The 2012 UEFA European Championship - Poland/Ukraine - The Thread!

[NBC]

Looks like Redknapp is going to the Euros after all.

Harry Redknapp joins BBC Sport Euro 2012 team

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17935726

[Locke]

Originally Posted by NBC

It's full of topless chicks (Page 3 girls), sports scores and cheap holiday options. The news reporting is horrendous and far-right wing. The Daily Mirror is its far-left competitor. Then you have the Star. Oh and don't forget the Daily Mail!

I read the Daily Mail all the time, my girlfriend is British and I think its hilarious.

Read the same news story twice, once from a reputable source and then read the Daily Mail and laugh your ass off!

[KTown]

Only 5 more weeks till I leave for Poland. I can't wait.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by NBC

Looks like Redknapp is going to the Euros after all.

Harry Redknapp joins BBC Sport Euro 2012 team

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17935726

that could be more entertaining than the tournament itself, especially the England games

It's a Spurs heavy lineup with Lineker and Klinsmann as well

I hope TSN uses the BBC feed, I think they did last time, I know CBC didn't

[GirlySports]

I think TSN just uses the international feed.

John Helm doing Greece against Poland probably

[Notorious Honey Badger]

I'm getting stoked to see this tourney. I love international soccer. Especially when the English lose to Germany.

[d_phaneuf]

provisional squads are starting to be announced this week

Germany

Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern München), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96)

Defence
Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern München), Jerome Boateng (FC Bayern München), Benedikt Höwedes (FC Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal FC), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders
Lars Bender (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (FC Schalke 04), Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gündogan (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (FC Bayern München), Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid), Lukas Podolski (1.FC Köln), Marco Reus (Borussia Mönchengladbach), André Schürrle (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München)

Forwards
Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (FC Bayern München), Miroslav Klose (Lazio Roma)

Netherlands

Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Erwin Mulder (Feyenoord), Jasper Cillissen (Ajax)

Defenders: Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan), John Heitinga (Everton), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven), Nick Viergever (AZ Alkmaar), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Jetro Willems (PSV Eindhoven)

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Adam Maher (AZ Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Lisbon), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Ola John (Twente), Luuk de Jong (Twente), Siem de Jong (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV Eindhoven), Luciano Narsingh (Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

the depth and talent on that German squad is terrifying

[Notorious Honey Badger]

I always cheer for Germany once the Croats make their inevitable exit. Spain still provides the best starting 11 imo but anything can happen in a tourney. Hell, if Greece can win Ukraine or Poland can win.

[Locke]

That German squad looks pretty standard at the back, we can all pretty much write out the Goalkeeping and starting back 4 right now.

The midfield is an embarrassment of riches. Almost any one of those guys could crack most nations' starting XI.

The forward group is mildly concerning however. Obviously Mario Gomez has been one of the top strikers in the world this season, but Cacau concerns me. Only 8 goals in the Bundesliga this season, hes not really someone you can rely on to get it done.

That said, no one really has to worry about the ageless wonder of Miro Klose. He was 10th in scoring in the Serie A and turns into a superhero once hes wearing that Germany jersey.

I will say though that the defense and midfield of that Dutch team leaves a little bit to be desired.

[d_phaneuf]

The German strikers are somewhat of a weakness, but with the 4-2-3-1 that Low plays you are going to get goals from Gotze/Muller/Podolski etc.

It's just going to be nuts that of Gotze/Muller/Podolski/Ozil/Kroos/Reus/Schweinsteiger/Khedira 3 of them won't be starting

I do think the back 4 is a little slow outside Lahm though, they will need to score to win games against a good counter attacking team

[M*A*S*H 4077]

That German squad is deep, really deep. The back four is rather ordinary apart from Lahm. Thankfully we've got Neuer to clean up any messes they leave behind.

The midfield is spectacular. Wow. And I'm very pleased to see Miroslav Klose named. He becomes an enyirely different player as soon as he dons the German kit.

Starting to get excited about the Euros, it's going to be awesome

[d_phaneuf]

the dutch lack a CM to play in front of the back 4

they want to play the 4-2-3-1 as well and have De Jong but that other spot probably ends up being MVB who just isn't that good anymore

up top though they will be able to have probably RVP/Sneijder/Robben behind Huntelaar with VdV/Afellay/Kuyt coming off the bench

not as much depth as the Germans but arguably just as strong

[Locke]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

The German strikers are somewhat of a weakness, but with the 4-2-3-1 that Low plays you are going to get goals from Gotze/Muller/Podolski etc.

It's just going to be nuts that of Gotze/Muller/Podolski/Ozil/Kroos/Reus/Schweinsteiger/Khedira 3 of them won't be starting

I do think the back 4 is a little slow outside Lahm though, they will need to score to win games against a good counter attacking team

Yeah, they're going to get lots of goals from the midfield, and I guess I'd go with Muller/Gotze/Schweinsteiger/Podolski in some variation.

As far as the back 4 are concerned, Badstuber, Boateng and Hummels are actually fairly mobile in addition to Lahm. My biggest concern is Mertesacker after such a long injury layoff.

One of the biggest advantages that they have is the defensive coverage from the midfield to help out the defenders and they're all exceptional at it. The Germans never have problems defending.

In regards to the Dutch though, their attacking quality is never in doubt, but I would seriously question their ability to defend.

And yes, De Jong and MvB are not the two guys you want in the middle. Their games are too similar and their ball movement isnt good enough. They'll probably pair one of them with Schneider in the middle.

[d_phaneuf]

I think they may try that, something like

Huntelaar
RVP/VDV/Robben
De Jong/Sneijder

Sniejder has played well in a deeper role for Inter this year, but against a side that can keep the ball and attack they will get ripped to pieces at the back because none of those front 4 are known for tracking back, Sniejder isn't great defensively, and De Jong can only kick people in the stomach so many times before someone cards him

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I think they may try that, something like

Huntelaar
RVP/VDV/Robben
De Jong/Sneijder

Sniejder has played well in a deeper role for Inter this year, but against a side that can keep the ball and attack they will get ripped to pieces at the back because none of those front 4 are known for tracking back, Sniejder isn't great defensively, and De Jong can only kick people in the stomach so many times before someone cards him

Thing is, it's probably only the Germans and Spain that can out-possess the Dutch. But they probably don't match up that well against either.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I think they may try that, something like

Huntelaar
RVP/VDV/Robben
De Jong/Sneijder

Sniejder has played well in a deeper role for Inter this year, but against a side that can keep the ball and attack they will get ripped to pieces at the back because none of those front 4 are known for tracking back, Sniejder isn't great defensively, and De Jong can only kick people in the stomach so many times before someone cards him

Hes got a few good torso drop-kicks left in him yet.

[North East Goon]

Are the top 3 favourites going to be Spain - Holland - Germany?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Are the top 3 favourites going to be Spain - Holland - Germany?

I'd have to say that those would be the favourites.

There are still some teams that could go on runs and do some damage, but those three seem the most likely to win it. The two World Cup finalists and Germany.

Of course theres always still England, Italy and France, but their results have been fairly underwhelming of late.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I ran into Sportchek today. The Germans always have a classy kit but I am loving this year's!
Home
http://www.footballshirtculture.com/...all-shirt.html
Away
http://www.footballshirtculture.com/...all-shirt.html

[cSpooge]

I picked up my Holland kit today as well from Kicks. Managed to get the last Large they had!