Euro 2008 Thread
- Thread starter the_big_E
- Start date
My picks are in large type above.the_big_E said:
The group of death is tough to call. When you have 4 of the top 12 teams by
FIFA ranking in one group, you know it's superior to the World Cup.
Overall, I have been telling friends since qualifying started that Spain or the Netherlands are going to win it. Spain more likely, at some point the Dutch are going to disintegrate and start fighting each other.
I was optimistic for Euro 04 and the W.C., but not this year for my Portugal. I don't think we'll get out of the group stage this time around. Scolari has fucked the pick, leaving Maniche out, taking Petit, Veloso should not be there...our midfield is hollow. The team doesn't play together, Ronaldo cannot do anything on his own. On the positive side, despite being without Andrade, our defense is in pretty good shape with Carvalho and Pepe in the centre. Deco has a lot to play for this summer, as he's job hunting. If he returned to form, it could make the difference. On the wings, of course we've got great options, but up front it's again a disaster. If I were coach, all our strikers would sit. It would be Nani and Quaresma on the wings, Ronaldo with a free role, with Deco pulling the strings behind.
My prediction for the final is Germany vs Italy, with the Azzuri taking it. They're just too good, amazing depth, grit, the experience of winning the WC, and the quality is just scary. When they beat us recently, Pirlo did not even break a sweat. Barring some catastrophe, this tournament is Italy's.
The rest of my picks, green=group winners, red=2nd place
Group A
Czech Republic
Portugal
Switzerland
Turkey
Group B
Austria
Croatia
Germany
Poland (despite a great qualifying run, Poles to choke at the tournament, but I'm looking forward to the rematch with Germany)
Group C
France
Netherlands (rebuilding hasn't gone well, Van Basten a fraud as a coach)
Italy
Romania
Group D
Greece
Russia (trusting Hiddink to work his magic)
Spain (but they'll choke in the quarters)
Sweden
On a related subject...anyone know where I can pick up the Euro 2008 game for PC?
My prediction for the final is Germany vs Italy, with the Azzuri taking it. They're just too good, amazing depth, grit, the experience of winning the WC, and the quality is just scary. When they beat us recently, Pirlo did not even break a sweat. Barring some catastrophe, this tournament is Italy's.
The rest of my picks, green=group winners, red=2nd place
Group A
Czech Republic
Portugal
Switzerland
Turkey
Group B
Austria
Croatia
Germany
Poland (despite a great qualifying run, Poles to choke at the tournament, but I'm looking forward to the rematch with Germany)
Group C
France
Netherlands (rebuilding hasn't gone well, Van Basten a fraud as a coach)
Italy
Romania
Group D
Greece
Russia (trusting Hiddink to work his magic)
Spain (but they'll choke in the quarters)
Sweden
On a related subject...anyone know where I can pick up the Euro 2008 game for PC?
Todays friendlies can be seen live over the internet.
I'm gonna kick back my feet, crack open a beer and watch:
Germany vs. Belarus
Czech Republic vs. Lithuania
France vs. Ecuador
All on this website:http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=football
Enjoy people!
I'm gonna kick back my feet, crack open a beer and watch:
Germany vs. Belarus
Czech Republic vs. Lithuania
France vs. Ecuador
All on this website:http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=football
Enjoy people!
The Swiss have a solid team. Sure, on paper Portugal should go through, but I just have a bad feeling about this campaign. I reserve the right to change my mind should we beat the Turks. We'd also need to capture 1st, or almost certainly face Germany in the next round, which would also probably be a quick ticket home.
We'd also need to capture 1st, or almost certainly face Germany in the next round, which would also probably be a quick ticket home.L.Figo is aging and C.Ronaldo never shows up to the big games 98% of the timeluckyjackson said:The Swiss have a solid team. Sure, on paper Portugal should go through, but I just have a bad feeling about this campaign. I reserve the right to change my mind should we beat the Turks.
Well, Figo is on the verge of signing on for another year at Inter, but he's not the Euro 2008 team, having retired from the national team at the end of the WC 06.
As for Ronaldo not showing up in big games 98% of the time...that's ridiculous. He's been "showing up in big games" since 2004. You're just buying into silly English propaganda.
Who does? You can look back at all big name players, they get fewer results against quality opposition. I'm not including Ronaldo in the group of the greatest all time players, (though I believe he will belong there), but at the age of 23 he's scored in qualifiers for and actual Euro and WC games, won two Premeirships, a CL - those are all big games.Herodotus said:
Admitting my bias, I'll also claim that he doesn't get objective treatment in the English media. I'm not complaining, the boy seems to thrive on adversity, I'm just pointing out that if he were English, they'd have crowned him by now.
Well, not all the big name players of all time (Maradonna, Pele, Van Basten, Puskas and others had a higher percentage of good perfomances in big matches), but I know what you're saying...luckyjackson said:
I agree that he doesn't get a fair shake from the fickle and xenophobic English media (of course his atrocious actions at the last World Cup didn't help his cause.) That being said, they also love to build up and then tear down their own, so consider it a badge of honour to have him included in such lofty company!
Err, he showed up for that header in the CL final, so what if he choked on that PK, who doesnt these days!herames said:
IMO Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players ever!!
(quite close but not as good as Pele)
Portugal may just be carried by him alone, never mind how bad their qualifying record was.
If he finds a groove like he did in the CL, it will be all over for the rest of Europe.
Trust me folks, he's that good!!!!!!
Figo isnt even on the squad, is he???herames said:
EDIT: Nope, Figo has retired from international football:
http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/tournament/teams/team=110/index.html
.
Sacrilege.Esco! said:
Let's wait until he actually does something (as in take over a game and will his team to win almost single-handedly) in an international tournament before we start anointing him or holding him up against the greatest of all time (Pele, Maradonna, Puskas, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Zidane, etc.)
Deal?
