Euro 2012 - Other Squads

1

Speculation, injury news, thoughts on other squads in here.

Totti has already given us his thoughts on Italy. Here’s who I think Germany will bring:

Neuer
Wiese
Adler*

Lahm
Boateng
Badstuber
Hummels
Schmelzer
Howedes
Mertesacker (injury dependent)
Aogo

Schweinsteiger
Khedira
Rolfes
Kroos
Ozil
Mueller
Podolski
Reus
Gotze
Schurrle

Gomez
Klose

  • Interestingly, the Germans have about 8 or 9 goalkeepers who wouldn’t look out of place in their starting team at this stage. The rather excellent Ter Stegen of Moenchengladbach presumably won’t make it but will give a Neuer a real battle for the goalkeeping slot if he continues his current development.

Not sure whether they’ll gamble with only those two orthodox strikers. Cacau is the next best they have but unless they risk leaving a defender behind it would mean not taking one of those young attacking midfielders and would be harsh not to bring all of them. That’s already excluding the likes of Holtby and Marin and then the other more defensive lads like Trasch and the Benders.

The above squad leaves them with a couple of players for each position, assuming they go 4-2-3-1 so your two teams, leaving out Adler, could be:

[soccer]
[gk]Neuer[/gk]
[rb]Lahm[/rb]
[rcb]Hummels[/rcb]
[lcb]Badstuber[/lcb]
[lb]Boateng[/lb]
[rdm]Khedira[/rdm]
[ldm]Schweinsteiger[/ldm]
[rw]Mueller[/rw]
[cf]Ozil[/cf]
[lf]Podolski[/lf]
[st]Gomez[/st]
[/soccer]

[soccer]
[gk]Wiese[/gk]
[rb]Aogo[/rb]
[rcb]Howedes[/rcb]
[lcb]Mertesacker[/lcb]
[lb]Schmelzer[/lb]
[rdm]Rolfes[/rdm]
[lcm]Kroos[/lcm]
[rw]Gotze[/rw]
[cf]Reus[/cf]
[lw]Schurrle[/lw]
[st]Klose[/st]
[/soccer]

I think the back five will be as above, though there’s a possibility of Badstuber swapping with Boateng. I don’t think Mertesacker will start even if he gets back fit and I’ve no idea how he is.

The midfield is very interesting. Mueller hasn’t been in great form for Bayern but Germany have never been too concerned with that and it would be hard to ignore his international credentials. Kroos is really beginning to come of age though and is now impressing at Champions League level so will be pressing hard for one of those advanced midfield spots. He’s also an option for one of the deeper roles, particularly if they want to go more attacking when chasing a game.

Gotze has been unlucky with the timing of his injury. He’d definitely have been pressing for a starting place if he’d kept up his club form but he’s probably fallen down the pecking order now and will compete with Reus to be an impact sub along with whoever else doesn’t start out of Kroos and Mueller.

2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCUc_B6rPMQ

3

Engerland

[soccer]
[gk]Hart[/gk]
[rb]Walker[/rb]
[rcb]Lescott[/rcb]
[lcb]JT[/lcb]
[lb]Cashley[/lb]
[rdm]Carrick[/rdm]
[lcm]Lamps[/lcm]
[rw]Walcott[/rw]
[cf]Stevie G[/cf]
[lf]Oxlade-Chamberlain[/lf]
[st]Rooney[/st]
[/soccer]

[soccer]
[gk]Forster[/gk]
[rb]Cahill[/rb]
[rcb]Rio[/rcb]
[lcb]Dawson[/lcb]
[lb]Baines[/lb]
[rdm]Barry[/rdm]
[lcm]Scotty P[/lcm]
[rw]Young[/rw]
[cf]Welbeck[/cf]
[lw]Sturridge[/lw]
[st]Bent[/st]
[/soccer]

3rd keeper: Foster

4

Poland named their 32 man squad. First item on the news. No Boruc.

5

Brozek gets in but Boruc loses out. I don’t know who is in charge of Poland these days but I’m ruling them out on the basis of this discussion.

I think Boruc may be both a better goalkeeper and a better striker than Brozek.

6

Do Poland realise they’re meant to name a 23 man squad rather than a 32 man one?

7

Apologies, I was supposed to write up a preview as to how Spain were shaping up for Euro 2012 but never really got the time. Their build up hasn’t been helped by lack of form from the likes of Xavi, Pique, Torres and Pedro while it is looking like a huge risk to bring Villa, with Torres patchy form and a lack of alternatives up front they will have to give it consideration. Llorente may well be first choice come the Euro’s while at least one of Negrado and Soldado will travel as well and as both are similar enough style strikers I doubt both will be brought. Spain do have some serious depth of central and attacking midfielders at their disposal and there will be serious competition for places and no doubt a few relatively big names will be left at home.

Witha Albiol out of favour at Real Madrid it should allow someone like Andoni Iraola to force his way in as a right back with Ramos and Busquets both capable of moving to centre half. I have the feeling Pedro won’t go either, the likes of Navas, Muniain, Carzorla and Silva have had far better seasons at club level.

Others that might come into the reckoning would be Monreal and Capdevilla as Spain are light enough for options at left back but I have the feeling that Puyol or Arbeloa might be used to fill a gap here instead. Muniain will more than likely work his way into the squad if Villa doesn’t make it but right now Llorente is the only one of the attackers assured of his place in the squad

Keepers: Casillas, Reina, Valdes

Defenders: Ramos, Puyol, Pique, Alba, Arbeloa, Javi Martinez, Iraola

Midfield: Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Fabregas, Carzola, Silva, Navas, Iniesta, Mata

Attack: Llorente, Soldado, Torres, Muniain/Villa

8

Fuck.

9

…

10

…

11

Think you might be in the wrong thread Totti. :lol:

12

…

13

:lol:

Ah here.

14

Starting team for the opening match may be along the following lines.

[Soccer][gk]Casillas[/gk]

[rwb]Iraola[/rwb]

[lcb]Pique[/lcb]

[rcb]Ramos[/rcb]

[lwb]Alba[/lwb][ldm]Alonso[/ldm][rdm]Busquets[/rdm][cm]Xavi[/cm][ram]Silva[/ram][LAM]Iniesta[/LAM][cf]Llorente[/cf][/Soccer]

Puyol or Martinez could well play centre half with Ramos at right back but Iraola is a serious attacking threat and is in good form as is Alba and they will give plenty of width which would allow them to play both Silva and Iniesta as attacking midfielders, if Ramos is at right back then I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mata or Navas start ahead of Silva to add a bit more pace and dynamism

15

Iraola got absolutely raped in the friendly against Italy so I’d expect Del Bosque to be be even more conservative than usual in that game.

16

Maybe, forgot that the opening game is against Italy. Puyol will more than likely start at centre half with Ramos at right back so.

17

In other news, Maarten Stekelenburg is unsure if he’ll be fit in time for Euro 2012.

18

Three theories here Bandage;

  1. The coach is dyslexic.
  2. They are tearing the arse out of it for publicity reasons.
  3. Coach hasn’t a clue who to pick, it is a bit like Oz picking 17 players for the first Ashes test.

I reckon it is 3 myself.

Has Brozek had a kick for Celtic?

19

[quote=“balbec, post: 678071”]Has Brozek had a kick for Celtic?
[/quote]

He’s only started one game, was fairly average and was substituted after an hour. Only 2 or 3 other cameos from the bench and he hasn’t really shown much at all in truth.

20

Bacary Sagna has broken his leg for the second time this season and is out of Euro 2012.