***Official*** Road to Euro 2012

[Uppercut]

Apt analogy. Got one now though.

The luck of the Irish was out in full force tonight, rather stumbled our way into the play-offs. Have to fancy our chances against some of the sides in the play-offs but we have a long, painful history of putting in big performances against the top sides before ****ing up against the Estonias and Montenegros of the world.

 

[Furball]

Apt analogy. Got one now though.

The luck of the Irish was out in full force tonight, rather stumbled our way into the play-offs. Have to fancy our chances against some of the sides in the play-offs but we have a long, painful history of putting in big performances against the top sides before ****ing up against the Estonias and Montenegros of the world.

Makes sense, all your best players are Scottish so it's natural that you suffer from that particular Scottish affliction.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Spain are just too good. Can't see anyone beating them next summer apart from themselves.

No doubt the redtops will claim England will win it though.

 

[Nate]

Sweden!

 

[cpr]

Spain are just too good. Can't see anyone beating them next summer apart from themselves.

No doubt the redtops will claim England will win it though.

The only way were going to win it is if all Spain's players fail a drugs test and the Polish Government bans the Germans from entering the country.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The only way were going to win it is if all Spain's players fail a drugs test and the Polish Government bans the Germans from entering the country.

Even then we'll find a way of losing to someone like Sweden though.

 

[Furball]

The only way were going to win it is if all Spain's players fail a drugs test and the Polish Government bans the Germans from entering the country.

If that happened the Dutch would skoosh it.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If that happened the Dutch would skoosh it.

Na, they'd self destruct as usual.

 

[cpr]

So Rooneys ban set at 3 matches.

Which means he'll sit out the group stage, that England should get through without him, and be fit and fresh and raring to go for the Quarters.

In other words, FIFA doing England the favour they need to stand a chance in the competition. Don't ****ing complain!

 

[wpdavid]

So Rooneys ban set at 3 matches.

Which means he'll sit out the group stage, that England should get through without him, and be fit and fresh and raring to go for the Quarters.

In other words, FIFA doing England the favour they need to stand a chance in the competition. Don't ****ing complain!

Nice optimism, but history suggests otherwise. Our record in Euro finals is even worse than in WCs. Since the group stage was introduced, we've failed to progress on four occasions (1980, 1988, 1992 and 2000) compared to two when we've made it through (1996 and 2004), one of which we had home advantage. And we had better teams on many of those occasions than we currently do.

The likeliest scenario is that the final group game will be vital. If Rooney is one of four strikers in the squad and two of the other get injured or suspended for that game, then we have problems. I couldn't blame Cappello for leaving him behind.

 

[Furball]

Nice optimism, but history suggests otherwise. Our record in Euro finals is even worse than in WCs. Since the group stage was introduced, we've failed to progress on four occasions (1980, 1988, 1992 and 2000) compared to two when we've made it through (1996 and 2004), one of which we had home advantage. And we had better teams on many of those occasions than we currently do.

The likeliest scenario is that the final group game will be vital. If Rooney is one of four strikers in the squad and two of the other get injured or suspended for that game, then we have problems. I couldn't blame Cappello for leaving him behind.

Ukraine and Poland will take 2 of the spaces available in Pot 1, with Spain and the Netherlands taking the other two; England could draw Spain and get a tough team from pot 3, which makes qualification out of the groups quite a tricky prospect.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmm they will be a happy lot over in Turkey. Ireland looking decent, 1-0 up away in Estonia with a man advantage.

Hope Portugal get knocked out. They're like a less skilful and even more tedious version of Spain.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Ireland 2-0 up now.

And now 3-0 with a 2 man advantage.

 

[Furball]

I know it's only a friendly:

Oh, Balotelli, he's a striker, he's good at darts

 

[BoyBrumby]

Estonia officially "more than a bit turd" then.

How the blue feck they finished second in their group is staggering.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Lescott playing. FFS. Aren't there any English central defenders who aren't that donkey or the turd who plays like he's stuck in treacle.

Spain for 75% possession.

Also Adam Johnson absent again. He's a different class to guys like Walcott and Milner. There's no substitute for class at international level.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Looks only a matter of time before Spain get in behind England.

Spain never look that solid at the back though, it's a different game if you make your chance count - instead of bollocksing it up big style as all Spain's opponents in the World Cup did, well except in their first match.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Same old. England can't pass for toffee, Spain have the best players in the World but they have a really ineffective method. Spain making this game a toss-up when they should beat England comfortably.

 

[Furball]

Same old. England can't pass for toffee, Spain have the best players in the World but they have a really ineffective method. Spain making this game a toss-up when they should beat England comfortably.

Football's played over 90 minutes, chasing shadows for 70 minutes will eventually tell.

I agree that sometimes Spain could use the ball a bit quicker, and I think Xabi Alonso is overkill in the midfield. Cesc on for Xabi Alonso would give them more impetus in the final third.

 

[grecian]

It's a friendly, no-one cares, certainly not the players, it's yawnsville.

Oh, and btw, I quite Like Danny Baker, but has there ever been a more non-sensical tweet than this:

"So the next and best England manager now faces trial over a cash sum less than the current and worst England manager earns every week."

Just how many levels is it wrong on?