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I’m all over Germany for Euro 08.
Let’s hope (for my sake) they don’t have a poor few weeks
And mine!
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
For the first time in a long time, I picked up a copy of our local rag, The Express and Star today. I turned to their Euro 2008 coverage, interested as to the angle they would be taking on this tournament. The headline read, ‘Don’t Underestimate The Germans’. I put it down again. I expect when I next pick up a copy, just before Euro 2012, it will be the same headline. Indeed, even if the German Football Federation were to disband and the sport was banned from Munich to Mainz (got an Atlas, see) there would still be witless hacks facing a deadline scribbling something about not underestimating the Germans, along with references to their efficiency and, in the more daring tabloids, their ruthlessness.
As for the coverage, the BBC have been particularly pathetic. Lineker couldn’t have appeared more miserable if he’d tried and their lame angle about ‘who do you support’ is, well, lame. Casual football fans will not be watching because England aren’t playing. Genuine football fans will be watching because it is the second biggest international football tournament on the planet. It stands on it’s own merits and needs no feeble devices to get people to watch.
And I’m looking forward to it. No tatty little flags hanging off white vans, no Ian Wright and no tedious England performances to watch. Should be good.
Germany – Workmanlike in the qualifiers. Lot of German based players who didnt excel in European club competitions last season.
Spain – Winning a big tournament will never happen for them. Madrid and Barcelona players just do not get on.
Italy – Capable, experianced, great team ethic but going to the well once too often with these vets
Portugal – Usual lack the self belief when it really matters and too many ego merchants
France – Impressive squad, lot of players playing at their peak for big European clubs, good mix of flair and graft, serious contenders if they get their attitude right.
Croatia – Great team ethic and national pride, it goes a long way at international level these days. Flair, grafters, a good manager and a tough qualifying campaign have hardened them for this. Dark horses for sure
Russia – Will be well organised, CSKA and Zenit bring recent European success to the table, good manager, did well in a tough group. Dark horses.
Turkey are the best of the outsiders.
Winners – France
Dark Horses – Croatia and Russia.My choice to win Euro 2008 and therefore the one for everybody to ignore is France who have a good blend of experienced and young players. They are in the toughest group but if they can get through it then I think that they will at least reach the semi’s even if it means meeting Spain on the way. Spain are the team that is often backed to win the WC or Euro and they have been backed yet again this year but they often seem to flatter to deceive.
Pete
I’ve been of the opinion for a while that I’d be quite happy with Germany & Italy against the field, around 2/1 coupled I’m sure I worked it out as. To me it looks a fairly poor renewal overall, and from what I’ve seen the only team capable of breaking down any decent Italian side (although they will miss Cannavaro no end IMO) will be the Germans. That being said, my only current finiancial interest involves Russia getting out of Group D at 11/8.
I`ve been backing Croatia for a while now, in fact against Austria they are my biggest football bet of all time, the 2.06 available at the weekend was way too big and im averaged out at 2,03 which takes into account the half ball Asian h`cap , Croatia are leagues better than Austria and i will never forget seeing the expression of Slaven Bilic when they where paired with Austria,i think he had to take a very big bite of his tongue!!
Because this is the European championships its easier to get large stakes covered than my usual dwelling ground of Scandanavian 2nd and third league football !!, im not saying its the “bet of all time“ but its close ,home advantage for the Austrians doesn`t bother me as Croatia will have plenty of support (Many Croatians live in Austria and travelling between the two countries is a car ride!),
Austria are easily exposed by decent teams and Croatia fit into that catagory!
Incidently, ive also backed Croatia to win the group and tournement (Realistic stakes though!)
Over-rated!
The most over-rated teams imo are Germany and France, the latter lack leadership and find scoring very difficult, with regards to the Germany ive seen poor teams taking their defence to parts,maybe Poland can give them a game, all the same i will be looking to lay them after the first round and by betting Croatia to win the group ive made my position clear!!
Under-rated
Almost certainly Romania, they are very well organised, bare in mind they took 4 points from Holland in qualifying and only lost to Bulgaria once qualification was assured, they have plenty of talent on the field and few injury problems, ive bet them to qualify @4,85!
Not sure
Russia are dificult to rate, in real terms England where much better than them in the away leg but still managed to get beat, Arshavin being suspended for first two games won`t help their cause, on the other hand they have a young team, Russian football is on the up and the old dog Hiddink will know how to get the best out of them, i think much will depend on how they adapt to playing Spain in their first game!
Stugglers
Sweden are big laying material whoever they play, the team is simply outdated!
Winners
Along with Croatia ive bet Italy,stregnth in depth and a big tournement mentality make them a solid bet,i very much doubt Cannavaro`s injury will stop them!
Lets get it on!
I`ve been backing Croatia for a while now, in fact against Austria they are my biggest football bet of all time, the 2.06 available at the weekend was way too big and im averaged out at 2,03 which takes into account the half ball Asian h`cap , Croatia are leagues better than Austria and i will never forget seeing the expression of Slaven Bilic when they where paired with Austria,i think he had to take a very big bite of his tongue!!
Because this is the European championships its easier to get large stakes covered than my usual dwelling ground of Scandanavian 2nd and third league football !!, im not saying its the “bet of all time“ but its close ,home advantage for the Austrians doesn`t bother me as Croatia will have plenty of support (Many Croatians live in Austria and travelling between the two countries is a car ride!),
Austria are easily exposed by decent teams and Croatia fit into that catagory!
Wouldn’t say you enjoyed the last half-hour Tony!!!
Half-way through all the teams and so far, Germany are deserving of their place at the head of the market. Never really looked in danger last night and decent strength in depth with players like Schweinsteiger and Kuryani coming off the bench. Croatia were ultimately disappointing yesterday, having looked at one stage like they would blow Austria off the pitch. Poland also showed enough last night to suggest that they should beat Austria in their next match. Then, assuming that Germany beat Croatia, the match between Poland and Croatia should decide who goes through to the quarter-finals with the Germans.
In the other group, Turkey looked hopeless with long balls being pumped in for the last half-hour against Portugal. A good performance from the Swiss against the Czechs though means that the other 3 teams have a realistic chance of going though. Portugal are 1.09 on Betfair to qualify which looks shockingly short given that they have to play the Czechs next and then the Swiss in a match which could again decide which team qualifies for the next phase.
Today’s games should point us in right direction of who will challange Germany along with Spain tomorrow, looking forward to tonights games should be very good….Portugal will not win IMO Gomes up front i have never rated as top class and they dont seem to have anyone to come of the bench in that postion to change a game i was surprised to hear the BBc pundits say they played well and have a good chance of doing well…Italy squad are very old and with out canavaro will strugle now, i think france will do well along with Holland…
I’m all over Germany for Euro 08.
They are experienced campaigners and unlike England, know how to get the job done in these competitions. They’ve got three quality strikers in Klose, Podolski and Gomez, a solid midfield that includes Frings and Ballack, and a reliable defence.
In fact it’s almost like I’ve put all my eggs in one basket as I’ve backed Germany outright, Germany to be top goalscorers, Germany’s group to have the most goals, Klose and Podolski to be top goalscorer etc
Let’s hope (for my sake) they don’t have a poor few weeks
Mike
Sorry mate, but Klose is totally overratred in my book, and once again tonight we saw him bottle it when he had a great scoring chance, passing poorly to Gomez.
I backed Werder Bremen a lot when he played for them last season and time and again he let me down when I needed a goal for overs or just a straight win. For me is a choker who cannot perform in the big games/tournaments.
Podolski is class thought, what a finish for the second goal!
Hmmm, interesting opinion.
Five goals in World Cup 2002, five goals at World Cuo 2006 (the tournament’s top goalscorer), 39 international goals in 76 matches suggests he doesn’t choke that much and that he can play in the big tournaments.
Mike
i would also rate klose in fact it was between him & podolski who my main bet for top scorer was i went with Podolski as better odd’s but it was a tough decission as he is a top player…..
now that all the teams have played whats evryones pick on the winning team?
i have to say so far that Germany look the stongest, Spain play some great football but just like Barca & Madrid are not great at the back Russia could have scored a few goals yesterday had they a bit more composure, Holland also look stong be intresting to see how they get on with France..
so for now i think Germany still look the Team to beat (surprise) but only Holland so far and spain to lesser extent are the others to challange them.
I am interested to see how France get on in their 2nd game.
They are notorious for starting tournaments in a fairly slow fashion, takes them a while to get going.
Spain looked good yesterday though, which is good, as i have backed them.
Gaz if your going to go by Fance always starting slow kiss goodbye to your docket with Spain on it!!
but i hope your right as i also backed them along with the GermansYes the tournament really lit up recently with the Holland/Italy and Spain/Russia games.
Holland and Spain looked very good but it’s easy to get carried away with these results. Edwin van der Sar had a great game for Holland and Italy were unlucky not to score a few themselves, while at the other end they got caught out by two brilliant break-away goals.
Like batman has said, Spain also looked good (exceptional in fact) going forward, but Russia could easily have scored two or three themselves. The shot that Russia had that hit the post in the first half was shocking defending by the Spaniards – about four or five defenders just hesitated – against a better team they will be punished.
Portugal are the other team you could put in the ‘exciting to watch’ bracket whereas France and Germany are the two solid (and arguably experienced) teams. Germany looked very good, France didn’t – but I’m sure they will improve.
Very little has changed for me. The Germans still look the team to beat, but I have to admit at being impressed by Spain last night. They look like a team that will just say, "you score one, we will score two, you score two, we will score three" etc.
Mike
but i hope your right as i also backed them along with the Germans- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.