|  Author | Topic: All Things EURO 2012 (Read 6,448 times) |
eusebio13
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|  | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #30 on Jun 4, 2012, 9:37am » | |
Euro 2012 Group C – Croatia Preview
June 03, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
Croatia's Eduardo da Silva (bottom) celebrates with teammate Niko Kranjcar after scoring on June 2, 2012 during an international friendly football match against Norway at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo. Playmaker Luca Modric might get all the accolades which are certainly deserved, but forwards Mario Mandzukic, Nikica Jelavic and the Brazilian born Eduardo will need to deliver if Croatia wants to reach its ambitions as Croatia football legend turned coach, Slaven Bilic, has a talented attacking side that could be this tournament's best hope for a fairy tale ending.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: it all starts with midfield dynamo Luca Modric, who is among the very best playmakers in the game today, finishing in the top five passers in Europe this term. Seville's Ivan Rakitic, captain and Shakhtar Donetsk right wingback Dario Srna, and forwards Mario Mandzukic and Nikica Jelavic will all be key factors, but even more importantly is the almost “telepathic” connection Modric has with former Arsenal striker Eduardo, which reaches back to their early playing days at Dinamo Zagreb. Wolfsburg hitman Mandzukic should lead the forward line for Croatia, so it will become critical that the smaller, more dynamic parts of the Croatia attack maximize space and control matches to minimize the shortcomings in this squad.
Potential weak spots: the defenders will be a concern for Croatia as former Hertha Berlin and Hoffenheim defender Josip Simunic is now 34 and Vedran Corluka is the only current player in a top European league. Danijel Pranjic offers an experienced alternative in the defensive gears of the midfield, but the loss of Dejan Lovren, who himself withdrew due to an injury, further complicates the defensive liabilities for Croatia. Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa is certainly a capable last line of defense, amassing more than 90 senior team appearances, but he will need to come up big against defending champion Spain and Italy for this team to advance.
Coach's Bio: Slaven Bilic, 43, an attorney-at-law (or Diplomirani je pravnik, as they say in Croatia) is leaving his job after this event, having coached his squad since 2006 with a 40 W, 13 D, 6 L record over that time. His greatest claim to flame as a coach was knocking out a heavy favored England from the 2008 Euro qualification stage (Paul Robinson and Scott Carson with the assist). Since then, Bilic's record has been more mixed, having even failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup and then finishing second in his 2012 Euro qualifying group. In the playoff series against Guus Hiddink's Turkey, the Croatian performance was truly remarkable - a resounding 3-0 win away in Istanbul in the first leg and then coasted in the return leg at home.
Team analysis: this team isn’t the equal of the “golden generation” that finished third at World Cup 1998, but Croatia is might hold all the intangibles in Group C because this is the farewell tournament for its very popular head coach, Slaven Bilic, who will take the reigns of Lokomotiv Moscow at the conclusion of this 2012 Championship. In having been handed the unenviable task of facing Italy, Spain and Ireland in the group stages, Croatia does at times struggle against tactically resilient sides like Ireland who will force an opponent to break them down. But Croatia does have a track record of success against Italy and that might just settle matters for Group C, if only they can get off to a fast start in this tournament. That means that the strikers will have to come up big and beat two world-class goalkeepers and one very good stopped in Shay Given - not an easy task.
Tournament prospects: Croatia has a solid chance to progress out of its group and even make some noise in the single game eliminations. Much will rest on an opening fixture with Ireland on June 10. Should Croatia claim all three points there, then there’s always the chance that Italy or Spain could find themselves on the outside looking in, and the dreaming begins again for Bilic and this talented bunch.
Betting odds: 40/1 to 60/1, 6th longest.
Rankings: Elo 11th (1847 points), FIFA 8th (1,114)
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #31 on Jun 4, 2012, 9:38am » | |
Euro 2012 Group B - Netherlands Preview
June 02, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, Nigel de Jong and Gregory van der Wiel (left to right) of Netherlands stand for the national anthem prior to the International Friendly between the Netherlands and Slovakia at De Kuip Stadion on May 30, 2012 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. With an embarrassment of riches in most of the key attacking positions, for Holland to take this trophy midfielder Wesley Sneijder will have to find the form that delivered the Dutch to a World Cup Final and his club, Internazionale Milano FC, to an historic treble.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: with impressive star power assembled by the Dutch yet again, the task falls on its coach to find combinations that work and produce results. Thus, some players who would start for almost any other team might find themselves on the bench at the beginning of matches. That means the "Hunter," Klaas Jan Huntelaar, could be sitting because Robin van Persie is chosen ahead of him - which underscores the fantastic level of depth that Holland has with a duo of such high caliber. A similar situation exists among the trequartistas, where Wesley Sneijder gets the nod over Rafael van der Vaart. In a very competitive group, balance and defensive responsibilities can't be abandoned and that can leave several of the top Dutch attackers as late - and frequently unused - subs who can become a difficulty to manage, if left untended. But the key man might just be Wesley Sneijder, who will need to find his strikers and provide a layer of unpredictability and variety from a key position. A largely overlooked figure in Ibrahim Afellay, forgotten in the wake of an injury with Barcelona, could be the type of player to provide an unexpected spark should the Dutch become a bit too predictable in their approach.
Potential weak spots: chemistry and synergy - or as a follower of Dutch teams might say, "Tell me something I don't know." In the past, disharmony within the Dutch team has become overwhelming for every worthy invitee to have a seat at the big national table. Of course, in the golden days, most national team members played for one of the top three Eredivisie clubs and had to face each in an adversarial way more often than not. Today, that nucleus is pushed across the continent but with so many players playing key roles on their club teams, finding those willing to play the second fiddle hasn't always been easy. Which brings us to ...
Coach's Bio: Bert van Marwijk, 60, had a twenty year old playing career and it seems that his personality has been as effective in his team's success as his tactical and strategic planning. Where many of his predecessors had failed - and that list is long and impressive - van Marwijk's calm demeanor resulted in a far more coherent and adaptable roster than in previous years. Some critics may shake their heads at his regular inclusion of Nigel de Jong, but others will assert that this particular element is precisely what allowed the creativity of others to shine. During van Marwijk's four year reign, the team has won 32, drawn 10 and lost only 5 matches while playing in the grand finale of the 2010 World Cup. Such achievements should keep any coach gainfully employed, but that may not be enough should the Dutch fail to reach the knockout rounds.
Team analysis: this edition of the team under van Marwijk seems to set up in a somewhat nontraditional Dutch formation. It's not exactly your Daddy's 4-3-3, the subject of much consternation by many Dutch purists. Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben plays to his off-foot on the right, as he has done throughout his club career while on the opposite side Dirk Kujt, due to his work rate, is as much of a wide midfielder as a winger, although tactical switches do tend to move things about. That combination often kept the attack too narrow and too high unless the fullbacks pinched in to provide the width. Tactical adjustments can be made and, while there are various options on this squad, the coach seems to want to stick with a system that has worked for him in the past and whether he is willing to depart from it is currently unknown. Seeing how the Dutch use De Jong, hardman Mark van Bommel and fast-rising PSV midfielder Kevin Strootman might just be key indicators as to how van Marwijk sees the defensive side of this team.
Tournament prospects: placed in a very difficult group, the source of fear for the Dutch may just be that too much energy might have to be expended to get into the knockout rounds. Every one of their key players are fresh off of long domestic campaigns at the game's most prestigious clubs, but if van Marwijk can dial it up right, this is the team nobody will want to face when the tournament moves to single-elimination.
Betting odds: anywhere from 6 to 7 to 1 to win it all, widely seen as the third best team in the tournament. Should Germany or Spain take their collective foot off the gas, the Netherlands might just grab the steering wheel.
Euro history: 32 matches, 17W, 8D, 7L; winners 1988, semifinalists 1976 (3rd place), 1992, 2000, 2004.
Current ranking: Elo ranking 2nd (2,052 points), FIFA 4th (1,207)
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #32 on Jun 4, 2012, 9:47am » | |
Euro 2012 guide: Spain
ONE TO WATCH: Fernando Llorente
By Carmelo Ruggieri
Published on Monday 4 June 2012 10:00
THE reigning world and European champions unsurprisingly breezed through the qualifiers and are the bookies, and many people’s favourites to do what’s never been done before and win a third consecutive major trophy.
Coach
Vicente del Bosque, the two times Champions League winning coach (both with Real Madrid in 2000 and 2002) led the Spaniards to the 2010 world cup after succeeding Luis Aragones in 2008. Rather than completely revamping a winning formula he simply tweaked formation by bringing in midfielders Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets to cover Xavi and playing David Villa wider role to the left of Fernando Torres. Not only did this assist in Spain’s much talked about tika-taka passing game to pick opponents off but it also acted as a defensive tactic in closing games out by not letting their opponents touch the ball.
Key player
While Spain has many world class players at their service nobody else embodies the team’s philosophy more than the Xavi, whom many consider Spain’s greatest ever midfielder. Dictating play from his familiar central position Xavi will probably rack up more passes than anybody else in the tournament seemingly hiding the ball from the opposition then popping up with a key pass or bit of creativity to cut through defences.
One to watch
Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente may become Spain’s main striker at Euro 2012 due to the absence of David Villa and the indifferent form of Fernando Torres. The tall striker has had a fantastic season for his club where he led them to two cup finals. He’s shown that there’s more to his game than being just a target man. He’s neat in possession, good at bringing others into play and capable of creating chances for others. Used as an impact player from the bench in the last World Cup he’ll be hoping that, this time round, he can also be an impact from the start.
Why they could have a good tournament...
Where to start? They can still boast the world class spine of the teams that won the last two major tournaments, while they’ve also got players such as Juan Mata, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva and Roberto Soldado who aren’t even guaranteed a place in the first XI. No other team will have more of the ball, have more confidence and belief in the way they play or be as good to watch with their quick one-two combinations and fluid passing moves. To sum up La Roja’s domination in games it’s often said that Spain’s games should be played with two footballs, one for them, and one for the opposition, so the opposition get the opportunity to attack
Why they could have a bad tournament...
The obvious reason is the potential tension between the players from Barcelona and Real Madrid. While the rivalry has been always been one of the biggest in world football, it’s taken a nastier turn since Jose Mourinho took over the Madrid club which has been there for all to see in each El Clasico over the last two seasons. Despite the outstanding options all over the field even Spain are likely to miss the absence of warrior centre back Carles Puyol and striker David Villa. With Fernando Torres in poor form it remains to be seen whether Villa’s goals will be missed having scored 9 goals in the Spain’s last two tournament triumphs. Torres, in the same two tournaments, managed 2 goals.
http://www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk/spo....spain-1-4609827
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #33 on Jun 5, 2012, 6:18am » | |
Euro 2012 Group C - Ireland Preview
June 04, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
![[image]](http://www.beyondthepitch.net/images/ireland.png "[image]")
Republic of Ireland's Robbie Keane (C) seals a 2-0 victory during the match between Ireland and and Italian team Tuscany XI at the Marcello Melani Stadium in Pistoia, on May, 29, 2012. A lot will be asked of Ireland's forwards who will be expected to cash in when the opportunities are there, most often on the counter attack or during set piece opportunities when they present themselves. Fail there, and it will be early curtains for the Irish.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: when at their best, Ireland finds a way to dig in and defend as a unit and hit on the counter, which obviously puts more emphasis on team and system than individuals. But it would please the Irish fans if Robbie Keane, now an LA Galaxy striker, is mentioned far more often than Shay Given, the Aston Villa goalkeeper. Also present are veteran attackers Damian Duff, Aiden Mc Geady and Kevin Doyle who will have to elevate their collective game in order to compete with every team in their group who have world class quality players capable of turning a match. Another huge contribution will have to be in the cards for Aston Villa defender Richard Dunne who turns up in big moments and he will have to rekindle the memories of Paul McGrath from USA '94 if progression is indeed possible in Poland and Ukraine.
Potential weak spots: it is highly unlikely that Ireland can outplay any of the teams cast with them in Group C, but that doesn't necessarily spell doom here either as their legendary manager will more than likely devise a tactical plan that could see Ireland win from virtually nothing. They will find themselves lacking when facing Spain's possession-oriented style of play, Croatia's creativity going forward or Italy's truly uncanny ability to grind out group stage points when the real bullets start flying. They will be facing three of Europe's playmaking geniuses in Luca Modric, Xavi and Andrea Pirlo in successive fixtures and Ireland will surely need to diffuse these landmines with a midfield that will have to focus heavily on denial and destruction - something they have been able to do when at their best, but never tested in such rapid fire fashion.
Coach's Bio: One of the most respected managers in football history, Giovanni Trapattoni, now 73, is one of only four coaches to have won the league title in four different countries. From AC Milan to Juventus to Internazionale to Bayern Munich to Benfica to Stuttgart - Trapattoni will never have to prove that he has the track record or the pedigree at the highest levels of the game. With Ireland since 2008, he came up just a whisker short from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, had it not been for the "Hand of Henry" travesty. He is the only manager to have won all of UEFA's club competitions, so he is known as a tournament manager capable of finding the best combinations with the players at his disposal, which resonates perfectly with how Ireland should - and will - view this competition, with a sum-is-greater-than-the parts kind of mentality.
Team analysis: Ireland is a fairly conventional team that combines elements of English soccer, where the majority of its players are employed, with Italian steadiness and presence of mind. It has no superstars but it has a fine team spirit and it hopes that spirit, along a few lucky breaks that are long overdue, may take it to the knockout rounds. On paper, the Irish are clearly the weakest in Group C in terms of personnel, but that is not where they see their opening - the will seek to level the odds based on intangibles and endeavor, along with some tactical brilliance from their legendary coach. Ireland is likely to pin its hopes on a strong defensive effort, led by goalkeeper Shay Given, and hit teams hard on the counter. If Aiden McGeady and Damien Duff can provide quality service to Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle and reserve striker Shane Long, then Ireland has a window of opportunity to pull upsets.
Tournament prospects: in Group C, they are the wildcard entry who will pose problems for teams who find it difficult to break down sturdy, resilient sides. The opening match with Croatia is where true fortune really lies for Ireland; a draw keeps them alive and a win breathes life into a team that doesn't qualify for major tournaments often. But when Ireland does find itself in a group stage, they usually do advance.
Betting odds: 66/1 to 110/1, the second longest in the tournament.
Rankings: Elo 19th (1,777 points), FIFA 18th (891)
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #34 on Jun 5, 2012, 6:20am » | |
Euro 2012 Group C - Italy Preview
June 04, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
![[image]](http://www.beyondthepitch.net/images/italy.png "[image]")
The Italian national team pose for photographers before their international friendly match against Russia ahead of Euro 2012, in Zurich June 1, 2012. Back row (L-R) Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, Christian Maggio, Mario Balotelli, Gianluigi Buffon. Front row (L-R) Federico Balzaretti, Claudio Marchisio, Riccardo Montolivo, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Cassano. Missing in this lineup is Juventus defender, Giorgio Chiellini, who will have to anchor this backline unit if Prandelli's attempt to enforce a more attacking and attractive brand of football that might have to be scrapped given some of the apparent shortcomings in this squad.
Source: Reuters Pictures
Players to watch: immediate consideration will obviously be given to SuperMario Balotelli for reasons both associated to his football and larger-than-life persona, but fortune for the Italians will always be traced to its spine, which is among the best in the world. That begins with goalkeeper legend Gianluigi Buffon who, when at the top of his game, has no peer and enters this European Championship after leading his club Juventus to an unbeaten season, only the third time that has ever been done in Serie A history. Buffon is the grand equalizer even when Italy is outgunned. From there the foundation extends to Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele De Rossi and midfield wizard Andrea Pirlo who must all be in top form for SuperMario to have any impact on Euro 2012. "Why Always Me?" becomes "Why Not Us?" if Antonio Cassano can find some of that magic resulting in 3 goals and 10 assists in 16 Serie A appearances for AC Milan, in a season cut short by a heart condition that almost doomed his career.
Potential weak spots: if the Italians do have a problem it continues to be in the wide areas of the pitch where Christian Maggio has not been able to reproduce his Napoli form of late and whether Prandelli can find a suitable left back after Domenico Criscito was left out of the Azzurri final squad. The absence of Giuseppe Rossi cannot be underestimated here either, as the attacking options for Italy are rather bare beyond the volatile duo of Cassano and Balotelli who can both be brilliant and unpredictable as much as they can become combustible in a moment of madness. One other area of immediate concern the Italians do have is whether Claudio Marchisio and Riccardo Montolivo can be difference makers, rather than just filling out the squad. If Prandelli decides to go with more utility than offensive flair, Thiago Motta and Antonio Nocerino might be a signal that the Italians have abandoned their expressive design until the next tournament.
Coach's Bio: Cesare Prandelli, 54, is faced with a rather unenviable task buoyed by a sense that usually high expectations have dipped pretty low after recent match-fixing allegations. Prandelli is a largely popular figure in Italy, and he entered the scene talking of a more attractive style of football for the Italians while bringing along newer - and unproven - options who have yet to leave their mark. The team was unbeaten during qualification (with a huge assist to some Serbian ultras), but has looked an unconfident bunch while taking to its schedule of international friendlies including defeats at home, once thought unthinkable for an Italian side.
Team analysis: Prandelli has a massive question to solve in short order if the Italians have any hope of contending for this title. That lies in the fact that many of his players in defense have ties to Juventus and Napoli, whose personnel seem more conducive to a three man backline, pushing the wingbacks forward, or at the very least, seem adaptable to evolving tactical decisions by an astute manager. At the very least, Prandelli has not been as stubborn as his predecessor Marcelo Lippi, but he does lack the rotation Italy has when they won the 2006 World Cup. De Rossi, in any event, will have to have a spectacular tournament for Italy to reach the promised land because he will have the task of protecting that backline. Balotelli and Cassano are a seriously untested pair, but have the capability of being lights out because their very unpredictable nature could lend itself to brilliant displays.
Tournament prospects: On talent alone, Italy has a number of intriguing pieces who could rise up and take this European Championship by storm. The problem for Italy rests in a lack of depth which may serve to undermine their chances should injuries and suspension arise, jeopardizing their chances to go through, much less contend for a title, six years removed from a World Cup victory. Italy, without a doubt, is the biggest wildcard in the tournament.
Betting odds: (yes, bets are being accepted) : ~ 14/1 to 16/1, 6th shortest.
Ranking: Elo 15th (1,825 points), FIFA 12th (1,041)
http://www.beyondthepitch.net/articles/p....-italy-preview/
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #35 on Jun 5, 2012, 6:47am » | |
I see Buzsaky didn't play for Hungary against Republic of Ireland because was injured
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #36 on Jun 5, 2012, 8:26am » | |
What bets are on Italy? Who throws the game and in what minute?
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Jo-Onenil
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #37 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:38pm » | |
I like Poland's right-back, Pizszek, from Borussia Dortmund. I'd love to sign him but he wont leave Dortmund.
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|  | All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #38 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:44pm via the ProBoards Mobile App » | |
Jun 8, 2012, 4:38pm, Jo-Onenil wrote:| I like Poland's right-back, Pizszek, from Borussia Dortmund. I'd love to sign him but he wont leave Dortmund. |
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One of the best RB's in the world right now. Would cost £25m or more and he wouldn't sign for us anyway.
Kuba the Polish captain could be a target, he will be a free agent after the Euro's if he doesn't sign a new deal at Dortmund.
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'Arry Redknapp's Blue and White Army. |
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #39 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:49pm » | |
Unbelievable soft sending off in Poland v Greece
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #40 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:50pm » | |
Euro 2012 Group D - England Preview
June 07, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
England goalkeeper Joe Hart signs a Good Luck board ahead of the team's departure for the Euro 2012 football championships in Luton on June 6, 2012. Left with a number of uninspiring alternatives, its one world class striker starting the tournament on suspension, a late change in direction with a new coach and a number of injuries to overcome, not much will be expected of England for once and that might just be its one silver lining.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: in some form, Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young (Manchester United) will have to hold down the fort at the top of the formation in order to give England any chance of progression given that Wayne Rooney will be held on ice until a third and decisive group stage match - provided England keeps its chances alive. However, there are some key figures in other parts of this lineup who will also have to come up huge as well, and those would be two central midfielders of choice - Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) and Scott Parker (Tottenham) - who will have to add steel to the middle of what could best be described as a functional, pragmatic England side. They will have the key task of protecting the backline and springing the wide men on the counter, including the highly inconsistent Theo Walcott (Arsenal) and James Milner (Manchester City) who have come off of uneven seasons for their respective clubs. The one consistent player that England does have in its lineup is goalkeeper Joe Hart (Manchester City), fresh off his first Premier League title. Hart has been largely overlooked, but his leadership and organization will be critical to England if they're to progress from what is now considered a very unpredictable group past France.
Potential weak spots: in most every other scenario possible for England, Wayne Rooney would be the main talking point to consider, but that matter was settled long ago when the Manchester United superstar was issued a two match suspension upon appeal. His absence looms large not just because he was the one factor other teams would fear, but also because his relentless energy and work rate would often set the tone for England. There aren't many serious difference makers in this squad at what could be considered the peak of their careers, leaving England with a cast of veterans at their twilight and a number of eager yet unproven young players who will test the manager's willingness to use them in the first place. Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Martin Kelly and Phil Jones are all candidates for the future, but hard to see where and when Roy Hodgson uses them until World Cup qualification.
Coach's Bio: Roy Hodgson, 64, isn't new to the rodeo but has been handed the monumental task of forging a coherent style with players from nine different clubs. England won its first two matches with Hodgson in charge, but the team has looked far more comfortable in defending without possession or attacking on set pieces, so this simple blueprint may be something to hang their hat on for at least the Group stage. How the tournament itself plays out is anybody's guess because Hodgson has been known for this formula before and has found success with a direct style of football, most notably at Fulham and West Bromwich Albion of late. For the most part Hodgson does tend to approach matches much too conservatively for English taste, but he does boast international experience and big tournament experience, taking a modest Swiss side into the Round of 16 in the 1994 World Cup. His best ally might just be that he was appointed late and seems to know how to keep the press at arm's length at this early stage, but even more importantly the old Gerrard-Lampard dynamic was solved for him by late-injury and there is little likelihood that cliques will develop in the changing room amongst this unit.
Team analysis: Overall, this is not a technically gifted squad nor a highly disciplined tactical unit, so it is very hard to see what England takes into this competition in terms of identity, other than becoming a defend first unit that will attempt to bring its athleticism and endurance to bear late in matches seeking out a result or dramatic comeback. Both Sweden and France will view their encounters with England in far better light without Wayne Rooney in attendance, so what this team has to do is at least take points in its first two matches to guarantee progression to the knockout rounds, as host nation Ukraine's tournament could be over by that third match. When England is at its best with this unit, it finds productivity in the wide areas of the pitch or at the feet of Steven Gerrard, when he has been given the green light to push forward and pick his spots. But at the very least expect England to put a lot of men behind the ball and defend against France and Sweden until the calvary arrives in the shape of Wayne Rooney.
Tournament prospects: ask a panel of 10 experts and immediately up comes the mention of Denmark in 1992 or Greece of 2004, which is code for: your guess is as good as mine, so let's at least give these lads some hope. At the end of the day this England side is neither as organized as that Denmark side, nor are they as resilient or disciplined as the Greeks were under Otto Rehhagel. Progressing out of Group D might be the best bet, but that's far from a certainty.
Betting odds: 10 to 14/1, 5th shortest.
Rankings: Elo 7th (1928), FIFA 7th (1,132)
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #41 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:51pm » | |
Euro 2012 Group D - France Preview
June 07, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
Up-L-R) French goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris, defender Adil Rami, midfielder Alou Diarra, forward Karim Benzema, defender Philippe Mexes, (down-L-R) midfielder Yohan Cabaye, defender Mathieu Debuchy, defender Patrice Evra, forward Franck Ribery, midfielder Florent Malouda and midfielder Samir Nasri pose before the friendly football match France vs Estonia on June 5, 2012, at the Le Mans Stadium in Le Mans, western France. France won 4-0. Winners of this tournament in 1984 and 2000, expectations have been on the rise for France but questions do remain as to whether this is a team capable of a semi-final appearance and poised for bigger things for 2014 or if this is indeed a false dawn.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: what France has going for them is a tremendous set of attacking options, as well as some quality depth, which is set into motion by Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Samir Nasri (Manchester City) and Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) as a wonderful attacking three. Benzema will be the key piece of the puzzle for the French as he is one of the surefire top scorer candidates on the heels of a superb season at Real Madrid, with 32 goals in all competitions for The Special One. Benzema's unique combination of power, pace and quality are a perfect complement for RIbery and and Nasri, against whom the French attack can be both fluid and devastating when the midfield can find the link. Reserve forwards Jérémy Ménez and Olivier Giroud deliver even more options for the French as does Sochaux's Marvin Martin who may be a tournament away from leaving his mark, yet might still prove useful. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is the unheralded one in this mix, a gifted athlete whose speed, athleticism and reflexes at the position cannot be underestimated.
Potential weak spots: if there is one area to pinpoint with this very talented squad it can be found in the central defender pairing in Philippe Mexès and Adil Rami who appear somewhat mismatched from the outset - meaning - they don't necessarily compliment one another. And that could lead to defensive breakdowns further complicated by pre-tournament injury concerns to Yann M'Vila, Alou Diarra and Blaise Matuidi, who are the defensive midfield options for Laurent Blanc. There is no Claude Makélelé or Didier Deschamps among them, so the question will be whether France reverts back to a holding two to account for defensive liabilities. Patrice Evra is another hot topic of debate for both club and country, so concerns about the French at the back do appear to be well founded.
Coach's Bio: Laurent Blanc had a long and very illustrious playing career, having made stops at Internazionale, Manchester United, Marseille and Barcelona, among others, and having won both the World Cup (1998) and the Euros (2000). His coaching career hasn't been very long, but he was nonetheless offered the France job due to his stellar reputation as a player (97 caps) and signs at Bordeaux that he was a manager on the rise with the right kind of pedigree. France's qualifying campaign had a few rough patches - an 0-1 loss at home to Belarus was one of them - but France eventually reached top of its group, narrowly edging Bosnia and Herzegovina with a late draw at home.
Team analysis: like many of his contemporaries, Blanc has moved a fairly defensive 4-2-3-1 against more challenging opponents, but has show a willingness to switched to either a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1, with one purely holding midfielder, two slightly advanced midfielders in Malouda and Cabaye and his three attackers in Ribery, Benzema and Nasri. This type of tactical adjustment gives the Fremch a bit more verve going forward when they need it, although it remains to be seen if this approach holds or it rests solely as situational move for Blanc. Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny, Manchester City’s Gael Clichy and Newcastle United's Hatem Ben Arfa are intriguing players who might become bigger factors if performances wilt amongst the starters or injuries and suspensions begin to test the depth of this squad. Watch for Koscielny for a move into the defensive midfield role if injury concerns persist.
Tournament prospects: with promising developments of late, French fans could feel a bit more optimistic than they have felt in a while, certainly since the debacle of South Africa when the Domenech era came to a crashing end. Blanc seems to have weeded this team of its malcontents and has refocused some of his quite talented sources of mischief into a very compelling and largely entertaining team. The French ooze talent when coming forward, but can Karim Benzema replicate his Real Madrid form and lead this team to its level of ambition just two years removed from the crater of South Africa. A couple of breaks to bend the margins and France could be a semi-finalist in Poland and Ukraine. At the very least, should win Group D.
Betting odds: 10 to 20/1, 4th shortest
Rankings: Elo 13th (1836), FIFA 16th (938)
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #42 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:53pm » | |
Euro 2012 Group D - Sweden Preview
June 06, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
A combination of recent pictures made on June 3, 2012 shows Sweden squad players for the Euro 2012 football championships announced on May 14, 2012 by the coach Eric Hamren. From top left to bottom right, Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson, Johan Wiland, Par Hansson. Defenders: Mikael Antonsson, Andreas Granqvist, Olof Mellberg, Mikael Lustig, Jonas Olsson, Martin Olsson, Behrang Safari. Midfielders: Rasmus Elm, Samuel Holmen, Emir Bajrami, Kim Kallstrom, Sebastian Larsson, Anders Svensson, Pontus Wernbloom, Christian Wilhelmsson. Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Johan Elmander, Tobias Hysen, Ola Toivonen, Marcus Rosenberg and the coach Eric Hamren. Loads of potential in this Swedish team and they will not be lacking in support with a large contingent who always travel very well, but it really does come down to that one, big question that falls squarely on the shoulders of Zlatan.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: Zlatan, Ibra, also known as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, superstar striker of AC Milan and Serie A with 28 goals in 32 appearances. The lanky, powerful Swede with Bosnian and Croatian bloodlines has sported the colors of the biggest clubs on the planet and has been deservedly made captain of this squad. He's enigmatic, divides opinion like no other figure in world football, and the statistical ideologues micromanage his performances like no other player simply because, on his day, Ibrahimovic can destroy an opponent almost by himself, to the point of being close to unplayable. In that sense, Zlatan is a freakish talent - so when he doesn't dominate a match, out come the knives and pitchforks and lanterns. There is also one other stealth quality that Zlatan brings to the party as well: he's a lightning rod, so the rest of the Sweden team get largely overlooked - meaning - they play with almost no pressure or expectation. And that's the kind of ingredient that may just allow a rather talented supporting cast to shine in Kim Kallstrom (Lyon), Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland), Ola Toivonen (PSV), Johan Elmander (Galatasaray) and Rasmus Elm (AZ). Larsson and Kallstrom were amongst the top five players in Europe for assists during its ten qualifying matches, and they will have be special again.
Potential weak spot: solid veteran professionals such as Olaf Mellberg (Olympiacos) and Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich Albion) can be steady under almost any situation, but the problem for Sweden is overall team speed in the center of their defense. That leaves them open at times in picking up movement in set pieces and can leave the defense exposed on the counter-attack. Injury forced Daniel Majstorovic out of the team, so in steps Andreas Granqvist of Genoa who has yet to offer Mellberg the partnership demanded at this level of football. Andreas Isaksson (PSV) is a serviceable goalkeeper with more than 90 appearances for his country, but can he be a difference maker when it counts - he will be tested in this tournament and has looked unconfident in friendly matches leading into the competition.
Coach's Bio: Erik Hamren, 54, has a 25 year coaching career, but all of it in Scandinavia and, while he has done well with Rosenborg and Aalborg, this is his first time on the big stage. Sweden qualified as the best group runner-up with 24 points and an impressive +20 goal difference, third highest goal performance during the qualification stage with 31, only six fewer than top scorers in the Dutch. Hamren seems willing to be a bit more adventurous than his predecessor, Lars Lagerback, but he might be forced to tone down on these ambitions as the defensive gears of this squad still seem locked onto a generation down to its last chance.
Team analysis: Sweden does have one major question to answer and that is whether Hamren falls into the same trap other managers have with Zlatan Ibrahimovic: play him as a target man where he can get isolated and lose feel of a match without many touches or move him deeper into the formation where he picks his spots and uses that other part of his game where he can link play for his teammates. How the wide players will be used is a key factor, but the real promise and potential for Sweden might be in the middle where the two deeper midfielders in Kallstrom and Svensson allow Zlatan the freedom to roam as he wishes, while Toivonen takes on the more untested role as center forward. Look for Hamren to move Zlatan around based entirely on the opponent to take advantage of Zlatan's ability to create, orchestrate and destroy opponents from different formations.
Tournament prospects: can take points off anybody in what should be considered as a wide open group after an improving French side. Sweden could also be chasing points as well, but it should not be underestimated as nothing more than a one man band. Take three points off a host nation in its opening match and suddenly this team takes on a different outlook; should reach the quarterfinals and ride its luck from there, and anything less than that would be considered a failure.
Betting odds: 50 to 70/1, 12th best.
Rankings: Elo 9th (1,857 points), FIFA 17th (1,931)
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #43 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:53pm » | |
Euro 2012 Group C - Spain Preview
June 04, 2012 by Dan Leo Dukhin
Spain's national football team players pose on June 3, 2012 before an international friendly football match against China at the Cartuja stadium in Sevilla in preparation for the Euro 2012 football championship, which will take place in Poland and Ukraine from June 8 to July 1. The task for Spain isn't whether they are good enough to repeat as European Champion in 2012, on the heels of a World Cup win in South Africa two years ago; the question is can anybody expect a national team to do what has never been done before. Spain is on a collision course with history, and although its veteran core remains largely in tact, inevitable changes and untimely injuries to key players could stand in their way.
Source: Getty Images
Players to watch: the defending European and World Champions feature roughly the same roster since winning their first major tournament in years - the 2008 Euros - with the notable absences of two injured stars, captain Carlos Puyol and striker David Villa. Otherwise, many of the same figures do still dominate La Furia Roja, including - but not limited to - Xavi, Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid). Even Fernando Torres, having retreated to the wilderness at times over the last two seasons with Liverpool and Chelsea, has returned to the fold. The keys here to watch might just be how Ramos and Pique make their adjustment in the center of the defense while the Fernandos - Torres and Llorente - find their balance in attack. The good news for Spain is that while some teams are busy selling their virtues, the defending champions are deep, talented and have only synergy to consider. Options do seem endless and the squad offers its experienced manager a vast array of tactical alternatives.
Potential weak spots: The short answer is: almost none, at least on paper. But what they will have to demonstrate once these matches count is that they can overcome the loss of Puyol who has been heartbeat for the unit from the backline, the kind of timeless defender whose combination of reading attacks and snuffing them out will be sorely missed. The other concern might just be the absence of David Villa who is a prime time performer when the matches become bigger in scope. Spain can struggle against tactically prepared teams who are comfortable in defense, and Villa has an uncanny ability to pick the lock when goals are hard to find.
Coach's Bio: Vicente del Bosque, 61, is one of only two coaches (Marcello Lippi is the other) to have won both the World Cup and the Champions League, so his tactical acumen is exceptionally impressive and he does seem to thrive with tournament football. What he has been able to do with the Spanish team is take its smooth passing elegance and use it as a defensive weapon at times, conserving energy while also denying opponents breathing space, and he has shown a willingness to drift away from the 4-3-3 when game situations evolve, playing with two midfielders in front of the defense. Which is something he might have to do given the changes in the centerback pairing of Pique and Ramos.
Team analysis: Spain went unbeaten and untied during qualification and built up a +20 goal differential in eight matches, with seven of its 26 goals scored coming from David Villa. The main question that del Bosque might have to address is whether he might have to rotate personnel more in this tournament due to the amount of football many of his stars have played, especially those with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao who all figured high in match count. The other issue should come down to whether Spain can handle the kind of defensive systems they will be sure to face as teams will clearly take a page from what has effectively disrupted the Barcelona midfield in recent years. The bonus for Spain will be that if any team takes them to a penalty shootout, del Bosque can always count on Iker Casillas to deliver one or two key stops.
Tournament prospects: Anything outside of another appearance in the finals will be deemed a failure for Spain. They are the side against whom all other national teams measure themselves and the only thing preventing Spain from reaching that final will be themselves. Avoiding Germany and the Netherlands as long as possible will also help the Spanish cause.
Betting odds: from 5/2 to 3/1, shortest odds in the tournament with good reason.
Rankings: Elo 1st (2,103 points), FIFA 1st (1,442)
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cpr
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #44 on Jun 8, 2012, 4:58pm » | |
Jun 8, 2012, 4:49pm, eusebio13 wrote:| Unbelievable soft sending off in Poland v Greece |
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Ridiculous decision, Martinez is a poor ref.
When did Joey Barton become captain of Greece by the way?
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #45 on Jun 8, 2012, 5:02pm » | |
Not sure this is the what the Ukraine hoped journalists would right about.
Ukraine's P*******s hope to cash in on Euro 2012
By MARIA DANILOVA
Associated Press
Published: Friday, June 8, 2012 at 4:58 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 8, 2012 at 4:58 a.m.
Yulia, a 20-year-old call girl, is awaiting Euro 2012 with a mix of excitement and dread. She's upped her fare in the hope of earning enough to go to college next year, but "every girl is afraid," she admits. "Anything can happen."
Ukraine has a booming prostitution industry - and the already high number of women scouting the streets, bars and hotels of the country's four host cities for clients is expected to spike even further this month as hundreds of thousands of football fans converge on the country.
Experts are warning about the high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases: Some 1.1 percent of the adult population and nearly one out of 10 P*******s are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, according to the United Nations AIDS agency.
"They will be playing Ukrainian roulette," said Kostiantyn Pertsovskyi, spokesman for the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine, which will be handing out nearly 1 million condoms to fans and P*******s during the tournament. "If a fan is not using a condom, he has a very good chance of getting infected."
La Strada, a Ukrainian women's rights group, is particularly concerned about an increase of underage prostitution, with scores of orphaned or destitute teenagers lured - and often forced - to service clients.
Yulia, who declined to give her last name for fear of being prosecuted, has been studying basic English words, communicating with prospective clients online and assembling a new wardrobe of flashy dresses and high-heeled shoes. She's also been learning what she calls "European manners."
She plans to raise her hourly rate of 600 hryvna ($75; (EURO)60) to 900 hryvna ($115; (EURO)90) and hopes to save enough money to go to college next year to study music and fulfill her life dream of becoming a singer.
Yulia came to Kiev to escape poverty in her provincial hometown in southern Ukraine where both of her parents are unemployed. With no college education, few skills, no jobs around and a family to support, she became a P******* at 18.
She now earns about 10,000 hryvna ($1,250; (EURO)1,000) per month - averaging about 2-3 clients a day - at hotels, apartments and in cars. For many that's an enviable income compared with the national monthly average of 3,000 hryvna ($375; (EURO)300). But the money has a price.
"Physically, morally, psychologically it's very hard. Each client needs a special approach, you need to please everyone," Yulia said as she came to a support center on the outskirts of Kiev to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, load up on free condoms and take a class in art therapy.
"It's not easy, there is always fear. Every girl is afraid because she doesn't know what she is about to see, what will happen to her, what to expect. Anything can happen." Once, she recalled, she came to a Kiev flat, expecting one client, but instead found two who violently raped her.
"I couldn't get out of the apartment, I couldn't convince them, so I just closed my eyes and that was it."
Page 3 of 4
In Ukraine, underage sexual workers are rarely treated as victims of child molestation or forced labor, but instead are often punished and harassed for engaging in prostitution. Providing sexual services constitutes a misdemeanor here punishable by fines of about $20, but in practice P*******s have to buy police protection with money and sex. Soliciting sexual workers is legal.
"In our country, children providing sexual services are not regarded as victims but as culprits," said Mariana Yevsyukova, a legal expert with La Strada, adding that no measures have been taken to protect such teenagers ahead of the football tournament. "My heart is very angry over this. Our government did not react to this in time."
Officials are playing down the threat, saying fans will be too busy enjoying soccer games to look for adventure on the streets.
Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria and Switzerland "also expected sex tourism, but fans didn't have time for this: it was either football or beer," said Oleh Matveitsov, an Interior Ministry official charged with security measures during the Euros. While some measures have been taken to get the call girls off the streets, experts say many of those women will simply go online to look for clients.
The country's leaders have done little to alter the image of Ukraine as a top destination for sex tourists and men shopping for mail-order brides. President Viktor Yanukovych last year invited foreign investors to Ukraine to see blooming chestnut trees and observe "how women begin to take their clothes off when it gets warm in Ukrainian cities."
Femen, Ukraine's controversial women's rights movement which stages topless protests, has vowed to disrupt the championship with rallies, pranks and disturbances to protest the prostitution spike
"Today Ukraine has turned into a huge brothel, Europe's center for sex tourism, and Ukrainian women will suffer from that, Ukrainian women will become sex slaves during Euro 2012," said Inna Shevchenko, a top activist with the group.
Critics say Femen is itself fueling the perception of Ukrainian women as sex objects. The group protests against prostitution with half-naked activists posing in front of television cameras in erotic poses.
Yulia Tsarevska, whose advocacy group provides moral, educational and medical support to Yulia and other call girls in Kiev and around the country, says the girls have been translating their ads into English in recent weeks.
"They are waiting, they are getting ready, they are going to beauty parlors, they are raising their prices," she said.
Yulia admits to harboring faint hopes that one of her clients may fall in love with her and take her away from Ukraine, as happened to Julia Roberts' heroine in "Pretty Woman," a movie she loves.
"It would be great to live in other countries, but I don't think that people would come and would choose a wife here in Ukraine among call girls," she says. "Although everything can happen."
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20120608/API/1206080606?
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #46 on Jun 8, 2012, 8:28pm » | |
Two off as Tyton is the hero
PA Photos
Poland goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyto celebrates his penalty save
Scoring Summary
Poland Greece
Robert Lewandowski (17') Dimitrios Salpingidis (51')
Giorgos Karagounis (pen miss 71')
Match Stats
Poland
Greece
13(4) Shots (on Goal) 8(3)
22 Fouls 16
4 Corner Kicks 4
0 Offsides 3
53% Time of Possession 47%
0 Yellow Cards 2
1 Red Cards 1
0 Saves 2
Teams
Poland Greece
1 Wojciech Szczęsny 1 Kostas Chalkias
15 Damien Perquis 8 Avraam Papadopoulos
13 Marcin Wasilewski 19 Sokratis Papastathopoulos
2 Sebastian Boenisch 20 Jose Holebas
20 Lukasz Piszczek 15 Vasilis Torosidis
11 Rafal Murawski 21 Kostas Katsouranis
7 Eugen Polanski 10 Giorgos Karagounis
9 Robert Lewandowski 2 Giannis Maniatis
10 Ludovic Obraniak 7 Georgios Samaras
8 Maciej Rybus 17 Theofanis Gekas
16 Jakub Blaszczykowski 18 Sotiris Ninis
Substitutes
3 Grzegorz Wojtkowiak Alexandros Tzorvas 12
14 Jakub Wawrzyniak Stelios Malezas 4
21 Kamil Grosicki Nikos Liberopoulos 9
5 Dariusz Dudka Michail Sifakis 13
22 Przemyslaw Tyton Konstantinos Mitroglou 11
23 Pawel Brozek Kyriakos Papadopoulos 5
6 Adam Matuschyk Dimitrios Salpingidis 14
18 Adrian Mierzejewski Ioannis Fetfatzidis 23
17 Artur Sobiech Giorgios Tzavellas 3
4 Marcin Kaminski Grigoris Makos 6
12 Grzegorz Sandomierski Giorgios Fotakis 16
19 Rafal Wolski Konstantinos Fortounis 22
Substitutions
Przemyslaw Tyton for Maciej Rybus (70)
Kyriakos Papadopoulos for Avraam Papadopoulos (37)
Dimitrios Salpingidis for Sotiris Ninis (45)
Konstantinos Fortounis for Theofanis Gekas (68)
Yellow Cards
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (35)
Jose Holebas (45)
Giorgos Karagounis (54)
Red Cards
Wojciech Szczęsny (68)
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (44)
· Squads: Poland | Greece
Poland's substitute goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton was the hero as he came on, when Wojciech Szczesny was sent off, to save a penalty and hold ten-man Greece to a 1-1 draw.
MATCH SUMMARY
Man of the Match: Dimitrios Salpingidis. With Greece trailing 1-0 and down to ten-men the substitute forward was thrown into the fray at half-time and turned the game on its head. The busy PAOK Salonika striker proved a constant problem for the previously untroubled Polish defence. He scored the equaliser, was fouled for the penalty that skipper Giorgos Karagounis missed and had another goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision. He'll start the next game.
Poland verdict: The Euro 2012 co-host started on the front foot, constantly pushing forward with some slick passing in the attacking third and deservedly took the lead through Robert Lewandowski. At half-time it looked like there was only one team in it. However, after the break they failed to cope as Greece attacked. They will need to uncover the root cause of their second-half capitulation and work out a way to get consistent service to Lewandowski.
Greece verdict: Their trademark defence was terrible for the first 45 minutes but the harsh sending-off of Sokratis Papastathopoulos seemed to galvanise the team. After the break they were forced to go on the attack and it seemed to suit the Greeks much better. The introduction of Salpingidis gave them much more energy and verve upfront and in the end they were unlucky not to win.
Could do better: Wojciech Szczesny. The Poland goalkeeper certainly had a game to forget. His failure to claim a cross from Vasilis Torosidis resulted in the ball falling at the feet of Salpingidis to score Greece's equaliser and then brought down the same player with a rash tackle for a penalty. If that wasn't bad enough, Szczesny's foul resulted in red card that will rule him out of Poland's next match against Russia.
Stat attack: Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo showed 178 yellow cards and 16 red cards in 29 La Liga games last season. An average of 6 yellows a game. He has brandished four yellows and two reds in this Euro 2012 opener.
Tyton came off the bench in the second half for the co-hosts after Arsenal goalkeeper Szczesny had been sent off for bringing down Greek substitute Dimitris Salpigidis.
The reserve goalkeeper promptly saved the resulting spot-kick from Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis to ensure the points were shared in a wonderfully entertaining match in Group A at the National Stadium.
Poland will be kicking themselves, however, after throwing it away having gone in at half-time with a one-goal lead and with Greece down to 10 men after defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos was sent off harshly for two innocuous yellow cards.
The Poles, who began the game with swaggering intent in front their home fans, had dominated the first half. It was no surprise when Robert Lewandowski gave them the perfect start after 17 minutes, although the goal had as much to do with the poor positioning of Greek goalkeeper Kostas Chalkias as the sharpness of Lewandowski.
Chalkias found himself flapping his arms in no man's land to leave the Borussia Dortmund striker, who scored a hat-trick in the German cup final last month, to head home a swinging cross from Jakub Blaszczykowski.
It was no more than the Poles deserved. They were hungrier, quicker to the ball and seemingly desperate to prove that while they are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament they have a realistic chance of reaching the quarter finals at least.
In that 45 minutes the Greeks looked a shadow of the organised side who had gained a reputation for being tough to beat, having lost just one of 21 games under manager Fernando Santos.
In fact, the Poles would have been kicking themselves that they were not further ahead at half-time after Rafal Murawski, Maciej Rybus and Lewandowski all missed clear-cut chances.
Damien Perquis should also have scored when the ball fell to him in the penalty area but the Polish defender, in unfamiliar territory, drilled his shot wildly wide of the post.
It looked as if the Greeks' fortune had deserted them completely, however, when Papastathopoulos saw red just before half-time.
The Greek defender had become the first player to be booked in the tournament when he received the yellow card from Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo for what appeared an harmless challenge with a Polish attacker.
His second yellow was equally as harsh when he was adjudged to have brought down Murawski. The referee, however, produced red and Greece were down to 10 men and seemingly heading to an opening defeat.
Perhaps fired up by the injustice the Greeks, however, came out in the second half with more determination and resolve and it paid off, even in they did have Szczesny to thank for their equaliser.
Szczesny raced out of his goal attempting to collect Vassilis Torosidis' right-wing cross but misjudged it totally, allowing substitute Salpigidis to score from close-range.
The drama, however, was far from finished and the teams were down to 10 players each after 70 minutes when Szczesny endured a moment of madness, sticking out a leg to trip Salpigidis in the penalty area.
The resulting penalty was delayed while PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper Tyton came off the bench and Maciej Rybus went off, but Tyton's first action was the most crucial of the match, saving the tame spot-kick of Karagounis.
A point was probably a fair result. But what a dramatic way for Euro 2012 to begin.
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Macmoish
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #47 on Jun 8, 2012, 8:29pm » | |
Who IS That Czech Goalie? 
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"..I also find it insulting that qpr-reports site are asking so many questions. They seem to want to know everything that goes on at the club..."
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cpr
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #48 on Jun 8, 2012, 9:18pm » | |
Jun 8, 2012, 8:29pm, Macmoish wrote:| Who IS That Czech Goalie? |
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Pile of shyte wearing a silly hat?
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RoryTheRanger
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #49 on Jun 8, 2012, 9:19pm » | |
That was a very entertaining start, much better than the first day of the 2010 World Cup.
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'Arry Redknapp's Blue and White Army. |
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superhooper1972
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #50 on Jun 8, 2012, 9:28pm » | |
Yeah hopefully the rest of the tournament will carry on in that way, i do think the euros is a better watch than the world cup, better quality of football, though saying that if i had to choose between the two id rather England won the world cup, but id still be doing triple salco's if we won this trophy.
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cpr
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #51 on Jun 8, 2012, 9:33pm » | |
If this style carries on we'll stifle the open style of play, trust me.
Wish the Greeks had won, we should sign that no 14, he's manic and should've taken the penalty.
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Lonegunmen
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #52 on Jun 9, 2012, 5:05am » | |
Russia's win was pretty emphatic against the Czechs.
Headline: "Russians bounce Czechs"??
I'll get me coat.
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #53 on Jun 9, 2012, 8:48am » | |
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/e....-3133132. html?
Euro 2012: Russia romp to victory against Czechs
Russia 4 Czech Republic 1
Euro 2012: Poland held by Greece in dramatic Euro 2012 opener
Also in Other news
Friday June 08 2012
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Russia went top of Group A in Euro 2012 as Alan Dzagoev's double helped them to an impressive victory over the Czech Republic at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw.
Dick Advocaat's side made a slow start but soon found their stride to take a 2-0 interval lead through midfielders Dzagoev and Roman Shirokov.
Vaclav Pilar gave the Czechs hope by pulling one back shortly after the break but Dzagoev and substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko, on for the profligate Aleksandr Kerzhakov, sealed the win.
Despite Russia being favourites to top the group, it was the Czechs who settled the better of the two sides.
It took Russia almost a quarter of an hour to muster a meaningful attack, and when they did they came close to taking the lead.
The imperious Andrey Arshavin brilliantly played in Yuri Zhirkov near the left-hand byline but striker Kerzhakov could only steer his effort wide.
But it was a brief reprieve for the Czechs as Dzagoev drove at the heart of their defence to tee Konstantin Zyryanov up for a cross that was headed against the post by Kerzhakov, Dzagoev followed up to slam home the loose ball.
The CSKA Moscow midfielder should have doubled the lead just a few minutes later after another incisive Russian break out, but he flashed wastefully wide of Petr Cech's goal.
Rezek saw a glancing header saved by Vyacheslav Malafeev at the other and but an error from Jaroslav Plasil allowed Russia to make it 2-0 in the 24th minute.
The midfielder gave away possession and Arshavin seized on it, the Arsenal player's pass was meant for Kerzhakov but the striker's miscontrol saw the ball reach Shirokov, who lofted over the advancing Cech.
Plasil was fortunate to get away with a clumsy push on Arshavin in the penalty area, as English World Cup final referee Howard Webb waved away the appeals.
Kerzhakov was once again guilty of being profligate in front of goal 12 minutes before the break, blazing over the bar from Zyryanov's pull back as Russia again toyed with the Czech defence.
Having been second best for much of the opening stanza the Czechs were again on the back foot after the restart with Kerzhakov again going close.
But Russia's momentum was halted in the 52nd minute as they were pegged back by by Pilar.
Bordeaux midfielder Plasil produced a superb pass to cut the Russian defence, allowing diminutive winger Pilar to round Malafeev and find the net.
Buoyed by the goal Michal Bilek's side suddenly looked far more assured and began to take the game to Russia as the match became increasingly open.
Arshavin's artistry meant Russia remained a threat at the other end, but once again Kerzhakov failed to hit the target from a lovely through ball.
The striker's nightmare evening soon got worse as he shot hopelessly wide after cutting inside Michal Kadlec, prompting Advocaat to put him out of his misery and summon Pavlyuchenko from the bench.
Theodor Gebre Selassie almost produced a stunning effort as his first-time volley from a Tomas Rosicky cross flashed narrowly wide of the near post, before the Arsenal midfielder's awkward angled shot was gathered at the second attempt by Malafeev.
But Dzagoev effectively killed the game off when Pavlyuchenko seized on a loose ball 12 minutes from time to set up the midfielder to plant a firm shot beyond Cech.
Pavlyuchenko then put a gloss on the win as he tricked his way into the box before firing into the roof of the net
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #54 on Jun 9, 2012, 8:53am » | |
Feel like its Me v Rory today ![[image]](http://images.proboards.com/new/cry.gif "[image]")
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editori....-will-run-riot?
Portugal must up their game or Germany will run riot
COMMENT
By Luis Mira | Portugal Expert
One could argue that it is an overstatement to say that tonight's Euro 2012 clash against highly-favoured Germany could not have come at a worse time for Portugal. But as Paulo Bento's 23-man party head into their first match in Poland and Ukraine, that is certainly the feeling, following the team's disappointing displays in the friendly matches which preceded the tournament.
Almost every big-name team at the Euros suffered a setback or two in the last two weeks, but the manner in which the Seleccao were brushed aside by a Turkey side who were twice overpowered by Germany during the qualifying stage is certainly disturbing, and has rung alarm bells all over town.
It is clear that the defensive problems which rocked Portugal's boat during the qualifying stages - when they conceded 12 goals in the group phase alone, more than any other side who qualified for the Euros - are still an issue, as the ghost of Ricardo Carvalho continues to haunt the team. Bruno Alves has had a hard time to get on the same page as Pepe, and in the full-back positions both Fabio Coentrao and Joao Pereira are more comfortable at pushing forward than at giving a helping hand to the two centre-backs.
PONDEROUS PORTUGAL'S LAST SIX MATCHES
Oct 11
Lost 2-1 vs. Denmark
Nov 11
Drew 0-0 vs. Bosnia
Nov 15
Won 6-2 vs. Bosnia
Feb 29
Drew 0-0 vs. Poland
May 26
Drew 0-0 vs. Macedonia
June 2
Lost 3-1 vs. Turkey
But Portugal's biggest problem lies in midfield, an area of the team which was virtually non-existent for most of the match against Turkey. Miguel Veloso compromised the game with a poorly-placed pass that assisted Umut Bulut for his side's second goal of the night, and also had great difficulty in containing the attacks of Abdullah Avci's men.
Indeed, such a performance from the 26-year-old, who cut a frustrating figure in the second half of the season at Genoa, has brought back memories of Pepe's time as a holding midfielder under Carlos Queiroz. However, Bento is a very pragmatic coach, so it seems very unlikely that he will risk removing a player from his natural position for such an important game without proper testing. And with Custodio - the other player in the squad who can be deployed in the No.6 position - having just one cap to his name, Veloso should get the nod to start in front of the defence.
Another major issue is the creativity - or lack thereof - of the other two players who complete this three-man midfield, Raul Meireles and Joao Moutinho. Deco continued the job which once belonged to Rui Costa in the Seleccao, but the Brazil-born midfielder's retirement from international duty has created a gap which no one seems qualified to fill. Moutinho is the closest thing to a No.10 in Portugal's squad, but the Porto man has been in disappointing form this season and he often slows down the pace of the attack to an excruciating level.
As Portugal prepare for their first match at the Euros, one cannot help but wonder that this is perhaps the least in-form side of the 'big-name' teams in Poland and Ukraine: apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Rui Patricio, every other player in the squad enters this tournament on the back of a mixed season at his respective club. This is certainly not the best moment of the year for Paulo Bento to ask for improved performances from his men after a long campaign, but that is certainly what the 42-year-old will do, in order to prevent an early exit from the competition.
After five appearances in European Championships, Portugal have yet to bow out of the tournament in the group stage. But the feeling is certainly that the Seleccao may fall victim to the so-called 'group of death', which also contains Denmark and Netherlands. The fact is that the pre-Euro friendlies helped the coaches of the other three teams to solve any questions they could have, but for Portugal, these last two matches only served to bring more suspicion to a squad which has been criticised in some quarters for the light-hearted atmosphere within its ranks in the build-up to the event.
Portugal will need to considerably up their game, especially in the middle of the park, in order to contain the attacking flow of Mesut Ozil and Co. Otherwise, Germany will run riot and we will watch a repeat of the Euro 2000 group match between the two teams, but this time with Die Mannschaft taking the honours
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eusebio13
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #55 on Jun 9, 2012, 8:57am » | |
http://www.skysports.com/football/match_preview/0,,11065_3472048,00.html
Holland v Denmark preview
Dutch coach desperate to maintain focus ahead of Group B clash
Last updated: 9th June 2012
Bert van Marwijk: Says his Dutch side cannot be complacent despite beating the Danes before
Bert van Marwijk warned against complacency ahead of Holland's Group B opener with Denmark in Kharkiv.
The Dutch beat the Danes 2-0 two years ago en route to the World Cup final and go into this clash as clear favourites.
But, amid claims of monkey chants being directed at his players during an open training session in Krakow, Van Marwijk wants to make sure nothing distracts his squad from the job at hand.
The Dutch coach declined to address the racism claims at his pre-match press conference, insisting he had not heard anything, and instead warned there was a tough task ahead even if the Danes have already accepted the underdog tag.
"I think we are the favourites as well, but it will not be easy," Van Marwijk said.
"You can make the comparison to two years ago but two years ago everything was new for me and for the players in a big tournament.
"We have that experience now, but that just means you can't be complacent because you've done it before. We need to make sure we are as sharp as possible."
Few surprises
Van Marwijk expects few tactical surprises from the Danes, saying: "We both have the same way of playing, we don't have any secrets from one another.
"A lot of Danish players play in Holland or in the big competitions across Europe, and they are very similar to two years ago, with maybe four or five new players. We maybe have two or three different players.
"So we know it will not be easy but we are going for the win."
The message was not much different from Danish coach Martin Olsen, who commented: "Everything has already been said and written. We can say we are a little jealous of the Dutch team, that we are not in their shoes, because they are the favourites. There is no doubt about that.
"They are a good team in all positions, and on the bench as well, they are filled with great quality."
But while he was happy to cede the favourites tag to his rivals, Olsen promised no lack of fight on the pitch.
"The Dutch have become better since the last time we met but so have we. The Dutch are a team who will say if they do not win this title it will be an enormous disappointment, but I do not think we can say that. I think we will say if we can get through this group we will have won.
"We are playing against a better team. That's the realistic situation but it doesn't mean we will throw the towel in. Of course we would like to be the favourites because that means you are the better team."
Mathijsen out
Van Marwijk confirmed the Dutch will be without defender Joris Mathijsen as he is struggling with a hamstring injury.
"He is making progress and after talking to the medical staff I have to keep him with the team."
In his absence, Ron Vlaar or Wilfred Bouma will partner Everton's John Heitinga at the heart of the back four.
The 18-year-old Jetro Willems of PSV Eindhoven will become the youngest player to participate in the Euros if he gets the nod at left-back.
Denmark are likely to be without Niki Zimling to face the Dutch.
Zimling had been set to line up alongside his fellow defensive midfielder William Kvist but he was injured towards the end of Friday's training session.
The Club Brugge man had to be stretchered off the field and, although it was unclear what he had injured, he was taken away in an ambulance.
Stephan Andersen will be in goal for the Danes because first-choice Thomas Sorensenmisses the tournament due to a back injury he picked up during a friendly defeat to Brazil.
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RoryTheRanger
Alec Stock
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #56 on Jun 9, 2012, 11:06am » | |
First trouble started yesterday, there is a video on Youtube of a group of thugs beating the crap out of a steward after the Russia vs Czech Republic.
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Jo-Onenil
Neil Warnock
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #57 on Jun 9, 2012, 12:06pm » | |
That's without mentioning the monkey noises from the Poles at Holland's training.
I was quite impressed by Poland and Russia yesterday. I can't see how Greece and Czech Republic could go through...
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cpr
Administrator
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Who is BazWoT?
Joined: Oct 2008
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| | Re: All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #58 on Jun 9, 2012, 3:36pm » | |
The group of death, let's have it!!! Tele outside, bbq waiting to be lit, all looks good, hope the games don't let us down!
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RoryTheRanger
Alec Stock
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| | All Things EURO 2012
« Reply #59 on Jun 9, 2012, 3:40pm via the ProBoards Mobile App » | |
BBC showing a great video about Denmark in '92.
Looking forward to Germany vs Portugal today and Spain vs Italy tomorrow.
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'Arry Redknapp's Blue and White Army. |
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