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Well, as the big kick off is less than a week away now, I thought I'd start the Euro 2004 thread.
Note: This thread is for the discussion of Euro 2004, the teams, the players, England’s chances, and everything else that goes with it. This is not the place to post about how you dislike sports, or football in general, or anything else. Stay on topic, and if you are not sure of the topic, look at the top of the page, if you have no interest, don’t post. Thanks.
This is England’s probable first choice squad:
- James
- Neville
- Campbell
- Terry
- A. Cole
- Beckham
- Lampard
- Gerard
- Scholes
- Owen
- Rooney
Assuming injuries and tiredness don't come into it yet (we need to get to the later stages for that to have a major effect), only really Nicky Butt should get a look in, coming on as a defensive midfielder, in place of Frank Lampard, to play against teams that require a defensive holding player, so that teams like France, who can rip you apart on the counter, don't find our entire midfield in their box when they get the ball.
So, what do we think of our chance then? Personally, if I had to put my house and car on it, I put them on Latvia, as I don't own my own house or car, and it'd be a laugh.
Seriously though, England are in that group of teams that can realistically win the tournament, and really, I suppose that's all you can hope for. If you're in with a shout, then you need a bit of luck and your big players to perform, and a bit more luck, and then, who knows?
France, Italy, England, Spain, Holland, Portugal, Germany. Those are the 7 teams that I think can win Euro 2004.
The French on the grounds that they are arguably the best team in the world, have arguably the best striker in the world in Thiery Henry, and arguably the best midfielder in the world in Zindane. Still, their defence is not as water-tight as you'd expect, and Desaille is now 84 years old, and not the player he once was. Bartez doesn't exactly instil confidence either.
I think the French will concede goals, but I know the French will score as well.
Assuming they don't perform as they did during the 2002 World Cup, where they didn't win a match, didn't score a goal, lost to the world footballing giants of Senegal, and went home in disgrace, it will take a great performance from a great team to send them home.
The team to beat.
Then I think comes Italy, Spain, Holland, and England; not in that order, although I would put Italy as 2nd favourites.
All have a chance to win it, and can all beat the French on their day. Italy will be as professional and boring as ever, and try to defend 1-0 scorelines, all the way to the final.
Spain and Holland; well, they have great players going into this tournament, such as Raul for Spain and Van Nisteelroy and Klivert for Holland, but then, they always have great players going into major tournaments, and always underperform. Dangerous, but you have the feeling they will go out in the Quarters or Semis.
Now England: Well, obviously the heart says we can win, but the head does as well. We are in the group of teams that can win it, and our performance at the last World Cup, where we took on Argentina, who were at the time, along with the French the best team in the world, and eventually went out to the winners, is promising.
Unlike then, Beckham is fully fit, Gerard not injured, Rooney has emerge to remove the need for Heskey up front, and the whole team, quite a young one, has grown up a few years.
So, if we can go to the World Cup, beat Argentina and lose to the eventual winners, we can go to Euro 2004, in better shape, with a better squad and no injuries, and do very well.
Finally, Portugal and Germany.
Portugal as the hosts, which gives them a great chance of doing well, with the added support, and the Germans. Never write off the Germans. I did at the last World Cup, and they still got to the final. This team isn't even a shadow of former German teams, and it probably as bad as the team England destroyed 5-1 in their own backyard, but if they beat Holland in their first game, I'd expect them to do well. Again.
Finally, the groups.
Group A
Portugal.
Spain.
Greece.
Russia
Got to be Spain and Portugal to go through from this group. Russia are no mugs, but unless Spain start the underachieving very early, or Portugal bottle it on home turf, I can't see any other outcome.
Group B
France.
England.
Croatia.
Switzerland
France and England to go through, Croatia may cause the big teams problems on their day, but those we should go through with the French. The only worry is that Henry and his friends, pumped up for the first game after their 2002 failure, stuff us 4-0, and we need to pick ourselves up off the ground in time for the next game.
Of course, a draw or a win against the French will have the opposite effect, and we'll be full of confidence. That 6-1 win against Iceland helps of course, but something tells me the French are a tad stronger overall than Iceland.
Group C
Italy.
Bulgaria.
Sweden.
Denmark.
Bit of a boring group, for me. Italy, should win it, and then any one of the three Scandinavian sides can go through, with a good result. Take your pick really... I'll go for Italy to win the group and Sweden to nick 2nd place, in a very boring group.
Group D
Germany.
Holland.
Czech Republic.
Latvia.
Good group. Latvia are here for the experience, and baring a miracle, will not go through, but apart from them, it’s very interesting. Holland have the class players, Germany always seem to do well, and the Czechs are the strongest of the teams who can't win it, but can put a few bigger teams out and reach the knock-out stages.
Germany and Holland to go through I reckon, but this is the tightest group to call. I half fancy the Czechs to go though, but in who's place? Depends if Holland’s habit for underachieving or Germany's lack of genuine talent on the pitch, shows first as well. Be a bit easier to call after the first game, Holland Vs Germany.
Anyway, after all that, if it all goes as it should (which it won't, as this is football), you end up with the 7 teams who can win it, plus which ever Scandinavian team goes through with Italy from Group C.
From an English point of view, we want as many of those 7 to fall at the group stages as pos. If all 7 get through, its quality teams all the way through the knock-out stages. So, we want the Czechs to put out Holland or Germany, or maybe even the Italians to have a nightmare, and finish third on goal difference, or Russia to pip Spain or Portugal to the 2nd spot.
No chance of the French not going through and us going through though, so they will be there.
Just a final word about Latvia, as they are the hero's of this tournament. See, before the England - Turkey game, that would decide who went to Euro 2004 and who had to qualify, the Turkish manager was running his mouth off about how the old teams had had their day, and it was time for the new teams like Turkey to take their place.
So, after we got the place and they had to qualify, it made him eat his words... but not as much as when they lost that qualifier to tiny Latvia, so they won't be at Euro 2004 at all.
So, just for putting the Turkish manager in his place and making his ill-chosen boast seem very hollow, I hope Latvia can get a win from somewhere. They deserve it.
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