It’s safe to say that the European Football Championship is probably the second biggest international football (soccer) championship, coming strong on the heels of the World Cup in importance and certainly its equal in terms of the quality of play. Sixteen teams will be vying for the continental championship this year (it expands to 24 teams in 2016) and the braagging rights that go with it, along with a spot in the Confederations Cup next year in Brazil.
For the next four days I’m going to examine each team in each group and make some predictions informed guesses as to who will go through to the quaterfinals. The teams in Group A are the Czech Republic, Greece, Poland and Russia.
The Czech Republic: I have to confess that the only players who I see play regularly are Arsenal’s midfielder Tomas Rosicky and Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Petr Cech. Rosicky is an extraordinarily skilled and creative player, whose recent play for Arsenal has shown signs of resurgence. Provided he stays healthy, he will direct the offense. Here’s where the problem lies: the rest of their attackers are either very young or on their thirties. I had no idea Milan Baros was still playing. In addition, their qualification group was rather weak. They finished runners-up to Spain in a group that included Scotland, Liechtenstein and Lithuania and qualified in a playoff against Montenegro. While Cech is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the world and the rest of their defense looks reliable, I believe that their offense looks a little uninspired.
In many respects a new coach notwithstanding, Greece’s style is precious little changed from the team that won the Euro 2004 Championship: solid defending, but precious little creativity with only 14 goals scored in qualifying and only more than two scored once, when they beat Malta 3-1.
Poland did not have to qualify as they are cohosts with Ukraine, but they have only lost two of their last ten friendlies: against France and Italy. The players I have seen play regularly are Wojciech Szczney, Arsenal’s goalkeeper who has managed to secure firm control of that position for club and country as well as Robert Lewandowski and Jakub Błaszczykowski who play for Borussia Dortmund, where Lewandowski scored 22 goals and Błaszczykowski was a solid player on the wing, scoring 6 goals.
Russia was one of the major surprises at Euro 2008, beating a heavily favored Netherlands with two goals in extra time in the quarterfinals. They are still coached by a Dutch coach, the experienced Dick Advocaat, still have a very solid defense and some decent attacking potential, depending how well Andrey Arshavin and Pavel Pavyluchenko (a Mutt and Jeff striking combination if there ever was one), especially how well Arshavin stacks up physically against Greeke and Polish defenders. They should do well in a somewhat weak group.
I believe Poland and Russia will go through to the quarterfinals. Either one could win the group.
I will do my best to set up open threads during each game and hope to have some recaps if I see the game or at least have an open thread.
Valdivia
I think I will be able to watch on GolTV. :)
PeakVT
Are the Olympic football (soccer) games something football fans care about?
Steeplejack
When are the games (at least the first couple)?
Randinho
It’s on ESPN. The entire tournament.
Randinho
@Steeplejack: It starts Friday. Here’s a link to a wall chart with all games.
@PeakVT: Maybe, but the Euros tend to overshadow them.
Brad
The Czechs have been quite good in the past, but I agree they might be thin at the moment. Poland looks to be the class in this group with a history of performing well internationally. Arshavin seems a bit off the boil at present, but unless Greece can shut some people out, I think I have to agree with your picks. But, lucky for us, they play the matches.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@Steeplejack: The BBC has a schedule of the fixtures. It starts next Friday.
Brad
The Czechs have been quite good in the past, but I agree they might be thin at the moment. Poland looks to be the class in this group with a history of performing well internationally. Arshavin seems a bit off the boil at present, but unless Greece can shut some people out, I think I have to agree with your picks. But, lucky for us, they play the matches.
Mark S.
This is definitely the weakest group.
Valdivia
@Randinho:
good to know. Though I still love the narration in spanish. Totally makes the game for me.
Randinho
@Mark S.: Agreed.
burnspbesq
The men’s Olympic tournament is U-23, with each team allowed two or three overage players. Football junkies are amped because it will be our first sustained look at the young Brazilian Neyman, who many people think is the Next Big Thing.
Mark S.
@PeakVT:
I think I read that football draws the most spectators at the Olympics. The teams have to be under 23 years old (except for 3 players), so it hardly has the prestige of the World Cup (which is the way FIFA wants it).
It’s a different story on the women’s side (I don’t think there are any restrictions on who can play) and there the Olympics are about as prestigious as the World Cup.
Steeplejack
@Randinho, @The prophet Nostradumbass:
Thanks, just wanted to make sure I didn’t miss one, because I know a lot of the European stuff (Champions League, etc.) happens on midweek afternoons (U.S. time). And space on the DVR is tight right now.
wetcasements
Milan Baros is only 30.
burnspbesq
Lest we forget, the US begins the qualification process for the 2014 World Cup this coming weekend.
burnspbesq
Hoo boy. Portugal got lit up 3-1 by Turkey in its last preparation match. Not good.
The question now is, will England have 11 healthy players?
Nethead Jay
Nice analysis, Randinho. Though if the mood strikes them, the Czechs might surprise. And I’m sure you’re aware of the history involved with them, Russia and Poland playing each other. Also, I fucking hate the Greek playing style, hope they get a swift kick out the tournament.
Looking forward to your take on Group B, given that I’m in Denmark… ;)
Randinho
@wetcasements: Oh I know, but it seems like he’s been around for much longer and his production has been dropping. This year he had 8 goals in 28 appearances for Galatasaray.
Nethead Jay
@burnspbesq: Interesting. And good news as far as I’m concerned.
PeakVT
@Mark S.: I didn’t know there was an age restriction. Thanks for pointing that out.
Splitting Image
Didn’t realize the tournament had snuck up on me already.
The tournament will have to be a good one if they intend to top the fact that somebody in the qualifying round actually lost to the Faroe Islands.
pseudonymous in nc
For some reason, Euro 2012 seems to have crept up without much fanfare this year. Perhaps because the UK has the Olympics on its mind, perhaps because the domestic leagues and European club competition took a lot of the attention from international football, perhaps because it’s out east this time round. You have to assume that Poland will outperform, like most host nations, though that may only mean getting out of the group stage.
@Mark S.:
That’s mainly down to the venues — they’re much more dispersed, tickets are generally a bit easier to come by, and the capacities are high. There’s also the oddity this time round of a “Team GB” that may drag in Beckham as one of the three over-age players.
Paula
@burnspbesq:
Ugh. Are we ready? Did we experiment with enough positioning? Is Juergen Klinsmann full of shit?
While I was glad to see the US manage to possess the ball in the 2nd half of the match against Brazil, it’s really disheartening to find the back of the net only once in two matches right before qualifying. Yes SCOTLAND — but I almost don’t want to watch the actual qualifier.
penpen
Randinho, you appear to have merged Pavel Pogrebnyak and Roman Pavlyuchenko into some unholy hybrid.