European Championship 2012
 

Not long to go until the fun starts and we get a few weeks of non stop football, shall be slightly pissed off at being stuck in Australia for it as I imagine had I been at home the last year this would be looking like a fucking amazing idea for a summer holiday.

Ireland in a major tournament for the first time in 10 years but given a major task from day 1 with a tough tough group of Spain, Italy, Croatia. Can't exactly have too many aspirations of qualifying but if Spain can beat both of them it'll give us a fighting chance, have Croatia first so if we don't win that it'll be us out in the Group Stage

England to bottle it again and get Hodgson sacked by the media within months of getting the job would be hilarious.

Spain still favourites but with no Villa and Torres being Torres the past year you'd ask some questions. Then again when you've Llorente to stroll in it doesn't seem so bad, that young German team from the last World Cup should be ready to try make a big impact.



Hope this all works right. And come on you boys in green.

Go Netherlands

Group 1 is such a shambles.

But anyway, can't wait for this. The win over Bosnia on Saturday allowed me to generate a little bit of excitement after being pretty much down about Ireland's chances, but the options we have up front and with McClean coming into the side have made me feel a bit better. Our defence can keep any side out and we have players who can hurt teams at the other end. The central midfield is a fucking disaster and the game vs. Spain is likely to be one of the most painful things I've ever seen, but I think we can get something out of the Italy and Croatia games.

France!!!!

Germany/France final.

England out at group stage.

Looks like they're back to using the traditional format for the playoff round considering Euro 08 had teams from the same group meeting in the Semis instead of the usual Finals.

A lot of places seem to be agreeing that whoever wins the Group of Death (Group B/2) would be the heavy favorites to win the whole thing.

Not allowing myself to think anything too optimistic, that attitude will swiftly change if we can go and beat Croatia. Some sort of USA 94 esque heroics against the Italians then becomes a possibility. Hope he goes and starts McClean and doesn't decide to go with what he knows.

4:45am kick offs over here for the group games which'll be a bastard but at least the first ones a bank holiday Monday, think I'll be taking the Friday off work for the Spain game and I'll decide between all night in the pub and a day off for the Italy one or getting up and watching it before work depending on if we can qualify.

If the schedule is anything like the Champion's League and I don't feel like converting all the times to my time zone right now, I will be able to watch 0 of these games.

Yep will basically never be able to watch sweet

Have a good feeling about the Dutch, if they get out of that group. Group One might throw out a surprise into the rest of the tournament - I'd like to think the Czech's (got a couple of filler players in fantasy football) but could possibly be Russia.

Come on you Danes.

http://www.soccerhairstyles.com/hair...es-500x390.jpg

I've got a tenner on France/Benzema top scorer and a fiver on Lewandowski top scorer. Lewandowski has been in great form and Poland have the easiest group. Hoping he bags a hat-trick against the Czechs maybe and then a couple against Greece, ties up a few quid for me.

I just have a feeling about France this year. They are a bunch of wankers obviously but Benzema is probably all round the top striker in the tournament at the moment, just ahead of Van Persie (who will likely play on the wing to accomodate Huntelaar) so it feels like it could happen, plus they have Ribery, Ben Arfa and Nasri in midfield.

Spain having Puyol and Villa out is a problem for them, I think they could be pretty tired and no team has ever won 3 major international tournaments in a row, mainly because it's so hard to do. They may have to rely on excellent players who haven't played a major role for them before, like Cazorla, Fabregas, Silva and Llorente, the likes of Xavi and Iniesta could be pretty fatigued and Torres still isn't at his best.

Personally think it's going to take a big effort from someone in the knockout stages to stop Germany winning it. Without necessarily having one massive player to carry them through, they've got an entire squad of extremely capable players. Good striking options all round really with the obvious names Gomez, Podolski and Klose as well as Schurrle who looks promising. Midfield is good enough to go toe-to-toe with Spains midfield in terms of retaining posession and working the ball forward and they've got a nice solid back four, backed by probably the best goalkeeper in football currently.

Spain will miss Puyol, but not as much as a lot of people seem to think if you ask me. Ramos will most likely take that centre back position with Arbeloa slotting in at right back which has done Madrid pretty well throughout the past season. Javi Martinez is also very capable at dropping back into a centre back role. Leaving Soldado out of the squad was a mistake for them though, I really feel he could have gotten the golden boot had he been selected.

I don't think Neuer is even close to the best goalkeeper in the world at this point, many people seemed to wet themselves over his first leg performance vs. United last year for Schalke then ignore that he was terrible in the second leg. I've not been particularly impressed by the guy since he went to Bayern. Casillas is still the top goalkeeper in the world for me and Buffon too when he is fit. Petr Cech has got back up there too over the past season or so, he's been re-programmed.

Germany have issues in regards to some of their major players having problems when it comes to the crunch. Spain had this problem for years prior to Euro 2008, and the Bayern Munich contingent of Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Muller and Gomez appear to have a similar issue that they reach a certain point then can't finish the job. Over the past 5 years they have lost numerous semis and finals for club and country and it takes a toll.

That said they do have an exceptionally talented midfield with Goetze, Ozil and Kroos (Kroos is extremely impressive) supported by Schweinsteiger and Khedira. Up front I don't rate Gomez, despite his goalscoring record, and wouldn't trust him to finish in a tight game (see the CL final, the away leg vs. Real Madrid and pretty much every game he has ever played for Germany at a tournament). I don't think it's straightforward for Germany at all as they lack that strong, reliable presence up front. Podolski is flakey and Klose is getting on a bit now and doesn't really fit in with the pacey youth ethic of their attack. They also have a major problem in regards to Lahm being their only decent full-back and their defence being pretty feeble beyond Hummels. I'm not a fan of Badstuber or Boateng and I think Mertesacker is complete shite. Beyond their first 11 in general their squad quality drops off rapidly, so they need to stay injury free.

Spain have by far the strongest and most talented squad, however, Ramos at centre-back is a disaster waiting to happen. He's a good player but his temperament is dreadful. Pique has been in wretched form all season and has been suffering from injuries. I think they may have issues with the Puyol-Pique partnership being broken up.

Basically I think it's very open for many reasons. I wouldn't even be surprised to see England do better than expected, with expectations at rock bottom. With Joe Hart and when Wayne Rooney returns, they have two players in a solid overall system than could win games enough to get to the semis, and from there anything can happen.

In conclusion, get your money on Ireland/Robbie Keane top scorer.

England out on penalties me thinks.

I'll be putting money on Rooney getting sent off playing with Hodgson tactics. Whoever's up front will be extremely isolated and Rooney will grow frustrated and begin chasing after the ball and probably make a couple of rash tackles, or even lash out at someone. Even if The Owl uses Rooney in the hole just behind Carroll or Welbeck he'll probably still get frustrated having to try and chase possession, albeit a bit deeper.

Can't wait for this. Really hope the Danes get hammered. Spent the past year with a couple of really obnoxious Danish guys so it would be great for them to shut up. Oh and that England get knocked out early as usual of course ;) Absolutely no hype surrounding England this year though so I dunno, they could be dangerous. I doubt Spain will win a 3rd tournament in a row.

Holland to win.

Excited!

On Paddy Power you can choose the 4 group winners, and if one team lets you down you get your money back. Going with the favourites Russia, Germany, Spain and France will get you about 19/1.

here we go greece my motherland

Worst opening ceremony ever for anything. Wouldn't be shocked if it came out that Sixx drunkenly planned it and that's why we haven't seen him.

GREEK SHOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Trololololol, Greece. Oh well, won it 8 years ago.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...Kasper-007.jpg

Denmark AND Ireland.

That was never a red at all. He'd be very unlucky to even have a yellow card after both challenges.

And we have our first referee to completely lose the plot this tournament. Ridiculous.

Opening game is atrocious

Scott Parker is on tv. Cringggggggggge.

"Alan Birchenall" just phoned me up to remind me to renew my Leicester season ticket. As a result I missed the equaliser.

Greece just needs to hold on for this tie here. Awful officiating, indeed. Both of those probably weren't even fouls, let alone cards.

Oh shiiiiiit

Why is Jerzy Dudek not in the Poland squad?!?! Surely even at 39 and retired he's still one of the top 3 goalkeepers they have.

Wow, karagounis.

Salpigiddis is ballin, though. Needs to start next game.

Shouldn't Szczesny be getting pelted with abuse for being shown celebrating that pen save? It's no different from Suarez handballing it against Ghana and then celebrating.

Well, actually maybe because he was celebrating in the tunnel rather than in front of everyone, but still.

Well Russia looks like the team to beat in Group A.

Russia will walk it. Already knew Czech Republic and Greece were shite, turns out Poland are too. Poland should edge 2nd place because Lewandowski clearly does have a bit of class up front.

Chesney had a right meltdown.

Hope he doesn't turn into Fabianski #2 for us.

Yesssssssss

:-\ Portugal lost. Tough match regardless and I think historically Germany has a strong record against them.

Denmark "stealing" a win over the Netherlands was the bigger news since it makes the German-Dutch match even bigger now.

Denmark are going to win the whole thing!

http://www.soccerhairstyles.com/hair...es-500x390.jpg

Got butterflys, gonna be a long nights drinking before a 5am start, really really really want a win tonight.

I can't drink as I have an exam tomorrow at 9.30am, this is going to be fucking stressful.

so weird to see a black playing for Italy

The Italians agree with you. They've made their feelings known about it more than a few times.

Well Balotelli's not doing himself any favors right now.

Ughhhh, forgot they did away with the analogue signal and I can't PIP in Freeview to have the football and the F1 one.

I may as well be Ethiopian.

Got it all set up now thankfully.

Got a good feeling on Ireland at least getting out of the group. Hope I'm right.

Do hate ITV's coverage of anything sports. Stupid Adrian Chiles.

I will root for Ireland in this group.

I apologise for my optimism possibly cursing you.

Probably deserve it for their horrific clashes with riot police.

GO ON CROATIA!

thats a goal

you know thats right

That was. Shocking defending by Croatia. Nice bouncy blonde girl in the crowd for Ireland.

ESPN announcer: "This weather is perfect for getting on your backside and sliding in."

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/LH...615471-p2.jpeg

A LEICESTER CITY PLAYER SCORES DURING THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP.

"Down wid dis torta ting" surely.

Because of that loud as hell whistle more than likely. They all froze and turned away like the play was dead.

Well thats a bit shit.

Terrible performance last night but not particularly surprising, I've seen Ireland been outplayed like that numerous times over the past couple of years but somehow get away with it. Usually a combo of Dunne and Given keeps the opposition out and we sneak a goal at the other end. Last night the defending was just crap, the midfield was utterly non-existent. The Irish central midfield is fucking pathetic, they have no ability on the ball, no mobility and they can't get near even half-decent footballers. I've moaned for ages now that James McCarthy hasn't been settled into this side, nor has Wes Hoolahan been given a chance, nor has Ciaran Clarke been given any game time in any meaningful way. Trapp persists with these two wankers for whatever reason, even though they are basically shit players.

The Spain game will be fucking horrifying. Spain can name their score, essentially.

I'd rather watch Liverpool win a coin toss than see England win the Euro's but I'm considering pulling for England after that little Gerrard video package. Would be happy for him.

I'm really not that fond of England aside from Gerrard but god I hate the fucking French.

wooo France

wooo Ribery's ugly face

wooo Ian Darke calling the match

I'm going to boo God Save The Queen. Fuck her and fuck the jubilee. Wow, a rich woman who goes on holiday all year has stayed alive for 60 years.

He works for ESPN now suckaaaaaaaaa

also he did the call of Landon Donovan's goal against Algeria in the World Cup so he's got a permanent place in my heart

Also holy shit, never realized that Laurent Blanc looks exactly like TPWW poster mitchables.

Ashley Cole

Still can't believe that Roy Hodgson is managing England. Going to be some ridiculously boring matches coming up.

Except for watching any closeups of his owl face.

Most people just tend to think he's a bit of a blirt I think. I never cared about the Cheryl Cole stuff at all, just never liked him.

But then again I don't like many people.

Milner, so close.

Oxxx :'(

Jermaine Defoe is maybe the other player I like on England since he plays for Tottenham. I don't like Ian Darke, I thought his call for that Donovan goal was terrible. I watched that game in Spanish anyway. I wish these games were televised on the Spanish channel like they were for the World Cup.

I agree about God Save The Queen, that is an awful anthem. Do British posters know that there is an American tune "My Country tis of thee" taken from that same melody. Nice move by Alex OxMan Chamberlain there though

Well fuck

Gerrard hasn't put a cross in like that from a set-piece for Liverpool in 3 years :'(

Trying to watch this game while also watching a bar review lecture on contracts and sales. Luckily I'm not missing anything because France can't do shit once they get near the box.

Until that

Cracking goal.

Frog bastards

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH

Yeahh the French have just as many unlikable players as England.

lol Gerrald flop. Soccer can be so irritating with all these dives.