Euro 2008 Thread

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Nice to have a fresh new thread rather than putting it on the EPL one.


a) Who do you want to win? Everyone will have an adopted country as England didn't qualify and all the other Test nations can't qualify.

b) Who do you think will win?

c) Who's your dark horse?

Mine:

a) I reckon I'll be rooting for the Spaniards. So many superb footballers. Such big chokers.

b) I reckon Spain will do it. The only place they look a bit shaky is the defence. Superb keeper in Casillas but Puyol's had a really poor season and Sergio Ramos doesn't convince me (great in the air though). Strange that Raul isn't in the squad as he's had an excellent season. Still, can't argue with Villa and Torres. They'll be deadly. I'll probably have a punt on Torres to top score.

However, if Spain choke as usual, I reckon France will do it.

c) Not a very dark dark horse but still - Ze Germans! Finally got another world class striker in Mario Gomez. Defence is good and they've got the mighty Ballack.


Of course, all the big guns will be there or there abouts. France have an outstanding side - Gallas, Evra, Mexes at the back. Vieira, Ribery, Flamini, Ben Arfa, Makalele in midfield. The great Thierry Henry and Benzema up front.

Portugese have finally got a goalscorer in you-know-who. World champions Italy. The Dutch.

Genuinely looking forward to it despite England not being there.

[Brass Monkey]

**Yawn** Wouldn't even be looking forward to it if England were in it. European football in particular has become overtly tactical and a circumspect shit-show. May as well watch chess.

[Big_Bad_Bob]

Not really interested at the moment, but a shame to see all that top class sport go to waste, so am planning to spice it up with a cheeky E/W bet on both Spain and Croatia.

International football's very mediocre at the moment in my opinion, so I think Spain may at last fulfill their promise, but it's probably more likely that those friggin' efficient Germans or so solid Italians will come through. However, couldn't bear to spend my money backing either of them . . . how dull.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Nah, there's loads of great attacking talent on show this year. Will probably watch every match.

[Brass Monkey]

Agree, there's loads of attacking talent. Not many of them get used in the right way however - hence the match-after-match shitfest that occurs.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Groups:

A

Switzerland
Cechs
Portugal
Turkey

Portugal and Tukey go through

B

Croatia
Austria
Germany
Poland

Germany and Croatia

C

Holland
Italy
Romania
France

Oooh. Defo the group of death. Anything could happen. Probably Italy and France.

D

Greece
Sweden
Spain
Russia


Spain and Greece/Sweden. Henrik Larsson is back in the Sweden side! Legend.

[Brass Monkey]

Hmmm, I'm more likely to go for the Czechs.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Their golden generation has pretty much gone. Baros and an ancient giant up front.

[Brass Monkey]

Their golden generation has pretty much gone. Baros and an ancient giant up front.

Yeah, but they're organised at the back more than most. Hard to score against.

[Paul Keating]

Germany

Germany

Portugal

[Henry]

Not really sure any of the big teams are up for it. It's too soon after the end of the season and all the big names are tired. I'll go for Portugal with Guus Hiddink's Russia being the dark horse.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

It's only 3 weeks away. What do you reckon the Austrian mascot will be? A cartoon Fritzl?

[Henry]

A pregnant girl in chains.

[PearlJ]

Portugal!

But I don't mind who wins, just hope we see some great football.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Germany are big favourites at all the bookies. Weird. There are far better sides.

[taipan]

Germany are big favourites at all the bookies. Weird. There are far better sides.

It's called track record.

[doremi]

a - Italy.

b - Italy/France

c - Portugal/Holland


A

Switzerland
Cechs
Portugal
Turkey

Not sure about the Turks. Think Czechs have a good chance and the Swiss aren't the worst.

B

Croatia
Austria
Germany
Poland

Germany and WGAF. Probably Croatia

C

Holland
Italy
Romania
France

Italy for sure. Fightout between France and Holland. Winner from this group

D

Greece
Sweden
Spain
Russia

Spain should do it, but then they should do better in every event. Don't know why this would be different. Russia to make it, Hiddink's gotten worse teams do much better. Sweden tend to progress to the next round.[/quote]

[doremi]

Was thinking of making a thread about this myself.

[JGK]

Hope the Croats win because Australia is better than them so we'd be morally the best in Europe


Otherwise I'd like to see the Dutch win.

But Germany or Italy will win it.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

If anyone's a member of Betterbet or wants to sign up, they've got a free competition where you guess 8 results in the championship. If you get all 8 the prize is 10,000 pounds. Smaller prizes for less correct guesses, starting with a free fiver if you get one right.

Free to enter so not bad. If anyone enters and wins 10k, they should pay me a finders fee if they've got any sort of humanity in them.

[LeFromage]

International football's all kinds of blumpkin pie these days.

Club football is of a higher standard.

[Paul Keating]

Geez, I remember being lambasted for suggesting the Champion's League is of a higher standard than the World Cup.

[doremi]

Didn't you say CL>EPL?

[holcs]

WGAF????

[spangler]

I'll be supporting Spain because Fernando Torres plays for them and he is well good and kind of makes me feel good inside when I'm down. I think it's his rosey cheeks that give me a warm fuzzy feeling like the one you get after you've had a piss on your mother in law's tulips on a cold day on February.


Does anyone know who the English referees will be at the tournament?

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