Euro 2008

[Rovers fan]

France Squad (30 man provisional)

Goalkeepers Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Mickael Landreau (Paris St Germain), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

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

Midfielders Alou Diarra (Girondins Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan).

Forwards Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Lyon), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Djibril Cisse (Marseille), Samir Nasri (Marseille), Bafetimbi Gomis (St Etienne), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich).

Its hard to pick 7 to drop but I would guess at the ones underlined

Trezeguet at 33/1 for top scorer looks like a great bet now!

[superfrank]

Pity he won't be playing.

[bennocelt]

Abidal for France and barca was the worst player i have seen all year. Christ how bad is the French def, as that fella is useless, falls over the ball, is awkward and cnat kick straight

[Rovers fan]

Pity he won't be playing.

I was joking

[jmurphyc]

Abidal for France and barca was the worst player i have seen all year. Christ how bad is the French def, as that fella is useless, falls over the ball, is awkward and cnat kick straight

I actually think he's one of the best left backs in Europe (possibly the best). I rate him above both Evra and Clichy, who are both admittedly among the best as well. I think Sagna's non-inclusion (down to injury?) is a blow as he's better than their other options there. At the moment, they're still my tip for the Euros, although this does change quite frequently!

[bennocelt]

I actually think he's one of the best left backs in Europe (possibly the best). I rate him above both Evra and Clichy, who are both admittedly among the best as well. I think Sagna's non-inclusion (down to injury?) is a blow as he's better than their other options there. At the moment, they're still my tip for the Euros, although this does change quite frequently!

Is this the same fella who had a shocker against Manure Utd. please take the goggles off
he was beaten every time a red jersey went near him

[stojkovic]

I actually think he's one of the best left backs in Europe (possibly the best). I rate him above both Evra and Clichy, who are both admittedly among the best as well. I think Sagna's non-inclusion (down to injury?) is a blow as he's better than their other options there. At the moment, they're still my tip for the Euros, although this does change quite frequently!

Defensively (incl keeper) and up front the French are very talented. But I think their midfield (Ribery aside) will let them down, Vieira, for one is past it.

But I think every team has a flaw (ie French midfield, Spanish defence, Portuguese strikers) so it will make for an open tournament.

I think only two teams have balance and thats Italy and Germany.

[jmurphyc]

Is this the same fella who had a shocker against Manure Utd. please take the goggles off
he was beaten every time a red jersey went near him

I thought he looked decent against Utd. He was by no means at his best, but I don't think he had a shocker. If he's so poor then why is he getting in the French team ahead of Evra and in the squad ahead of Clichy? You can't say a player is cr*p on the basis of 2 games in the space of a week.

Defensively (incl keeper) and up front the French are very talented. But I think their midfield (Ribery aside) will let them down, Vieira, for one is past it.

But I think every team has a flaw (ie French midfield, Spanish defence, Portuguese strikers) so it will make for an open tournament.

I think only two teams have balance and thats Italy and Germany.

Their midfield is a bit weak, but I really like Nasri and Ben Arfa. I think they'll go with Vieira as one of the central options which may be a mistake as he's had a very poor season with Inter from what I've heard. However, he may still go on to excel at the Euros. On the basis of this season Toulalan, Diarra and Flamini (who I've always really liked) are surer bets to have a stead tournament if picked.

[shakermaker1982]

you can only play one left back and he has Evra. Looking at how the groups are set up I've got Portugal to meet Germany in the Semi Finals. The other half of the draw looks a nightmare.

[joe_barry80]

Just got a ticket for the 1/4 Final in Vienna. Winner of Group D against 2nd In Group C. Over the moon

[DmanDmythDledge]

you can only play one left back and he has Evra.

Abidal starts for France...

[lionelhutz]

My prediction for the tournament

Group A: 1st Portugal 2nd Czech Rep
Group B: 1st Germany 2nd Croatia
Group C: 1st Italy 2nd France
Group D: 1st Spain 2nd Russia

QF: Portugal v Croatia
Czech Rep v Germany
Italy v Russia
France v Spain

SF: Croatia v Germany
Italy v Spain

Final: Croatia v Spain

Winners: Spain

[DmanDmythDledge]

Group A: 1st Portugal 2nd Turkey
Group B: 1st Germany 2nd Croatia
Group C: 1st Italy 2nd France
Group D: 1st Spain 2nd Russia

QF: Portugal v Croatia
Turkey v Germany
Italy v Russia
France v Spain

SF: Portugal v Germany
Italy v Spain

Final: Portugal v Spain

Winners: Spain

[jebus]

Group A: 1st Portugal 2nd Switzerland
Group B: 1st Germany 2nd Croatia
Group C: 1st France 2nd Italy
Group D: 1st Spain 2nd Sweden

QF: Portugal v Croatia W: Portugal
QF: Germany v Switzerland W: Germany
QF: France v Sweden W: France
QF: Spain v Italy W: Italy

SF: Portugal v Germany W: Germany
SF: France v Italy W: France

F: Germany v France W: France

[bennocelt]

I thought he looked decent against Utd. He was by no means at his best, but I don't think he had a shocker. If he's so poor then why is he getting in the French team ahead of Evra and in the squad ahead of Clichy? You can't say a player is cr*p on the basis of 2 games in the space of a week.

i guess we have differing opinions then
i have only to see him once. I mean he was all over the place for the man utd game. really poor. We will see then in the Euros

Evra is a class act

And the french manager. My god is he still in charge

[jmurphyc]

i guess we have differing opinions then
And the french manager. My god is he still in charge

That I will agree on. He's a dreadful manager IMO.

[superfrank]

Group A = Switzerland & Czech Republic
Group B = Croatia & Germany
Group C = Italy & France
Group D = Sweden & Spain

I won't give any predictions for the knockouts but I believe Italy or Germany will win, it could even be the final.

[joe_barry80]

I think Germany are going to win it. They are strong all over the field. They are a team that gets stronger as a Tournament progresses.

I'd love Spain to win it but they are the opposite to my assessment of Germany. They start great and then fade.

[Flawless]

Im gona plump for spain, think its their time, Depends On La Selección though and how Aragones mixes home and foreign based players. Watching Revista De La Liga the other week and listening to Guilleme Balague, he reckons Senna will start for spain, cant see that!!, all depends on the squad!

[shakermaker1982]

Abidal starts for France...

Sorry I was trying to imply that he has a LB (Abidal) plus he has Evra as cover. I'd have Evra as first choice every day of the week but Abidal seems to be number 1 at this moment in time.

Good result for Holland the other night - would like to see them reach a final.