Euro Draw 2008 Dec. 2

[SectionX]

Zlatan playing at full steam can carry any team, cheer up.

Well it is true. Sweden pretty much sucks, but when the beast inside Zlatan is unleashed he can win a game on his own. He has been fantastic in Italy this year.

[Schwalker]

Well it is true. Sweden pretty much sucks, but when the beast inside Zlatan is unleashed he can win a game on his own. He has been fantastic in Italy this year.


He gets so much better support in Inter compared to when he plays for Sweden though..On the field I mean

Sweden is almost unable to benefit from playing him because he is on a different level than most teammates.

[Excape Goat]

If you want to put your money on something: Bet on Switzerland advancing to the semifinals. Since the tournament's inception the host country has always reached the semifinals. Now up until 1980 I believe the format was radically different... but still, Hosts have a tremendous advantage, I think Austria might nick a point off someone, that game against Germany might really fire up the crowd and the players.




Belgium was out after the first round in 2000.

[cromagnum]

very happy with the group croatia got..playing in austria was what i was hoping for as there will be alot of croatian fans at the games..germany is the favorite of the group but i think croatia can definitley beat them..we have a very good coach and an very good young midfield with 2 good strikers in eduardo and petric..the defense is my only worry as robert kovac is getting old and is not the player he once was..

[nido33]

good group for croatia,if i could pick a group i would pick that one!we have a big chanches to go to 2nd round.

i'm so glad france got the thoughest group . i'm so annoyed to see that club of a national team to be in the finals every time.now they wont pass the group stage! ha ha ha

[tomwilhelm]

Seems like the placement of the Netherlands, Romania, and France will be the big factors in determining group difficulty.

There is a 3 in 16 chance that you have a serious, serious group of death:

Netherlands
Any pot 2 team
Any pot 3 team, except Romania
France


A group containing the Dutch, Italians, Germans, and French would be epic.

Dang. Almost got it. :D

[gethomas3]

Seriously, there needs to be better ways to group teams properly. I mean, France, Netherlands, Italy, and Romania in one group? Jesus!!!

BTW Best group of death in the history of the sport:

FIFA World Cup Spain 1982, Second Stage, Group C

Argentina
Italy
Brazil

We can be sure we will never see a group like this...

[footballcrazee]

Does anyone understand why UEFA chose to have the semifinals so that the teams from the same group could meet then? I don't see why the winner of A1 vs B2 meets the winner of B1 vs. A2. It would make more sense to have A1 vs B2 face C1 vs D2 in the semis and the same for the other side of course. This way, it adds to the group of death effect and keeps the two teams from Group C on the same side of the bracket, along with Spain in all likelihood, while the top of the draw looks a bit weaker and the team that emerges would not have to meet any of the teams from Group C or D until the final.

[Schwalker]

Does anyone understand why UEFA chose to have the semifinals so that the teams from the same group could meet then? I don't see why the winner of A1 vs B2 meets the winner of B1 vs. A2. It would make more sense to have A1 vs B2 face C1 vs D2 in the semis and the same for the other side of course. This way, it adds to the group of death effect and keeps the two teams from Group C on the same side of the bracket, along with Spain in all likelihood, while the top of the draw looks a bit weaker and the team that emerges would not have to meet any of the teams from Group C or D until the final.


So that the hosts would never have to play in another country?

[squidward123]

It's not about history alone. Germany's style of play suits Italy's very well. They're not fast nor as physical as someone like France. They're not as technical as Spain. Not as fast as Portugal, but Portugal might also be on the same level as Germany considering preference. Romania is also very technical and Mutu is having a great season this year. Germany is a team that relies on making zero mistakes, is very conservative, and good in the air. Much like Italy but we vary in different areas, I think we're better on the ground as opposed to air. Italy is much better at a slower paced game, you don't find that with Spain, Portugal, or Romania. End of.

I think you'll find that that's all stereotypical and germany have played different depending on the players available over the last 50 years. You pretty much described the 2002 team!

[footballcrazee]

So that the hosts would never have to play in another country?

That still doesn't work though because Austria would have to meet Switzerland in Basel in the semifinals under the way they set up the draw.

[squidward123]

I think you'll find that that's all stereotypical and germany have played different depending on the players available over the last 50 years. You pretty much described the 2002 team!

oh yeah about the draw...i think we can beat croatia, despite them being very good.

and then onto the final to thrash italy hee hee

does anyone know who plays who after the group stages? It is pre-set right?

[Gregoriak]

Show me Germany and Italy's head to head statistics. Please go back to the Chile board where you might know SOMETHING.

You may check the record of Italy vs. Germany in Euro and World Cup group games. Italy has never managed to beat Germany in a group game (1962, 1978, 1988, 1996). The only time Italy can beat Germany is when Germany go through a very hard extra-time game in the previous round (1970, 1982, 2006).

[gethomas3]

You may check the record of Italy vs. Germany in Euro and World Cup group games. Italy has never managed to beat Germany in a group game (1962, 1978, 1988, 1996). The only time Italy can beat Germany is when Germany go through a very hard extra-time game in the previous round (1970, 1982, 2006).

All time record between Italy and Germany:

Italy: 14 wins
Germany: 7 wins (All German wins came from friendlies)
Ties: 8

The last time Germany defeated Italy was in a friendly in Zurich in 1995. So I would say Italy are the better team.

[Lusankya]

It is not that easy.
And you totally ignored gregoriak's point.
They are pretty even despite of italy's better head to head record.

[Sagy]

You may check the record of Italy vs. Germany in Euro and World Cup group games. Italy has never managed to beat Germany in a group game (1962, 1978, 1988, 1996). The only time Italy can beat Germany is when Germany go through a very hard extra-time game in the previous round (1970, 1982, 2006).

And two of these (1970 and 2006) were decided in ET.

[Cris 09]

Historical stats are great to back up any argument, but not to predict the future.

That said, Germany could beat Italy in a match up today, just like they could have in 2006, just like they could have in the past. Statistics would say a team like Germany can only lose to Italy so often - and that time could be up in '08!!

Here's to hoping for a GER - ITA final!
:D

[Gregoriak]

All time record between Italy and Germany:

Italy: 14 wins
Germany: 7 wins (All German wins came from friendlies)
Ties: 8

The last time Germany defeated Italy was in a friendly in Zurich in 1995. So I would say Italy are the better team.


Keep in mind that German players only started to become professional in the 1960s. At that point Italy already had a long tradition of professional football which surely played a favorable part in their meetings with national teams featuring non-professional players.

But since the effects of professionalism started to be felt within German football (late-60s/early 70s), the record between both countries is far less favorable for Italy.

1970 Italy 4-3 Germany (Mexico City)
1974 Italy 0-0 Germany (Rome)
1977 Italy 1-2 Germany (Stuttgart)
1978 Italy 0-0 Germany (Buenos Aires)
1982 Italy 3-1 Germany (Madrid)
1984 Italy 0-1 Germany (Zürich)
1986 Italy 1-2 Germany (Avellino)
1987 Italy 0-0 Germany (Cologne)
1988 Italy 1-1 Germany (Düsseldorf)
1992 Italy 1-0 Germany (Turin)
1994 Italy 1-2 Germany (Stuttgart)
1995 Italy 0-2 Germany (Zürich)
1996 Italy 0-0 Germany (Manchester)
2003 Italy 1-0 Germany (Stuttgart)
2006 Italy 4-1 Germany (Florenz)
2006 Italy 2-0 Germany (Dortmund)

16 games:
Italy won 6
Germany won 5

Goals: 19-15 to Italy

And, as I already stated, three of Italy's six wins during that time frame came after beating a German side that was very tired from going through an extra-time match against a very strong opponent (England 1970, France 1982, Argentina 2006). It's strange how this is almost always ignored.

Italy was a better team during the last 10 years, no one really doubts that, but the last 10 years have been exceptionally poor for German standards, let's not act as if they are representative historically.

[squidward123]

in 1970 germany FULLY deserved to win. even counting their bad finishing, the ref should have awarded a couple of clear penalties. especially uwe seeler.

in 1982 italy deserved it

in 2006 italy JUST deserved it. very, very close game.

[Gregoriak]

in 2006 italy JUST deserved it. very, very close game.


I wonder how that 2006 game had ended if Italy had had to beat Argentina in extra-time and a penalty shoot-out while Germany had strolled to an easy victory against Ukraine. The outcome would probably have been slightly different, also considering that Italy needed 118 minutes to score against Germany, who at that point had 238 minutes of World Cup football in their bones against two of the strongest national sides.