Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:09 pm  

[quote="Dita's Slot Meter"]I've read similar stuff all over the media and I'm curious where this almost arrogant confidence stems from?

Look at the squads for all 3 nations, it's obvious to anyone with half a footballing brain which squad is stronger. It's not like England have a history of not making it though groups. Since 1994 When we didn't qualify in 7 major tournaments we have failed to male it out of the group stages at a major tourny once. Hardly over confidence or arrogance just something we usually do.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:51 pm  

How many players from Ukraine and Sweden do you watch?

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:06 pm  

Well, I'm looking at the England squad and all I see is 1 world-class player (and that's being generous), who is suspended for the first 2 games and a good left-back (not exactly a game changing position).

We also have a decent keeper, but apart from that, I'm struggling to see much, but players who are unproven at this level, many of whom have huge question marks over their ability to shine in a major tournament.

I'm not fully upto sync with the Swedish or Ukranian squads, but I'd be very surprised if they were inferior to ours....Throw in the fact that Ukraine have home advantage and I'm still curious as to why people seemed convinced we can make the last 8?

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:13 pm  

Ajw71 wrote:

I've gone with Llorente, so obvs hoping he starts ahead of FT.

Benzema is in fine form, maybe I should have gone for him instead.

Agree r.e Benzema, I like France, think they have good tools to be a threat. I don't fancy England's chances against them. What odds for llorente?

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:14 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

How many players from Ukraine and Sweden do you watch?

Sweden (the better of the other 2 in the group)
Ibrahimovic, larsson and kallstrom all very skilled players with

Andreas Isaksson
Olof Mellberg
Jonus Olsson
Martin Olsson
Mikael Lustig
Anders Svensson
Johan Ellmander
Markus Rosenberg
And a few Gothenburg players


Pure quality there, no way in hell we have a chance of competing with that. May as well pack now

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:20 pm  

Cas Till I Die wrote:

Sweden (the better of the other 2 in the group)
Ibrahimovic, larsson and kallstrom all very skilled players with

Andreas Isaksson
Olof Mellberg
Jonus Olsson
Martin Olsson
Mikael Lustig
Anders Svensson
Johan Ellmander
Markus Rosenberg
And a few Gothenburg players


Pure quality there, no way in hell we have a chance of competing with that. May as well pack now

Do you realise that somewhere on a Swedish website, somebody will have listed....

Andy Carroll
Stewart Downing
Scott Parker
James Milner
and a few others, and will be peeing themselves in a similar way to what you are??....

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:26 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

Do you realise that somewhere on a Swedish website, somebody will have listed....

Andy Carroll
Stewart Downing
Scott Parker
James Milner
and a few others, and will be peeing themselves in a similar way to what you are??....

Scotty Parker....... Are you joking ???

All of the above would walk in the starting 11 of both ukraine and Sweden (barring Carroll with Sweden as obviously ibrahimovic)

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:31 pm  

Cas Till I Die wrote:

Scotty Parker....... Are you joking ???

Let's face it, opponents won't be quaking when they see his name on the teamsheet.....He's a good, solid pro, but if he's somebody who you are highlighting to try and prove that we are a good side, then you are truly desperate.

It says it all really....For most other sides, he'd be the dogsbody, the man who slips under the radar.....For us, according to you, he's one of our star players????...

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:38 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

Let's face it, opponents won't be quaking when they see his name on the teamsheet.....He's a good, solid pro, but if he's somebody who you are highlighting to try and prove that we are a good side, then you are truly desperate.

It says it all really....For most other sides, he'd be the dogsbody, the man who slips under the radar.....For us, according to you, he's one of our star players????...

Where did I say he was a star ???? He is as you say a good solid member of our team who will work hard and do what's expected and more.

Making things up hardly strengthens your point.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:44 pm  

Problem is, and this is the biggest thing that most England fans can't seem to get their heads around; football isn't played on paper. In theory, Ashley Young should be better than Andriy Yarmolenko, but I bet Yarmolenko has a better tournament. The Swedes may not have big names, but they always work their nuts off and work rate alone will force England's rank average midfield to struggle.

At the end of the day, for all their premier league-tasticness, England's player won't live up to the lofty standards expected because they are managed by a pr*ck. There is little balance, chemistry and quality in the side. 4-4-2 with average players may scrape through rounds on defending and work rate alone, but if Sweden and Ukraine take the 'underdog' approach to Roy's England, we may see some of the most dire football ever witnessed in the modern era.