The Euro 2012 Thread

[cambgull]

Surprised no one is talking about it so I'll start one up.

So far we've seen 2 games so far:-

Poland 1-1 Greece - A decent match but nothing special. It was definitely a game decided by 2 goalkeeping errors and a pretty harsh red card.

Russia 4-1 Czech Rep - Well, what the hell happened CR? I know they haven't been as good as they were around 8-10 years ago but they should still be a decent team. Absolutely pulled apart by the Russians who should definitely be considered contenders.

Tonight's games:-

Holland v Denmark - The "Group Of Death" begins with the biggest underachievers in World football against a team who won the competition a mere 20 years ago, when they didn't even deserve to be there! I think the Dutch will have the overall skill and quality to see this one out though, it's the one game they really should be winning in this group.

Germany v Portugal - I was ready to pronounce this as the game of this round of matches, but there are definitely two challengers for that one. There's no doubt that it'll be a well matched game. Germany have more all-round quality but Portugal have the stand out player in Ronaldo, who could quite easily be the difference. If he turns up, I'd say a draw or a close win for Portugal, if he doesn't, Germany will take them to the cleaners.

[ferrarilover]

Game of the round hahahahahahahaha! That was one of the worst games in Euro history.

Matt.

[Scott Brehaut]

It was a great big steaming pile of merda

[AustrianAndyGull]

I've been really impressed by what i've seen thus far. The Greeks were so appalling for 45 minutes then should have won the game, drama of two red cards also. The Czechs started on fire for the opening 5 minutes but forgot that they needed to do this for another 85 and were truly shocking. Denmark provided the shock so far whilst Portugal are just a load of time wasting, dirty, negative spoilers who only came alive when they had to due to being a goal down. Germany also disappointed me somewhat but overall i'm actually enjoying it.

[stevegull]

What do you boys think about the Rio Ferdinand situation?

Personally I don't think he's the best defender in the country anymore but he is still leagues ahead of Martin Kelly. Apparently Hodgson said a player like Rio wouldn't want to come in as cover, but I beg to differ. I think he's one of the few elite English players who actually WANTS to be playing for England, no matter what capacity that is in. I also think it's a joke that Liverpool, a club that finished 8th in the league, now have 7(?) players in the Euro squad.

[ferrarilover]

Rio Ferdinand had his chance, along with the rest of the 'Golden Generation' and all of them bollocksed it up. Rio is an old, slow, not especially good, injury prone liability. Time to move on.
As to Liverpool, no, they're not a good side, but then, nor were European Champions League winners Chelsea all the whiletheyhad that daft kid in charge. Dalglish is a dour foreign **** and a terrible manager, I'm not saying he is the sole cause of Liverpool's hopelessness, but he's an awfully big chunk.

Matt.

[Kernowgull]

I think it's the most boring saga in recent football history. In terms of Liverpool, Carroll came in to decent form at the end of the season, Johnson is first choice right back, Gerrard is captain. Downing, I actually think gets more grief than he deserves based on stats, and whilst I agree there are other options on the right, he's more intelligent than Lennon and better defensively than Johnson, that's why Roy chose him I guess. Henderson and Kelly wont play. But have good potential for the future and it's better to get them in and around the squad and get future players experience rather than someone who has had ample opportunity and failed every time

[AustrianAndyGull]

As for Downing, he has 34 caps and no goals. How the hell is he anywhere near an England squad. Of those 34 caps can anyone remember anything special? Unbelievable.

[stevegull]

Downing is the biggest joke in the squad... no Henderson is.. no Kelly is... no Carroll is. All have underperformed massively this season.

Carroll has essentially played 'fairly' well in about 2 games this season, and just because they were late in the season it means he can become a world beater for england. IF international football needs a target man of sorts then i would definitely preferred Crouch, or even Grant Holt, who have both performed well this season and, more importantly, score goals.

The fact Downing is likely to start tomorrow angers me (although he will probably net a hat-trick now!). It seemed to me he was trying to play bad this season to see how terrible he has to be to be dropped from the England squad, and apparently no goals and no assists is perfectly fine to be a starting england player. In my opinion players need to earn their place in the England squad.

Henderson and Kelly speak for themselves. Both not ready for this yet, and neither are in form.

I fear for us tomorrow, and I can't see what the apparently weakened French defence has to be afraid of. Milner and Downing down the flanks isn't going to pour fear into their hearts.

[Kernowgull]

So who should have gone instead of Henderson? Lampard, Cleverley, Wiltshire, Barry injured, Carrick doesn't want to play, Barton- idiot, O' Kane- Irish

[Yellow4life]

So who should have gone instead of Henderson? Carrick doesn't want to play,

Carrick actually retired after finding out he wasnt chosen.

Phil Jones is 3rd choice CM remember hence why jagielka came in.

[stevegull]

So who should have gone instead of Henderson? Lampard, Cleverley, Wiltshire, Barry injured, Carrick doesn't want to play, Barton- idiot, O' Kane- Irish

Are you seriously suggesting Henderson was the next logical choice?

I think there are many English central midfielders in the Premier League and even the Championship that are better than Henderson at the moment. He has played terribly all season and I think he has been picked simply because he plays for a 'big' club and someone paid a huge fee for him.

Some of the many central midfielders I would have taken ahead of Henderson:
Nigel Reo-Coker
Bradley Johnson
Leon Osman
Ryan Taylor
Jake Livermore
Danny Murphy
That Gardner guy who plays for Sunderland
Paul Scholes
David Dunn.

All have played better than Henderson this season.

[Gulliball]

Nigel Reo-Coker
Bradley Johnson
Leon Osman
Ryan Taylor
Jake Livermore
Danny Murphy
That Gardner guy who plays for Sunderland
Paul Scholes
David Dunn.
All have played better than Henderson this season.

Scholes is retired, he's the only one there who might stand a chance. Leon Britton (once linked with Torquay, that's how much he's risen) could do a specific job, but we don't have a depth of talent in midfield. That list is an embarassment for this country, not a list of players who should get a cap for England.

Personally I'd play to our strenghths in this tournaments, for example:

............Parker......Gerrard..........

Walcott.......Young.......Chamberlain

................Welbeck....................

At least there's some pace on the counter. But long term we need Wilshere and his like of technical players to save us,

[stevegull]

Scholes is retired, he's the only one there who might stand a chance. Leon Britton (once linked with Torquay, that's how much he's risen) could do a specific job, but we don't have a depth of talent in midfield. That list is an embarassment for this country, not a list of players who should get a cap for England.

Personally I'd play to our strenghths in this tournaments, for example:

............Parker......Gerrard..........

Walcott.......Young.......Chamberlain

................Welbeck....................

At least there's some pace on the counter. But long term we need Wilshere and his like of technical players to save us,

I think you've misunderstood what that list was about. I'm not saying any of them should be getting caps for England on a regular basis. I am merely suggesting that all of them have played better than Henderson this season (which isn't hard), and therefore are more worthy than him for a call up to the squad.

For the record, i completely agree with the team you've set up above this. I long for an England side that has some pace and some sense of adventure about the way they play. I'm just not sure Hodgson likes his teams to play such expansive football. As an England fan I would much prefer watching us lose 5-4 than another drab 0-0. The forward positions you have identified there has pace, creativity and would actually make other teams fear us. Downing and Milner won't make them fear us. They may be more solid defensively but they are both fairly predicable going forward and it's hard to pinpoint how either might beat a top-class full back.

[cambgull]

I'm quite interested to see what everyone's choices of an England 23 would include. Don't worry about injuries, suspensions or retirements from international duty. Just include the squad and a First XI of who you'd ideally see going to Poland/Ukraine and maybe even Brazil in a couple years.

I'd probably go something like this:

GK - Joe Hart, Robert Green, Ben Foster

Right Back - Glen Johnson, Kyle Walker
Left Back - Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines
Centre Back - Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Phil Jagielka

Defensive/Centre Mid - Scott Parker, Michael Carrick, Jack Rodwell, Paul Scholes
Right Wing - Theo Walcott, Alex Chamberlain
Left Wing - Ashley Young, Adam Johnson
Att Mid - Jack Wilshere, Tom Cleverley

Striker - Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck

Starting line up:

------------------------Rooney---------------------------

Young---------------Wilshere---------------Walcott

-----------Scholes---------------Parker---------------

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

Cole---------Jones----------Cahill---------Johnson

-------------------------Hart----------------------------

Thoughts?