Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Yo! You're not logged in. Why am I seeing this ad?

Who Will Lift The Silver Urn?

Started by Vinho Tinto , Jun 05 2012 09:10 PM

Please log in to reply

10 replies to this topic

#1 Vinho Tinto

3,356 posts

Posted 05 June 2012 - 09:10 PM

Spain has infighting. Holland has a questionable defense. Germany looked like they had a Bayern hangover over the weekend. Could France swoop in and steal it ? Will a dark horse emerge? I like the odds Denmark are getting, can they (or someone else) add to the history of surprises in this tournament?

I'm going with Germany. The core of this team has been on the cusp of something big since '06. I think it happens here.

Back to top

#2 soxfan121

leader of tebow zealotry

9,202 posts

Posted 05 June 2012 - 09:56 PM

Portugal. I have a feeling that Pretty Ronaldo is going relish the chance to have a Messi-less spotlight for the next month.

Back to top

#3 Vinho Tinto

3,356 posts

Posted 05 June 2012 - 10:11 PM

Portugal. I have a feeling that Pretty Ronaldo is going relish the chance to have a Messi-less spotlight for the next month.

If this were a futsal or beach soccer tournament, I'd like the odds; but this isn't the '04 squad. Id still love to see Ricardo Carvalho and Luis Figo walk through that door. I don't care if they are old & gray.

Back to top

#4 SoxFanInPdx

1,115 posts

Posted 05 June 2012 - 11:34 PM

Ireland, but I'm bias. Put a little money on it too. Why not?

Back to top

#5 Snakebauer007

Berezovsky

1,784 posts

Posted 05 June 2012 - 11:44 PM

The Ukraine is not Weak!

Back to top

#6 sachmoney

SoSH Member

6,156 posts

Posted 06 June 2012 - 01:42 AM

Long winded answer:

Spoiler

This is tough to say. I expect that it won't be Spain for the reason you stated as well as the fact that they don't have David Villa. I don't think we'll see the same Spain team that we saw in the World Cup. They were barely able to win games from a goal scoring perspective. I think they'll have difficulty without their top scorer. As I've watched the teams that I perceive as contenders, Holland, Germany, and France, I've oscillated back and forth between them as well as Italy, who I haven't seen yet. If you held a gun to my head, I would probably yell "Germany!" Then I'd slink into the fetal position and weep quietly into my shirt. That just seems like the safe pick though.

Although they may be weak at center back (starting an unfit Mertesacker?), I think Germany is as deep as any team in the tournament. Furthermore, Germany just seems to have players that rise to the occasion like Klose and Podolski when they put on the national team kit. They have a great mix of youth and experience and a plethora of talent. The media is trying to play out the Bayern vs Dortmund (Dortmund have won 5 straight against Bayern) thing like it's Real-Barca on the Spain squad, but I truly believe that Löw is making the right call starting the Bayern guys. Bayern has had better success in Europe and Bayern has players like Müller, Schweinsteiger, and Lahm who already have extensive national team experience. Germany has the talent and the will.

While I hope that the Euro will lead to a Afellay/Van Persie partnership at Arsenal, I don't have much faith for the Dutch to manage the egos in the squad. I worry about Robben. I worry about Huntelaar. Robben's been good thus far, but when are we going to see him take a bad shot instead of laying off to Van Persie, Afellay, or Sneijder? The clock is ticking and this WILL happen. Sneijder and Van Persie haven't exactly had the best relationship in the past, though I think both have matured and squashed it somewhat. Huntelaar has been whining about playing time already. This is all talking without getting into the potential defensive woes. As much as I love Van Persie (for the time being :unsure:

), I don't see the Dutch matching up well with the Germans. Of course, they can make me eat my words very quickly. Even if they've exchanged playing styles, I just think the mentality of the Germans is better equipped for winning on the big stage.

With France, their path to the final might just prove to be too difficult. Yes, they will make it through the group stage, but they'll face a Spain or an Italy in the quarterfinal then will probably face a Germany or a Holland and potentially face one of these teams in the final. As I said in the France thread, I think France is deep on very good attacking talent, but besides, Ribéry, I think they lack transformatively great players. Any of those teams I mentioned could make it a priority for the fullbacks to mark Ribéry and choke France's main attack. Furthermore, I have some strong concerns about the French defense. Is Blanc REALLY going to play Mexes over Koscielny? REALLY? France's defense could be more of a concern than Germany's or the Netherlands's.

I haven't seen Italy. I sort of like their squad. They too have a good mix of experience and youth. With the latest scandal, they have something to prove, and as ethangl posted in the betting thread, they tend to do well after these type of scandals. I just, I can't really back a team that I haven't seen. It does worry me that Russia ran threw them in the latest friendly and in fact, Italy are on a three game as a result (though all of those games were friendlies). They did not lose in their group for qualifying. Can a team just turn it on for the tournament? They sort of did that in '06 right?

I think my surprise team, or this year's Turkey, is Poland. They've got Szczesny in net obviously, but those Dortmund players are the real ticket. Lewandowski is probably in as good a form as any striker this side of Van Persie (Ronaldo too, if you consider him a striker). Piszczek and Blaszczykowski both bring some good experience. They'll be playing at home. That's a team that is in a group full of sleepers that can make a good run (I like the Czechs too if Rosicky is healthy).

So yeah, I'll take the second favorites, Germany.

Back to top

#7 collings94

1,182 posts

Posted 07 June 2012 - 12:33 PM

I feel like the Germans are at their best flying under the radar, like they were in South Africa. I'll be pulling for Svenska all the way, but I love watching the Dutch play and I think they are the deepest team, except maybe for Spain, but they're a ticking time bomb. Look out for the Swiss.