Euro 2012 Group Scenarios

Let me remind you, Russian forward line is not a bunch of sprinters either. So, if this becomes a physical contest, you know the two of the ugliest footballers in the world will eat Russian forwards for breakfast. However, if Russia does bring a lot of speed coming forward from the midfield, then Russia would be in an advantageous position.

 

Who knows, conspiracies are a growth industry.

 

No but Russia is very dynamic and quick as long as we win the midfield battle (which I don't know if we can do against Ukraine). If Russia's able to play their quick one-touch passing Ukraine's back line will be in for hell.

However if Ukraine's midfield is able to impose themselves and out muscle Russia's then nothing's going to happen. This hypothetical match up is seriously all about the midfield duel. For me Ukraine is a tough style match up for Russia, without a doubt.

 

It's more about tactical placement and player selection setting up the duel as opposed to the individual play itself.

 

The camp might be in Ukraine, but unless the draw is rigged (and with UEFA I wouldn't rule it out), Russia isn't guaranteed to play their group games there.

 

If France is in a "group of death" I will be literally and utterly shocked.

Probably many "important" people are on the phones to try to figure these groups out.

They should hold the draw the second after the last qualification game is over. Why wait 2.5 weeks? Oh wait a second...

 

Don't they do that with the CL groups? I think that as soon as the qualifying rounds end they hold the draw the next day.

 

It ends on Tue-or Wed and they draw on Fridays.

 

Yea, they do the EL draw too.

 

Awesome, the draws have not been made yet and we're already arguing.

For the record I think Russia's attack WILL put a hurtin on Chigrinsky, Rakistky, Butko, Selin. Chigrinsky has been getting smoked in CL and Rakitsky has been just OK.

 

I think they negotiate who they want to play or avoid to some extent. I know that in qualifying the top seed gets to choose when they travel to play certain teams, either Sept, Oct., March or June and the 2nd, 3rd pot teams get to choose as well but to a lesser extent.

I bet Ukraine and Poland get to axe out the 2 teams they don't want to face in pot 2,and the other 2 teams are drawn to them randomly. and then maybe their allowed to axe out 1 pot 3 team and 1 or 2 pot 4 teams.

 

That is why Rakytskyi will play at LB and Chyhrynskyi will be reinforced by Ukraine's best CB, Mykhalyk.

Russia should get by Mykhalyk-less UNT defense. If Mykhalyk is healthy he will be the pillar of UNT's defensive strength in the CB position. Russia will have difficulties getting by that defense.

Another option is to not have Chyhrynskyi at all. Butko - Mykhalyk - Rakytskyi - Selin. This is also a better defense than that, which you mentioned

 

Nauseating, the level of willful bias he shows to certain players, its like a little kid. Mykhailyk has taken part in I would guess 30% of Dynamo (prolly even less of Ukraine) matches in the last 2 years. He looked f'n awful v. Shakhtar a few weeks ago and just ignores it and continues to live this fantasy dream that he will be in 2008 form when he gets back the NEXT time after a lengthy injury lol pathetic.

 

Yeah plus he has a complete lack of understanding of the game. It's not like basketball where Dikembe can protect the rim, or football where Urlacher can get to every tackle. One CB can't stop Bystrov countering on the right, close down Dzagoev, man mark Kerzakov, pick up Shirokov making a run into the box from deep, and stop Zhirkov on the left wing. It's an ultimate team game. Him talking about one man continually being a "stopping Russia from getting by." is ridiculous.

In fact, the type of pressure Ukraine's front line puts on Russia's defense both with and without the ball has just much more impact on Ukraine's defense than 1 player. But he has proved over and over again the unwillingness to grasp basic tactics.

 

They key for Ukraine would be to hound Russia's midfielders. If the three center midfielders can't combine with one another Russia tends to get flustered.

 

Dikembe hahaha...so true though. Its sort of the same kind of b.s. as seeing all the intricacies and summarizing a team by looking at the league table. You nailed it haha, 1 slightly better than average CB as being this massive force to change our defensive completely haha, and its not even Puyol or Pepe, its Mykhailyk lol...

 

Russia can still be based/play in Ukraine but not in Ukraine's group. 2 Groups will play in Ukraine and 2 in Poland. Because of political reasons, I think UEFA will not give them either Poland or Ukraine, but they'll base themselves in Ukraine because of easier visa/travel issues. UEFA also knows that most Russian fans require a EU visa, and by having them in Ukraine = huge $$$ opportunity.

That is exactly my prediction. No Ukraine in the group, but the 2nd Ukrainian group which will contain:

1.Netherlands.
2.Russia
3.Croatia
4.Denmark

 

That would be a fun group. I could see Russia finishing anywhere from 1-4.

 

Russia struggles big time in that group.

 

Russia struggles against the well organized teams with discipline in the back. Like Denmark. Interestingly, Russia has, IMHO, better chance to beat Croatia and Netherlands than Denmark.

 

at the same time, russia traditionally plays well against northern teams in general..england, ireland, wales, france and scandinavian.

thing is, if they get the dutch, it's gonna be a 5-0 demolition. dutch still remember the last game and russia will be shaking their knees.
the important thing is to face the dutch in the last game.

they can try and grab wins against cro & den and then it jsut doesnt matter if they lose.

 

I don't know about 0-5 but it's unlikely that we don't lose against them. The Dutch play open and that also works to Russia's advangtage, but yea they'd beat us. Would hate to play Croatia to be honest.

 

How come

 

Our games aaainst them under Hiddink left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

didn't we tie both games 0-0?