Team of the Tournament (June 28)

Just read this: Team of the Tournament

-----------------Buffon
Aniukov---Carvalho------R. Kovac---Zhirkov
----------------Senna
Schweiny--------------Ballack----Sneijder
-----------Arshavin
--------------------Torres

Subs: Senturk, van Persie and Fabregas.

Not sure my diagram fits it, but it's about a 4.1.3.1.1.

Tough choice between Casillas and Buffon. Buffon has probably made a few better and bigger saves than Casillas.

Aniukov? Seeing as his name is barely familiar (and I watched all but one of Russia's matches), surely someone else could take that spot. Ramos had an amazing match against Russia but a crap group stage and only a decent outing against Italy. I thought Bosingwa was really good, but he didn't do that well against the Germans (and didn't make any of the other TOFTs in the article). Lahm out of his preferred left back position?

Puyol has done well in the centre but hasn't been spectacular, as has Marchena. Pepe also played well.

Zhirkov should be the automatic choice at left back, though Lahm was outstanding against Turkey (a depleted Turkey, it must be said).

Senna is the easy pick in midfield; best player in the tournament so far for my money. Ballack will be on most lists, but Fabregas deserves a shout. Schweinsteiger had one great game and one good game. Sneijder gets the nod ahead of Modric, but only slightly for me. Arshavin is automatic.

Torres? He has played well and set up a few goals, but in the semi he was noteworthy for his misses. Villa was pretty great, Guiza was good off the bench, and Pavliuchenko would get the start if he had put away a few more of his many chances. Podolski, maybe? A couple good goals but didn't do much against Turkey.

My TofT, then:
---------------Buffon
Ramos------Puyol----Carvalho---Zhirkov
---------------Senna
Scheiny-------------Fabregas---Sniejder
-----------Arshavin
-------------------Villa

Subs: Torres, Ballack, Pepe.

Cheers, everyone. Enjoy the final. I'm hoping to convince the rest of the coaching clinic (who schedules a soccer coaching clinic on the weekend of the Euro Final?) to take the time off and put in an extra hour at the end of each day.

Edit: Torres deserves the nod, then. Great goal, great effort the whole time he was on the field. After his header against the post I thought that it just wasn't going to be his tournament, and then he pushes past Lahm and beautifully chips Lehmann. Brilliant, and deserved.