Euro 2012 predictions/Discussion Thread

[Prodigy]

Eh you could say Penalty shoot outs are all about luck, but tbh I don't think it needs a a bit of skill, you gotta be able to place the ball precisly in the bottom corner or wherever. It's also mental, if you can read the keeper, like Pirlo did and chip it down the middle, that's great. Skill imo there, not luck. But when something like slipping happens or keeper gueses right way, gets finger tips to it but it still creeps in yeah I agree on the luck aspect.

 

[We Are Legion]

Fuck off, Rooney.

FORZA ITALIA!

 

[Dale]

How anyone can say the back 5 was great is pretty laughable. Sure we scraped through to penalties, but fuck me the amount of chances Italy created and wasted was unbelievable, alot of them from simple route 1 balls too.

 

[Prodigy]

You mean back 4? And how is it laughable? Did you know see the last minute block from Johnson, or numerous vital blocks from John Terry, Cole was also faultless apart from the Penalty miss. I don't know how you can say a back 4 is poor when it didn't conceed for 130 minutes, so I don't know what you're on about because non of them are to blame at all. In fact, that's one of the only positives I can take from the tournament, the back four was solid apart from against Sweden. It's clear that the ones to blame were the midfeiders and Strikers. Welbeck did nothing apart from a few defensive things, and looked lost/scared, Rooney was total garbage, he looked unfit, and gave the ball away all the time, Carroll was poor about from a few good aerial challenges and his leg length meant he was putting the ball too far ahead of him when making a run. Young was the worst player on the pitch, he did nothing and created zero chances, Millner once again was piss poor giving away the ball all the time, Wallcott looked nothing like he did against Sweden. I only saw decent stuff from Parker and Gerrard, who along with Hart and his defence bar maybe Lescott, were the only ones that looked like they were showing real passion. So yeah I don't know how you can blame the defence when it's obvious they were told to do that for the whole game and did, whereas the midfielders were probably told to create counter attacking chances and didn't.

Heck, I'm no expert, just read the player ratings and tell me our defence wasn't great;

Euro 2012: England v Italy player ratings - Telegraph
TEAMtalk's England player ratings v Italy - TEAMtalk | Latest Football News, Results and Fixtures
England 0-0 Italy: Daily Mirror player ratings from the win that put Italy into the semi-finals - Mirror Online
Euro 2012 quarter-final: England player ratings versus Italy | The Sun |Sport|Football|Euro 2012

With all the negativity, I still think there has been some positivity from the tournament. Roy had little time to prepare, people seem to forget that, considering the time he had, I think he had a decent first tournament as manager. Lets not forget no one really expected us to get through the group stages, and we bettered that. Taking a not so shabby Italy side to Penalties imo was not too shabby, lets not forget they were World Champs just 6 years ago. Also there were lots of bright sparks from the younger talent, Carroll, Wallcott and Wellbeck all scored and Ox had a decent show against Ukraine, they now have International tournament experience and know what it is like and how tough it will be next World Cup meaning they can use what they learnt to work on everything. Despite what people say, our Defence was top notch, however they are ageing, not to worry, I think we could get a tournament more out of some of them and we have top talents like Cahill, Richards and Phil Jones coming through. Not only that but we have a great keeper in Joe Hart, I honestly think he's going to be the best in the world in the future, and to be honest I think he could be a Captain one day, he has great presence. Oh, I almost forgot, there's still talents like Wilshere, Cleverly and Rodwell to come through. Yeah, all this may mean nothing in two years, but it's just some positives I'd like to make and I am am Optimistic person.

I'm still heartbroken about the result, I really did think we had the chance and unfortunately it wasn't to be. Unlike most people, I would always select International Football over club, I'd love nothing more than to see England lift a World or Euro Cup. I'm admitting something and rip me if you want but I was that upset I cried a little. Fuck it, I don't care, Football is something I'm really passionate about and this defeat hurt.

 

[Doink]

That's one of the best posts I've seen recently, sums it up perfectly^

 

[EffectsofRaven]

Honesty, I doubt Dale is even a defensive player, if he can even play.

Our defense was solid, no doubt about it, it's only part of the England Squad isn't a shambles, Johnston is the only issue out on the right but even he has a lot more refactors than the majority of the mid-field and up fronts. Hart was certainly the most calm and confident goalkeeper I've seen for England since Banks if I'm honest, and was most commanding.

Terry showed up all the critics with some really important tackles, Lescott wasn't far behind and Cole was the work horse on the left, seeing as the Manchester bunch further up the pitch was useless as fuck.

Ultimately, Woy made a few tactics errors which cost us, but nothing to hate him for when he now has two years to get England to maybe 4th place standard instead of 7th or 8th place... Preferably getting rid of some of the talent who don't perform at International Level (Lampard, Rooney etc.)

 

[Doink]

We can also take from this that we were missing a lot of key players. Lampard is always one of our best at international level and losing him meant losing one of our creative players. Wilshere and Barry were also out. At the World Cup, all the older players Gerrard, Lampard etc will be replaced by newer up and coming players, the likes of Rodwell or Walker. I've put together a team I think would be good for World Cup 2014. In brackets is the age they will be when the tournament finals are underway.

GK: Joe Hart (27)/John Ruddy (27)/Jack Butland (21)
DL: Leighton Baines (29)/Kieren Gibbs (24)
DR: Kyle Walker (24)/Glen Johnson (29)
DC: Phil Jones (22)/Phil Jagielka (31)
DC: Joleon Lescott (31)/Chris Smalling (24)
ML: Ashley Young (28)/Adam Johnson (25)
MR: Theo Walcott (25)/Marc Albrighton (24)
MC: Jack Rodwell (23)/Ross Barkley (20)
MC: Jack Wilshere (22)/Jordan Henderson (24)
ST: Wayne Rooney (28)/Andy Carroll (25)
ST: Daniel Sturridge (24)/Danny Welbeck (23)

 

[The Cork]

The defence wasn't good at all.

Italy had 36 shots and 68% possession, that doesn't make our back four good, it makes Italy inept at finishing.

Terry was decent though, brave guy throwing his mush in front of everything.

 

[Prodigy]

We can also take from this that we were missing a lot of key players. Lampard is always one of our best at international level and losing him meant losing one of our creative players. Wilshere and Barry were also out. At the World Cup, all the older players Gerrard, Lampard etc will be replaced by newer up and coming players, the likes of Rodwell or Walker. I've put together a team I think would be good for World Cup 2014. In brackets is the age they will be when the tournament finals are underway.

GK: Joe Hart (27)/John Ruddy (27)/Jack Butland (21)
DL: Leighton Baines (29)/Kieren Gibbs (24)
DR: Kyle Walker (24)/Glen Johnson (29)
DC: Phil Jones (22)/Phil Jagielka (31)
DC: Joleon Lescott (31)/Chris Smalling (24)
ML: Ashley Young (28)/Adam Johnson (25)
MR: Theo Walcott (25)/Marc Albrighton (24)
MC: Jack Rodwell (23)/Ross Barkley (20)
MC: Jack Wilshere (22)/Jordan Henderson (24)
ST: Wayne Rooney (28)/Andy Carroll (25)
ST: Daniel Sturridge (24)/Danny Welbeck (23)

I like the squad, but I think we may keep a few of the current defence for the next tournament as the highest age will be 33 and I think they can have one more tournament at that age. I woulda loved to se Sturridge at this tournament, and he will be top next time. Totally forgot about Kieran Gibbs, good shout. I would be starting The Ox though.

 

[Dale]

I didn't say the defence was poor, I said they weren't great like people were making out they were because we managed to scrape through to penalties after being battered by the Italians. Like I said, go rewatch how many times we got carved open by the most simplest of long balls over the top of the back 4 and had it have been any other team then we would have got a smashing that our performance deserved, not a fortunate 0-0.

Please don't try patronising me like I know nothing about football, i've played it since I was kid and have watched hundreds of game live in person so I think I understand the defensive side of the game considering I used to play in goal aswell.

Also, I don't give a shit what some telegraph reporters have to say about the game, it's their OPINION and just because they write for a paper doesn't make it a fact. So next time Meltzer releases his star ratings for a match that you disagreed with, i'll tell you you're wrong because you've never been in the business and he works for a website / magazine whatever you want to call it is.

One good thing about losing to Italy is that I won't have to watch us get anally violated by the Germans, now that would have been painful.

 

[The Cork]

It is a worry that if we can't win a tourney with Lampard/Gerrard/Ferdinand/Terry/Beckham etc, how are we gonna fare in future tourneys without them?

Not to be a negative nancy and all, just strikes me as theres no major talent in this country with a ton of potential, like Rooney, Owen and players of their ilk. The Ox is great but I can say as an Arsenal fan he won't be a game changer. I look at guys like Rodwell lined up to replace Gerrard and wonder how we'll even get to the World Cup.

 

[Prodigy]

It is a worry that if we can't win a tourney with Lampard/Gerrard/Ferdinand/Terry/Beckham etc, how are we gonna fare in future tourneys without them?

Not to be a negative nancy and all, just strikes me as theres no major talent in this country with a ton of potential, like Rooney, Owen and players of their ilk. The Ox is great but I can say as an Arsenal fan he won't be a game changer. I look at guys like Rodwell lined up to replace Gerrard and wonder how we'll even get to the World Cup.

I'm sure there'll be a new generation to dissapoint us by looking promising and going out in the Semi Finals soon.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

Portugal 1 Czech Republic 0- It was a pretty dull game that seemed to rarely trouble Portugal defensively. Czechs didn't pose much of a threat even when they went on the counter. I can't remember a moment where Rui Patricio had to make a save. The Czechs deserve praise for hanging in there and really giving Portugal tough looks to force saves out of Cech. It seemed like the more the game went on, the more frustrated they were getting. Raul Miereles would blast every shot over the bar consistently and everyone had that feeling of doubt. Eventually Cristiano Ronaldo took over and continued to be a threat. I'm pretty sure that Denmark performance really angers him and now he's going to play like a mad man. He's back to making it great runs and using the step overs in a quality way. He was a force all night and eventually scored the winner off a strong header from Moutinho. Portugal clearly deserved to go through even though they may have wanted to score more to gain more confidence headed into the showdown against Spain. Then again in the knock out stages, you win in any way possible. Portugal did have an injury go down with Heider Postiga and he'll miss the semifinal game. I don't think it's a big loss since he has underperformed but with the lack of strikers, it will hurt in depth purposes. The man of the match was clearly Cristiano Ronaldo who was a threat all game. He's back on his world class form and was clearly better than anyone on the pitch.

Germany 4 Greece 2- The biggest mis match out of the four games was still very much one sided despite the score line. Germany didn't look sharp for most in the first half when it comes to shot selection. They seemed to rush and really didn't put any good strike on the ball. It was clearly one sided with Germany attacking in the final third through out. Eventually they got on the board with Phillip Lahm well taken goal. Lahm may have joined the top five goals of the tournament with a perfect chest down then bent it in the far left corner. Lahm was a threat all night like he always is but you don't get to see enough of his shooting skills since he's left back. It was a joy to watch even though Germany clearly was holding back due to the Greek defensive wall forming. Greece was up to their usual tactics which was to defend for their lives then go on a few counters. Shockingly enough it worked and it was a great counter. Giorgio Samaras who has had an awful tournament finally scored for Greece after Sapligidis led the counter well. Sapligidis really played well despite being swarmed whenever he got the ball. He's a workhorse that never stops running and can dribble to create some space. Eventually after the goal, Germany stopped messing around and the game was over in 20 minutes. Sami Khedria made a strong cut and put a simple foot in to score a quality goal. Then the Greek goal keeper Sifakis made a horrible effort trying to go for the clear out and Miroslav Klose just had to put it easily in. He was clearly too aggressive when the defender clearly was in position to clear it out. Greece was getting torn apart the entire match and the onslaught didn't stop until Marco Reus got a well deserved goal off great ball movement. Germany showed another top quality performance and go into the semifinals full of confidence. I haven't mentioned him yet but the man of the match has to be Mesut Ozil. He was the playmaker all game and leading the attacks for Germany. He reminds me of Luka Modric in so many ways expect that he uses his left foot as his preferred foot. Ozil will always be a problem for any defense with his pace and distribution skills but he was attacking in the heart of the Greek defense and that really stood out to me.

Spain 2 France 0- Many people including myself said that this game could be the best from the tournament. Based on all the full games I've watched, this had to be the worst. It was painful to watch with France really trying to create but eventually getting fatigued. They never seemed to look united and capable of pulling off the upset. Everyone has heard about the locker room incident with a few players and they still look very distant from each other. When the game dwindled on even when players like Samir Nasri came on, they look defeated. It was another tough game for Karim Benzema who is so talented but he never looked capable of scoring. I'm a big fan of Benzema so it was frustrating to watch and Spain just completely controlled him. This was typical Spain that scores one goal then controls possession. They looked fairly comfortable through out the game despite playing with no strikers to start the game. Jordi Alba stood out to me through out the game with his pace and finding open spots in the defense. France failed to contain him which led to a great cross to Xabi Alonso who expertly headed it down. Alonso is a true veteran and was smart to head it down because that's how most goals are scored from headers that are from a decent amount of distance. It was well taken and Spain seemed to be in cruise control. Even when France tried to bring on attacking players, they looked even worse with players like Malouda and Menez not making any sort of impact. The only attacking player that really showed anything was Frank Ribery who once again showed how hard he works and how he really improved on his dribbling. Ribery had a solid game but Spain was prepared for him and continued to double team as the game went on. Spain's midfield continues to win games for them with simple control on the ball and always being able to track back defensively. It's a great method and they looked to be back in form after an average performance against Croatia. The man of the match has to be Xabi Alonso with his two goals and his constant harassment of French midfielders. Alonso is moving into that Michael Ballack role as one of the best defensive midfielders that can be an offensive figure just like he is defensively.

Italy 0 (4) England 0 (2)- It was safe to say my prediction of a midfield struggle wasn't really on point along with the score. Italy clearly out played England but simply couldn't get that shot to go in. It was an impressive performance by Italy who looked confident on the ball and created chance after chance. Andrea Pirlo continues to show that age doesn't matter with his command of the midfield. He still provides quality passes whenever he's asked upon to make them. It was a struggle to watch though since I was supporting England and I didn't think they would be this out classed. England had some great moments to score like Glen Johnson who should have scored in that part of the box. Then Danny Welbeck who was lost the entire game missed his only good chance of the game. It was a constant struggle with England when trying to attack. Rooney never looked to be in shape and Ashley Young had a terrible tournament. Italy had to be let down that it couldn't be finished in regular time because the chances went begging. Danielle De Rossi nearly had goal of the tournament with a volley from thirty yards out that struck the post. It was struck perfectly but it had to be denied by the wood work. Mario Balotelli looked lively through out but he also had some bad misses including taking too long on a break away before being stopped by John Terry. England's defensive really deserves credit because they cleared out so many crosses and near goals. John Terry may not be the nicest guy you've ever met but he's an absolute workhorse and truly loves his country. He had a great tournament along with Joelon Lescott. I think England may seriously consider keeping this two going forward until injury happens or a really bad run of form. They really work well together and made a formidable duo. As the game wore on, penalties always seemed likely and it eventually happened. England always looked likely to lose with their history and it happened again. Ashley Young hit the cross bar and Ashley Cole took one of the worst penalties I've ever seen. He clearly showed where he was going and Buffon easily caught it. It was a lame attempt and Italy got the winner. Andrea Pirlo was man of the match but he'll also win most creative penalty by chipping it down the middle. Pirlo is a true Italian legend and today was the game that will always cement his legacy.

My predictions for semifinals from my blog The Uncommon One: NBA Finals/Euro Cup Smash Pt 4

Spain 1 Portugal 0- I'll be missing this game due to work but I look forward to seeing full highlights. This game is a rematch from the round of 16 at the World Cup and I'm sure the rivalry still is strong. I just can't see Portugal scoring with Spain defending Ronaldo just like defending Nani. It will be up to players like Nani and Raul "please stop shooting it to Row Z every time" Miereles to make an impact. Hugo Almeida will likely start and will have to make the most of his chances. Spain will probably control the game and get that one goal which they can sit on. The game will have lots of fancy dribbling and passing but shooting may be limited. This game will end in regular time.

Germany 2 Italy 1- I'll be able to watch this game and it should be a great one. Germany is the last team left that I was actually rooting for. I think Italy will give them more problems than people realize. Italy seems to be in a groove and Pirlo will love the fact that Scheweinsteiger will likely be out. He still has to deal with Sami Khedria which will be a problem but this will be a great show down. Germany's defense has a few cracks especially Jerome Boateng who was poor against Greece and the reason for two goals. Italy could make him a target which could lead to a goal. I'm still going to pick Germany though because they'll test that inexperienced back four of Italy. It could be more but I think Buffon will make some top quality saves. This will also end in regular time to start up a rematch from Euro 2008.

 

[Dale]

Only major talent currently is Wilshere.

 

[Prodigy]

Only major talent currently is Wilshere.

Are you being serious? I'm pretty sure Welbeck is a good talent, sure, he may not of been fantastic at the Euro's but it wasn't like he wasn't putting effort in and trying his best unlike some of the other talent, hi James Millner and Ashley Young. Theo Wallcott is also top notch and he proved that against Sweden, given more game time and fitness, I think he could be a top star for us. Also I don't know how you can say the only major talent is Wilshere when he was injured for a full season and we haven't seen enough of him to say he's the only major talent. For all we know he could come back from injury and flop.