Euro 2008 - UEFA

[kdogg]

Group Predictions and Runners up anyone??

Group A:
Czech Republic (6)
Portugal (9)
Switzerland (46)
Turkey (23)

Group B:
Austria (102)
Croatia (13)
Germany (5)
Poland (28)

Group C:
France (7)
Italy (3)
Holland (10)
Romania (12)

Group D:
Greece (8)
Russia (25)
Spain (4)
Sweden (24)
________
Live sex webshows

[Thunderball]

Sure, I'm game.

Group A:
Portugal
Czech Republic
Turkey
Switzerland

Group B:
Germany
Croatia
Poland
Austria

Group C:
Italy
Holland
France
Romania

Group D:
Spain
Sweden
Greece
Russia

[GirlySports]

I don't think the English media or public cares either. Then when they lose to Croatia again they'll go holy who are these guys?

[united]

Group A:
Portugal
Czech Republic
Turkey
Switzerland

Group B:
Germany
Croatia
Poland
Austria

Group C:
Holland
Italy
France
Romania

Group D:
Spain
Sweden
Greece
Russia

[united]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I don't think the English media or public cares either. Then when they lose to Croatia again they'll go holy who are these guys?

nm

[KTown]

Group A:
Portugal
Czech Republic
Turkey
Switzerland

Group B:
Germany
Croatia
Poland
Austria

Group C:
Italy
Holland
France
Romania

Group D:
Spain
Sweden
Greece
Russia

[moon]

Group A:
Portugal
Turkey
Czech Republic
Switzerland

Group B:
Germany
Croatia
Poland
Austria

Group C:
Holland
Italy
France
Romania

Group D:
Spain
Sweden
Russia
Greece

[VANFLAMESFAN]

FORCA PORTUGAL!!!!

2004 Demons be damned!!!!

I love this team, but they are gonna be in tough, they essentially have no striker as Nuno Gomes, Postiga or Almeida can't put the ball in the net with any consistency. Having said that, with 42 goals for Man U, the best player in the world could single handed win this tournament for the Pork Chops.


RONALDO WILL BE THE KING OF EURO 2008!!!

[VANFLAMESFAN]

In my pool,

Group A: Portugal, Turkey, Switzerland, Czech Republic(they really have nothing anymore, no Nedved, no Smicer, Koller is a old fart, Baros was a one tourney wonder, the only great piece to their team is their goalie, but he can't score or generate goals. Czechs won't win a game in this tourney.

Group B: Germany, Poland, Croatia, Austria

Group C: Holland, France, Italy(losing Cannavaro and their age will catch up to them), Romania

Group D: Spain, Sweden, Russia, Greece....Greece will not win a game, may not score a goal

Qtr Final

Portugal over Poland
Turkey over Germany......MY UPSET SPECIAL!!!!!
Spain over France
Holland over Sweden

Semi Finals

Portugal over Turkey
Spain over Holland

Final:

Portugal over Spain

Portugal's Euro Progression

96-Qtr Final
2000-Semi Final
2004-Final
2008-WIN!!!!

[troutman]

What I want to happen, not what will happen:

Group A:
Portugal
Czech Republic
Turkey
Switzerland

Group B:
Germany
Croatia
Poland
Austria

Group C:
Holland
Italy
France
Romania

Group D:
Spain
Sweden
Greece
Russia

[troutman]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Turkey over Germany......MY UPSET SPECIAL!!!!!

There will be nasty race riots in Germany if that happens.

[North East Goon]

Romania advances from the group of death to win it all...you heard it here first!!!

[GirlySports]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...542474&cc=3888

How to wake up a World Champion

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Romania advances from the group of death to win it all...you heard it here first!!!

I don't think Romania will do well this year because they don't have enough guys with names that end in 'u' like their great teams of the past

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...542474&cc=3888

How to wake up a World Champion



I don't think Romania will do well this year because they don't have enough guys with names that end in 'u' like their great teams of the past

Like the greatest of them all Hagi?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Like the greatest of them all Hagi?

Yes but look who surrounded him. Petrescu, Popescu, Munteanu, and the 2 strikers Raducioiu and Dumitrescu. That 1994 team really should have won it all.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...542474&cc=3888

How to wake up a World Champion



I don't think Romania will do well this year because they don't have enough guys with names that end in 'u' like their great teams of the past

Well, they are led by ex-Juve, Chelsea and Betty Ford star Adrian Mutu... . Romania is going to be the beating boy of the big 3... however, they could play spoiler and force someone out on a draw.

Honestly, I would not be surprised if that article (or one like it) is translated into Italian and tacked on a bulletin board in the Azzurri dressing room.

Even without Cannavaro, the only team that can beat Italy is Italy. Depth is now a shaky situation though. Buffon will likely be the captain, and since he is the leader of the Juventus defense, he'll likely be called on to QB the Azzurri defense since there isn't really a defender left capable of keeping them all organized in the back. He's also far and away the best goalie in the Group. Second best being Van der Sar.

Donadoni made a mistake in my opinion calling up Gamberini and not trying to lure Nesta out of international retirement or gamble on Chiellini's partner at Juve, Nicola Legrottaglie. Juve had the second stingiest defense in Serie A (Inter was the most, but had no starting Italians). Reuniting Buffon, Chiellini and Legrottaglie might have resulted in the necessary cohesion in the middle needed, with world class wingbacks Zambrotta and Grosso at their sides, and top DMs like De Rossi and Gattuso backing them up. Barzagli and Materazzi are extremely suspect. Barzagli was garbage at Palermo, and was sent to Wolfsburg this summer. Cannavaro protected him at the international level, but now he's not there anymore. Materazzi is a good pest, but relies on having a rock as his partner which he won't have... as well, he's been hurt most of the year and is in bad form. This is probably the first time the Italians have submitted a team where the weakest part is the central defense.

France is in transition with much of the old guard retired, near retirement or past the point where they should retire. The rest, aside from Ribery, are not at the level the 94-06 France teams played at, or at least not yet. Their coach is also an idiot, and they barely snuck into the Euro ahead of Scotland.

Holland is a strong team on paper, but they lack a strong defense. Heitinga is probably the best of the bunch, but none of them inspire much confidence. I don't see these guys repelling Toni, Del Piero, Cassano, Henry or Benzema. They will live and die by their offense.

To be fair, the whole group has comparatively mediocre defenses. Italy losing Cannavaro only brought them back to comparative levels. France can't boast much, relying heavily on Gallas... and his likely partner, the 36 year old Thuram, and featuring the likes of Boumsong. Like Italy, their strength lies in the wings, with Evra, Sagnol, Abidal and Clerc. Unfortunately, they can only play two at a time... likely Abidal and Sagnol.

[GirlySports]

So we might see alot of goals in the group of death! Everyone's defense sucks!

And a sidenote that I watched one of France's recent friendlies and Benzema was awful. He couldn't even do basic things such come back and hold the ball for his midfielders. He's a big guy but his first touch is attrocious.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

So we might see alot of goals in the group of death! Everyone's defense sucks!

That's my bet. Italy will have to abandon their counter attacking style because they lack the starpower in the central defense to do it. My bet is they'll play an aggressive 4-3-3 trident and hope to win on possession and offensive control.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by kdogg

Group A:
Portugal (9)
Czech Republic (6)
Switzerland (46)
Turkey (23)

Group B:
Germany (5)
Croatia (13)
Austria (102)
Poland (28)

Group C:
Holland (10)
France (7)
Romania (12)
Italy (3)

Group D:
Spain (4)
Sweden (24)
Russia (25)
Greece (8)

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.

[Thunderball]

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.

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.