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Would it not have been because of the history between Russia and Poland? As far as I know, most Poles speak some Russian also and I know for a fact that many Poles HATE the Russians. So I presume there's a big rivalry there. Just my take on it. They'd have to be right bone-heads to cheer because it's a handy enough group.
The Czechs are hardly the greatest fans of the Russians either!Quote:
Originally Posted by Yard of Pace
Well that was my take on it. As groups at Euros go, they really couldn't have got an easier group.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yard of Pace
The Russians have enemies all amongst the Eastern block countries. Don't think their is any more animosity between them and the Poles as there is between them and the Ukrainians. In fact, all of Western Ukraine are fiercely anti Russia, and was really the subject of the Orange Revolution a few years back.
Croatian view from Dario Srna
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/news/ne...m+with+croatia
Reading between the lines Id say Srna fancies them to beat us.
I'd be surprised if he didn't. I'd expect Richard Dunne fancies us to beat them too.
I think all other 15 teams would fancy themselves to beat us. We will be written off as also rans by the rest of Europe before this competition even kicks off and thats something we will relish. I'm loving the fact that we are the lowest ranked team in the tournament, the underdogs tag will suit us down to the ground.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
We're ranked ahead of the Czechs.
And both the hosts.
Would be embarrassing if we got beat by a team ranked lower than us in the finals wouldn't it?
Not in terms of the UEFA co-efficient rankings that were used for the draw and the playoffs. We were ranked ahead of the Czechs in the Uefa coefficient until we drew with Estonia and they beat Montenegro. Fifa rankings were of no relevance to the draw.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
So going into this draw we were the lowest ranked team in the tournament.
Lower than Poland?
Well for the draw they were seeded. We were the lowest seeded team of the bottom seeds.
The hosts always suffer in terms of rankings and co-efficients due to the fact that they have not played a meaningful game in over 2 years. That said going by the Nov 2009 Fifa rankings (Immediately after the conclusion the WC qualifiers), we were 36th and they were 56th, which is probably the most representative comparison you find between the two countries. Despite this, I still think the bookies would have Poland as favourites if we were to play them in the competition in Poland. I think we would beat them but I'm just talking about the perception from the neutrals of Europe, that I doubt we would enter any game at the tournament with the favourites tag, and that's when we have always performed to our best.
How much will Brazil suffer in them before the World Cup?Quote:
Originally Posted by French Toasht
I would rather be favourites, as it means people recognise the quality you have. We didn't seem to handle it too badly against Estonia.
Good news:
Italy 0-1 USA
Croatia 1-3 Sweden
Mario Balotelli inexplicably left out of Italian squad
Bad News:
Spain 5-0 Venezuala
Fernando Torres left out of Spanish squad
Interesting what lineups our opponents used and played against last night.
http://i.imgur.com/IOf0V.gif
Italy and Croatia both lost to a formation similiar to ours if Robbie is indeed playing a little deeper.
All 3 played different formations.
Oh and I'm putting money on Soldado and Spain double if D Villa isn't fit. He scored a hat trick in 38 minutes with a missed penalty in between.
The evidence seems to be that having two strikers means you're certain to lose. And yet we drew! Further proof of Trap's genius.
Watched the Sweden v Croatia match the last night.
Really impressed with Sweden and would be worried about our chances of getting 2nd for the WC qualifiers. Zlatan, as much as I hate to admit it, was brilliant. Played in a new withdrawn role, similar to Robbie Keane, which suits him because his ability to pick a pass is excellent and in Elmander you have a player who will work his socks off all night.
John Guidetti made his debut. Really like the look of this guy. He's on loan from City to Feyenoord and banging in goals. Guidetti is our McLean, they have high hopes here that he'll be called up to the Euros. Anders Svensson (remember him) always amazes me at how well he plays for the national team, despite being 35 and having played for the last 7 seasons in the domestic league with Elfsborg ( a standard not much higher than the SPL).
I know you cant read into friendlies that much but I do think if any outsider will emerge and do Denmark of 92 or a Greece of 2004, then Sweden is a good bet to stick a few quid on. Maybe I'm buying into the hype though. Any thoughts IFK?
Croatia were ok in the first half, solid enough. Second half they were very poor. Get the impression that they weren't very fussed about this match and not much you can take from it really
I see the squad is to spend a week at Montecatini, in Tuscany.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ce-190160.html
We spent the first week of our honeymoon there 11 years ago. It sounded really nice in the brochure, an old spa town with natural heated springs etc. It turned out to be full of really old people on their last legs looking to be cured of rheumatism!
We went into town for dinner at 8pm one night and it was like a ghost town. We complained to the holiday rep but she said tough luck. The next night we were driving back from rural Tuscany, hit Montecatini at midnight and the place was hopping. I guess we didn't cater for the continental way of enjoying the evenings.
Regardless, we thought it was a bit too boring for us and decided to go down to Amalfi for Part 2 a couple of days early. We checked out of our hotel, the manager of which took offence thinking it must be because we thought his hotel was cr@p. Anyway, on way to the airport my new bride got a migraine so we had to go back to the hotel and ask if we could have our room back. That's what I know of Montecatini!