Group C Euro 2012 General Discussion

[tetsujin1979]

Spanish squad named: http://www.rfef.es/index.jsp?nodo=39&ID=5018

Guardametas:
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF)
José Manuel Reina (Liverpool FC)
David De Gea (Manchester United FC)

Defensas:
Álvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid CF)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid CF)
Raúl Albiol (Real Madrid CF)
Jordi Alba (Valencia CF SAD)
Ignacio Monreal (Málaga CF)
Juanfran Torres (C.Atlético de Madrid SAD)
Álvaro Domínguez (C.Atlético de Madrid SAD).

Centrocampistas:
Xabier Alonso (Real Madrid CF)
Santiago Cazorla (Málaga CF SAD)
Beñat Etxebarria (Real Betis Balompié)
Francisco R. Alarcón ‘Isco’ (Málaga CF)
Javier García (SL Benfica)
Bruno Soriano (Villarreal CF SAD).

Delanteros:
David Jiménez Silva (Manchester City FC)
Jesús Navas (Sevilla CF SAD)
Álvaro Negredo (Sevilla FC SAD)
Roberto Soldado (Valencia CF SAD)
Adrián López (C. Atlético de Madrid SAD)

<EDIT>

sorry, got that wrong
That's the squad for the friendies against Serbia and South Korea

No Barcelona, Bilbao or Chelsea players included, due to the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals

[Charlie Darwin]

Wow, no Bilbao players?

[paul_oshea]

Are there no bilbao players because of the rest required and they will be drafted in later or no bilbao players? That is mad if its the latter.

[jbyrne]

Are there no bilbao players because of the rest required and they will be drafted in later or no bilbao players? That is mad if its the latter.

bilbao play barca on 25th May in the Copa del Rey.
no way they will leave llorente out of their squad for example

[shakermaker1982]

Iker

Albiol Ramos Pique Arbeloa

Busquets Alonso

Iniesta Xaxi Silva

Llorente

would be my best guess for their starting 11. Look at the players they can leave out...Thiago, Fabregas, Muniain, Fabregas, Cazorla.

Will Villa make it? If Torres bangs in a hat trick in the Champions League this weekend then I suppose he could end up getting the nod as the lone striker.

[paul_oshea]

Ya they can leave out fabregas twice and still be class.

[Crosby87]

Looking at that lineup on paper...its going to take a miracle. Yikes.

[French Toasht]

Regarding Barca and their over reliance on Messi up front, this is possibly the most telling stat I've ever seen. Without Messi or Ronaldos goals factored in, Real would still have won the league, Barca would have come 6th and just scraped the last Uefa Cup spot.

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/la_li...goals.html?utm

[Junior]

Looking at that lineup on paper...its going to take a miracle. Yikes.

Tut Tut... you souldnt be printing this stuff out. Think of the environment wil ya!

But yeah - we can do it. Defensively we can put in an almighty shift. We just then have to hope that our outlet (the two wide boys) play with confidence and can retain possession, win free kicks, generally get us out of our own half with a degree of control.

We will need a hell of a lot of lady luck but with the 'system' and concentration we can get something out of this game - BELIEVE

[passinginterest]

I know it's mad to suggest leaving out the team captain and top scorer but I think for the game against Spain there might be a case for some comination of Walters/Doyle/Long. Let's face it there's not going to be any ball coming through the middle and getting played into Robbie's feet. 90% of the ball Ireland play forward will be hoofed into the channels for the front men to hold up and the wingers to come and support them. Walters, Doyle and Long would be much more physically imposing against what is Spain's possible weak spot and they can all run the channels well. Keane would be more inclined to drop into the middle of the pitch looking for ball to feet and possibly inviting more pressure as his strike partner will be left to run the channels and attempt to hold the ball up and phsically battle the Spanish defence alone.

[SwanVsDalton]

Tweet from Guillem Balague this afternoon:

"Spain? Puyol injured, Villa injured (might make it), Soldado out of form, Torres not at his best, Xavi carrying injury, more than half squad will join 5 days before start...shud I continue?"

The straw grasping continues. If we frustrate them first half, let them play pretty patterns on the half way line but get nowhere near goal...maybe.

[geysir]

39 (0-3 to portugal, ouch!), 37 (0-3 loss to croatia -was awful that day too, ouch!), 33 (2-1 to korea, ouch)

Puyol recovered from injury to regain his place on the Barca team and played with 'vigour' in their last few games, just like like the Puyol of old, doesn't compare to that geriatric Mattheus.
His absence from the Spanish team makes little difference to us as they have plenty of replacements.

[paul_oshea]

I know it's mad to suggest leaving out the team captain and top scorer but I think for the game against Spain there might be a case for some comination of Walters/Doyle/Long. Let's face it there's not going to be any ball coming through the middle and getting played into Robbie's feet. 90% of the ball Ireland play forward will be hoofed into the channels for the front men to hold up and the wingers to come and support them. Walters, Doyle and Long would be much more physically imposing against what is Spain's possible weak spot and they can all run the channels well. Keane would be more inclined to drop into the middle of the pitch looking for ball to feet and possibly inviting more pressure as his strike partner will be left to run the channels and attempt to hold the ball up and phsically battle the Spanish defence alone.

I think that would be the best option, the game against Russia was a prime example, had we two big men up front holding the ball up and playing mcgeady and duff, if they switched wings, would have retained a lot more possession and possibly even created a few scoring chances. But Trap still feels he is our most potent striker with the greatest chance of taking the odd chance that may come our way, so i cant see him changing.

[SkStu]

edge: Ireland

[French Toasht]

Ireland to wear black armbands against Italy to mark the 18th anniversary of the Loughlinisland tragedy where the UVF killed 6 men watching Ireland vs Italy in the World Cup.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking12.html

[paul_oshea]

Thats a very nice gesture isnt it?

[DeLorean]

That photograph is haunting. RIP

[paul_oshea]

What are the chances of another 1-0? I can actually see that now, just a strange feeling.

[DannyInvincible]

Dunphy's an optimist?!

[DannyInvincible]

Also, first 'Après Match' of the summer: