Quote:
Originally Posted by Locke
I dont think theres too many surprises here. The Italians had better not be overconfident. I think this French team is clearly better than them, and the Dutch are constantly underestimated but they've got some serious firepower.
I dont follow the Serie A though, if I wanted to watch boring events with pre-determined outcomes I'd watch the WWE.
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I think you're nuts. If you think the Serie A is boring and pre-determined, you clearly don't follow it. Not all people like the tactical Serie A game though, just like some people love how the Flames play, and some find it painful.
If it was rigged, surely the team owned by the President of Italy and Mediaset would end up in a better place than fifth. Yes, there has been some questionable BS in the last while, but if you think the EPL, Bundesliga and La Liga don't have the same sorts of things, you're out of your mind. At least there's some level of competition in Serie A, which is clearly not the case in the Premiership or the Bundesliga.
You're right the Italians had better not be overconfident, but the French team definitely appears to be weaker. Most of their team has next to no experience, play in an inferior league, or are past their best before dates (Thuram, Makalele, Vieira, maybe Sagnol). Their starting goalie is 35 and in his first international tournament. They kept their most successful striker at home because their coach doesn't like him, and the second best also had a below average year... their first choice right winger, Malouda, just had a poor season with Chelsea... their most prolific player in the past 25 years is gone with no one to take his place in a system reliant on a #10(not even Ribery is close to Zidane)... But, no, you're right... way better than the World Cup champs (who I admit have their holes too and could very well end up first or third, but to call France a clearly better team is ignorant).
Personally, I think Holland is better than France. The only thing of France's I rate higher is the defense. Groupwise, Italy has the best midfield and goalie. The Dutch probably edge out the Italians in attack. France has a razor thin edge on defense only because of the question marks on Chiellini, Barzagli, Materazzi and Gamberini (with Cannavaro it wouldn't be close). Everything else is up in the air.