EURO 2008

Elthamaddick

who's your money on then ?.

Personally Italy at 7/1 looked o.k to me until Cannavaro was ruled out and has now gone home.....still think I'll end up backing them.

Croatia a decent e/w bet.

With us not in it I thought I wouldn't really take to much notice, but now it's upon us I'm actually really looking forward to it, some cracking games to watch.

WhenIwasLittleBoy

I think Spain could be a major force, they have the technical ability and now the premiership toughness to get them through the difficult games in which historaclly they would lose in previous tournaments,in my opinion they will have the best forward, central midfielder and keeper in the tournament

Goonerhater

Had a £10 on England geting to the Semis and lossing on pens. Habitual mug punter me.

Ledge

Germany all day long - Mario Gomes Podolski and Klose up front ballack and schweinstieger in midfield can't see anyone beating theM They'll have massive support as well.

Klose is about 18's to finish top scorer as well.

ISawLeaburnScore

Germany is my tip, always solid, easiest draw, Klose is very strong, Ballack also gets in the goals and other leading nations, e.g. Italy (injury), France (rebuilding), Netherlands (general disarray) and Spain (ridiculous squad choice and perenial underachievers) all have things against them

I will be supporting Spain as I will be out there for the tournament

leftbehind

Holland

Chris_from_Sidcup

Was reading a preview of the tournament the other day and for me it's not hard to see why England aren't there when top countries like France have Benzema on the bench and Trezeguet not even in the squad, Spain didn't even take Raul, Holland can have Huntelaar as a sub, and we've got Dean Ashton and Defoe as back up!!
For me Germany will win it. As Ledge said they're too strong plus it's virtually a home tournament for them. Spain should do well too, strong all through the side, Casillas, Puyol, Ramos, Fabregas, Torres, Villa. Don't think they can meet until the final so i'll go Spain v Germany final.

Leroy Ambrose

Spain didn't take Raul because he is, and has been for four years, utter pants. That said, once again Spain will fail - they always do. I predict an ignominious exit in the quarter finals. the krauts will win it.

nolly

portugal,outside bet at 25/1 russia doing ew

Chris_from_Sidcup

[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]Spain didn't take Raul because he is, and has been for four years, utter pants.

Is that the same Raul who was top scorer last season for the champions Real Madrid?

nth_london_addick

greece to retain agaisnt holland on pens failing that i am going for the dutch to win it all as they have the best mushroom pate on the planet

Leroy Ambrose

[cite]Posted By: Chris_from_Sidcup[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]Spain didn't take Raul because he is, and has been for four years, utter pants.

Is that the same Raul who was top scorer last season for the champions Real Madrid?

It is, yes.

The same Raul who scored a combined total of 21 goals in the previous three seasons in the league.
The same Raul who has more of a disruptive influence on the Spanish squad than any other player.
The same Raul who can seemingly only play well in one position, in one formation for a national side who have no other players who can accomodate that formation - yet happily turns out in four different positions for his club side on a regular basis.
The same Raul who, in the last tournament he played in for the national team, was so utterly detested by most of the non-Madrid players that they couldn't bear to eat breakfast at the same table as him.
The same Raul who has probably played three decent halves of football in the five previous big tournaments he has played for Spain in.

Yes, that's the one

RedArmySE7

[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: Chris_from_Sidcup[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]Spain didn't take Raul because he is, and has been for four years, utter pants.

Is that the same Raul who was top scorer last season for the champions Real Madrid?

It is, yes.

The same Raul who scored a combined total of 21 goals in the previous three seasons in the league.
The same Raul who has more of a disruptive influence on the Spanish squad than any other player.
The same Raul who can seemingly only play well in one position, in one formation for a national side who have no other players who can accomodate that formation - yet happily turns out in four different positions for his club side on a regular basis.
The same Raul who, in the last tournament he played in for the national team, was so utterly detested by most of the non-Madrid players that they couldn't bear to eat breakfast at the same table as him.
The same Raul who has probably played between three decent halves of football in the five previous big tournaments he has played for Spain in.

Yes, that's the one

Got Raul on the back of your Spain shirt then Leroy?!?!?!?!

Leroy Ambrose

[cite]Posted By: RedArmySE7[/cite]Got Raul on the back of your Spain shirt then Leroy?!?!?!?!

Honestly, I always hated him anyway because he has been Real's poster boy for so long, but Raúl has always been horribly overrated. Outside of Madrid you won't hear many people in Spain singing his praises. And its not anti-Real bias on my part either - I love Fernando Hierro and he was Real through and through. So many times there have been better options for Spain than him - Alfonso, Morientes, Tristan, Luis Garcia, Etxeberria - that have been left picking splinters out of their arses because the Madrid press would have crucified Aragones, Clemente or Camacho for not picking him. To put it into perspective, imagine if Defoe played for Chelsea, Chelsea had two newspapers pretty much devoted to coverage of them (20-25 pages per day, every day) and the reporters who wrote for those papers had an enormous influence over who was picked for the national side. You would pretty much guarantee that Defoe would be picked every time England played - irrespective of whether the team played gash with him in it. Kudos to Aragones for not bringing him back - he'll get absolutely mullered in El Pais and Marca if Spain fail again but clearly believes that Torres, Villa, Guiza and Sergio Garcia are better bets. What I am a little baffled about is leaving out Joaquin. He hasn't had the best of seasons at Valencia, but that's largely the fault of Koeman, and he is the one flair midfielder Spain have who could potentially turn a game. Like I said earlier it doesn't matter anyway. They won't get past the quarters (they'll have to face Italy, France or Holland) so its a moot point.

AFKABartram

I think its a really open tournament. If there are sixteen teams in it, there are realistically nine that you could put an argument up for having a chance of winning.

That is either going to make one of the best tournaments we've ever seen, or a complete borefest as teams tactically mitigate each other. We will see.

Not sure who will win, France have underperformed for a few years, but still have big players and may suprise. Croatia play like a very understanding club side, but will miss da Silva. If Germany play with confidence, they will have the backing of an almost home crowd, Holland also have the potential.

Spain and Italy both have the parts but not the sum for me, avoid.

Thommo

Russia and Holland are my tips

kimbo

would really like Holland to win, but realistically Germany or France.

AFKABartram

[cite]Posted By: Thommo[/cite]Russia and Holland are my tips

Can see why people are tipping Russia, but their top striker is out of the tournament, and their best player is banned for the first two games.

They have Spain up first, and lose that and they are fighting a battle to qualify to me.

Wilma

I want Czech Republic to win - but only because I've got them in the sweepstake at work.

Otherwise, I'll be supporting Spain.

cafc_se7

Germany all the way im afraid guys!
I'll be supporting Croatia.

Chris_from_Sidcup

[cite]Posted By: AFKABartram[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: Thommo[/cite]Russia and Holland are my tips

Can see why people are tipping Russia, but their top striker is out of the tournament, and their best player is banned for the first two games.

They have Spain up first, and lose that and they are fighting a battle to qualify to me.

It's not definite that Pogrebnyak is out yet. He may still play in the 2nd and 3rd matches. If they can get a win against Greece and have him and Arshavin back for the Sweden match they may still qualify behind Spain. Either way can't see them getting any further as they'd play the winner of the France/Italy/Holland group in the quarters

nth_london_addick

i want holland but all in all i wouldnt mind croatia

jimmymelrose

[cite]Posted By: AFKABartram[/cite]I
Not sure who will win, France have underperformed for a few years, but still have big players and may suprise. .

Can't see that AFKA. They only failed to win the last World Cup on penalties!!!! If that's underperforming, what about us?

I like Russia as a bet to win it (moneywise - looking at the odds) but probably it will be Germany (if only to piss me off). I love an outsider to win and hence the only game I missed in the last tournament was The Final (angry facey thingy)

Elthamaddick

decided to back Italy in the end.....and pulled Holland in the office sweep so not to unhappy about that !.

Chris_from_Sidcup

Spain v Russia about to start. No place for Fabregas in the Spain starting X1, they must have some team to leave him out!!

shirty5

Spain 2 up at HT. Villa with both. Spain and the Dutch looking good so far.

AFKABartram

[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite] once again Spain will fail - they always do. I predict an ignominious exit in the quarter finals. the krauts will win it.

LOL - morning Leroy !