True, but the other big teams are struggling even worse. At least Italy is getting enough goals, and managing the wins on those teams. Also Italy isn't Spain or Germany, they don't smash other teams, they like to win by 1-3 goals, its just Italian soccer. They almost beat Croatia if Buffon was just a tiny bit faster he could have saved Perisics goal, but in the end tied 1-1. Netherlands losing to Czech Republic, Iceland, and not even a comfortable win against Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan in the lead in the first half. 2-1 plus a penalty for Netherlands. Belgium not managing wins except against Andorra (one of the worst teams in the world). Draws with Wales and Bosnia? I can bet when they play Israel in March, Israel is going to beat them. Spain losing to Slovakia. And also losing to France and Germany in friendly. I see Spain like the Spain they were in 2006 world cup. Smashing easy teams, but struggling hard against better teams. Germany losing to Poland, drawing to Ireland, and winning to Gibraltar only 3-0 plus an own goal. Quite a few of their players retired after the world cup. They will come back though, as two key players haven't played yet in the qualifiers. At least Italy is managing to win all the games and draw a really tough opponent with at least 3 important players missing, that they have struggled against in the past. Italy is the best big team in the qualifiers so far.
After the last Croatian matches, i think we are coming back in the main dark horses range for 2016 and 2018. better goal than the previous subasic world class players; modric, rakitic mandzukic, perisic also upgrading international experience; srna, olic and young talents target by several good european clubs: brozovic, kramaric, halilovic, kovacic, rebic, jedvaj kovac also got more time with his squad, there is a real cohesion and identity in the style; excellent both technically and tactically. everybody in france said after this week end that croatia got a very very very beautiful team. 2016 also in france, good memories for us. i don't think we'll win, though deep in me i hope for a title and think we can beat anyone i don't believe in the fate, i'm sure even if we arrive with the better team we'll end losing like portugal or czech against greece in 2004 or like ourselves in 2008 against turkey when we should have reached semi final and maybe more but i reckon we can reach 1/4 or 1/2.
buffon made a mistake, but croatia was the best team on the pich by far for everybody that has seen the game possesion: 38 62 shots; 9 15 shots on target; 2 5 corners 0 5 totally outclassed technically, sometimes our players kept the ball away from yours for few minutes few times in a raw. and it was in Italia! but i agree with you about Italia being a serious contender for the title no matter how you play today, history showed us, we can never underestimate italia in an international competition.
The tables would suggest that England is the best "big" team in qualifiers so far. Maximum points, and a goal difference of 10. I personally think the usual suspects will be there come the final stages ... e.g. Spain, Germany, Italy, France, England (bound for some success). Be interesting to see which 'dark horses' make Euro, and daresay we may have at least one outsider do well (tends to happen more in the Euros than a World Cup). Is Czech Republic having a bit of a renaissance to former glories? Top of their table (albeit only really one 'good' nation in their group, The Netherlands who are third).
Well I don't consider England as one of the big teams, but if you include them, yes England is the best and Italy is second.
Portugal might knock out Netherlands. Portugal is Netherlands weak point just like Italy is Germany's
the answer is any team other than Portugal Ronaldo clearly doesn't exist, and Portugal clearly didn't make the final four of the last 3 or 4 euros according to this thread.
Belgium would have destroyed Italy in the world cup. Same to France and Germany as well. The Azzuri need to raise up to compete with the best in Europe, that's how it is.
I think if we continue with this form and automatically qualify, then I see no reason why we shouldn't be considered a dark horse in the final tournament.
Belgium would not have destroyed Italy. Italy were robbed by Mexican Referee against Uruguay. But your right Italy were not at there best. If they met, they would tie 1-1 at the most. Belgium is a seriously overrated team and had the weakest group, and beat every team by 1 goal. Also only beat the USA by 1 goal IN OVERTIME. You really call that a strong team? If you switched Italy and Belgium in the group stages, like Italy had group H, and Belgium was in the group of death, Both Costa Rica and Uruguay would have beaten them. Italy would have topped group H. Also Italy is way better now under Coach Conte. Just watch the way they played, especially against Croatia and Norway. The problems we had at the world cup was that Prandelli wasn't really training our players, he was just fiddling around with different line ups without testing things, and thinking he knew better than history that worked well for a number of years. Prandelli didn't call up their best players either. To be honest in one way, its good that we had an early exit in the world cup, because if we did go far, we would still have this nasty Coach Prandelli.
Again France would not have destroyed Italy, they would have tied or possibly beat them by one goal, but as I said Coach Prandelli ruined the whole team. Conte's Italy would have gone to at least the semifinal. I think if we faced Netherlands we could have beaten them as well. Netherlands did have a great performance against Spain and Brazil but thats it. Spain had a lot of missing players, and Brazil was missing Neymar. Netherlands struggled against Australia winning 3-2, and had to cheat against Mexico, and were held to penalties with Costa Rica. Also if the weather wasn't that hot in Brazil, we would have beaten Costa Rica. Germany could have beaten Italy, but history doesn't agree with that. But your right Germany was still the better team at the world cup.
Tired of writing this over and over again: true Italy is not at their best now, but the other teams are in worse shape. At least Italy is managing to win their games and tie rather than lose with an arguably better side in their group.
We will get out of group stage and then face England and Holland in the knockouts and we are there Just need to avoid Greece, France and Germany.