AjanleKoko: ^^
The forward line is rather uninspiring. I see Pedro getting quite some game time. Torres is likely to lead the line in all the group games, until maybe Del Bosque loses patience.

Tbh I think you are being bit too harsh.
Which of the other Major contenders have forward lines that is inspiring?....Is It Germany?? France Italy?? England??

Bloody Hell here I was thinking Llorente was a dead cert with regards to who was going to lead the line.

chic2pimp:

Tbh I think you are being bit too harsh.
Which of the other Major contenders have forward lines that is inspiring?....Is It Germany?? France Italy?? England??

Bloody Hell here I was thinking Llorente was a dead cert with regards to who was going to lead the line.

Oranje. Huntelaar and RVP look in sparkling form. That's why I am backing them as a strong outside bet, to upset the Germany-Spain applecart

Llorente, I wouldn't start with. Largely untested at these levels. I'd still start Torres in a 4-2-3-1, but I can almost guarantee frustration.

medjai: Spain NT's final Euro list:

Goal Keepers: Casillas (Real Madrid), Valdés (Barcelona), Reina (Liverpool).

Defense: Juanfran (Atlético), Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Piqué (Barcelona), Javi Martínez (Athletic), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Jordi Alba (Valencia), Albiol (Real Madrid).

Midfield: Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Cesc (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Iniesta (Barcelona), Cazorla (Villarreal).

Forwards: Pedro (Barcelona), Mata (Chelsea), Jesús Navas (Sevilla), Silva (Manchester City), Llorente (Athletic), Torres (Chelsea), Negredo (Sevilla).

So Torres is in finally?
Guess they just had to bow to pressure.

Not sure what FT is doing on that team.

BlueDiva:

So Torres is in finally?
Guess they just had to bow to pressure.

Not sure what FT is doing on that team.

Haba, BD. In a tournament like this, you need experience. Plus, no Villa, who is by far the best striker Spain has produced since Raul, maybe even better.

AjanleKoko:

Oranje. Huntelaar and RVP look in sparkling form. That's why I am backing them as a strong outside bet, to upset the Germany-Spain applecart

Llorente, I wouldn't start with. Largely untested at these levels. I'd still start Torres in a 4-2-3-1, but I can almost guarantee frustration.

After the dutch, the spanish are next best so I don't see any cause for alarm. Besides as I type Mathijsen is a doubt after suffering a hamstring strain and If he fails to make it their defence becomes weakened.

True dat Llorente is untested. I guess it's a straight choice between in form but untested Llorente and out form but Tested Torres.

AjanleKoko:

Haba, BD. In a tournament like this, you need experience. Plus, no Villa, who is by far the best striker Spain has produced since Raul, maybe even better.

Better IMHO!!!.... At the very least for La Furia Roja

chic2pimp:

After the dutch, the spanish are next best so I don't see any cause for alarm.

As per strikers, I wouldn't be quick to agree with you there.
RVP and Huntelaar are number 3 and 4 on the European scoring charts. Spain's highest this last season is Roberto Soldado at 34 - and he has been dropped.

Obviously Del Bosque has gone for NT experience over current form. I hope for his sake it all works out.

AjanleKoko:

Haba, BD. In a tournament like this, you need experience. Plus, no Villa, who is by far the best striker Spain has produced since Raul, maybe even better.

He will most likely be brought from the bench when the game is won already. . .lol
It seems silly dropping Soldado for Torres. I wish them good luck.

BlueDiva:

He will most likely be brought from the bench when the game is won already. . .lol
It seems silly dropping Soldado for Torres. I wish them good luck.

Hmm.
I think it should have been Soldado, Llorente, Torres, and any other striker that has shown good form.
Del Bosque seems to have picked Pedro based on his very recent form. He's been poor for most of the season. Or maybe they shoulda even dropped one of the army of midfielders.

See Italians again oh. Betting scandal again, on the eve of the Euros!

Gareth Barry is ruled out of England's Euro 2012 squad with a lower abdomen injury. Phil Jagielka has been called up as his replacement.

hummm

mukina2: Gareth Barry is ruled out of England's Euro 2012 squad with a lower abdomen injury. Phil Jagielka has been called up as his replacement.

hummm

Makes almost no difference.
Abi this will be their reason for getting bundled out as usual?
England will surprise all of us this time around

AjanleKoko: See Italians again oh. Betting scandal again, on the eve of the Euros!

Dude is innocent......He'll clear his name.

AjanleKoko:

Hmm.
I think it should have been Soldado, Llorente, Torres, and any other striker that has shown good form.
Del Bosque seems to have picked Pedro based on his very recent form. He's been poor for most of the season. Or maybe they shoulda even dropped one of the army of midfielders.

Soldado finished the season in awful form - 4 goals in his last 24 games, whereas Negredo finished it white hot. 11 goals in his last 14 matches, and when Soldado is bad he's really bad. that makes perfect sense.

Torres over Adrian (or midfielders like Beñat or Isco?) less so but perhaps for continuity it's good.

I can't wait for the Marseilles to ring the air waves announcing the arrival of Les Blues.. i love the fact that no one is paying too much attention to the team now.. The media is focused on Spain, England( eternal floppers)Holland and Germany.

AjanleKoko:

Makes almost no difference.
Abi this will be their reason for getting bundled out as usual?
England will surprise all of us this time around

Lol. . .exactly.
I give them q/finals max.

Still pissed off Soldado wont be at Euro. It's the most inexplicable drop so far in all the squads announced. Even if Torres is going based on NT experience what about Negredo? Guy must be wondering what else he must do to get in the national team these days

^^Negredo is in

There was no second chance for Yoann Gourcuff as France coach Laurent Blanc shut the door on the Olympique Lyon playmaker's Euro 2012 hopes when he named his final 23-man squad on Tuesday.

i kinda like Gourcuff

Final Squad:

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille), Cedric Carrasso (Girondins Bordeaux).

Defenders: Gael Clichy (Manchester City), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (AC Milan), Adil Rami (Valencia), Mathieu Debuchy (Lille), Anthony Reveillere (Olympique Lyon).

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Manchester City), Alou Diarra (Olympique Marseille), Yann M'vila (Stade Rennes), Marvin Martin (Sochaux), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain).

Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle United), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), Jeremy Menez (Paris Saint-Germain), Mathieu Valbuena (Olympique Marseille).

i am tipping chelsea to win again. in fact, chelsea will also win afcon 2013 as well as world cup 2014. up chelsea, the sky is blue.
sorry everybody, i was reliably informed that uefa officially invited chelsea to play among countries and this is the first time this will happen so chelsea fans shld all be ready to support our winning team.

Germany will have the youngest squad at the EURO, with an average age of 24 years and 11 months. Poland are the second-youngest (25 years, 7months) followed by Denmark (27 years, 0 months) and England (27 years, 1 month)

AjanleKoko:

Haba, BD. In a tournament like this, you need experience. Plus, no Villa, who is by far the best striker Spain has produced since Raul, maybe even better.

That is a joke,right?

mbulela:
That is a joke,right?

Joke ke?
Stats cannot lie, bro.

Villa: 82 NT apearances, 51 NT goals, 0.62 goals/game.
Raul: 102 NT appearances, 44 goals. 0.43 goals/game.

So I was just being modest. David Villa is the best striker Spain has produced since Di Stefano (who is Argentine by birth).

Terrible News For The Three Lions

Champions League Winner Frank Lampsrd is a major doubt for Euro 2012.

chic2pimp: Terrible News For The Three Lions

Champions League Winner Frank Lampsrd is a major doubt for Euro 2012.

*sign*
England, the footballing nation, kinda short on, ah, footballers

Let 'em replace him with Carrick I guess. At least to keep things pumping

Tragedy has struck with Regards to the Three Lions

Frank Lampard has been ruled out of the tournament. How they'll cop with the loss of a key player remains to be seen.

They'll definitely miss Lampard's Big Game and Big Tournament experience.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18265377

hehehe just saw it on the news

engerrland na wa o

Another Bad news!!!

This time it's the Les Blues

Yann M'Villa is almost certainly out of Euro 2012.......Dude was inconsolable on the french bench after being substituted.

Absloutely gutted for the Lad.

mukina2: hehehe just saw it on the news

engerrland na wa o

AjanleKoko:
England will surprise all of us this time around

England are forever 'choke'full of surprises:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZEzn1Xnziw

Off-camera, in the 46th second mark, Fabio Capello lost his will to live.

chic2pimp: Another Bad news!!!

This time it's the Les Blues

Yann M'Villa is almost certainly out of Euro 2012.......Dude was inconsolable on the french bench after being substituted.

Absloutely gutted for the Lad.

was watching the match yesterday it pained me ehn i wish it was nasri or clichy

^^
He's not yet ruled out. It's a muscle tear in the ankle, but he has 11 days to pick up his fitness. Blanc is optimistic. Worst case he might miss the England game.