[Archived] euro12 thread

[ABBEY]

I cant see a proper one .

Who apart from Spain? Ive had a fiver on Italy.

[K-Hod]

Germany or Holland, can see Italy potentially struggling, their squad isn't what it used to be!

[Ricky]

The one called 'Euro 2012' could have been a good starting point Abs.

I know it started off with people saying if they were going or not but could have easily carried on with tournament discussion.

[The Rover of Finland]

Germany will win.

[ABBEY]

The one called 'Euro 2012' could have been a good starting point Abs.

I know it started off with people saying if they were going or not but could have easily carried on with tournament discussion.

merge it..no problomo

[roverandout]

germany have by far the best squad at the euros, cant see spain winning 3 tournies in a row, people are figuring out how to play spanish teams ie barca = spain, holland look good too, i think we will make the quarters then go out as usual

[BB9]

I've a fiver on Germany. Got a feeling England will bore there way to the semis with a succession of nil nil and one-nils. My dark horses... Poland to reach the semis

[Salgado Is A Hero]

I've a fiver on Germany. Got a feeling England will bore there way to the semis with a succession of nil nil and one-nils. My dark horses... Poland to reach the semis

I think Poland will come 2nd in their group behind Russia, as I don't see Greece replicating their 2004 tournament form. As for Czech Republic, they were pretty awful in qualifying and haven't been the same since Nedved retired. But then a quarter-final clash with Germany, Holland and Portugal awaits so I doubt they could beat any of them. But it's football so you never know and I imagine they would be pretty fired up for a game against the Germans.

My dark horses are Sweden. France or Germany to win it with Benzema top goalscorer regardless.

Quarter finals - Russia vs Holland, Italy vs Sweden, Poland vs Germany, Spain vs France

Semi finals - Holland vs Sweden, Germany vs France

Final - Holland vs Germany/France

England to bow out at the group stages and have excuses lined up as per usual. But at least they got further than Scotland.

[Hasta]

I've had a go in the 'Name the Finalists' market with:-

Spain & Holland 14/1

Spain & France 20/1

Holland & France 50/1

Need a bit of luck with the way the tournament pans out but it will hopefully give me a bit of interest through the competition.

[Hughesy]

Holland or Germany.

Spain should be stopped now people have worked them out - they just pass it about to try and bore you to death.

England's squad is pathetic considering some of the players who havent been picked.

Italy have had an awful preperation for it....however wouldnt ever write them off.

[RibbleValleyRover]

A lot depends on Schweinsteiger's fitness, if he is fully fit then I think Germany have a fantastic chance of winning it. They have a huge amount of talent but Bastian is a key player in that system.

I think Spain will miss Villa badly, he's been their talisman up front for years and their squad as a whole isn't getting any younger. I think they may have peaked.

France could be a dark horse, lot of talent individually but can they unite as a 'team?' I have my doubts.

My money is on Germany.

[Bobby G]

Guys, not sure how many of you play Fantasy Leagues or Pools but there is a pool on-going for Euro 2012. The pot grows as the entrants grow but its small enough that everyone has a chance at it. Worth entering it at http://www.predicteuro.com

[MarkBRFC71]

Spain or Germany for me, with France as an outside bet.

Spain cannot be ruled out for the sheer quality of the core of their side, but I wonder if fatigue won't catch up with them - given that Barca make up pretty much 90% of their first team, and how well Spain have done since 2008, they've been to pretty much the final of every competition they've entered at club and international level.

Germany have got a good, solid squad with great team players, backing Kroos and Gotze to shine.

France have got good midfield options, and some cracking forward players but I worry about them defensively.

England? No chance for me - poor squad.

[JC4LAB]

Group winners v runners up of the neighbouring group means it could be Spain next round for us if we dont win the group but Spain win theirs..In the same way just coming second in the group drew us against Germany in SA....

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Spain are missing Puyol as well as Villa who is an even bigger loss, especially with Pique's form being inconsistent all season.

Torres (if he's on form) or Fernando Llorente will give them different options in attack which will make them more difficult to work out and beat imo. With Llorente they will cross it a lot more often or even go long sometimes, and with Torres they will be a bit more direct in other ways like they were in Euro 2008. Hopefully this will make them more exciting to watch and they don't just win every game 1-0 this time.

Most of the time I feel I could watch Spain/Barca all day but roughly 25% of the time, they will face a really well organised defence and just pass it round and round and round. Germany were definitely my favourite team to watch at the last World Cup....and then Chile.

[Lathund]

Germany the favourites IMO. Obviously the reigning world and european champions can't be dismissed either, but I believe this German team will have a lot of success in the next several international tournaments.

As far as Sweden go I don't expect much. We're better than we have been for years, and have won our last five games etc so it's not looking too bad, I just don't think it will be enough. Start with a win against Ukraine (Difficult but certainly doable) and then a draw against England or France could see us through... Anyway, I don't think we'll go through, but then again I didn't expect much in '94 either. Tho tbf I was 8 at the time..

[Oklahoma]

Germany and Spain are the favourites for me. Holland and France can also win it.

Unfortunatelly for me, I don't think Portugal will pass the group phase. The opposition is too strong for a team that hasn't got a proper striker.

I also think that England and Italy will have the same "luck" as Portugal.

[speeeeeeedie]

Is it just me or are the English media trying their best to belittle the tournament?

So far I've seen plenty of stuff on how the host countries are backward, the kit is toxic, the manager has no idea, the team is bad. It doesn't seem like the usual tactics of unearthing scandal.

My money is on the Dutch, with my usual lost cause England.

[AllRoverAsia]

Italy. They like going in to a tournament on the back of a scandal. Get's the national spirit going.

Unlike the English media and sulky Rio who should STFU.

[pick32]

Germany to beat holland in the final and player of the tournament gotze, as far as England go we will be lucky to make it out the group stages.

[Madon]

France go into the tournament 21 games unbeaten, my money is on them!

[Salgado Is A Hero]

France go into the tournament 21 games unbeaten, my money is on them!

And they have this guy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLv27ClTCaQ

[Audax]

Dark Horses, Denmark really is a fairly good team even if in one of the 2 groups of death and those would be groups B and C. Russia's pretty good. I can't count Croatia out and I will cheer on Ireland to win though they look to be a very long shot as well. With Trap, Ireland could be due. Course, for the whole thing, I'd go with Germany.

[Mattyblue]

Outside Euro 96, England have only won 4 matches at the European Championships.

[adopted scouser]

Thought he left John Terry behind ?