Ireland euro squad predictions (2 Viewers)

[Luther Blissett]

Ramos is better at centre half then he is at full back. He gets lost much less. Kinda like John O Shea when he was allowed to get forward. Puyol looks older, slower and more of a liability with every game I see him in. I don't see this as particularly good news at all.

By no means saying Ramos is a good player now.

Speaking on Off the Ball last night Sid Lowe made the point that both Pique and Ramos are prone to at least one major lapse of concentration per game and for that reason he doesn't fancy them as a centre-back partnership at all. I don't watch much Spanish football, but Sid Lowe's knows his onions.

He also added that Puyol is a key member of the Spain squad in terms of leadership both on and off the field. And finally his absence will probably mean that former Liverpool 'defender' Alvaro Arbeloa will be at right-back which can only be good news for whoever lines out on Ireland's left wing.

 

[Hector Grey]

Disgrace

 

[washingcattle]

Puyol was a major player for Spain, he's been poor since returning from injury.

 

[Unicron]

After their respective seasons, and with the added ennui of the serial achievers thrown in, Spain would be a better team if they were all non Real/Barca players. Llorente and Soldado up front? Mata and Silva on the wings? Martinez and Garcia in the middle. Etcetera.

The bilbao lads, they've probably played more football than anyone this season, Bielsa hasn't rotated his, small anyway, squad much and they've had lengthy Europa League and Copa Del Rey runs.

 

[Unicron]

Anyway, my tickets arrived today.

 

[Jerry Twig]

Hi - five! I got mine last week.

 

[Unicron]

Hi - five! I got mine last week.

Glad to have them, no worrying that they're getting lost now.

My Spain tickets seem quite good. Italy alright, Croatia might be alright or they might be on the curve.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I am much the same. Croatia ones are in the gods, but to be honest I reckon all of the seats will be grand - they're small stadiums and every inch will be absolutely ROCKING

 

[Hector Grey]

The bilbao lads, they've probably played more football than anyone this season, Bielsa hasn't rotated his, small anyway, squad much and they've had lengthy Europa League and Copa Del Rey runs.

they just don't look as fucked as the barca lads.

 

[Hector Grey]

they just don't look as fucked as the barca lads.

scratch that...they do.

 

[Hector Grey]

We should beat those fuckers easily.

 

[Jerry Twig]

Bring it on Bilic, bring it the fuck ON!

"With all due respect I feel for Ireland, we want to start the tournament with three points. They are our chance. The only surprise could be if Trapattoni made them more offensive. But that would only make us happier.”"


Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Hajduk Split), Ivan Kelava (Dinamo Zagreb); Goran Blazevic (Hajduk Split)
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Tottenham), Sime Vrsaljko (Dinamo Zagreb), Dejan Lovren (Olympique Lyon), Josip Simunic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Strinic (Dnipro), Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt), Domagoj Vida (Dinamo Zagreb), Jurica Buljat (Maccabi), Daniel Pranjic (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Tomislav Dujmovic (Dynamo Moscow), Luka Modric (Tottenham), Milan Badelj (Dinamo Zagreb), Niko Kranjcar (Tottenham), Ivan Perisic (Borussia Dortmund), Ivo Ilicevic (Hamburger).
Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Wolfsburg), Eduardo Da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nikica Jelavic (Everton), Nikola Kalinic (Dnipro), Ivica Olic (Bayern)


{shiiiiiiiit}

 

[washingcattle]

I don't know much about them at the back but they have some really good players going forward. Perisic (if he is who I think he is I haven't seen much of him), Rakatic, Modric, Da Silva (played for Arsenal right? was actually fairly neat and tidy then got his leg broke same guy ?) Jelavic and Olic all very capable. Srna, feels he's been around forever, how is he only 30 ?

 

[Cormcolash]

Pfft it's grand, we have Richard Dunne

 

[washingcattle]

Italys Preliminary squad 32 names before it's trimmed to 23. Lots of good players, three of the back four of Juventus is there though they might be short of experience in big matches not played in the CL due their demotion to the serie B a few years ago. They all look like good players though and it's Italy so they'll be well organised anyway. Weak in the creative midfielder department (but who isn't except for Spain?) Plenty of threats up front. Oh yeah and Ballotelli for the madness.


Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Palermo).

Defenders: D Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus) Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit St Petersburg), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter);


Midfielders: Cigarini (Atalanta), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus),Schelotto (Atalanta), Verratti (Pescara);

Strikers: Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma

 

[Luther Blissett]

Italys Preliminary squad 32 names before it's trimmed to 23. Lots of good players, three of the back four of Juventus is there though they might be short of experience in big matches not played in the CL due their demotion to the serie B a few years ago. They all look like good players though and it's Italy so they'll be well organised anyway. Weak in the creative midfielder department (but who isn't except for Spain?) Plenty of threats up front. Oh yeah and Ballotelli for the madness.


Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Palermo).

Defenders: D Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus) Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit St Petersburg), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter);


Midfielders: Cigarini (Atalanta), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus),Schelotto (Atalanta), Verratti (Pescara);

Strikers: Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma

Juventus had a great defensive record this season although they usually played with wing backs while Prandelli prefers a flat back four. Buffon is still class, Chiellini is quality and Barzagli and Bonnucci are solid enough at centre back. It will be interesting to see who plays at left-back as Criscito and Balzaretti are fairly inexperienced and to be honest not that great from what I've seen. Maggio at right-back, however, is a class act.

Pirlo has been majestic for Juventus this season and Marchisio was also a key player. De Rossi played most of the season for Roma as a centre-back and was not at his best. Notably there are no out-and-out wingers as Italy under Prandelli tend to play 4-3-3.

Cassano and Balotelli are hugely talented, albeit tempermental players, and Di Natale has a great scoring record, but Destro, Giovinco and Borini are fairly ordinary.

 

[washingcattle]

Yeah that was my reading of it too. It seems one of those stop the one really great passer (i.e Pirlo) and you stop the whole team. That said, everyone knows what Pirlo is capable of in Serie A and no one got close to him this season.

 

[Luther Blissett]

Bring it on Bilic, bring it the fuck ON!

"With all due respect I feel for Ireland, we want to start the tournament with three points. They are our chance. The only surprise could be if Trapattoni made them more offensive. But that would only make us happier.”"


Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Hajduk Split), Ivan Kelava (Dinamo Zagreb); Goran Blazevic (Hajduk Split)
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Tottenham), Sime Vrsaljko (Dinamo Zagreb), Dejan Lovren (Olympique Lyon), Josip Simunic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Strinic (Dnipro), Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt), Domagoj Vida (Dinamo Zagreb), Jurica Buljat (Maccabi), Daniel Pranjic (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Tomislav Dujmovic (Dynamo Moscow), Luka Modric (Tottenham), Milan Badelj (Dinamo Zagreb), Niko Kranjcar (Tottenham), Ivan Perisic (Borussia Dortmund), Ivo Ilicevic (Hamburger).
Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Wolfsburg), Eduardo Da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nikica Jelavic (Everton), Nikola Kalinic (Dnipro), Ivica Olic (Bayern)


{shiiiiiiiit}

Bilic has confirmed that he's stepping down after the Euros to takeover at Lokomotiv Moscow. Not sure if that will destabilize or galvanize the Crotia squad. Hopefully the former.

 

[Unicron]

Hope that Walters didn't use up all his luck/karma Lofthousing Bogdan yesterday.

 

[Jerry Twig]

An absolutely inch perfect cross from McGeady here (see one minute mark) to secure Champions League football for Spartak next year. I am sure Cattle will have the good grace to give credit where it's due

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