The Official EURO 2012 thread

[Wriggly]

Argentina, but if they fail to show, then Holland.

 

[clevelandspur]

Germany they have an embarassment of talent and young talent at that

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Went for Germany before seeing the current poll, was quite shocked to see how many are backing them over Spain / Holland, I could have picked any one of those 3 if I'm honest. I just prefer Germany out of the 3, there's something you don't hear an Englishman say every day !

 

[yiddo2786]

Argentina, but if they fail to show, then Holland.

I bet Messi won't turn up. Useless prick.

 

[ArcspacE]

I bet Messi won't turn up. Useless prick.

Agreed, everyone plays for him in that team, scoring tap ins. Never won a World Cup either. Out!

 

[Klinsmania]

And like the Germans, they tend to win at penalty shootouts. Very important.

No they don't, they are the only country with a worse record than England in shoot outs.

 

[southstand1882]

 

[Jurgen the German]

So many people writing spain off; They have by far the best team in the world.

GK: Casillas

RB: Arbeloa
CB: Ramos
CB: Pique
LB: Alba

CDM: Alonso
CM: Xavi
CM: Fabregas

LW: Iniesta
ST: Llorente
RW: Silva

I think that's there side and check the quality out; No team will live with them.

Agree with this. Germany will also be a threat, but a lot of people favoured them before Euro 2008, and Spain took care of them. I know the games between the two sides in the last two tournaments have been close, but Germany didn't really cause Spain too many problems in either game.

 

[Spurssince2004]

Germans All the way Klose needs some international medal before he retires

 

[rosenthal]

"When the national anthem is played,
Klose enters GHod mode"

- old germanic saying

 

[Leeds Spur]

Not England.

 

[THFC]

Gerries

 

[spitshine]

I think its the end of an area for the spanish. Dont think they'll win it.

I think the favorites are the dutch, Van Persie to get the goals and sneijder to put his bad season behind him. But Not too sure about the defense.

I think they are close to the end but will win the euros. similar to France a decade ago.

 

[Dayo]

I'll say France.

 

[Papercut]

DOn't forget your sweepstakes at work kids

 

[raboner]

Sweden or Croatia

 

[indospurs]

Italy for me (just to be different) but they haven't won the championship since 1968 ? Woy will have a tough time even in the group stage I fear.

 

[Spurs7891]

Russia coach dingdong Advocaat has dropped experienced midfielders Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Vladimir Bystrov from a 26-man preliminary squad for Euro 2012.

Bilyaletdinov, 27, joined Spartak Moscow in January following a disappointing spell with Everton but has struggled to regain his top form.

Zenit St Petersburg winger Bystrov, who like Bilyaletdinov played at Euro 2008 where Russia surprisingly reached the semi-finals under Advocaat's predecessor Guus Hiddink, was also left out of the squad announced on Friday.

In another surprise move, Dutchman Advocaat recalled Sporting midfielder Marat Izmailov, who had not played for the national team since 2006.

Izmailov, once regarded as one of the most talented Russian players and a veteran of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, has struggled to overcome numerous injuries in recent years.

But the 29-year-old winger has shown glimpses of his old brilliance this season while playing for his Portuguese club.

Advocaat, who will step down as Russia boss following the Euros to take charge of Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, also called up two newcomers, Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Magomed Ozdoyev and Dynamo Moscow defender Vladimir Granat.

Euro 2012, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, starts on June 8 with Russia playing in Group A along with Poland, 2004 European champions Greece and the Czech Republic.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg), Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders: Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow)

Midfielders: Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Magomed Ozdoyev (Lokomotiv Moscow), Marat Izmailov (Sporting), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow)

Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow), Artem Dzyuba (Spartak Moscow), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham).

-------------------------

Russia did well to make it into the Euro2008 semi finals without any expectations. But this time it will be difficult to repeat that as key players like Arshavin and Pavly out of form and injured. But with relatively easier group, I will be disappoined if they don't progress from their group.

 

[rosenthal]

Czech Republic (Provisional squad)
Goalkeepers: Petr Čech (Chelsea FC), Jan La?ítůvka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Jaroslav Drobn?¢ (Hamburger SV), Tom?í?í Grigar (FK Teplice).

Defenders: Roman Hubn?¡k (Hertha BSC Berlin), Michal Kadlec (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Tom?í?í Sivok (Beşiktaş JK), Daniel Pudil (AC Cesena), David Limbersk?¢ (FC Viktoria Plzeň), Franti?íek Rajtoral (FC Viktoria Plzeň), Theo Gebre Selassie (FC Slovan Liberec), Marek Such?¢ (FC Spartak Moskva).

Midfielders: Tom?í?í Rosick?¢ (Arsenal FC), Petr Jir?íček (VfL Wolfsburg), Daniel Kol?íř (FC Viktoria Plzeň), V?íclav Pilař (FC Viktoria Plzeň), Jan Rezek (Anorthosis Famagusta FC), Jaroslav Pla?íil (FC Girondins de Bordeaux), Milan Petr?¥ela (FC Viktoria Plzeň), Tom?í?í H??bschman (FC Shakhtar Donetsk).

Forwards: Milan Baro?í (Galatasaray AŞ), Tom?í?í Pekhart (1. FC N??rnberg), David Lafata (FK Jablonec), Tom?í?í Necid (PFC CSKA Moskva).

There's actually two former Spurs in that squad.
Remember David Limbersk?¢?
Fairly sure we had Marek Such?¢ on trial as well.

 

[Juicebox]

Germany, home advantage and all that