I'm going to stick my long neck on the line - England to win Euro 2012

[Eddiespearritt]

What were the expectations of Chelsea winning the Champions League after they lost the first leg to Napoli in the first knock-out round. Strange things happen in football - Denmark won the Euros - Greece won the Euros - and FIFA think we're the sixth best team in the world, and the third best in Europe. Italy, France and Russia aren't even in FIFA's top ten. But I don't think we'll win it either - just happy to enjoy it and not to have to go the the Ukraine to do so.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Playing not to lose rather than to win is something the Italians, Germany, Argentina and to a lesser extent, Spain, have been doing for years.

I think you're talking shite. England will go out to the first decent team they meet. They always do. Nothing suggests this has changed for the better but plenty to suggest it has changed for the worse.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

The team is more together than I have ever seen them before and regardless of talent I think that is worth a lot.

How do you judge "together" - we've not even picked our strongest squad because of a racial courtcase, and our best player is banned for 2 games. The only way you get get them less together is to put Joey Barton in.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What were the expectations of Chelsea winning the Champions League after they lost the first leg to Napoli in the first knock-out round. Strange things happen in football - Denmark won the Euros - Greece won the Euros - and FIFA think we're the sixth best team in the world, and the third best in Europe. Italy, France and Russia aren't even in FIFA's top ten. But I don't think we'll win it either - just happy to enjoy it and not to have to go the the Ukraine to do so.

Strange things happen but only once in a while. We are talking about Denmark, Greece and Chelsea? This is probably it in my life time. 3 in 44 years.

 

[Max Paper]

I've not read all 4 pages but here are my thoughts.

France LOSE
Sweden DRAW
Ukraine DRAW

FAIL

That said, i've stuck a tenner on England to win

 

[Stat Brother]

We haven't failed in previous tournaments because of 'unrealistically high expectations.' We've failed because we've been crap - no settled pattern of play, tired players, lack of intelligence in sussing out opponents' weaknesses as a game develops and making changes that exploit them.

Yep.
And with Harry calling the shots, we'd have more of the same.

My personal confidences stems totally from Roy.
He understands a team is better than the sum of it's parts.
He knows how to get the best from 'crap' players, and plays a very settled style.

Roy will do a proper England manager job, and not just leave it up to Rooooney and Stevie-G.
If he has enough time with the team, ie getting out of the group. The longer the competition the better we'll get.

 

[Simster]

Which strategy is this? Roy plays a dull unimaginative and inflexible 442 which most of the world's best nations gave up decades ago.

Harsh. Fulham didn't look so inflexible and boring when they powered their way to the UEFA Cup final. And West Brom looked a decent enough side to watch too, if you ask me. You don't get much of an insight from watching a couple of friendlies against smaller nations to be fair.

What we haven't seen is what Hodgson will do when things go wrong - and I'm hopeful he won't be afraid to change things around. We haven't seen a brave England manager make Poyet-esque changes since Terry Venables.

I'm not sure Ferdinand can be blamed for HATING John Terry. We all do that.

I don't blame him for that at all. I blame him for being very THICK and for not being a shoe-in at Terry's expense, given his talent. We don't know much him as a person, but given that Rio is one of our best - if not our very best - defender, you have to wonder why Hodgson has decided against taking him. If he was in any way popular with the rest of the squad, he'd have walked in.

How do you judge "together" - we've not even picked our strongest squad because of a racial courtcase, and our best player is banned for 2 games. The only way you get get them less together is to put Joey Barton in.

Ashley Cole is banned as well? I thought it was just Wayne Rooney.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

If he was in any way popular with the rest of the squad, he'd have walked in.

Listening to the journos on Sunday Supplement the other day, they thought Rio was the MOST popular person in recent England squads, and should be taken for that if nothing else (I think this was before the squad was announced).

Ashley Cole is banned as well? I thought it was just Wayne Rooney.

 

[Stat Brother]

Oh and Spain are sh*te they won't get out of their group.

 

[bhafc99]

I lost so much respect for England after 2010 they'd need to flair their way to unimaginable heights for me to even bother caring about them again.

Russia drawn in our office sweepstake. That'll do for me.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I don't blame him for that at all. I blame him for being very THICK and for not being a shoe-in at Terry's expense, given his talent. We don't know much him as a person, but given that Rio is one of our best - if not our very best - defender, you have to wonder why Hodgson has decided against taking him. If he was in any way popular with the rest of the squad, he'd have walked in.

I think Roy wanted the Chelsea trio of Terry, Cahill & Cole in the back-four - which meant he couldn't take Rio. Alas, Cahill got injured, but the squad had already been chosen

 

[leigull]

All the off the field issues aside, Norway and Belgium showed up England's inability to just simply keep possession badly. Yes they won both games but teams in the Euro's won't be so forgiving. England are technically so far behind other nations that it would take a miracle and a Chelsea sized amount of luck to win it.

 

[Falkor]

Defoe has come back to England his Dad has passed away

 

[Silent Bob]

For each mocking post I get more confident.

I do believe that most of you have little knowledge of international football and that a strategy such as the one that Roy has adopted in the last two games is exactly what wins international tournament football matches.

That's the strategy to give the ball to the opposition as much as possible and hope they pass it to Ashley Young in their own final third?

 

[Stat Brother]

Defoe has come back to England his Dad has passed away

What was the thing about Defoe's dad?
I've got it in my head he was a tramp.

 

[Simster]

That's the strategy to give the ball to the opposition as much as possible and hope they pass it to Ashley Young in their own final third?

Quite.

It is remarkable how now that the media have realised just how shit our team is, there are certain elements of England's support who seem to consider this a good omen. I'm chuckling how some of the "experts" on the BBC (i.e. the usual lazy golfing buddy clique) are now saying that England won't win but they WILL overachieve now that everyone is writing them off.

No they won't. We are a crap team, poorly prepared with a new manager. No one is giving us a chance because we are shit, and because we labour to friendly wins over tiny countries and are technically deficient. We will go out in the group stages, with two points at best.

 

[Mellotron]

That's the strategy to give the ball to the opposition as much as possible and hope they pass it to Ashley Young in their own final third?

At no point in the last 2 games did we look even vaguely ruffled when the other team had the ball. That is one positive (no, I don't think we're going to win it, probably quarters at best, maybe semis if the draw is kind).

 

[Mellotron]

We will go out in the group stages, with two points at best.

Fancy a wager? £20 says we get more than 2 points. You said "at best" so you must be supremely confident.

 

[Simster]

At no point in the last 2 games did we look even vaguely ruffled when the other team had the ball. That is one positive (no, I don't think we're going to win it, probably quarters at best, maybe semis if the draw is kind).

Seriously, where are we going to get the required points to get out of the group stages:

France - 0 defeats in 20, form team in World football
Sweden - who we have beaten once (in a friendly) in 50 years
Ukraine - one of the host nations

And with probably the shittest squad we've had since 1974.

 

[Simster]

Fancy a wager? £20 says we get more than 2 points. You said "at best" so you must be supremely confident.

No I don't, because I would prefer to support my team. Plus I'll get better odds at a bookies I'm sure.