Coundtown To Euro 2008 - General Discussion [R]

Cool I didn't know we were going to play the Czechs and Finns in friendlies in Feb. Any idea if these are FIFA dates so we can expect to see the full team? And I hope that we don't beat the Czechs too easily...remember Ecuador and what turned out to be a meaningless lesson we taught them a few months before the WC?

 

The Feb 6th match vs Czech Rep . is on a FIFA date.

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/worldfootball/calendarlive/intl_mc_fifa_2006_2008_en_7920.pdf

Yeah, the match with Czechs should be interesting, with both sides trying to get a positive result, while at the same time not wanting to tip their hand on how they intend to play the other during the WC2010 qualifiers.

 

Well I dont think it's you that he was all happy about. First, we have the weakest team possible in the Euro in our group - Austria.

Second, Croatia has a good record and we tend to play really good against the Germans. So definately he's happier that we got the Germans over France or Netherlands.

Also, we never played you guys in a major tourney. I'm sure hes not taking you guys lightly since you guys topped your group (and he def knows about underdogs - look at us with media and crap all against croatia). We did lose to you guys 1-0 in a friendly before the last world cup.

so i'm sure he knows this and i bet he's a lot happier that we didnt get.

our possible group of death:

Netherlands
Croatia
Portugal/Spain
France

Furthermore, Im always rooting for the underdogs just so smaller nations can finally step up and the huge ones arent always on high horses like the English. So i have high hopes in both our teams and we are def no pushovers and Bilic definately knows thatl.

 

Hey, our Croat friend, we are happy that you are here and appreciate your input. However, that being said, I can't help but think that most Croatian fans (and other fans as well) think that Croatia is a much better team than Poland. This however is not the case, and it should be Croatia that has something to prove against Poland, and not vice versa. Why? As you yourself said, Poland has beaten Croatia in the most recent friendly (a pityful affair for both teams though), and, in the Euro Qualifiers, Poland has bested Portugal, a generally higher ranked team in the FIFA rankings than England, and, one that took second in the European Championships and fourth in the World Cup, accomplishments that are much better than England's. So if Croatia can show in a head to head match that matters (unlike that lame friendly) that they are the better team, than sure....but until then, they have to produce first before they can judge.

 

cheers to that!

 

Will anyone be attending Nevada's or a Polish bar in NYC to catch Poland's games this summer?

 

i'm probably going to be in Des Moines or Chicago this summer, sorry

 

No problem and thanks for posting. If I don't find anything, the family and I will gather with all the traditional goodies and several pints come this summer!

 

Nah...I used to go to Nevada's, but now with my nice new HD tv I'd rather watch the games from the privacy of my own home (and the beer is cheaper as well). I'm sure that some joints in Greenpoint will show games (Europa, Johny's, Polonia), but don't know if the crowds will be as big as they are for Setanta games.

 

Thank you kindly. Yes, it seems I too will watch from the friendly confines of my home.

 

Additional friendlies set for this spring:

March 26th, 2008 vs. USA
May 26th, 2008 - vs. Macedonia (in Germany)
June 1st, 2008 - vs. Denmark (Chorzów)

 

So it appears that only the Czech and USA matches will be FIFA dates - strongest squads.

 

the macedonia game we should have best players thats right before euro08 and denmark also. why we playing macedonia in germany

 

the macedonia game we should have best players thats right before euro08 and denmark also. why we playing macedonia in germany. do we have to play usa again w better beat them this time. when does the usa team travel to poland theyll bethere for easter lol

 

Squads for the upcoming friendlies vs. Finland and Czech:

Kadra na mecz z Finlandią:

Bramkarze: Mariusz Pawełek (Wisła Kraków), Sebastian Przyrowski (Groclin Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wlkp.);

Obrońcy: Grzegorz Bartczak (Zagłębie Lubin), Łukasz Broź (Widzew Łódź), Marcin Kuś (Kolporter Korona Kielce), Mariusz Pawelec (Górnik Zabrze), Adam Kokoszka (Wisła Kraków), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warszawa), Tomasz Lisowski (Widzew Łódź), Michał Pazdan (Górnik Zabrze);

Pomocnicy: Piotr Brożek (Wisła Kraków), Rafał Murawski (Lech Poznań), Michał Goliński (Zagłębie Lubin), Piotr Kuklis (Widzew Łódź), Wojciech Łobodziński (Zagłębie Lubin), Kamil Grosicki (Legia Warszawa), Łukasz Garguła (PGE GKS Bełchatów), Radosław Majewski (Groclin Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wlkp.), Marek Zieńczuk (Wisła Kraków);

Napastnicy: Tomasz Zahorski (Górnik Zabrze), Paweł Brożek (Wisła Kraków), Dawid Nowak (PGE GKS Bełchatów).

Kadra na mecz z Czechami:

Bramkarze: Artur Boruc (Celtic Glasgow), Łukasz Fabiański (Arsenal Londyn);

Obrońcy: Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht Bruksela), Marcin Kuś (Kolporter Korona Kielce), Mariusz Jop (FK Moskwa), Jacek Bąk (Austria Wiedeń), Michał Żewłakow (Olympiakos Pireus), Tomasz Lisowski (Widzew Łódź), Grzegorz Bronowicki (Crvena Zvezda Belgrad);

Pomocnicy: Rafał Murawski (Lech Poznań), Dariusz Dudka (Wisła Kraków), Mariusz Lewandowski (Szachtar Donieck), Wojciech Łobodziński (Zagłębie Lubin), Jakub Błaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund), Radosław Majewski (Groclin Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wlkp.), Jacek Krzynówek (VFL Wolfsburg), Euzebiusz Smolarek (Racing Santander);

Napastnicy: Tomasz Zahorski (Górnik Zabrze), Maciej Żurawski (Celtic Glasgow), Artur Wichniarek (Arminia Bielefeld).



Discuss, especially Wichniarek. I am happy to see him in there.

 

Just quickly...i am hoping that Murawski will emerge as a star player...i think he has the quality to be a dynamic player in the midfield...
as for Wichniarek - I too, am pleased to see him get the deserved call-up but I am not sure how him and Ebi will play together upfront (when Ebi gets greenlight to move upfront)...they strike me as very similar in playing styles....
I think a natural move would be to have Matusiak in the striker role...but his form has been off for some time now

One last thing - I dont want to be a dead horse here....but Jelen needs to get called up...I understand that he doesn't necessarily fit in Leo's tactics but he needs to play at least a "joker" role....he's too good of a player to be left out....considering our strikers are not in the best of forms right now

 

I agree about Jelen. But he just doesn't seem to fit Leo's plans. And notice the absence of Kuszczak, perhaps it's the same thing as with Jelen, lack of chemistry, both players too vocal with their unhappines about not starting/not being called up...

 

Could be that Kuszczak wants to keep on training with ManU since he needs it with VDS is coming to a close next season.