biased sure...but i don't think you can write off england a striking partnership of Owen and Rooney? yes, please...
Yeah... I just do not seem to believe Portugal isn't on that poor poll.. Are the moderators asleep? Hey we are the hosts??? We were semifinalists on the last Euro..
The Hosts of the Euro should always be on the list for likely winners, unless it's someone like Belgium or Austria. Portugal have the talent but I'm not sure they have the discipline although Scolari is the best man to correct that. However they have another problem in that there is too big a generation gap between Figo/Rui Costa/Couto and the younger generation of Ronaldo/Queresma/Postiga.
Favorite: France, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy Darkhorse: Germany: Never bet against them, especailly they had good young players coming up. England:???? Spain: Would have been in the favorite catagory, but they are the biggest choker in any tournament.
euro 2004 Am I missing something? Why on earth should Spain win? They failed to win their (weak) group & have an abysmal record in major tournaments. No chance. If Gerrard, Campbell & Owen are fit, England will win.
Re: euro 2004 What logic are you using? First you say Spain has no chance because they have a abysmal record in major tournaments. Then,you say if England players are fit,they will win.What is England record's in major tournaments? It is not much better than Spain's one.England won 1966 WC.Spain won Euro 1964.After that,both have disspointed in major tournaments. My favorites are: -France,Italy -Spain,Holland,Portugal
France has got to be the favorite -- if Zidane is healthly. Without Z and Pires they were lost in WC. Don't discount England either. One loss under Sven when it matters and that was to Brazil. The way they played against Germany, Argentina, and Turkey, I wouldn't put anything past them. Darkhorse? Why not Denmark? They could have easily been in the first or second pot.
When did England play Germany? I think it was September 2001, right? In summer 2004 it will be almost 3 years ago. Things might have changed. And beside that we are a "Turniermannschaft"
You'll be OK as long as you get an incredibly easy route to the final I would love play Germany in Euro 2004, I think we'd beat you comfortably. Again.
Yeah, I´d like that game too! It would probably stop you guys from talking about this one (not even important) victory since 1966.
Just to clarify. I am not English. Mobile has a valid point. Who has Germany beaten since 2001? The route to the WC final and to EC was about as comfortable as can be imagined for Germany. Of the teams in Pot 2, they are definitely the weak link that everyone would want to draw. Anyway, Germany was kind of beside the point. Everyone, especially Englishmen, are discounting them, and since Sven has come on I've seen them dominate quality teams. It is one thing to dominate a team like Saudi Arabia, it is quite another to do it to Argentina or Denmark
I'm thinking Czech Rep have a great chance. They will top group D and play either Sweden or Denmark in the next round, either of which they'll defeat. At the semi's things are going to be interesting: Portugal or England France Italy and Czech Rep Sadly, England and/or Portugal will choke at this point, France will most likely be on fire, Italy will be as resillient as euro 2000 and if I'm seeing this right, lol Czech Rep will have crushed all before them to this point. One of those 5teams will take it...It would be great to see Portugal, Spain and England all play to their full potential and not choke! OR for Holland to once go to a tournament and not self-destruct... I'm going to place money on Czech Rep, great odds right now.
So every 20 years, Spain does well. 1964 Champion..... 1984 second..... so it is now 2004!!!! Some other signs: -- Spain usually does well in qualifying, but choked in the Finals. They were okay, except a bad game against Greece, BUt they still does not win their good. -- Raul out of form.... usually the winning team has a major player out of form the season before the Finals. Okay. I am just joking. Spain has a good team, but might not be good enough to do it.
The Czech Rep are the best team in Europe right now. If they keep that form thru to 2004 they can't be looked past.
The difference between Czech and for example Germany is that the Germans could replace 5 of their players because of injury or something and they are still the same team of about the same strenght, which isn't very high but on a solid international level. While the Czechs replacing 5 of their players, become second rated inspite of world class which they are when playing with best possible team. Now, if I see that two of their players at the moment have a crisis, I mean Koller and Risicky from Borussia Dortmund, which loses one game after another and that Nedved plays for Juve and is prone to injuries in such a club with so many matches/year and that these guys are the heart of Czech's team, then it doesn't seem to be clear for me that Czech will advance and Germany won't. I mean, the best possible czechian squad will beat the best german squad but when does a NT has all the best players at disposition? Remember France in WC02 and what happened to them without Zidane! Or Portugal and Figo's problems. Such teams which rely on a few great players have more problems than evidentally weaker teams. And here is the advantage of Germany: They do not have a great team nor great players but they aren't weak neither in any position! It is often not that team with the best players which wins but that with the less bad ones. And here is IMO Germany's secret for succeses: They do not have really bad players (neither very good, though).
Group A 1) Spain 2) Portugal Group B 1) France 2) England Group C 1) Sweden 2) Italy Group D 1) Czech Republic 2) Holland Quarters: Spain - England --------> England France - Portugal ------> France Sweden - Holland ------> Holland Italy - Czech Republic --> Italy Semis: England - Holland -------> England France - Italy -----------> Italy Final: England - Italy ----------> Italy
portugal will get first in group A..play england..will beat them..we play holland in the semis..and italy in the final..then we lose..we cant bneat the italians..ijsut got a feeling..there defence ill stop what i think, is the most powerful attack..with france and holland a close second
prediction for me Semis: England - Holland -------> Holland France - Italy -----------> Italy Final: holland - Italy ----------> Holland
I must say that you are entirely right. With the exhaustion and injuries from fixture congestion squad depth is more important than ever. The ability to be able to replace players is critical. Although saying that, right now if Germany don't have Ballack then they are a pale shadow of a team. That's a much bigger loss for them than Nedved for Czech Republic - even though Nedved is a much better player.