Euro 2016 Opponent Watch (Group E - Sweden, Belgium & Italy)

[DeLorean]

A bit more on the Sweden squad here- (http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/jonas-olsson-a-big-casualty-as-sweden-name-euro-2016-squad-399063.html)

(Would this (http://foot.ie/threads/208027-Euro-2016-Opponent-Watch-(Group-E-Sweden-Belgium-amp-Italy)/page3) be a better thread for these posts? Just a suggestion.)

[tetsujin1979]

(posts moved)

Sweden's Kujovic aims to step out of Zlatan's shadow at Euro 2016: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-euro-sweden-kujovic-idUKKCN0Y3105

[Closed Account]

Italian squad will be name in 2 steps:
Training camp 18 - 21 May 2016
Monday, 16th May 2016
Announcement of the called-up players in the evening
(This first phase will not see the participation of players involved in domestic cup finals (players from AC Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester United and Anderlecht)

Pre-European Championship training camp and ITALY vs. SCOTLAND friendly
Monday, 23rd May 2016
Announcement of the called-up players in the evening

[Closed Account]

(to be clear, all the players that will play in coppa italia final or other finals around the globe, are not in the list, it's a provisional list used also to evaluate possible surprises for the 23 going to the euros)
KEEPERS: Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Antonio Mirante (Bologna), Marco Sportiello (Atalanta).
DEFENDERS: Francesco Acerbi (Sassuolo), Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Armando Izzo (Genoa), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham), Lorenzo Tonelli (Empoli)
MIDFIELDERS: Marco Benassi (Torino), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Sampdoria), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Napoli), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Roberto Soriano (Sampdoria), Davide Zappacosta (Torino).
FORWARDS: Fabio Borini (Sunderland), Citadin Martins Eder (Inter), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Leonardo Pavoletti (Genoa), Graziano Pellè (Southampton).

[Duggie]

(to be clear, all the players that will play in coppa italia final or other finals around the globe, are not in the list, it's a provisional list used also to evaluate possible surprises for the 23 going to the euros)
KEEPERS: Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Antonio Mirante (Bologna), Marco Sportiello (Atalanta).
DEFENDERS: Francesco Acerbi (Sassuolo), Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Armando Izzo (Genoa), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham), Lorenzo Tonelli (Empoli)
MIDFIELDERS: Marco Benassi (Torino), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Danilo Cataldi (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Sampdoria), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Napoli), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Roberto Soriano (Sampdoria), Davide Zappacosta (Torino).
FORWARDS: Fabio Borini (Sunderland), Citadin Martins Eder (Inter), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Leonardo Pavoletti (Genoa), Graziano Pellè (Southampton).

i defo think we should be looking to get something out of the italy game. decent side but nothing brilliant. el shaarawy has been in good form the last few months upfront, Candreva at Lazio aswell. Insigne from napoli, all nice tidy players but i'd be looking for at least a point in this game. Nothing upfront that should have us shaking.

[Duggie]

look at all the different clubs spread over euope in the swedish squad. would love to see a bit more of that in our own other than the usual england.

[tetsujin1979]

Belgium came from behind to beat Switzerland 2-1.
There was some comical defending for the Swiss opener: https://streamable.com/aubl
Lukaku with the equaliser: https://streamable.com/juho
de Bruyne with the winner after the Swiss had a man sent off: https://streamable.com/quua

[SkStu]

Seven minute highlights here. They are vulnerable at the back but lethal on the break.

http://sportyhighlights.com/switzerland-vs-belgium-highlights/

[tetsujin1979]

Italy playing Scotland tonight in a friendly in Malta. Strachan looking to play a lot of inexperienced players, so it might not be the best game to judge the Italians

[Stuttgart88]

Carrasco looked scarily good off the bench for Atletico last night. I didn't know he was Belgian. Dammit.

[DeLorean]

He was actually discussed briefly on the previous page on this thread. Geysir not phased. :)

[Stuttgart88]

He's got ice in his veins has Geysir.

[tetsujin1979]

Carrasco has four caps, the manager seems to prefer Lukaku, Benteke or Origi up front in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 formation

[legendz]

I suppose Italy see Scotland as a good test ahead of playing us in France.

[DeLorean]

Carrasco has four caps, the manager seems to prefer Lukaku, Benteke or Origi up front in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 formation

He's a winger though, right? His stock is surely higher now than it would have been at the end of qualifying. Can't imagine he'd be too far off the likes of Mertens and Mirallas in the pecking order.

Edit- I see Mirallas didn't even make the squad. I suppose Carrasco still has the likes of Hazard and De Bruyne to compete with.

[DannyInvincible]

Sweden and Slovenia have just kicked off. 0-0 at the minute with a stream here if anyone's interested: http://crichd.co/update/ch1.php

[SkStu]

Finished 0-0

[tetsujin1979]

Lombaerts and Boyata out of the Belgium squad: http://www.the42.ie/belgium-euro-2016-injuries-2796750-May2016/

[Charlie Darwin]

We have them on the racks, lads.

[DannyInvincible]

Finished 0-0

Was a pretty uneventful game. Ibrahimovic didn't play.

[ifk101]

Sweden are poor. Take away Zlatan (34 years old btw) and there is little there. The back four doesn't inspire confidence and Isaksson in goals always gives a nervy impression, has a eager tendency to punch and parry catchable balls.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Lombaerts and Boyata out of the Belgium squad: http://www.the42.ie/belgium-euro-2016-injuries-2796750-May2016/

Vermaelen has barely played all season.

[geysir]

It was reported that Zlatan didn't play against Slovenia because of concerns over his sore calf.
He was still the star of the night, every time his mug came on the stadium screen ( every 10 minutes or so) the Malmo crowd broke into loud cheers.

[tetsujin1979]

Belgium playing Finland tonight

[tetsujin1979]

finished 1-1 - Lukaku came off the bench to score a late equaliser for Belgium

[Deckydee]

Belgium playing tonight.

Good article and videos here: http://www.espnfc.co.uk/belgium/story/2886128/jan-vertonghen-and-toby-alderweireld-to-play-in-centre-for-belgium--marc-wilmots

[TrapAPony]

Sweden v Wales on at 3pm on Setanta 1

[SkStu]

Nice goal.

[Stuttgart88]

3 now. We're doomed.

[tetsujin1979]

Wales looked extremely soft through the middle for the first and last goal, the kind of goal Glenn Whelan would prevent.

[MeathDrog]

Wales looked extremely soft through the middle for the first and last goal, the kind of goal Glenn Whelan would prevent.
Yeah just like he did last time we played Sweden..

[Charlie Darwin]

Sweden beat what is a pretty poor Wales team. I don't know how close that was to their full team, but I didn't see anything to say we don't have a chance.

[SkStu]

Having only watched the first half, I agree that our task doesn't seem any harder than it was a couple hours ago. Against Sweden - or Wales.

[MeathDrog]

Encouraging that Belgium conceded two at home against a team that are on the beach..

[DannyInvincible]

Can we really read much into these results though? If we can, then maybe we shouldn't even bother making the trip on account of our home loss to lowly Belarus. :p

[ifk101]

The Welsh performance today was akin to the fulfilling of media obligations with one word answers.

[tetsujin1979]

Italy beat Finland 2-0 with a penalty from Candreva, and a goal from de Rossi: http://www.espnfc.us/report?gameId=443445

[tetsujin1979]

Guardian profiles Jason Denayer, and some smaller penpics of other players in the Belgium squad: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/08/jason-denayer-belgium-euro-2016-manchester-city

[Deckydee]

Good Write up from the Belgian press. Says a LOT of great things about Ireland, especially the fans: http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/9090/Voetbal/article/detail/2720611/2016/06/09/Ierland-de-allerbeste-fans-veteraan--doelman-en-killer-op-zijn-retour-met-topfitte-Californian-WAG.dhtml

I would translate but I'm going home now :rolleyes: :cool: ;)

<MOD EDIT>
Few photos of player's partners that are slightly NSFW in that link - use your best judgement

[BonnieShels]

Nice touch there from HLN:


Soldaten zijn we
ons leven Ierland toegewijd;
Velen kwamen
uit 'n land over zee.
Gezworen vrij te zijn,
niet meer 't oude koninkrijk
behoedt tiran of slaaf.
Beman vannacht d'enge kloof
Voor Erins zaak, pijn of striem
door kanonnen of geweren.
We zingen 't soldatenlied

[thischarmingman]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/jun/12/belgium-europe-freeze-euro-2016


Belgium are No1 in Europe but will they freeze once the going gets tough?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Italy have turned things a bit on their head with that win. Belgian forwards, Lukaku and Origi were criminally inept in front of goal tonight.

[seanfhear]

I shouldn't say this until after the Ireland/Belgium game but how come Belgium are not getting more (I am not basing this on just the Italian game) out of these players.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Wilmots trained his first eleven against an Italian style 3-5-2 during the week and the first string lost 0-4!

What a coach!

[Stuttgart88]

I saw Sweden yesterday. They were sh1t.

For all the talk of our poor game management defending a lead, Italy shipped two or three glorious chances, at least one or two being down to disorganised or clumsy defending.

They won 2-0.

That's football.