Euro 2012

[10spro]

The third largest sports event in the world is about to kick off tomorrow. Who's the dark horse, will Spain repeat? One thing for sure it won't be short of excitement. Les Bleus will be a much more cohesive and united group that the one shown at the last WC when the entire team was an embarrassment to their loyal l fans, Lloris is ready to shut the door for the French.

Russia, Poland and Denmark are my dark horses, while the Dutch team will be among the top 4 and try to beat the Germans (my favorites to win it all) and prove that they are a good team without unnecessary infighting.

I don't see the Italians past the quarters. Finals will be the Germans against Spain, where Neuer's impressive reflexes will outshine over Casillas.

Goooaaal!

[JRod]

The third largest sports event in the world is about to kick off tomorrow. Who's the dark horse, will Spain repeat? One thing for sure it won't be short of excitement. Les Bleus will be a much more cohesive and united group that the one shown at the last WC when the entire team was an embarrassment to their loyal l fans, Lloris is ready to shut the door for the French.

Russia, Poland and Denmark are my dark horses, while the Dutch team will be among the top 4 and try to beat the Germans (my favorites to win it all) and prove that they are a good team without unnecessary infighting.

I don't see the Italians past the quarters. Finals will be the Germans against Spain, where Neuer's impressive reflexes will outshine over Casillas.

Goooaaal!

Who cares about the cohesiveness of the blues. It was terrible fun watching them implode in South Africa. I want that to happen again.

Even though I have no basis for this, nor do I care if it happens... I think the English get to the semis. Just a hunch.

Germany or Spain get to the semis and then I see a dark horse losing it in the final to one of these teams.

[10spro]

I don't think England will make it even on the 2nd round.

[RobVarak]

I don't think England will make it even on the 2nd round.

I concur. I like France and Sweden out of that group. I have a hard time disagreeing with prevailing wisdom, most of which seems to be favoring Germany. The Spaniards just feel somewhat on the wane, with the sheer number of games that many of the Barca/Real axis have played as well as the absence of Villa up front.

Most of the analysis I've seen seems to be selling Portugal a bit short. I have them vs. the Germans in the final.

[pk500]

England MIGHT make it out of the group. But that's a VERY big might because of all the injuries and the uninspiring team selection by Hodgson. If Blighty makes it through, it will lose in the first elimination round.

Germany beats Italy in the final. Italy is a dark horse because the Italians won the World Cup the last time the nation was embroiled in a betting and match-fixing scandal, like this season in Italian football.

[Macca00]

I would like to see the Eurozone Economic Crisis Final (TM):


Greece vs. Germany

[10spro]

I would like to see the Eurozone Economic Crisis Final (TM):


Greece vs. Germany

Gotta like the group of Debt in Italy, Spain, Ireland and to a lesser extend the Croatians..

[Jimmydeicide]

Whatever you do dont got to the tournament website during the games like i just did looking at the groups.
There is a live feed (twitter or whatever) and my xbox Espn app is way behind it at least 2 mins .

I found out someone had scored way before it happened on my tv.
At least someone scored Is this the best opening game they could come up with geez.

[GB_Simo]

England MIGHT make it out of the group. But that's a VERY big might because of all the injuries and the uninspiring team selection by Hodgson.

The worst thing about that team selection is that when you sit down and have a go for a few minutes, you discover how tricky it is to put together a squad of 23 that's substantially better than the one we've got. Even the players who took themselves out of the frame for selection - Carrick and Richards for example - aren't consistently any better than the ones going to the tournament. The simple fact of things is that we're not actually very good at the minute.

FIFA, of course, reckon we're better than Argentina.

[Jimmydeicide]

Corruption? What a disgrace so far ,this ref where's 34.

[RobVarak]

Who on Earth thought Michael Ballack would be a good studio commentator? Brutal

[JRod]

Who on Earth thought Michael Ballack would be a good studio commentator? Brutal

Alexie Lalas isn't much better. Just says nonsense you can understand in English.

[fsquid]

Ballack is a studio commentator? He didn't even know English when he started at Chelsea.

The greeks getting those penalties done like they do austerity.

[RobVarak]

Ballack is a studio commentator? He didn't even know English when he started at Chelsea.

He still doesn't.

[RobVarak]

Hoping the wet pitch helps my Czechs. No reason to expect it will, but any team running Milan Baros out there in 2012 needs all the help it can get.

[10spro]

That was a firecracker between Poland and Greece.

[fsquid]

Hoping the wet pitch helps my Czechs. No reason to expect it will, but any team running Milan Baros out there in 2012 needs all the help it can get.

there's a name from the past.

[JRod]

ESPN3 streaming this on my iPad is a neat option to have at work. Hard to stream it on the computer and still have Adobe Suite running. The app is Watch ESPN. You need to have one of the networks that will allow you to watch it.

[XXXIV]

Corruption? What a disgrace so far ,this ref where's 34.

I had to work. What did I miss?

[miget33]

Who on Earth thought Michael Ballack would be a good studio commentator? Brutal

Probably the same person who thought it was a good idea to have Kasey Keller as an analyst. Derek Rae tried so hard to save him.

[Jimmydeicide]

Corruption? What a disgrace so far ,this ref where's 34.

I had to work. What did I miss?

Two of the worst yellows ever.

And actuallly turned out to be a decent game.

I thought oh cool Ballack , then he opened his mouth, he actually answered a question with i dunno Keller left the panel after the worst post game analysis ever from 3 people

[10spro]

The score coud have been much worse for the Czech team as Russia impressed me with the good play of A. Dzagoev. Kherzakov missed a few, watch out for those Russians one of my dark horses in the tournament.

[rhymes450]

Flew from Madrid to Dublin yesterday. Not surprisingly, things are still pretty low key in Spain for the group stages. In Dublin, the atmosphere is such that you'd think Ireland were already in the final. My intrepid 86 year old mother contrived to win a couple of tickets on Irish radio for the Croatia match, so I'm heading to Poznan with my sister tomorrow. I'll be back in Madrid for the Spain-Ireland match so it should be a fun few days.

[JRod]

Those pesky danes...

[XXXIV]

Those pesky danes...

Gotta love it.

Twenty three minutes of Dutch attack leads to a Danish goal.