New thread started as the last one was going nowhere.

=#FF0000All posters please take this as a final warning - any personal abuse to other users will result in a ban from this board, attack opinions and posts all you want, but if you want to hurl abuse at someone do it elsewhere.

Who do people fancy as a "dark horse" for the Euro's then? I say Croatia could spring a surprise and maybe Poland what with being at home and having an easy-ish looking group.

[url=http://en.euro2012fantasy.uefa.com/Fantasy Euro 2012[/url anyone? I've set up an RLFans league and the code is 97111-66867

Just done my predictions for a competition at work and it was very difficult.

Fancy Russia to qualify with Poland but whoever qualifies from that group is up against it in the quarters against the likes of Holland, Germany or Portugal.

I actually think the 'dark horse' could come from England's group. Obviously Spain will be a tough draw, but I reckon any of the 4 teams would fancy a crack at Italy/Croatia/Ireland for a Semi spot.

I've had a little flutter on Lewandoski top scorer at 50/1. Think Poland might go a long way as I fancy them to get out of their group.

Decent odds for it, but assuming they get out of their group they've got a massive task on their hands to get past the Quarters.

Group A's not really got any advantage to finishing 1st or 2nd with Holland and Germany most likely lying in wait.

Fancy one of the host nations to do well, but other than that it really should be one of France, Spain or Germany winning it.

I think fatigue will catch up with Spain. The Bilbao lads have played over 60 games this season and Barca have had comfortably over 50 games per season for four years now. They've not had a break and Xavi in particular looked knackered at the back end of the season.
Germany or Holland for mine. I'd have said France, but just watching them now against Estonia and if they continue to pick Philippe Mexes at the back, they will struggle. He's hopeless, but somehow Blanc prefers him to Mamadou Sakho. Baffling.

See Benzema's goal then? I don't like Mexes but they have such a good side. Somebody said the other day, there aren't really any 'great' defenders at this tournament, I don't think the French will be the only ones playing with ten men through the tournament

That's true, but its worth a few quid given the form he's been in.

Fancy France myself. Awesome squad and haven't been beaten in a ridiculous amount if games, will be aiming to make amends for their shocking World Cup performance.

Yeah, they're pretty irresistible going forward.
Holland are like that too - terrible defensively, but so much attacking talent - and there are a couple of other sides you can level the same accusations at. Certainly the German defence isn't as strong as it could be - Badstuber, Mertesacker and Boateng don't convince even if Hummels and Lahm very much do. Hopefully this lack of real star defenders means plenty of goals.

I will be wondering into the bookies tomorrow.....Germany to win, e/w's on France & Russia.

Russia is a good e/w shout.

Does the thread title mean that Football Chat is now confined to the Euro's?

I doubt it, either way the news coming from Cardiff today is why I wish foreign owners who have no idea about history and tradition would off. They claim to have listened to the feedback from the fans and have still changed the kit from the traditional blue to red. I doubt there was a single Cardiff fan that agreed.

Simple choice. Staying with the blue kit and bringing Ridsdale back, or the new owners with big investments and red shirt?

Depending on the legitimacy of the investments, I'd have to to say changing to a red kit is a small price to pay not to be run by Ridsdale.

The highly-paid (from public money) BBC pundits are full of their usual top quality insight in their [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18091750tournament preview[/url.

£40K a week Alan Hansen tips three teams from the same group to make the semis, and Alan Shearer tips England to make the semis because he wants them to.

Oh come on. People paid to talk about these teams and this tournament can't be expected to know anything about them. Be reasonable.

The best prediction I've seen so far was by Cascarino, England winning their group and Germany finishing 3rd in theirs.

Was that not a typo and he actually said Germany to win theirs and us to finish 3rd??

Holland to finally win a tournament.

I don't mind anyone's opinion, but if they can't justify it then it becomes worthless and easily treated with disdain. Did he have reasons?

I think Germany will win it, but in their group a bad half of football could easily see any of the teams out of the tournament given the teams in it, a German friend of mine has worries about their defence so it's not out of the question that teams of the calibre of Holland and Portugal could take advantage, I think all three are pretty much in the same very good attackers/potentially dodgy defenders boat and Denmark are no mugs either.

Oh, and no problems with discussing any football matters in here Euros or not.

Finally? Did 1988 not count for some reason?

Be fair, he's just trying to get a highly paid punditry role on the Beeb.

I've got Torres at 18/1 and Podolski at 25/1 for top goalscorer. Torres, if he starts, should get plenty of chances in that group and looks fresher than most of the squad, and Podolski ALWAYS scores a few goals in tournaments so should carry that record on. I will have jinxed the pair of them now though so steer well clear!