the title if they don't change their pacing and tactics. Hummels played great.

Portugal played a good match it just wasn't our day to win.

There are still 2 matches to go, also the fact that Denmark managed a win will throw this group in a proper battle for dominance. Looking forward for the following matches :D

Yeah I was really impressed with Mats Hummels, got a very good engine in him.

lestat, you need to fix your glasses.

Portugal has been all about relying on a strong defense + counter-strikes in the last decade (against the other big teams minus England). Including this match.

Unfortunately he was the only player in today's German team from Borussia Dortmund, one of Europe's best 2011/2012 league teams. The team which beat Bayern 5 times in the last two seasons, the team which won both national titles this season. Jogi Löw loves how Dortmund plays, but for some reason he doesn't trust most of the young Dortmund players like he trusted his then new, young players (e.g. Müller, Özil) two years ago in South Africa. He wants the Bayern players to play like Dortmund: extremely fast paced, always 2on1, constantly pressing, surprising combinations, but they just can't do it. They lost all 3 possible national and international titles this season and still they can't help but to play the currently typical, old-fashioned Bayern style: Too slow, always horizontally orientated prior to vertically, just without Robben & Ribery this time, their two overrated onemanshows, but with a Özil instead who's a fantastic player but seems not to be in best shape atm and a Lukas Podolski who's really not needed in this team anymore.

At least Khedira played very good today, best player besides Hummels, gives me some hope. Still I say: Bayern Germany won't win this title. If he doesn't win the title with this 7of11/Bayern+2of11/RealMadrid national team, Löw can at least claim he probably had the best bench of this tournament: Götze, Bender, Gündogan, Schmelzer (all Dortmund), Reus (Borussia Mönchengladbach, next season: Dortmund), Höwedes, Schürrle (both Schalke 04). All excellent, young players.

Hmm. After a surprisingly exciting first day that was a lot more like the norm for the first round of matches. Still got our first upset thanks to a tidy Denmark. That said, that's two of the three favourites played today and neither were that impressive. Still, I'm sure the Germans will improve because that's what they do.

Ireland tomorrow! Strap yourselves in for a wild, Paul McShane fuelled ride.