IMO from the group stages. Although England won by a narrow margin on Saturday when beating Belgium they were poor without the ball, and against a better, sharper side would surely have conceded goals. With Gary Cahill now out of the tournament with a double jaw fracture and with Hodgson refusing to pick Rio Ferdinand, preferring Liverpoolâs Martin Kelly, England now lack depth at CB especially as John Terry has a dodgy hamstring! The other three sides in Group D are no 'mugs': France have already won at Wembley and in Germany, and beaten Brazil under new manager Laurent Blanc as they rebuilt after the undisciplined shambles of the 2010 World Cup, and in star striker Benzema, winger Ribery, and Midfielders Nasri, Cabaye, Ben Arfa and MâVila they have really good players. Ukraine will have home support, have won 5 of their last 6 games with the other was a 3-3 draw at home to Germany, and in the Dynamo Kiev wingers Yarmolenko and Gusev they have a real threat on the counter attack. Sweden will have the minimum of travel in the group stages, they beat Holland at home in qualifying even if the Dutch were already secure as the group winners, and in Zlatan Ibrahimovic they have a star striker, with Sebb Larsson and Kim Kallstrom they have two brilliant dead ball specialists, and although not the best defensively they look a potent side going forward. IN SUM - England are underprepared, will have to travel over 4,200 miles to play their group games, the decision not to pick Rio Ferdinand now looks likely to backfire and Rooney misses the first two games. So overall with France improving fast, Sweden good going forward and Ukraine playing at home England look very likely to be knocked out in the group stages. Views?
Pretty much agree,Ukraine with home advantage and France,both look better bets to qualify than England i am afraid.The only game i see England winning is the Sweden game. I feel Italy could go out at the group stages also.
We could finish with 0 points, or equally with 9. It's a hard one this time around because all four teams in the group have the potential to be very good and very poor. Wouldn't be surprised if we beat France then go on to lose the to the others. I think the first 30 minutes of the France game are the most important of the entire group. I also have a funny feeling Carroll might go on to surprise a few people. Just because he is carp for Liverpool, that doesn't mean a lot to me. Liverpool have that affect on a lot of players. Anyway, if we're gonna do predictions, the optimist in me says we will qualify in 2nd place. After that, as Greece proved, anything can happen. COME ON ENGLAND!!
England may surprise us all, and get further by just being a tight unit and nicking the odd goal like the friendlies. This could occur perversely when expectations are lower than they have ever been. If that is actually possible!
Don't know what to think really. Every time England prepare fora major tournament, I try to limit my own expectations, then every time I let myself hope, so setting myself up for a big let down. This time is different though. This time, I really don't think we have much of a chance, but perversely that lack of hope gives rise to hope, in sort of a cosmic double bluff. I'm just going to try and enjoy the football, with no expectation around England other than to hope Alex Oxo-Chamberpot has a great tournament. The stage could be set for the lad to shine.
Kelly's original position was CB. Agree that it's a strange decision, Richards has had the best season out of all the England right backs.
Anything really could happen. Until about a week ago I was saying France would win. Then Ribery was useless in the Champions League Final, and I don't think they will any more. Sweden are dangerous, and will probably hope to qualify, like Belgium they have some great players but some average ones. Incredibly Anders Svensson is in their squad and has 126 caps. Ukraine, yes they are at home but they are not very good at all. Playing them last could be an advantage if it comes down to goal difference for placings as it so often does. So, Get through that and we're playing someone out of Group C. Spain are in there and probably have the most pressure on them out of any team, ever. I don't think they'll do it though and to be honest I don't even make them third favourites to win the tournament. Italy are a pretty good team in a crisis, not sure how they will do. Croatia are pretty good too but if we are playing them in the Quarter Final then we can be pretty confident. Ireland, well good luck to them, can't see it though. Beat one of them and we're in the Semis. Yes, that's where the top two teams come in (Germany + Netherlands), and we'll probably have to play one. But anything can happen, and if it didn't I am sure most people would think that a Semi Final was a good performance. Even getting into the last eight is decent. Yes, you could go and start writing lots of negative stuff about England as well, particularly because we have lost a couple of first team players. But we have as much of a chance as anyone else in this side of the draw.
You really think Sweden are the weakest side in the group? Ukraine are awful, I don't care about their home advantage. France have great players but are perhaps even less of a cohesive unit then we are. If anything, I can see us and Sweden qualifying.
Are you joking!? France have improved immensely under Laurent Blanc and I agree with Mark Lawrenson that they are the dark horses of the tournament. They will finish top of the group and will go very far. They play good football and have nothing to do with the team that went to africa in 2010. Ukraine aren´t great but they have been doing well recently and playing at home gives them that extra bit of an advantage and motivation that other teams don´t have. Sweden are the team that we should be looking to beat without to much problem. However, we are England and we don´t make anything easy. If Ibrahimovich decides to play then it could be a little tougher but if he doesn´t turn up on the day then we should win...and I agree with many players that have been saying recently that the EUROS is harder to win than the world cup. So if we qualify then I don´t see us going much further.
Richards refused to be put on the 'standby list' hence why he's not in the team. Same with Carrick. I bet they're kicking themselves now. I'll be surprised if England get out of the group stage. No expectations so maybe the tournament will be more enjoyable!
I've got a feeling that Roy Hodgson is turning this English side into the Greek side that won Euro 2004.We look very hard to score against and we counter attack ever so well very similar to Chelsea in the Champions league. I see no reason why we can't get to the QF's.We've got the easiest group in the tournament with France,Ukraine and Sweden. France have a few good players but nothing like they had when Zizou was playing for them.Much like England in the past,they can't seem to play as a team. Ukraine are dreadful,they will be lucky to get 1 point.I've seen them play a few times and they have been awful,when they played against Greece in the world cup play-off 2 years ago they were shocking. Sweden have a few good players but can't see them doing much...Zlatan will do very little like he usually does,he'll complain and fall to the ground when a fly hits his arm-that's pretty much what he'll do. Then if we can get to the QF's I think we can bore the better teams to death and nick the odd goal and get through.Wouldn't it be funny if we did win it? With Downing and Henderson being named in the team of the tournament . I say give Otto Rehhagel a ring and ask him how he did it.
I can see an outcome to match Englebert's in the Eurovision Song Contest and I didn't give a toss about that competition either.
