So the groups are known. The groups are: Group A Poland Greece Russia Czech Republic Group B Netherlands Germany Portugal Denmark Group C Spain Italy Republic of Ireland Croatia Group D Ukraine Sweden France England Group A is pathetic Group B is brutal. Group C and D nothing special Wow Germany Portugal and the Netherlands in one group. I thought we had a difficult group 4 years ago (with Italy and France). The winner of group B wil avoid Spain in the Semi-finals. So the game between the Netherland and Germany will be important. I do think both Germany and the Netherlands will advance. ATW are you happy with the groups?
group B looks crazy. let's see if the divas in england can overcome the french douches in pretty decent group D. Ukraine and Sweden are not patsies and are pretty decent teams.
That's ridiculous that they would allow Group A and Group B to happen. What is their selection process?
I'll be there! Only problem is that there seem to be no hotels in Ukraine, kind of funny that nobody seems to have thought of that. Usually we get easier groups, but it doesn't really matter, I think we can beat anyone...and that's how the German players feel as well, I know that. I think the biggest risk for us this time is that we could feel TOO confident. I think there is a good chance that we only finish 2nd in the group because of that. Portugal is greatly overrated, I believe. Netherlands and Germany should definitely both advance.
The groups are: Group A Poland Greece - DARKHORSE Russia - WILL ADVANCE Czech Republic - SHOULD ADVANCE Group B Netherlands - WILL ADVANCE Germany - WILL ADVANCE Portugal Denmark - DARKHORSE Group C Spain - WILL ADVANCE Italy - WILL ADVANCE Republic of Ireland Croatia - DARKHORSE Group D Ukraine Sweden - DARKHORSE France - WILL ADVANCE England - WILL ADVANCE IMO, only three teams have a chance winning this, Holland, Germany, and Spain. France is my darkhorse to win it all. Spain is the team to beat. Germany - I think their strikers are an issue, they sometimes disappear at the national level. Holland - If they can stay healthy they will be a very dangerous team, not sold on their defense though. Spain - Some of their top players are starting to get older, also don't know if David Villa can be relied on so heavily all the time. But their midfield is so damn much better than any other squad, they'll always create chances. France - They've actually done really well since the world cup disaster, not sold on their strikers though.
Klose and Gomez are an issue? Podolski, Mueller, Schuerrle? I think most other teams would be happy to have these players. Oh, and I think Poland will advance.
All these players are good to really good but not great. IMO you need players who are on an elite level, I don't see any of these guys being there. That's not to say that most teams would not be happy to have them. What separates Spain from other teams is that they have some elite players, David Villa, Iniesta, and Xavi.
Really? Has he not been great for the national team? I know a lot of credit goes to the midfield for creating for him.....but the guy has come up big for the squad on so many times. He's just a clutch player, he has an elite ability to finish when its needed. There is a reason why Spain won the last world cup and not Germany. You guys are very good in all positions, but great nowhere.....I think most football fans would agree with me.
Agree with most of it Russia are slightly overrated but I could see Greece and the Russians coming out of Group A. Group D, I'm tempted to go with Sweden over both England and France and leave the 2nd spot as a toss-up between England and France. France have done relatively well since the world cup but i'm not sold on them still. They were underwhelming in their final group match against Bosnia which they just needed a draw from to qualify. Then again they did what they had to do and qualified but I'm just not sold on them. One would figure Spain will have to rely more on Llorente or Negredo, whichever makes the strongest push in the end of season run, to get the nod to start. Either way, I'm with ATW, I think Germany's strikers are on par. Villa has come up big for Spain over the past few years but the reason Spain won the world cup could come down to the fact that they have/had the most sublime midfield in international footy and also a fairly experienced team compared to the Germans. I believe the Germans are primed and ready and it should be a titanic clash if the two teams lock horns next summer. I think ze Germans are ready to avenge the loss from last summer.
Villa was most definitely not the reason. He certainly didn't score against Germany in these two tournaments. There were a few reasons: Xavi, Iniesta, more experience, Thomas Mueller (who was playing a fantastic world cup) not available for that match because he got booked, too much respect by the German players, and some luck, too (20-year old Kroos missing a huge chance vs. Puyol getting that header in). Before that match, Germany was having the better world cup, not only beating, but demolishing Rooney's England and Messi's Argentina. As to "good, not great": I honestly think Neuer is the best goalkeeper in the world right now. (Gianluigi Buffon thinks the same thing, by the way: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/3396...uigi-buffon-germanys-manuel-neuer-is-the-best). Schweinsteiger is on par with Xavi and Iniesta at this point. Kroos, Özil, Götze (who are all still very young, 19-23 years old) are just behind and could break out at a big tournament to prove they are just as good. Klose (63 goals for the national team, 14 goals at world cups, 2nd all-time scorer at world cups just behind Ronaldo with 15, currently dominating the Italian league) and Gomez (leading scorer of the Champions League together with Messi) are most definitely not worse than Villa. Thomas Mueller was the leading scorer of last year's world cup as an offensive midfielder and is still only 22 years old. Even Podolski has a pretty good record on the national team: 43 goals in 95 games, even though he plays more in a midfield role. Khedira is ok, too. And we have some talents coming up like Reus who are still unknown on the international stage, but who - in my opinion - are already almost as good as everyone running around not called Xavi or Iniesta or Ribery or Robben and maybe Neymar and Fabregas. Bayern was even reported to consider letting Robben go and get Reus. If anything, it's currently the defense where we are not that strong. But Badstuber and Boateng are coming into their own, of course there is still Lahm who is solid. We still need someone for the right side, though. Maybe you should ask Argentina if we are "good, not great". Or Holland. We just destroyed them in a friendly match. That wasn't just a victory, it was like a demonstration of power (to be fair, they were missing some key players like Robben who I think is one of the best in the world when healthy - wish he was born a few more kilometers to the east ). In the last two big tournaments, we lost to Spain 0-1 twice - once in the finals, once in the semi-finals - in my opinion, we would have won both tournaments if not for the Spanish midfield. To me, the main reasons are Xavi and Iniesta - well, they also have Fabregas, Busquets, David Silva, plus Thiago Alcantara coming up. They are just unbelievably good midfielders, most coming from the Barcelona school. Even Messi is not the same when he is not playing with them. It should be an epic clash if both teams were able to make it through to the Finals of the European championships. My dream summer would be Bayern vs. Barca in the Champions League final and Germany vs. Spain in the Euros - the German side winning both, of course . But you can never rule out teams like Italy or France, or maybe some surprise team. And the Netherlands are certainly up there with Germany and Spain anyway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Villa Let me refresh your memory a little....he didn't just play that one game against Germany.... In Spain's first 2010 World Cup match, Villa was chosen as a lone striker, but could do nothing to prevent their shock defeat at the hands of Switzerland. Five days later, Spain defeated Honduras 2-0, where Villa scored both goals.....Villa helped secure Spain's place in the round of 16 after scoring the first goal in a 2-1 win over Chile, with a long-range shot into an empty net after Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo ran out of his area to prevent Torres from scoring.....Spain were up against Portugal in the round of 16, and Villa would prove to be vital once again, as Xavi backheeled an Andrés Iniesta pass to the on-rushing Villa who hit the back of the net on the rebound after having his first shot saved by Eduardo, proving enough to give Spain a place in the quarter-finals against Paraguay, where Villa scored a goal from a rebound after Pedro hit the post. Once again, Villa's goal proved to be the difference as the match finished 1-0. You still think Villa was not important to his squad??? The man is clutch, its quite simple as that, he scores in big games when its needed, that's an elite player in my mind, regardless of the midfield prowess they have. He has come up big for quite some time, and he's consistent at it, that's what separates him from "very good". In 2010, he came 1st in the IFFHS "2010's World Top Goalscorer at International Level" rankings..... and don't forget about the EURO .......Despite missing the final and the majority of the semi-final, Villa's 4 goals in the 4 games he played were enough for him to be top scorer of the tournament[111] and was awarded the Golden Boot.[115] He also made the UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament alongside striking partner Torres. Whatever man, Spain won...let it go. Argentina was a mess, lets not even mention them. Also, England? They have not been good for a while. BTW I said "very good" not "good" .... lets not get it mistaken, I think Germany has a very solid team. Also, I agree Neuer is friggin amazing, I forgot about him. Agree about the defense as well. Well I don't know if its because of Iniesta and Xavi that David Villa comes through all the time. I've seen him score plenty of goals where he created for himself, he's done that often. I just like players that are consistent in their level of play. He performs at the same level, that to me stands out. Anyway, look I know you are biased in your outlook of your own team, even though you correctly criticized your defense.....so I don't think this discussion is going to stop going in circles, so lets end it here. I actually support Germany when they play, I love how mechanical they are, a well oiled machine!!! I included them as one of the teams capable of winning the Euro tourny so you don't have to convince me about how good they are. You guys have enough young players to maybe take it to the next level, like how Spain did in the last 4-6 years. In regards to Mueller specifically, he had a very good world cup, lets see if he can repeat that performance and lead his team in the Euro when he's needed.
My points exactly. The Spanish midfield! 1 quibble- Nothing is special about beating that English team last summer. Rubbish team, horribly rubbish. That Holland match was ridiculous the way the Germans trampled over them. Friendly match and some players missing but still it was a beatdown. I think it was a wake up call to the dutch team and fans. I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever rooted for Bayern Munich and Germany. I want to see that club and country final. Bayern v. Barca and Germany v. Spain. EPIC!
I never said that. I just said that he is certainly not better than Klose and Gomez. Klose: 14 goals at the world cup. Villa: 8
It`s not always about how many, but when. Plus, Germany has enjoyed more success (better team and more games) at the world cup level than Spain (excluding the last one)......
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