Everything I've heard and read from those who follow Italian football closely say that this is a very ordinary team. Still some quality at the back with the Juve defenders and Buffon, but in midfield they don't offer much and their forwards are largely underwhelming.
Not really. Regarding their midfield: Verratti is top class but is injured. Marchisio, one of the most underrated midfielders in Europe is also out.
They have some young & exciting wide midfielders and wingers who can win games: Insigne, Bernardeschi, El Shaarawy. Motta and Jorginho in the middle can play at a high level.
Where they are let down (other than by injuries) is indeed up front.
Marchisio is a very good player, but I think he really thrives from being around other players who can provide passes and/or time and space for him. Not having Verratti is a big miss. Thiago Motta is a perfectly solid defensive midfielder. Florenzi is decent. My point was more they don't offer a lot going forward and breaking teams down from midfield or wing back. Gone are the days of Pirlo and De Rossi bossing things.
As for their wide attackers, Insigne is class. El Shaarawy looked much better than he has in years during the second half of the season with Roma. But what I may not have been clear on is that Pelle, Okaka, Eder, and Zaza don't really instill the fear of God in anyone.
I think we're mostly agreeing here, though I may not have been as clear or nuanced with my original post as I could have been.
Griezmann at 12s is a good price. Belgium is odd, they're basically a "broken team," meaning they're divided into defense and defensive midfielders and attackers, like Holland in 2010. The big problem they seem to have, going back to the World Cup, is breaking teams down when they sit deep. I think De Bruyne is a decent shout as he's definitely improved in the last two years. I wasn't sure how he'd do at City, but every time I've seen him he seems to be their only player who can consistently find just a little bit of extra space for the pass or shot. Kompany will be a big miss, even if they have other good defenders.
As far as winners, I don't really see anyone who provides decent value for money. Belgium have fallen to 11s which isn't terrible, I think they were something stupid like 7/1 earlier in the year/last year. If they drop a little further I'd be tempted to have a flutter.
has anyone got a decent predictor that you dont have to download, where you put in the individual scores?
Bit silly the one linked on page one as you have to choose which are the best 3rd placed teams yourselves..
Here's a predictor I found that uses Excel. You have to download the file from the website.
At first attempt, I had an England v Romania second round match, with France getting a relatively easy route to semi-final and maybe the final. Griezmann top scorer is looking like a good bet.
For the best third placed teams, I think the ones from groups with one clearly weaker team will get through (eg groups A, C and E), and that it's likely that the third placed team from a group like D will not get through.
Top scorer too much of a lottery in such a short format (in essence), value in Muller goals perhaps - but too many to pick from for France - Griezmann will net but at Atletico he doesn't have Pogba, Martial, Giroud etc. scattered around him, all will go for goal themselves.
Can't see France not getting to Semi's at least with their side, same for Germany. England probably mess up at quarters.
England to win all of their 3 group games 9/2. Not a bad bet. But I reckon we'll draw against Wales
Bookies seldom wrong
Apart from Leicester!
I think the usual suspects will be in the semis, can see France making the final with the home crowd behind them , particularly with all the terrorist stuff they've had going on recently, but... I still think there will be 1 big surprise in the semis (hopefully England) but I just think one team will raise their game and over achieve, be it a Iceland or Northern Ireland.
Euro stats covering past two years in qualifying and friendlies to help you win money
Lowest Scoring Teams- Romania and Albania.(Both drawn in same group) Most Corners Taken -England,Germany and Italy. Most Bookings Recieved- Ukraine,Iceland,Portugal,Hungary and Wales.(Hungary,Iceland,Portugal all drawn in same group could be some explosive games.) Best Goalscores Goals To Minutes Played- G.Bale Wales,A.Dzyuba Russia,Ibrahimovic Sweden Highest Scoring Team- Czech Republic Best Win Ratio Team- Austria Worst Win RationTeam- Hungary ( Austria play Hungary Tuesday June 14th and are currently 4/5 to win)
I predict France to be generally uninspiring. Everyone in France will moan and complain that the players earn too much money for nothing, stating that they don't like football anyway. The team meanwhile will chance their way to the semis at which point everyone in France will realise that they are doing well, get excited and then they will win the Championships.
Meanwhile England will play stupendous football but get a red card in the quarter finals and lose, and everyone I know (I live in France) will be asking me what happened with a foolish grin on their faces as if it's all just a laugh.
I put some money on Italy to win at 17/1, historically, a good tournament team. But I do fancy France or Belgium to win, more likely to put some money on belgium, because of better odds. I say Belgium because, they will start with the defensive partnership of alderweireld and vertonghen, who have played many games together this season, and also, De Bruyne is back from injury, and is pushing aguero, to be the best player in the prem, and also, hazard seems to have found form.
I don't think Italy is a bad bet. Widely being written off in a wide open tournament.
Personally think Germany are still the team to beat and think they will probably do it but there are quite a few value bets out there. England possibly semi finalists. Assuming everything goes the way we think it will it could be England v Portugal in the quarters, surely time we beat them at a tournament.
Griezmann will probably start but he's usually the wide left attacker of a front 3 with Giroud central. Not sure if Martial will start. However Giroud has played over an hour of both their warm up friendlies so looks a good bet to start in their opening game.
Griezmann will probably start but he's usually the wide left attacker of a front 3 with Giroud central. Not sure if Martial will start. However Giroud has played over an hour of both their warm up friendlies so looks a good bet to start in their opening game.
Payet keeps playing and I think DD likes Martial. Their attacking options are a joke and they have an easy group so Giroud is a decent bet still. My only concern would be rotation.
Giroud at 16s has to be a great bet for top scorer. Scored twice today and goes into the tournament with 7 in his last 5 starts for France.
Shame when this discussion was started you could have had him at 20. Agree that he's a good bet. I could see top scorer being 4 or 5 goals, and could see him getting there or thereabouts in the group stages. He can also be good at coming on when trying to break down a packed defense and getting a poacher's goal.
Have backed Belgium and Croatia at an average of just under 13 and 38 respectively.
Croatia's not a bad shout. An excellent midfield, arguably the best in the tournament. Mandzukic is class up front, and Kramaric and Kalinic (their spells in England aside) are both decent. They're a team where you could see them hitting a run of form over the course of a tournament and going far.
Comments
As for their wide attackers, Insigne is class. El Shaarawy looked much better than he has in years during the second half of the season with Roma. But what I may not have been clear on is that Pelle, Okaka, Eder, and Zaza don't really instill the fear of God in anyone.
I think we're mostly agreeing here, though I may not have been as clear or nuanced with my original post as I could have been.
I fancy France to win it but won't be nibbling, too short.
As far as winners, I don't really see anyone who provides decent value for money. Belgium have fallen to 11s which isn't terrible, I think they were something stupid like 7/1 earlier in the year/last year. If they drop a little further I'd be tempted to have a flutter.
Bit silly the one linked on page one as you have to choose which are the best 3rd placed teams yourselves..
At first attempt, I had an England v Romania second round match, with France getting a relatively easy route to semi-final and maybe the final. Griezmann top scorer is looking like a good bet.
For the best third placed teams, I think the ones from groups with one clearly weaker team will get through (eg groups A, C and E), and that it's likely that the third placed team from a group like D will not get through.
Can't see France not getting to Semi's at least with their side, same for Germany. England probably mess up at quarters.
I think the usual suspects will be in the semis, can see France making the final with the home crowd behind them , particularly with all the terrorist stuff they've had going on recently, but... I still think there will be 1 big surprise in the semis (hopefully England) but I just think one team will raise their game and over achieve, be it a Iceland or Northern Ireland.
Lowest Scoring Teams- Romania and Albania.(Both drawn in same group)
Most Corners Taken -England,Germany and Italy.
Most Bookings Recieved- Ukraine,Iceland,Portugal,Hungary and Wales.(Hungary,Iceland,Portugal all drawn in same group could be some explosive games.)
Best Goalscores Goals To Minutes Played- G.Bale Wales,A.Dzyuba Russia,Ibrahimovic Sweden
Highest Scoring Team- Czech Republic
Best Win Ratio Team- Austria
Worst Win RationTeam- Hungary ( Austria play Hungary Tuesday June 14th and are currently 4/5 to win)
Meanwhile England will play stupendous football but get a red card in the quarter finals and lose, and everyone I know (I live in France) will be asking me what happened with a foolish grin on their faces as if it's all just a laugh.
It will all end in tears.
Personally think Germany are still the team to beat and think they will probably do it but there are quite a few value bets out there. England possibly semi finalists. Assuming everything goes the way we think it will it could be England v Portugal in the quarters, surely time we beat them at a tournament.
96 pages, completely free and you couldn't squeeze another stat in if you tried.
https://en.calameo.com/read/004618841e0b786e1e522
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Last 10 years.