Euro 2016

[Gorka]

Joe Ledley dancing numerous times to "Zombie Nation" was the real highlight of the qualifying campaign.

[Gorka]

Lyrics are a bit wank but fuck it, we've got a tournament anthem!

[TCO]

Oxford and noted League 2 player Callum O'Dowda made the preliminary 35 man squad for us. He is also English but his grandfather was a talented Irish tenor. 

I am not confident about this tournament

[Adam]

Why not? I doubt O'Dowda is going to be your starting forward in the tournament. He's easily the lowest profile player in that 35 man list, and it looks a solid squad to me.

[TCO]

2 hours ago, Adam said:

Why not? I doubt O'Dowda is going to be your starting forward in the tournament. He's easily the lowest profile player in that 35 man list, and it looks a solid squad to me.

Fear from Euro 2012, tough group, we play shite football and the squad is uninspiring. Could be 3 losses and home again if the hoof it to Long tactics don't work.

It's also frustrating to not see Jack Byrne there. He's been doing well in the Eredivisie this season and has shown creative quality for the U21s, yet he calls up O'Dowda who plays in League 2.

[GA!]

6 hours ago, Gorka said:

Lyrics are a bit wank but fuck it, we've got a tournament anthem!

So... I might support the Welsh instead. 

[Lineker]

Dejan Lovren has been left out of Croatia's provisional 27-man squad for Euro 2016 after falling out with coach Ante Cacic.

[Baddar]

No Mata in the Spain squad, either. 

[Jimmy]

Or Diego Costa.

[MDK]

4 hours ago, Jimmy said:

Or Diego Costa.

Good 

[Baddar]

Seeing the Germany squad and them only having one recognised striker is insane. I know they've got midfield players to play there too, but still. 

[Matt]

I'd say Gomez, Podolski and to a lesser extent Muller are all strikers. Schurle, Gotze and Reus aren't a million miles away either. There aren't exactly many out and out strikers in world football these days, you tend to have 3 or 4 forward players that rotate their role throughout the game

[EddieG]

Didn't they only have 1 "striker" 2 years ago for the World Cup too?

[Adam]

I'm not sure, but Spain definitely played a 4-6-0 formation at the tournament, at times with Fabregas playing as the furthest man forward.

Strikers are going out of fashion at the top level. False 9's and all that with the rise of the 'Spanish way' have made them less vital compared to a fluid front unit of 4/5 players.

[Jimmy]

And we'll win the Euros this year by playing four four fucking two with Vardy & Kane bangin' 'em in for fun!!

[Just Joe]

I personally think England are more suited to The Christmas Pudding Formation. 

[Rich]

Now now, this has nothing to do with Wayne Rooney's girth

[Lineker]

Italy have left out Balotelli and Pirlo.

Preliminary Italy squad for Euro 2016:
Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Davide Zappacosta (Torino).

Midfielders Marco Benassi (Torino), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorginho (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus), Antonio Candreva (Lazio).

Forwards Eder (Inter), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pellè (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma).

[MDK]

On 5/18/2016 at 13:50, Just Joe said:

I personally think England are more suited to The Christmas Pudding Formation. 

What sort of system am I going to play then? Three across the middle and one in bloody Pentonville?

[brenchill]

Buffon just keeps going and going, he seems to have been around forever.