Who do you think will be a surprise package in this forthcoming tournament? Who do you think will win? Who will flop? I don't think we (ENGLAND) will do that well, as usual. So long as we beat the French, Zidane broke my heart when I went to Portugal to watch the Euros in 2004. Moreover, Frenchy can have a gloat over the locals. I'd tip Spain to win, who wouldn't? At least this summer I'll get some games to watch over my lunch breaks. I think there might be a bit of crowd trouble too but outside of the stadiums, shame it should be a thing of the past. Opinions ladies and gents...como siempre, gracias...
http://footballfashion.org/wordpress/2011/12/02/uefa-euro-2012-groups-and-match-schedule/ Oh yeah this might also help jog a few memories, it did mine.....
Tough one to call really - on paper they all look good. I think a lot will depend on whether two months is enough time for Hodgson to prepare his team - will the aging egos accept him/will he want them? If he can, I see no reason why England can't be 'up there' at the end, especially if they can avoid Germany until the final.
Holland or Germany will win it IMO With England Im hopeing that every single ' golden generation ' player gets dropped but I cant see that happening unfortunatly.
I don't see Spain winning. I think there team is weaker than it was 2-4 years ago. Puyol is likely to miss out, Villa is injured, Torres is still not the same.... the Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets (and maybe Fabregas) midfield lives on but it's not enough to have possession, you need to score goals. I think Netherlands and Germany are the ones most likely to win. England don't really have a chance. With a fully fit squad? Maybe....but injuries have taken their toll.
I think whoever wins will be determined by the best defence as most countries seem to have better attacks than defences these days. I can see one of the co-hosts reaching the semis. No-one else would probably be able to get near Spain if Messi had accepted the citizenship he was offered when he was 16.
You're probably right there - and unfortunately we'll have to wait until next Wednesday to find out if Hodgson wants them or not.
By the way, I forgot to mention, I cant stand Spain!!! They bore the life out of me!!!! Oh and Busquets is a plonker too.
I think England have about as much chance of winning Euro 2012 as Mexico. But oddly, because most other people seem to agree with me, I'm looking forward to enjoying watching England without the usual baggage that goes with it.
I think a lot depends on who plays who at what stage, all of the top teams have their bogey teams ie. Teams whose styles do not suit their own. The Germans hate playing against high possession teams like Spain and Italy. The Dutch may, as always, be the best team in the qualifying stage but fade later. The Spanish also don't relish playing the Italians. However unrated the Italians may be this time, If they get past the first stage then nobody should underrate them. Also, on the basis of their victory over the Germans recently, and their manner of achieving it, nobody should underrate the French either. If Hodgson can have the team playing to their strengths, and can have the courage to discard some of the old guard, I'm quite optimistic about our chances because all of the other teams are beatable on a bad day - and the expectations on us are not as unrealistic as they normally are.
At the risk of sounding stupid, I think the most important thing is not where we finish this Summer, but more who goes to the euros as a part of the squad. These would be my picks: (I think we'll make it to the Semi's and then get trounced by the Dutch) GK's: Hart, Foster (assuming we can get him out of retirement (if anyone can Hodgson can), Ruddy Defenders: Walker, Cole, Cahill, Richards, Jones, Smalling, Caulker, Lescott (I wish there was someone else, but that would mean Mr. Racist or Rio the geriatric) Midfield: Cleverley, Parker (c), Sturridge, Young, Moses, Britton, Milner, Gerrard, Forwards: Rooney (already said he was taking him), Welbeck, Graham (not just because he was at Watford), Holt (not just because he and I played on the same team at Barrow 11 years ago) Team: Hart Walker Cole Parker Cahill Caulker Young Cleverley Moses Welbeck Sturridge It'll be nothing like that. I'm fully expecting the same old guard to turn out, Gerrard, Lampard, Terry, Ferdinand and we'll get the same old lackluster stuff. I shouldn't be so pessimistic but history suggests...
I've said for about six months that if Rooney isn't playing, Danny Graham has to. Otherwise we are setting up to play two completely different ways.
Agree with that. Wayne Rooney CAN NOT play in a 4-3-3 or a 4-5-1. He's just not suited to the lone striker roll and he cant play as a wide forward either. However, Danny Graham plays as the lone striker every week for Swansea, he is suited to it and also used to it. So, you could play 4-3-3 in the first 2 games with Danny Graham as the lone striker, and then go 4-4-2 with Rooney there on after. But what if England play well in the first 2 games playing 4-3-3, would it really be worth changing formation coz Rooney's ban would be over?? Would it even be worth bringing in Rooney if we win our first 2 games??? Anyway, this is the side Id like to see for the first two games. please log in to view this image No point playing any of the golden generation, they have no future and have proved time and time again that they cant do anything of note at a major tournament.
After the last world cup finals fiasco , England are going to have to do bloody well to reignite my passion and interest in them .
I'm not sure if Graham is ready for international football. Is his hold up play good enough? Does he have enough skill? I'm not sure..... I think he would be very quiet if top defenders marked him. I think that Carroll offers you his sheer power and aerial dominance.....Holt isn't as effective in the air but is perhaps better on the ball. Ultimately it might be Welbeck...who has prove himself as a goalscorer this season.....but on his own I think he really would struggle. I wouldn't mind seeing Crouch play. He cannot be forgotten...he does very well for England. I think that Rooney can work in a 4-5-1 for sure....you just put him behind the striker. Lone striker isn't necessarily his position, but he did do it at Man Utd a few seasons ago and scored lots of goals. If he had a good midfield behind him who could keep the ball, then he wouldn't have to come so deep.
I have said for a long time that it should be Crouch and Defoe up front. Crouch's goals per game ratio (22 in 42 games) is higher than Rooney's (28 in 73) i believe and Rooney is often a liability. We need to be able to be sure that we will be playing with 11 men every match, and with him you cannot be certain. Defoe is often over looked, but again his record speaks for itself (15 in 46).
Stats don't mean everything though Dan - for England's only ever success on the world stage, the striker choice was between Jimmy Greaves (43 goals in 54 appearances) and Geoff Hurst (2 goals in 3 appearances). I can remember thinking that Ramsey had cocked up by selecting Hurst over Greaves - silly me. You're right though - selecting Rooney would be too risky. Too often a liability and not really noted for performing on the 'Big Stage'. Best leave him at home where he can play with his horses IMO. The problem with selecting Crouch would be that international defenders at this level have sussed how to play him - they simply con the referees that he has climbed all over them, then the refs cane him with free kicks. I like the idea of Carroll and Graham - raw power coupled with a poacher with a predatory instinct. Can't see it happening though.
Despite Rooney's renowned temper....he has only had 1 yellow card this season (which he got last weekend against Swansea...and I thought it was fairly harsh). I would like Rooney to go. If he is not a "big stage" performer, then who in our team is? Whatever people want to say, he is definitely the only world class player we have in the attacking department. Ok, he misses the first two games....but I would still bring him...if we were to get further he would be sorely missed sitting at home.
It all depends on what formation England are going to go with TBH. Different players are suited to different systems. Some players are effective in a 4-4-2, some players are rubbish in a 4-4-2. Some players are effective in a 4-3-3 some are no use in a 4-3-3. Chelsea and Arsenal both usually play 4-3-3 whereas Spurs and Man Utd usually play 4-4-2. What I do know is that Rooney, Defoe, Crouch are all used to 4-4-2 and not suited to the lone striker role.
