European Championship 2016 Draw

The draw is tomorrow, so who do we fancy getting? Who do you think England will draw?

Pot 1 - France, Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium
Pot 2 - Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Ukraine
Pot 3 - Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary
Pot 4 - Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Wales, Albania, Northern Ireland

I'd like it to be: England, Switzerland, Hungary, Albania

I predict: England, Italy, Poland, Wales

 

I think best and worst would be what you've posted though I'd rather face Ukraine than the Swiss. I'd like to avoid all the home nations really and see if any of them can qualify out the group themselves.

Either way there's no way we're gonna fail to get out the group so hopefully we get a group we have a good chance of topping.

My guess:

England, Russia, Sweden, Wales

 

Only danger with being in an easy group - might not give us enough exposure to playing decent teams, then get knocked out straight away by a team that actually attacks us.

 

We'll get knocked out by the first decent side we play in the KO rounds regardless

When did we last beat a top team in a tournament? Argies in '02?

 

Yea can't help that we always get drawn in the easiest group in qualification as well

 

Agreed that this certainly won't have done us any favours this time round, what we got 2 friendlies in March? Before the squad is named and the pre-tournament friendlies.

 

I've said that myself before

 

I don't get all this fuss about our easy qualification group....still a massive achievement not to get beaten. It means we have got seeded which helps in the tournament. Not sure how a tough qualification group helps....the players all play in a tough league week in and week out...they don't need match practice.

 

I think Fran it is because we go and win all our group games against half crap teams and then the media, the FA, the manager and half the players start saying we are going to win the bloody thing. The last World Cup and the last Euros were the first time that I wasn't sucked in by all the hype. I didn't even bother getting my bag of England tat out the loft. I always support England, but we are ****.

 

Yeah to win every game is a great achievement no matter who you are facing, let's not forget after Brazil doom mongers were predicting us the Swiss to batter us twice etc.

I think where it matters is we've had 2 years playing games now where we have dominated the ball and had to try and break teams down. To win or even get far in the tournament there's going to be games where we don't have the ball - a complete different proposition altogether - and we haven't really come up against that sort of test since the WC tbh. I don't think playing in a tough league is relevant at all really.

 

Yeah but there is literally no way we can fail to get out one of these groups surely?

I'm glad they extended it to 24 teams really as it gives other teams a chance to qualify - home nations, Iceland, Albania etc. The downside to this though is that in 4 of the groups 3 teams will go through which is just a bit silly really.

 

Talk to me again when we have drawn Italy, Poland and Wales/ROI

 

I think we are all more realistic now. We are a solid side who can beat most teams in the world, but sadly not the top sides. We lack real stars...Roy is doing his best with so-so players. There may be arguments about this player over that player, but there are few stand out players. My sole hope is that England weren't the best side in 1966 either

 

We'll see You think we'd finish bottom of that group?

 

Did you see Ron's reply when asked if he was in favour of more teams getting through to the WC Finals? He said (with a smile) that he thought it was a good idea as it might improve Holland's chances.

 

That or third!

 

We have to learn to win the first game.

 

Have you seen how poor this R.O.I team actually are? Don't think Poland bar Lewandoski are all that either tbh, but either way we'll see....

... or hopefully not as for what it's worth I wouldn't be happy seeing that group, but I can't envisage any group where we'd finish bottom, bar we maybe get Wales as the 4th seed and they beat us in the opening game

 

that will happen anyway!

 

The only tead I'd fear from pots 2-4 would be Italy; and that's only because the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts with them.

Rather worryingly, I'm starting to think that, if the team gels early on, and if we can play without fear, there's no reason why we couldn't do quite well in this competition.

I feel yet another needless disappointment coming on.