Euro 2012: Day 7 Thread

[Duty281]

Italy v Croatia (17:00, BBC 1)
Spain v Republic of Ireland (19:45, ITV 1)

Current Group Standings:

Croatia - 3
Italy - 1
Spain - 1
Republic of Ireland - 0

The group has been blown wide open after Croatia beat Ireland and Italy and Spain drew in the first round of fixtures in Group C. So first up, Croatia will look to consolidate their position at the top with a win against Italy but in all fairness they'd be happy with a draw, while Italy will hope to build on a promising display last time out against Spain. Then it's off to Gdansk where Ireland are living on a prayer after there last match and Spain expect to record their first win of Euro 2012 but you never know with football. A shock may just happen and the noisy Irish fans will be certainly hoping so.

[Crimey]

I think it'll be:

2-1 to Italy
2-0 to Spain

[Stella]

Croatia 2 Italy 1
Spain 2 Ireland 0

[JamesLincs]

croatia 1-2 italy
spain 4-0 ireland

[Thomond]

Ireland 2-1Spain
Italy 2-1 Croatia

Spoiler:

[JamesLincs]

if youre england or portugal, unfortunately, you aren't

[Thomond]

Yep I agree with you. We will more than likely get killed. Don't know why you bring up England, I don't think they would do much better. If Trap played a creative midfielder than maybe Pique and Ramos are not a great pairing. Ramos especially, he is the weak link. Ireland won't beat the two creatively (they don't play with that kind of midfielder) but they will try and do it with physicality. It probably won't work.

[JamesLincs]

i used both as we are portugal have both beaten spain in the last 12 months. they were the first 2 that came to mind that are in the top 20 in the world rankings. dont get me wrong, i want the irish to do well, but you have very little chance of winning this game. i want to see mclean be given a go.

[Thomond]

McClean probably won't start. I'm not optimistic either, Ireland probably aren't good enough to seriously trouble Spain. I don't see them winning it though, their defence is very dodgy and can be exposed.

[JamesLincs]

by 'winning it' do you mean the euro's? if so, i agree with you. they have been found out now, and although they are still the biggest force in world football, they are now beatable. i genuinely believe england could win it. i would say spain and germany are favourites, and england, france and portugal and maybe even italy are outsiders. when i think of the squads, i think spain is still by far the strongest though.

[MtotheC's Wrasslin Biatch]

I believe England can win it. Definitely.
But I still think Spain will go on to end their 2 years of hurt.
Too much quality, and they could unpick any defence.

[JamesLincs]

haha, itll technically be under 2 years. or over 1 years!

[Thomond]

I mean winning the Euros. Better teams will unlock that defence. They still lack a striker and could struggle to score a few goals. Agaisnt serious teams. They should have no problem beating Ireland. Won't stop me shouting till I have no voice though!

[JamesLincs]

believe!

[Thomond]

You're copying Gibbo's mantra I see. I have been down on Trap for sometime, so that explains some of my disappointment. I will become more optimistic (people will think I'm insane) closer to kickoff more than likely!

[Gretgael1]

i used both as we are portugal have both beaten spain in the last 12 months. they were the first 2 that came to mind that are in the top 20 in the world rankings. dont get me wrong, i want the irish to do well, but you have very little chance of winning this game. i want to see mclean be given a go.

Spain have lost and drawn in a few friendly games over the last 2-3 years so I wouldn't get too carried away with results against them, Costa Rica even managed a draw against them last year.

I don't think we can win, but we've never been hammered before. The Croatia game was bad, three sloppy goals we conceded, we were 14 games unbeaten before that. We're not good enough in the centre to past around the ball (Whelan is terrible) but we need McGeady, Duff or McClean to run at them down the wings, it's our only chance at creating something. We also need to pressure them because we won't be seeing much of the ball tonight so lets not give them anything easy.

[Thomond]

Not MuckGeady, dear God not MuckGeady! Andrews has been playing better than Whelan but I would rate Glenn higher. Such a shame that Trap didn't take Hoolahan and Keith Fahey missed out due to injury. If we played 5 in midfield with Fahey in an advanced role we mightn't get overran.

[JamesLincs]

i was making a point about something else.

[Gretgael1]

Same differences though James, just pointing out that it's hard to read anything from a friendly, Spain are a different beast come competition time.

I think you're being too hard on McGeady. He can create something out of nothing for us. He's an easy target but he works damn hard for us. His positional sense isn't great at times but he plays on the right for Spartak. I think he's work better on that wing with an experienced defender like O'Shea behind him. I don't rate Whelan at all, his passing is so bad. If our wings make a break they never have Whelan or Andrews there to support them, so the only option is to try and beat 2-3 defenders. We're very much a disjointed team in that sense. Anyway, just my opinion like

[Thomond]

He's an easy target because he is pretty poor. His crossing is poor, he can get past people but runs himself into blind alleys on either wing. He is fast but I think he isn't a winger. He doesn't track back and left Ward exposed on Sunday he would thrive in a central attacking role though. It's aprt of Trap's tactics to have two sitting midfielders and not allow them to go forward prety mind boggling.

A 4-2-2-2 might suit Ireland

Andrews/Whelan with McCarthy
Fahey/Hoolhan/McClean/Duff- pick two of them

with Long and Walters oR Doyle and Long up top. That won't happen under Trap though. It's a bit odd that conversation on Irish Rugby and Irish soccer is quite similar isn't it Gael? We're both annoyed at the coaches and tactics! We have better players on the rugby team though!

[Gretgael1]

Sure is Thomond, I was talking about the same thing to a friend a while ago. The only difference is we have higher expectations in rugby so it kinda hurts more the position we're in at the moment. I know we've the players to complete in rugby but I'm not so sure with the soccer.

We've good players coming through though, just not enough of them. What if Given, Dunne, O'Shea, Duff and Keane retire after the Euros? We're left with a huge void to fill and we don't have the players to fill it I reckon. We have Coleman, McCarthy, Long, Meyler, Brady, Cunningham, McClean, Gibson (I'm blindly still holding out hope for him) but are all of them good enough? I'm not so sure. We're short on any quality centre backs. And the young players I've mentioned won't prosper under traps regime.

[Gretgael1]

Btw, big weekend for Irish sport with the game tonight (ok technically not the weekend but you know what I mean) Ireland vs the All blacks Saturday morning and then Andy Lee boxing for world title later that night. Underdogs in all three but there's still hope, always hope

Believe

[Thomond]

There are a good few guys in the LOI and U-19 setup who could go onto be good guys for Ireland in the future


John Egan,McEleney brothers in Derry City, Daryl Horgan down here in Cork City (plays like and looks the head off Duff!), one of the Keane brothers at United, Conor Clifford at Chelsea, Anthony Forde at Wolves. Ther's a fella at Villa called Samir Carruthers who seems to be progressing through the Irish and Villa set up nicely. Ther's also Sean Murray who has played 20 games for QWatford and he is only 18. There is some talent there, whether Trap uses it who knows. I don't think he will.


Is Andy Lee's fight on PPV?

[Gretgael1]

I'm not too familiar with those names but I do know there's a nice few young lads at Villa alright. I even forgot to put in Ciaran Clark. Shane Duffy could be a good player for us in another while as well. There's our centre backs sorted two lefties though.

I think boxnation might be showing the Lee fight, I'll get it internet hopefully. I think he has a good chance but I'm not sure if he can go 12 hard rounds, he sometimes looks a little leggy with 10 rounds, but hopefully I'm proved wrong.

[Thomond]

Ther's even a couple more names at my own club that I haven't mentioned. There is some talent in the LOI, they mightn't all go onto become internationals but most will do alright over in England.

[Gretgael1]

Thank God for Shane Long, we don't have too many players from Tipperary, it's not exactly a stronghold for soccer, especially North Tipp were I'm from.

[Thomond]

He was reared in Cork City FC though..... We made him into a footballer, he is a great hurler too. Dave Meyler was handy too.

[Gretgael1]

He's still talked about the one that got away whenever the hurling is on but we've Noel McGrath now so all is good!

[westisbest]

I'm more excited about the game tonight then nrevous.

I've been told I'm talking rubbish by some people, but I feel we may sneak a point.

Dont think we'll get all 3.

Having said that we'll brobably lose 3/4-0.

But I believe, you have to.

[lorus59]

0-0 at full time. Spain will get a penalty but Given will save it.

[JamesLincs]

expecting a really good game between italy and croatia.

[CFCNick]

I've got £2 on Di Natale first goal, Italy to win 2-0 at 50/1 from Paddy.

Blooming annoyed he ain't playing, yet.

[JamesLincs]

could happen, doesnt look like there will be much goal action for the first hour, he could come on a do what he did against spain

[Crimey]

If Italy put Di Natale on they'd have a much better front line, I don't really rate Balotelli as a footballer, he's far too slow, although I think he could probably run fast if he wanted to, and a very poor decision maker. I'm not a huge fan of Cassano, but a partnership of Di Natale and Cassano would be a better option I think.

Other than that I like the way Italy are set up, it's nice to see Prandelli going for something a bit different. De Rossi looks very good in the centre of the defence and I'm impressed by Maggio as a wing back as well. Pirlo pulling the strings, Marchiso and Motta as box to box midfielders, they're set up really well. Definitely a dark horse to win it.

[Zander]

Crimey, you can't deny that Balotelli has some skill.

[Crimey]

I haven't been impressed whenever I have watched him play. For City he has become a glorified poacher and it's baffling why he's starting for Italy when there is a far superior striker sitting on the bench.

If he has any skill, he has been choosing not to use it in most of the games he plays in.

I think that's why he acts so strangely, it's so he can cover up his lack of skill. A teenager with a lot of promise, he's become lazy and covers it up with odd behaviour so people will just say he's got potential if he starts to behave.

[Zander]

He was a pretty good prospect when he was at Inter Milan, however since his move to Man City, I think he really just can't be bothered. He gets paid whatever!

[Zander]

Goal Italy.
Italy 1-0 Croatia

Pirlo, great freekick!

[Crimey]

He's not a bad player, but he's no where near the hassle or hype. I think it's strange that they haven't used Adebayor, despite the fact that he is plays a similar game to Balotelli but is much better.

It's odd that Manchester City have spent so much money on strikers but have only bought two good ones in Aguero and Tevez, and only Aguero has had no problems. They must wish they had bought Falcao so badly.


Good goal! I think Pirlo is still immense even at his age, one of the best midfielders in the tournament. AC Milan would probably won Serie A if they hadn't sold him.

[Zander]

... and Gattuso, he's still good aswell!

[Crimey]

... and Gattuso, he's still good aswell!

Not a chance. He hasn't been good for a fair few years, and he relied heavily on a dirty game. There was a time when he was much better but as his skills waned he started resorting to dirty tactics more and more.

I think he's half blind now as well.

[Zander]

Italian football has been in a bit of a dip in the past few years, not enough young players coming through or holding on too long with the older players?

[Duty281]

Great free kick by Pirlo, 1-0 HT.

[Crimey]

Italian football has been in a bit of a dip in the past few years, not enough young players coming through or holding on too long with the older players?

To be fair, the older players in Buffon, De Rossi and Pirlo are still some of the best players at the Euros.

AC Milan have taken a step in the right direction in releasing many of their older players such as Nesta, Seedorf, Gattuso and Inzaghi as hopefully as arguably the biggest club in Italian football they will play their part in bringing through younger Italian players.

[Crimey]

Italy could be at risk of being knocked out if the score stays like this.

Croatia and Italy both really need the win. Italy would fancy a win against ROI, which would get them through, but they'd need Spain to beat Croatia.

[Steffan]

Croatia are playing well. I hope they get a second goal and win it

[Mad for Chelsea]

yep, if score stays as such and Spain beat Ireland then a 2-2 draw in the Spain-Croatia game puts them out regardless. Come to mention it, there was a similar situation at Euro 2004 wasn't there with Sweden and Denmark? Ended 2-2 IIRC

[Zander]

Full time

Italy 1-1 Croatia

Good match, now onto Spain vs Republic of Ireland!

[Duty281]

1-1 FT. Well well, Croatia on four points and Italy on two points and struggling. Can Ireland now turn the football World on its head and get into second place?

[Zander]

1-1 FT. Well well, Croatia on four points and Italy on two points and struggling. Can Ireland now turn the football World on its head and get into second place?

Let's hope so! I couldn't image a knockout stage without Netherlands and Spain.

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