Euro 2012 Group C: News & Analysis

A lock?!? No team ever has a lock on winning the tournament.

Perhaps I'm just being too cagey, but I still consider Spain the team to beat.

Yet I'm hoping third time's the charm and Germany finally win another title. It's about time considering the quality performances our team has exhibitied since 2006.

And unquestionably the German national team has much improved since 2010.

I don't think Euro 2012 really would live up to its promise, if it wouldn't feature a Spain-Germany rematch. Let's hope we see that coming to fruition (ideally in the final itself).

 

He used to be. Age has caught up to him, though.

 

Agreed. Laughing at the morons who think that was really Italy last year as well. Lippi brought the wrong team. Imagine if we had Rossi, Caasano, Balotelli, Giovinco off the bench, a fit pirlo etc. We had a legitimate chance to go back to back. People are judging Italy off one bad tournament hahaha its almost as if our history means nothing now because of 2010. Most of these fools only watch Italy every 2 years at euros and world cups.


We need Cassano and Rossi to be fit tho. If these guys are fit, I think we'll have a good tournament. If not, we'll probably get knocked out in the first round.

 

Yeah right. Have you seen his games for Italy lately? he still plays very well. You havnt got a clue. You dont even watch him play.

 

with Villa questionable (broken leg in the Barcelona/Al sadd match in WC for clubs, so at best he's not back in shape) i'm strting to feel somewhat doubtfull if Spain is going as long as before, due to the fact that i don't really see who should score the goals now ...

Opins?

 

I'm loving everyone sleeping on Italy (largely because of 2010). People never learn. Even without Cassano and Rossi, Italy will field a very strong team, capable of winning the tournament. They breezed through qualifying and beat Spain and tied Germany in friendlies. But if others want to write them off, that's their problem.

 

I'm certainly not writing them off. Nor do say the bookmakers. Fifth in the betting rankings (after Spain, Germany, Holland, England). I'd say that's a fair estimate.

They certainly are capable of winning.

Does anyone argue otherwise?!?

 

Any nation that plays is "capable" of winning. If you read through this thread, a number of posters seem to write Italy off as being a reasonable threat to win. I would say, do so at your own risk.

 

Show me a post that writes Italy off. I can't recall any such in this thread.

But Italy may well be underrated in a number of quarters. A natural function of a poor previous tournament and people paying less attention between tournaments. Italy has got something to prove to the world.

 

Is the original post in the thread sufficient?

I agree that we have something to prove. However, people who haven't been paying attention equate the present Italy side with that of the prior World Cup-which is wrong. New manager; new system; and many new players.

 

Italians here making way to much of there friendly wins..Croatia tied Brazil and beat Argentina before Worldcup 2006..Ye that really meant alot. I watched Italy against Serbia and they certainly did not look like no world beaters in a game that actually mattered..Italy has the second best team in terms of quality players but honestly they don't really scare me from what i saw..Everyone is making a big deal about Spain losing some friendlies..Friendlies mean nothing to me as when Spain had to play they cruised through qualifers..

 

Italy were basically qualified at that point, and got the draw away at Serbia-nothing wrong with that.

Nobody is overstating the importance of friendlies; but it has some relevance when you play top sides. What was important was that Italy essentially breezed through qualifying playing good football along the way; but if you want to sleep on them, go ahead. We'll see in a few months.

 

maybe a small minority are, but when Italy meets germany or spain for friendlies, they are not just friendlies. A question, do you think this team is the Italy of 2010? because let me assure you it is almost completely different.A lot of People think of Italy 2010 and forget about our history, we're the 4 time world champions not some dud team lippi took to south africa and pirlo played a half of football.

Balotelli, Rossi, Cassano and Pirlo are world class.

 

I wouldn't worry what casual fans think, I have always said too many fans dwell on history and not enough on the present or future.

Soccer more so then any other sport, also with so many teams and so little time, it's impossible to follow every team close enough to notice the development or patterns in there play.

No true fan believes Italy is the same as they were in 2010.

I don't have a crystal ball, and sport doesn't always play out like a script, but I would say IMO the odds are 1 Germany 2 Holland and 3 Italy.

People will think im crazy for not putting Spain in the top 3, but I believe most people underestimate the power of motivation.

Spain won Euro and then the WC, not that they don't want to win but sometimes you lose that fire, and on top of that teams will also be highly motivated when they encounter Spain.

 

Very true.

Spain are good enough to win no doubt, but I don't think they will. Every tournament tells a story and Spain is likely not to be included in the final chapter.

 

I disagree with respect to Spain. The points being made about "drive to win" are valid. However, this Spain side still has a number of players in their prime. I think that argument would have been more applicable to the Italy 2010 side; a team with a lot of big names that were past it at that point, and didn't have the same competitive drive as prior tournaments.

With respect to tournament favorites, I would rank them as follows:

1. Spain
2. Germany
3 & 4. Italy and Holland with roughly equal chances.

I'd also say that there are teams outside of the favorites I posted with a chance to win this tournament. It's going to be fun to watch.

 

Maybe it meant more to the Italians for there confidence that they can beat the best but friendly results mean little to me..To be honest Italy must be better then there team in 2010..That was probably the worst Italian team i ever saw..You talk about Italy and how they have a great history..They certainly do but not against Croatia or Ireland..Italy are the favorites to get out of the group but would it surprise me if Ireland or Croatia finish second no it would not..I would be shocked though if Spain did not win this group..

 

I've binned a few unnecessary posts. Please keep the forum/thread civil. Friendly warning. Infractions will be the next step.

 

meant more to Italy? yeah right. Like you know. What history do Croatia have? a semi final birth. Im talking all our history doesnt go out of the window because of one bad cup where as I mentioned not many good players were selected. Biased Croatians like you overrate your record vs Italy. One game was a farce where you needed 2 goals to be disallowed to beat us. One was a friendly a month after the world cup where not one of our players who played in the world cup played bar our 3rd choice keeper. Two other games have been drawn. Euro qualifier 1994 was fair enough. One valid win. Wow. Real dominance.

Whats this history vs Ireland also? a 1994 world cup loss and a friendly defeat last year? we also knocked them out of Italia 90. If youre going to say things, at least know what youre talking about.

 

Croatia is a small country who has produced top class players since it's independence. Qualifying for major tournaments is a good accomplishment considering our population. I don't hate Italy like you claim. The German fans on here were just as cocky and arrogant when they saw there group in 2008. I watched your country play recently and I see no reason why Croatia can't beat this italian team. You can go on and on how the refs cost you bla bla. All I know is every time we played we have not lost. You can hype up your country all you want but our coach players and fans do not fear this Italian team just like we didnt fear the Germans in 2008. If our best players stay healthy I'm confident we can get a good result against Italy. Bog i Hrvati.

 

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if anybody is hyping up their team, it is you. Youre clearly jealous. Were the 4 time world champions. We have a history. You dont. Of course you can beat us, never said you couldnt. But our form has changed and as i said and will say again youre judging us from last year where we had a pathetic squad.

At least we were there. You werent.

 

Ye im jealous of Italy's success just like im jealous of the Germans success.. Lets see i have already said that Italy is the second best team in this group and has the better players..Im just a jealous hater okkkkkkkkkk..

 

The bigger worries for Spain are:
1. VDB continuing to play the double pivot.
2. The form of their strikers (i.e. Villa and Torres).
3. Who to pick at LB.