Official EURO 2008 Thread

[Guest Dr. Potato Head]

Supporting Switzerland, Sweden, and Poland, in that order. Switzerland because I supported them in the last WC, Sweden because their hockey unis are awesome but I obviously can't cheer for them there, and Poland because I have Polish ancestors.

[Dan]

Group A

Portugal & Turkey for me, the Swiss are very poor and the Czechs aren't as strong as a few years ago, especially without Rosicky.

Portugal

Switzerland

Czech Republic

Turkey

Group B

Germany & Croatia are the two sides who should go through here, though greater shocks have happened.

Germany

Croatia

Poland

Austria

Group C

France & Holland for me, Italy to "do a France" and go otu in the first round.

Italy

Netherlands

France

Romania

Group D

Sweden & Greece to put out Russia & Spain, I think. Spain have a very good team but I just have a feeling they won't get very far (They'll probably win it now I've said that.)

Spain

Russia

Sweden

Greece

Knockout Stages:

Portugal vs. Croatia

Portugal really should win this, though extra-time may be required against a battling Croatia side.

Germany vs. Turkey

Germany to dump Turkey out by a few goals here.

Netherlands vs. Sweden

Sweden to beat Netherlands on penalties.

France vs. Greece

It'll all end here for the defending champions, a couple of goals will settle it to France.

Semi-Finals:

Portugal vs. Germany

Germany will win this, late on, maybe even extra-time.

Sweden vs. France

France to knock out the mighty Swedes; Dan stops watching.

Finals:

Germany vs. France

France to scrape it, 2-1.

[The Quasi Juice]

Wow, some Netherlands confidence in this thread, me like.

Portugal

Switzerland

Czech Republic

Turkey

Germany

Croatia

Poland

Austria

Italy

Netherlands

France

Romania

Spain

Russia

Sweden

Greece

Knockout Stages:

Portugal vs. Poland

Germany vs. Turkey

UPSET!~

Netherlands vs. Russia

Yeah, bye bye Hiddink.

Italy vs. Spain

Ouch, have mercy. Once again, bye bye Spain.

Semi-Finals:

Portugal vs. Turkey

Portugal get the lucky draw ofcourse

Italy vs. Netherlands

Fuck the Italians.

Finals:

Italy vs. Portugal

Booooo.

[IAceI]

If Croatia get Portugal, I kinda fancy Croatia's chances to stop them.

Portugal vs. Spain final would be depressing. But I'm pretty much going to have to resign to defeat that there is pretty much no remote chance of a Greece this year and it'll probably be a straight forward event with the big teams playing the other big teams and a France, Italy, Spain or Portugal in the final or whatever. And if that's the case I could only bring myself to cheer France.

Maybe Spain for Fabregas but not a lot else.

[erperro]

I won't bother with Spain because every tournament they can do it and every tournament they fuck up. So unless they actually prove something to me, I don't see them getting anything.

That's fucking right. This year will be the same thing, we'll lose in quarterfinals

[Dan]

If Croatia get Portugal, I kinda fancy Croatia's chances to stop them.

Portugal vs. Spain final would be depressing. But I'm pretty much going to have to resign to defeat that there is pretty much no remote chance of a Greece this year and it'll probably be a straight forward event with the big teams playing the other big teams and a France, Italy, Spain or Portugal in the final or whatever. And if that's the case I could only bring myself to cheer France.

Maybe Spain for Fabregas but not a lot else.

Sweden are our only hope.

[Pesci]

I'll be supporting Germany and Poland as a novelty team but they'll probably end up getting trounced. I'd like to see Russia, Croatia and Czech Republic do well too. Eastern Europe FTW.

Group A

Portugal

Czech Republic

Group B

Germany

Croatia

Group C

Italy

Netherlands

Group D

Spain

Russia (who the fuck are Sweden?)

Knockout Stages:

Portugal vs. Croatia - on penalties

Germany vs. Czech Republic - another close match with Germany edging it

Italy vs. Russia - everything Russia are good at, Italy are better

Netherlands vs. Spain - Spain are wank and always will be

Semi-Finals:

Portugal vs. Germany - Portugal will be ineffectual

Italy vs. Netherlands - Italy are something else defensively and if Holland win it will be on penalties, but I fancy the Italians sneaking a goal before then

Final:

Italy vs. Germany - had Germany came up against France, Holland or possibly even Spain I could see them going out but avoiding all of the bigger sides is the only reason they're here. Italy to win quite comfortably I'd imagine, the rest of their matches (excluding Romania) might actually be tougher

Why do people say "Finals" by the way? It's one match.

[alldaws1]

Portugal & Turkey for me, the Swiss are very poor and the Czechs aren't as strong as a few years ago, especially without Rosicky.

I think the Swiss could sneak through into the quarter-finals, they have the advantage of being at home and in the World Cup they were eliminated in the knockout stages despite not conceding a goal in regular or extra time.

My predictions:

Group A: Portugal & Switzerland

Group B: Germany & Croatia

Group C: Italy & France

Group D: Spain & Sweden

Quarter-Finals

Portugal def. Croatia

Germany def. Switzerland

Italy def. Sweden

France def. Spain

Semi-Finals

Germany def. Portugal

France def. Italy

Final

France def. Germany

I see quite a tough run for France if they finish runners-up of their group but I think they go all the way, even though a couple of games may have to go to extra time or beyond.

Why do people say "Finals" by the way? It's one match.

When people say 'finals' they're referring to the whole tournament. As in there was the qualifying stage and now the finals.

Edited May 15, 2008 by DW Snuk

[IAceI]

It caused for great confusion when Saudi Arabia (I believe it was them) had apparently reached the most World Cup Finals. Or something to that effect, like most appearances in the finals or most consecutive or whatever it was.

I was confused for ages

CRASH

BANG

SCHWEINSTEIGER

[britneyspearsisgod]

I think it's redundant to try and plan the entire tournament out like many are you doing so, but I think not a lot of respect is going to Poland. I see them as a dark horse. A REAL dark horse. Croatia will have a bit of expectation to try and actually do the job. You can see them going either way. Poland, I feel, will cause some upset if they play their game right.

[Pesci]

Why do people say "Finals" by the way? It's one match.

When people say 'finals' they're referring to the whole tournament. As in there was the qualifying stage and now the finals.

Yeah, that's the way I use the term. And most people. But people in this thread said "Finals" instead of "Final" for the last match, and I've seen it before relating to final matches. (Y)

[LexChaney]

Does anyone know when Euro 2008 will start. I haven't a clue and I don't want it to start when I'm holiday as that means I will just watch the games all the time.

[therockbox]

Opening game (Switzerland vs. Czech Republic) is on June 7th, the final will be on June 29th.

[alldaws1]

Why do people say "Finals" by the way? It's one match.

When people say 'finals' they're referring to the whole tournament. As in there was the qualifying stage and now the finals.

Yeah, that's the way I use the term. And most people. But people in this thread said "Finals" instead of "Final" for the last match, and I've seen it before relating to final matches. (Y)

Well then those people are idiots

[Scott McFly]

Why do people say "Finals" by the way? It's one match.

When people say 'finals' they're referring to the whole tournament. As in there was the qualifying stage and now the finals.

Yeah, that's the way I use the term. And most people. But people in this thread said "Finals" instead of "Final" for the last match, and I've seen it before relating to final matches. (Y)

Totally unrelated the football, but when the King Of The Ring was on Raw a few weeks back, they referred to the Regal vs Punk final as the King Of The Ring Finals. They even had a fancy graphic up on screen to say as such if you can get a hold of the show to check it out. Sounds like it's just an American thing, but it really should just be singular.

[Lineker]

Raul has been left out of the Spain squad despite his recent good form.

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Andres Palop (Sevilla).

Defenders: Raul Albiol (Valencia), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Juanito Gutierrez (Real Betis), Fernando Navarro (Mallorca), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Alvaro Arbeloa (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), David Silva (Valencia), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Ruben De La Red (Getafe), Marcos Senna (Villarreal), Santi Cazorla (Villarreal).

Forwards: Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia), Daniel Guiza (Mallorca), Sergio Garcia (Zaragoza).

Quite a few uncapped players in there.

[The Quasi Juice]

Goal: Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Paris Saint-Germain), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

Defence:: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyon), Francois Clerc (Olympique Lyon), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (AS Roma), Willy Sagnol (Bayern München), Sebastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyon), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona)

Midfield: Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), Samir Nasri (Olympique Marseille)

Attack: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Olympique Lyon), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon), Djibril Cisse (Olympique Lyon), Bafetimbi Gomis (Saint-Etienne), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Bayern München), Florent Malouda (Chelsea).

Trezeguet left out.

[IAceI]

Gomis will probably be better to have than him anyways at the minute.

7 will be cut, who do you all think is going to go?

[The Quasi Juice]

Goal: Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Paris Saint-Germain), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina),

Defence:: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Francois Clerc (Olympique Lyon), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (AS Roma), Sebastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyon),

Midfield: Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), Samir Nasri (Olympique Marseille)

Attack: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Olympique Lyon), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Bayern München), Florent Malouda (Chelsea).

Trezeguet left out.

Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyon), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Djibril Cisse (Olympique Lyon), Bafetimbi Gomis (Saint-Etienne), now I don't really know, I'd take a goalkeeper out but they usually bring three keepers, so these are wild guesses; Lilian Thuram (Barcelona)('cause he's old and washed up), Willy Sagnol (Bayern München).

[IAceI]

Personally I'd rather see Gomis go than Malouda.