OT: euro possible group of death

Hey you enemy! Haha, no no my friend tahaa with that super team. No way Gourcuff will be mentioned if he never played in Milan, right? His best years was in Bordeaux, but that's the reason you mentioned him no? He was a curious case, he seems like past it that even Nasri played better than him there. Martin is the best no. 10, err maybe 9 (9.5 is bwin 9 and 10, so bwin 8 and 10 is 9) trololol. Yes, but as the experts said, it's better to play the conservative 4-3-3, they would get it really tough if this group is real though.

Superstone Mariomintsch wrote:Aha broski, he wouldn't be as popular then. He's too much of a ball-hogger and trigger-happy near the pen to be the star of Germany or Spain. Sorry, your super scoring sexyman is flawed.

Wouldn't work in Germany becouse goals arent really their problem, but in Spain he would work imo. A ball hogger but none can deny that he can penetrate, which is what Spain is missing, amirite?

A ball hog is exactly what Spain need right now lol

Zealous wrote:A ball hog is exactly what Spain need right now lol

Well that and a finisher

Call up the 2nd Best Iker in the world

Spain looks toothless indeed. Not a lot of goalscorers among those midfielders, it's not a;ways a good idea to have only one goalscorer on the pitch, unless your CF is called Gomez, but even Bayern play Mueller as well.

I've watched the last 4 Spain NT games in a row... and the answer is simple: Llorente. He's neither the best nor the most talented CF they have in Spain. But in terms of his profile, it's exactly what this team needs. How do teams stop Spain these days? Pretty simple... you force them to go wide and center the ball. Who the heck is going to get under the ball. Iniesta? Villa? Xavi? Mata? No chance. Spain players know that and they force their way through the middle. If you put Llorente in there, the field suddenly open up because team have to respect his presence and actually defend Spain going wide.... which opens up the middle more.

Okay, broski and bros I admit if not Llorente and Ronaldo is Spanish, he could do well as you said. But he would still be in the position of other players, shooting when his friends ask to pass, and complaining handsomely when he didn't receive a perfect cross to his gelled forehead. Well, maybe if he is Spanish he wouldn't have that mentality, so I don't know.

Yeh maybe the Milan side of me chose Gourcuff, but honestly I still rate him, Martin is also a decent choice, but maybe your right, going into a 4-3-3 formation might just be the best solution. Same problem in Italy, Prandelli keeps on using Montilivo as no10, and every time we seem to change to a 4-3-3 we look better. Oh btw I'm a big Italian supporter Been supporting them since Euro 2000

Yeah I guessed many things right nowadays. I'm matured enough to play like Laudrup I think, in my level of course. Yes, that's exactly what we thought mate, and yeah nice to know you support Italy, Totti and Nesta? Buffon and Toldo? Pirlo and Gattuso? Perotta and Camoranesi? Vieri and Materazzi? Cannavaro and Maldini? Okay, enough reasons. You're a friend in this forum

sportsczy wrote:I've watched the last 4 Spain NT games in a row... and the answer is simple: Llorente. He's neither the best nor the most talented CF they have in Spain. But in terms of his profile, it's exactly what this team needs. How do teams stop Spain these days? Pretty simple... you force them to go wide and center the ball. Who the heck is going to get under the ball. Iniesta? Villa? Xavi? Mata? No chance. Spain players know that and they force their way through the middle. If you put Llorente in there, the field suddenly open up because team have to respect his presence and actually defend Spain going wide.... which opens up the middle more.

That was the plan for yesterday but Llorente got hurt in training and the other option, Negredo was not picked this time due to his injury. Notice - I'm not mentioning Torres as an option (and neither did VDB). I can't figure him out. A month a go it looked like he might be coming back, but after these last 2 games, It's best to leave him off squad.

Sports, have you seen Blanc article today where he says France can't with this tournament. What would be best for you (and I think for tournament) is for you to get into a group with one of the host and for Germany to be in the group with the other host.

Put Raul and Morientes into this current Spain side and magic would happen IMO. Exactly the type of strikers they need.

I think that spain tactic is already deciphered !! keeping the ball running all the time and make an attempt per 10 mn is well handled by teams IMO.
All the team are just waiting to counter attack against Spain and when they do it, spain screws at it. You can watch all WC spain games where it was threatened and you will mention that speedly counterattacks were so harmful backwards.

They lack depth in their game when teams stick with 10 men at the edge of 18m especially with Pedro and Villa bad shape.

futbol_bill wrote:Sports, have you seen Blanc article today where he says France can't with this tournament. What would be best for you (and I think for tournament) is for you to get into a group with one of the host and for Germany to be in the group with the other host.

No. Haven't seen it. But he is doing everything he can to take pressure off the players and put it on himself. I wouldn't be surprised. People forget that he's replaced 7 of the starters since he's taken over with youth players. Very young team with no international nt experience other than the other 4 players. No experience on the bench either. Talent is there.... But getting them to play as a team is taking a long time offensively. Too many injuries frankly. Defense is carrying them.

Something interesting he mentioned for Madrid.... He knows Madrid is looking for a defensive midfielder and that Lass' days are currently numbered. He won't call a player who is not a key player at his club. Interview on RMC yday.

I've been reading about Spain's friendly record since WC and the criticism of 2 deep MF and lack of width. After considerable thought I have worked out the starting line-up to address these concerns. I'm planning on meeting with VDB to tell him what he should do!!!!! Once he follows this recipe for success, it doesn't matter who we get matched up with.


We should start with
Llorente as #9 (He adds much more than Negredo or Torres) and being strong and tall adds much more to centre forward than a false 9 such as Cesc can do.
Pedro or Navas on right to give us width.
Keep Villa on left again to give us width.
Although I like the form of Silva, Iniesta, Cesc, Mata when playing forward they all tend to go to centre and thus too many in the middle.
For midfield, I would play just one deep back and I would take Alonso over Busquets. I don't agree with statements that Alonso can't be as good defensively as Busquets. Alonso is a better passer, has great vision and matches up with Xavi just as as well as Busquets does. Also he doesn't dive as Busquets is prone to do.
Then I would play Xavi and partner him with either Iniesta or Silva or Cesc. Iniesta gets the nod, but the other two are in very good form. I would be happy with any of them.
On defense I'm hoping Puyol and Pique are healthy and in form. They are our best and also we need Ramos at RB.
Ramos at RB. We need his experience plus his runs, which also helps us with width.
At LB, at this point I prefer Alba over Arbeloa and Monreal. I would like to see an audition of Enrique before this position is settled. Alba like Ramos has better runs than the others, although I feel Arbeloa offers better defense.
Goal still belongs to Casillas.

Me vs Sports

LOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoL

:lucas:

Immaculate_Mole wrote:Me vs Sports

LOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoL

:lucas:

Yeah. Hope Rooney steps up and shows his quality when we play...

Rooney is suspended for all the group games lol.

I'm gonna enjoy the enormous butt hurt that would be taking place this summer. I hope you Europeans don't disappoint...

Immaculate_Mole wrote:Rooney is suspended for all the group games lol.

Oh really? Had no idea...

France-Spain can't happen till the final. Which the former will invariably not reach (trolololol).

Damn.

So what do you guys think of draw and the group of death. I think it went about as well as good be expected. The worst off is Portugal as I don´t think they can keep up with Germany and Netherlands.

I think it will be Russia and Czech from group A, Germany, Netherlands from Group B, Spain and Italy from Group C and group D for me is a tossup between Sweden, France and England.

I would say semis are Netherlands, Germany, Spain and again a toss-up )for me between Italy, France, England and Sweden.

Final should be Spain and Germany which is how it should be, the two best teams in the final.

And of course I expect the champion to be Spain.

One thing for sure is there are no easy matches in this Euro unlike we see occasionally in WC.

Saetablanca wrote:France-Spain can't happen till the final. Which the former will invariably not reach (trolololol).

Damn.

No they can easily meet in Semi final (if France can advance that far). It's Spain and Germany that get to avoid each other, assuming both finish on top of their groups.

France will make it through pool play. We played Ukraine earlier this year and destroyed them once we subbed in our regular attack (4-1 final)... and it was played in Ukraine. Not too worried about Sweden.

We play England in our first game and Rooney won't be there. I like our chances in that one, especially given England's propensity to choke on big stages. I honestly have no idea how they can score on us without Rooney to create.

Once we get to the the knockout stages, it comes down to small things. Usually, if teams are pretty even, defense and goaltending wins.

Very confident we make it out of pool play. 50/50 from that point forward depending on who we play.

Sports, I see there is an Italian who disagrees with you in general section. I think the best way to resolve this conflict is if the two meet in the quarters (Italy 2nd and France 1st). The bad news tho is the winner will have to play us in semis.