| Welcome to Soccer Futbol Forum. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Euro 2008 Championships; The Draw | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 2 2007, 04:05 AM (1,507 Views) | |
| libero | May 13 2008, 03:13 PM Post #16 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Juventus' coach Claudio Ranieri said today he believes Pavel Nedved will heed the call of his Czech teammates and play for his national team this summer. Nedved has just agreed to stay one more season with Juventus so maybe he will view this Euro 2008 as his national team swan song? And talking of swan songs, Sweden surprisingly to me have named Henrik Larsson in their 23 man squad for the tournament! I thought he had retired from the national team too. It started with Zidane and Thuram returning to France, now these players are getting like boxers, retiring, then unretiring! Sweden's squad: Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Manchester City), Rami Shaaban (Hammarby), Johan Wiland (Elfsborg Boras) Defenders: Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Petter Hansson (Stade Rennes), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Gothenburg), Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborg), Daniel Majstorovic (Basel), Fredrik Stoor (Rosenborg Trondheim), Mikael Dorsin (CFR Cluj) Midfielders: Tobias Linderoth (Galatasaray), Daniel Andersson (Malmo), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg Boras), Kim Kallstrom (Olympique Lyon), Christian Wilhelmsson (Deportivo Coruna), Fredrik Ljungberg (West Ham United), Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham City) Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan), Johan Elmander (Toulouse), Marcus Allback (FC Copenhagen), Markus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen), Henrik Larsson (Helsingborg) |
![]() |
|
| enganche | May 13 2008, 08:52 PM Post #17 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
With Larsson on Sweden's squad, Thuram and Makelele with France, and the possibility that Nedved with Czech Republic and Del Piero with Italy will also make their national teams for this tournament, Euro 2008 is starting to look like the senior's tournament! |
| Prefiero morir de pie que vivir arrodillado | |
![]() |
|
| shelsoccer | May 14 2008, 06:43 AM Post #18 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I think this is the third time Larsson has come out international retirement. With Zlatan coming off a knee injury, Larsson's recall makes sense, particularly when you also consider the likes of Allback, Elmander and Rosenberg aren't likely to paralyze opponents with fear. |
![]() |
|
| Merengue | May 17 2008, 10:45 AM Post #19 |
|
Administrator
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
As we get closer to the start of the tournament I'll open individual threads for each group so that we can discuss a particular game much like we did last summer for Copa America while this thread will be for pre tournament talk and general discussion once it begins. For an example look at the CONMEBOL forum and our discussions for Copa America last summer. I thought that format worked out well but if anyone has some additional suggestions or comments please feel free to include them. |
| http://twitter.com/#!/SocrFutbolForum | |
![]() |
|
| Merengue | May 17 2008, 10:58 AM Post #20 |
|
Administrator
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Over in the Spain national team thread in the Spain forum, we Spain fans are going over Luis Aragones' final 23 team list for the tournament. For those interested here it is, Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Andres Palop (Sevilla) Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Raul Albiol (Valencia), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Fernando Navarro (Real Mallorca), Alvaro Arbeloa (Liverpool), Juanito (Real Betis) Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Santi Cazorla (Villarreal), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Ruben de la Red (Getafe), Marcos Senna (Villarreal) Forwards: David Villa (Valencia), Daniel Guiza (Real Mallorca), Sergio Garcia (Real Zaragoza), Fernando Torres (Liverpool) As expected Raul and Guti were left out as were Valencia's Albelda, Joaquin and Angulo, all victims of the club's poor seaosn. Espanyol's Raul Tamudo, Luis Garcia and Albert Riera are three other players who 6 months ago looked near certainties to be on the team but with their club in a 2nd half free fall they've all lost their places. The final 2 spots were taken up by a pair of players in great league form, Zaragoza's Sergio Garcia and Villarreal's Santiago Cazorla. I like the team and am encouraged by Spain's form the past 9 months but Spanish fans know not to get too excited as our national team always brings us down! One team that often does rise up to expectations is Germany and Joachim Low named a preliminary 26 player roster, Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Robert Enke (Hanover 96), Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen) Defenders: Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04) Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg SV), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), David Odonkor (Real Betis), Marko Marin (Borussia Moenchengladbach) Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Oliver Neuville (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Patrick Helmes (Cologne) To me the surprise is Timo Hildebrand of Valencia did not make the preliminary list. Like his Valencia teammates missing out with Spain, he is another player hurt by his club's poor form this season. Although I think Hildebrand has played pretty well for his club and isn't the reason behind their poor record. In his place young Rene Adler of Leverkusen, one of the numerous young goalkeeping prospects in Germany made the team. The other surprise is 3 players from clubs who just won promotion from the Bundesliga 2 to the Bundesliga made this list: Monchengladbach's veteran Neuville and teenage winger Marin and Cologne's Helmes. I'm not sure if Real Madrid's Christoph Metzelder, who missed most of this season with injury is ready yet but he did play last weekend for his club and as a veteran on this team Low is giving him the chance to prove he is fit enough. Finally note Jermaine Jones, the German born son of a US serviceman has also made this list. This is a formidable looking German team. |
| http://twitter.com/#!/SocrFutbolForum | |
![]() |
|
| Martin | May 17 2008, 11:54 AM Post #21 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
It is a very strong looking German team who have a manageable group and will practically be playing at home in Austria and Switzerland. Low sure has a wealth of forwards to select from with Klose, Podolski, Kuranyi and Gomez not to menton Neuville and the youngsters Marin and Helmes. keeping them all happy may be his toughest job. Jermaine Jones once was a winger but has been converted into a defensive midfielder with Schalke and seems to have found his niche. |
| Club Sportivo Desamparados | |
![]() |
|
| raconteur | May 18 2008, 09:37 AM Post #22 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Germany does look strong and Martin is right they have an abundance of good strikers. I wonder though about their midfield as Thorsten Frings has often been injured the past few seasons. When healthy he's a fantastic midfield motor but you have to wonder if he'll be as productive as he once was? |
![]() |
|
| Yogi | May 20 2008, 07:38 AM Post #23 |
![]()
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Roberto Donandoni named italy's provisional 24 man team for the tournament and included the in form Alessandro Del Piero and to the surprise of many Antonio Cassano another player in great form this year. Left off is Pippo Inzaghi. We also discuss this team in the Italy forum but I thought I'd repeat the team list here too: Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla) Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Christian Panucci (AS Roma), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Fabio Grosso (Lyon) Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma), Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria) I like this group, one player will have to be dropped and I'll be hoping it won't be Cassano. He and Del Piero give Italy that extra bit of skill and imagination which they'll need this summer. |
![]() |
|
| Merengue | May 20 2008, 09:48 AM Post #24 |
|
Administrator
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
It is a risk naming Cassano on the team but the upside if he does play are enough for Donadoni to think it is a risk worth taking. Maybe he also feels with veterans like Del Piero, Cannavaro and Pirlo around they'll be a posiitve influence on Cassano. If not they'll send Gattuso to "sort" him out! It'll take a lot to defeat Italy. |
| http://twitter.com/#!/SocrFutbolForum | |
![]() |
|
| Nkono | May 25 2008, 02:19 PM Post #25 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Several Euro 2008 teams played friendlies this weekend with these scores: Croatia 1-0 Moldova Switzerland 2-0 Slovakia Greece 2-3 Hungary Turkey 2-3 Uruguay Holland 3-0 Ukraine You're never sure how much these friendly results reflect the Euro 2008 teams actual strength but the warm up games are starting and this week should be a busy one with all the teams getting full on into their tournament preparations. |
![]() |
|
| Merengue | May 25 2008, 08:28 PM Post #26 |
|
Administrator
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
A player who really impressed me this season with Osasuna in Spain was Jaroslav Plasil. In many ways he's similar in style of play to Nedved and with Nedved apaprently not making it to Euro 2008 I think Plasil can be an effective midfielder for the Czechs this summer. |
| http://twitter.com/#!/SocrFutbolForum | |
![]() |
|
| Yogi | May 25 2008, 09:12 PM Post #27 |
![]()
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Between Matejovsky and Plasil I think the Czechs can pretty well fill the void left by Nedved and Rosicky. They may not be the goalscorers that Nedved and Rosicky are but they are skilled passers. Also look for Martin Fenin the young forward who was one of the U-20 team's stars in it's run to 2nd place in the most recent U-20 World Cup. Fenin is the future attacking star of this team once Koller and Baros leave the scene. I was reading a report on Holland's 3-0 win over Ukraine and van Basten was singing the praise of Orlando Engelaar a 6-5 midfielder with Twente Enschede. I'll be curious to see if he'll get much playng time during Euro 2008. It's a crowded midfield for the Dutch. That is one of the great thrills of an international tournamnet, getting the chance to see players like matejovsky, Fenin and Engelaar who are not well known internationally. |
![]() |
|
| Yogi | May 27 2008, 03:11 PM Post #28 |
![]()
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Today's friendlies: Czech Republic 2 Lithuania 0 Germany 2 Belarus 2 France 2 Ecuador 0 Poland 1 Albania 1 Austria 1 Nigeria 1 Here is a wire service article summarising those games, http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-e...ov=ap&type=lgns France got two goals from debutant 22 year old forward Bafetimbi "Eyechart" Gomis in their win, Koller scored twice for the Czechs, Germany were 2-0 up when Belarus scored two 2nd half goals, probably after some subs had been made and Austria still can't win a game. |
![]() |
|
| gaviota | May 27 2008, 10:15 PM Post #29 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I saw the France vs Ecuador game and Ecuador had France frustrated and should have taken the lead in the 1st half when Tenorio got behind the French defense but he waited too long to shoot and Thuram had time to get back and saved the shot on the line. In the 2nd half this new forward Gomis came on and turned the game around for France. First goal he collected the ball with his back to the goal and from outside the penalty area turned and shot to the opposite post. The second goal was a flying volley of a Nicolas Anelka cross. France played without Ribery, Benzema, Henry, Makelele and Vieira and didn't look all that good until Gomis came on. You'd expect he will now make the team maybe at the expense of Djibril Cisse who he replaced in this game. |
| CHAMP13NS | |
![]() |
|
| Nkono | May 27 2008, 11:53 PM Post #30 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
France used this Ecuador match as a chance to look at the players on the bubble for making the squad. Unquestionably St. Etienne's Gomis made a strong case that he should make the final 23. Domenech will have a very tough choice pairing the team down to 23 players from the current 30 man roster. Mexes injury may make once decision easier but the rest will not be. If it is between Gomis or Cisse at forward, I'd choose Gomis. He's less experienced but Cisse we've all seen have up and down games. Gomis brings a freshness to the squad much like Ribery did two years ago at the World Cup. The truth is this is the 4th forward spot behind Henry, Benzema and Anelka and that's not even including wingers like Gouvou or Malouda. So at best this is a position for a late game sub. Gomis showed on Tuesday he can handle that role. |
![]() |
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · UEFA · Next Topic » |





![]](http://z1.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)




5:04 PM Jul 10