Turkish side Trabzonspor have signed defender Sol Bamba from Leicester City for an undisclosed fee.
Bamba, signed from Scottish Premier League side Hibernian for £250,000 in January 2011, made 55 appearances for City, scoring four times. Last season the 27-year-old started 33 games, but missed a month of the season while playing for the Ivory Coast at the African Nations Cup.
He will be best remembered by City fans when he scored after 17 seconds on his debut against Manchester City in an FA Cup Third Round tie at the King Power Stadium, a game which ended 2-2.
The Ivorian will join up with countryman Didier Zokora at Trabzonspor and will play in this season's Europa League after finishing third in the Turkish Super Lig.
Monday, 18 June 2012
City handed Posh opener
Leicester City will begin their 2012/13 npower Championship campaign at home to Peterborough United.
The opener is set to take place on August 18, with two away games at Charlton and Blackburn to follow.
City face three home games in September against defeated playoff finalists Blackpool, Burnley and Nigel Pearson's former side Hull City. The East Midlands derbies against Nottingham Forest and Derby County will take place at the King Power Stadium on 10 November and 1 December respectively, while City conclude the season with a trip to Forest on 4 May.
The festive period sees City travel to Hull on Boxing Day, followed by a trip to Burnley three days later. 2013 begins with the visit of Huddersfield Town on New Year's Day.
Leicester City fixtures 2012/13
August
Sat 18th - Peterborough United (H)
Tue 21st - Charlton Athletic (A)
Sat 25th - Blackburn Rovers (A)
September
Sat 1st - Blackpool (H)
Sat 15th - Wolves (A)
Tue 18th - Burnley (H)
Sat 22nd - Hull City (H)
Sat 29th - Middlesbrough (A)
October
Tue 2nd - Huddersfield Town (A)
Sat 6th - Bristol City (H)
Sat 20th - Birmingham City (A)
Tue 23rd - Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
Sat 27th - Crystal Palace (H)
November
Sat 3rd - Watford (A)
Tue 6th - Bolton Wanderers (A)
Sat 10th - Nottingham Forest (H)
Sat 17th - Ipswich Town (H)
Sat 24th - Sheffield Wednesday (A)
Tue 27th - Leeds United (A)
December
Sat 1st - Derby County (H)
Sat 8th - Barnsley (H)
Sat 15h - Millwall (A)
Sat 22nd - Cardiff City (H)
Wed 26th - Hull City (A)
Sat 29th - Burnley (A)
January
Tue 1st - Huddersfield Town (H)
Sat 12th - Bristol City (A)
Sat 19th - Middlesbrough (H)
Sat 26th - Cardiff City (A)
February
Sat 2nd - Wolves (H)
Sat 9th - Peterborough United (A)
Sat 16th - Blackburn Rovers (H)
Tue 19th - Charlton Athletic (H)
Sat 23rd - Blackpool (A)
March
Sat 2nd - Ipswich Town (A)
Tue 5th - Leeds United (H)
Sat 9th - Sheffield Wednesday (H)
Sat 16th - Derby County (A)
Sat 30th - Millwall (H)
April
Mon 1st - Barnsley (A)
Sat 6th - Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
Sat 13th - Birmingham City (H)
Tue 16th - Bolton Wanderers (H)
Sat 20th - Crystal Palace (A)
Sat 27th - Watford (H)
May
Sat 4th - Nottingham Forest (A)
The opener is set to take place on August 18, with two away games at Charlton and Blackburn to follow.
City face three home games in September against defeated playoff finalists Blackpool, Burnley and Nigel Pearson's former side Hull City. The East Midlands derbies against Nottingham Forest and Derby County will take place at the King Power Stadium on 10 November and 1 December respectively, while City conclude the season with a trip to Forest on 4 May.
The festive period sees City travel to Hull on Boxing Day, followed by a trip to Burnley three days later. 2013 begins with the visit of Huddersfield Town on New Year's Day.
Leicester City fixtures 2012/13
August
Sat 18th - Peterborough United (H)
Tue 21st - Charlton Athletic (A)
Sat 25th - Blackburn Rovers (A)
September
Sat 1st - Blackpool (H)
Sat 15th - Wolves (A)
Tue 18th - Burnley (H)
Sat 22nd - Hull City (H)
Sat 29th - Middlesbrough (A)
October
Tue 2nd - Huddersfield Town (A)
Sat 6th - Bristol City (H)
Sat 20th - Birmingham City (A)
Tue 23rd - Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
Sat 27th - Crystal Palace (H)
November
Sat 3rd - Watford (A)
Tue 6th - Bolton Wanderers (A)
Sat 10th - Nottingham Forest (H)
Sat 17th - Ipswich Town (H)
Sat 24th - Sheffield Wednesday (A)
Tue 27th - Leeds United (A)
December
Sat 1st - Derby County (H)
Sat 8th - Barnsley (H)
Sat 15h - Millwall (A)
Sat 22nd - Cardiff City (H)
Wed 26th - Hull City (A)
Sat 29th - Burnley (A)
January
Tue 1st - Huddersfield Town (H)
Sat 12th - Bristol City (A)
Sat 19th - Middlesbrough (H)
Sat 26th - Cardiff City (A)
February
Sat 2nd - Wolves (H)
Sat 9th - Peterborough United (A)
Sat 16th - Blackburn Rovers (H)
Tue 19th - Charlton Athletic (H)
Sat 23rd - Blackpool (A)
March
Sat 2nd - Ipswich Town (A)
Tue 5th - Leeds United (H)
Sat 9th - Sheffield Wednesday (H)
Sat 16th - Derby County (A)
Sat 30th - Millwall (H)
April
Mon 1st - Barnsley (A)
Sat 6th - Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
Sat 13th - Birmingham City (H)
Tue 16th - Bolton Wanderers (H)
Sat 20th - Crystal Palace (A)
Sat 27th - Watford (H)
May
Sat 4th - Nottingham Forest (A)
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Sweden v England: My analysis.
Well England certainly don't do things the easy way. But ultimately, their 3-2 win against Sweden in Kiev had plenty of positives and leaves England fans in buoyant mood, for now at least.
The two key decisions that manager Roy Hodgson made of starting Andy Carroll and then bringing on Theo Walcott when England had gone 2-1 down were inspired. Before the game, many pundits and fans were surprised that Carroll would start against the Swedes, replacing the lively Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the first game against France. But Carroll lead the line well and scored the opening goal after 23 minutes, heading in a sublime cross from his Liverpool team mate Steven Gerrard.
Walcott's influence from the bench could not have been better. Four minutes after coming on, he scored from the edge of the box as Sweden failed to clear a corner to equalise and then set up the winner as he ran at the tiring defence, crossing for Danny Welbeck who finished sublimely with a back heel.
However, one negative to pick from the game would be the way England collapsed at the start of the second half, conceding twice from set pieces. Firstly, England failed to clear properly from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick and Olof Mellberg prodded home despite the best efforts of Glen Johnson to clear the ball off the line. Then from a Sebastien Larsson free kick Mellberg once again scored, heading home unmarked to give Sweden the lead. Although England went on to win the game, teams stronger than Sweden would have punished their sloppyness and not allowed England back into the game.
The positives certainly outweigh the negatives though as England now only need a point in their final game against Ukraine to qualify for the quarter finals on Tuesday. The FA's decision to appoint Hodgson and not Harry Redknapp who many were hoping for appears to be vindicated.
The two key decisions that manager Roy Hodgson made of starting Andy Carroll and then bringing on Theo Walcott when England had gone 2-1 down were inspired. Before the game, many pundits and fans were surprised that Carroll would start against the Swedes, replacing the lively Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the first game against France. But Carroll lead the line well and scored the opening goal after 23 minutes, heading in a sublime cross from his Liverpool team mate Steven Gerrard.
Walcott's influence from the bench could not have been better. Four minutes after coming on, he scored from the edge of the box as Sweden failed to clear a corner to equalise and then set up the winner as he ran at the tiring defence, crossing for Danny Welbeck who finished sublimely with a back heel.
However, one negative to pick from the game would be the way England collapsed at the start of the second half, conceding twice from set pieces. Firstly, England failed to clear properly from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick and Olof Mellberg prodded home despite the best efforts of Glen Johnson to clear the ball off the line. Then from a Sebastien Larsson free kick Mellberg once again scored, heading home unmarked to give Sweden the lead. Although England went on to win the game, teams stronger than Sweden would have punished their sloppyness and not allowed England back into the game.
The positives certainly outweigh the negatives though as England now only need a point in their final game against Ukraine to qualify for the quarter finals on Tuesday. The FA's decision to appoint Hodgson and not Harry Redknapp who many were hoping for appears to be vindicated.
Friday, 15 June 2012
St Ledger's Ireland Out Of Euro's
Leicester City defender Sean St Ledger once again featured for the Republic of Ireland but was unable to help prevent a 4-0 defeat to Spain, which sees them the first team to be knocked out of the European Championships.
Two goals from Fernando Torres and strikes from David Silva and Cesc Fabregas were enough for the World and European Champions as they dominated the match throughout, finishing the game with a remarkable 78% of possession and 27 shots on goal.
Ireland once again got off to a slow start, this time conceding after four minutes. After hesitation in the Irish defence, Chelsea striker Torres nipped in and shot across goalkeeper Shay Given.
Many thought that Spain would go on to score more and that the game would be over by half time, but the Irish stood firm. Spain did create chances but through wasteful shooting and Irish resilient defending by getting ten men behind the ball, the score was kept to just 1-0.
But just like the first game against Croatia, the Irish came out for the second half and had conceded again minutes later. David Silva showed great composure around desperate Irish defending to hit the ball past Given and double Spain's lead.
It was now looking almost impossible for Ireland to get anything from the game, such was Spain's dominance. The game was well and truly over when Torres scored hs second, chipping the ball past Given.
The rout was complete when Barcelona midfielder Fabregas drove from a tight angle and scored off the post.
The result, coupled with Croatia's 1-1 draw with Italy earlier in the day, means the Irish cannot qualify for the quarter finals. They will, however, have pride at stake as they play their final group game against Italy on Monday.
Spain: Casillas, Arbeloa, Pique, Sergio Ramos, Alba, Iniesta (Cazorla 79), Xavi, Alonso (Javi Martinez 65), Busquets, Silva, Torres (Fabregas 74).
Ireland: Given, O'Shea, St.Ledger, Dunne, Ward, McGeady, Whelan (Green 80), Andrews, Duff (McClean 76), Keane, Cox (Walters 46)
Two goals from Fernando Torres and strikes from David Silva and Cesc Fabregas were enough for the World and European Champions as they dominated the match throughout, finishing the game with a remarkable 78% of possession and 27 shots on goal.
Ireland once again got off to a slow start, this time conceding after four minutes. After hesitation in the Irish defence, Chelsea striker Torres nipped in and shot across goalkeeper Shay Given.
Many thought that Spain would go on to score more and that the game would be over by half time, but the Irish stood firm. Spain did create chances but through wasteful shooting and Irish resilient defending by getting ten men behind the ball, the score was kept to just 1-0.
But just like the first game against Croatia, the Irish came out for the second half and had conceded again minutes later. David Silva showed great composure around desperate Irish defending to hit the ball past Given and double Spain's lead.
It was now looking almost impossible for Ireland to get anything from the game, such was Spain's dominance. The game was well and truly over when Torres scored hs second, chipping the ball past Given.
The rout was complete when Barcelona midfielder Fabregas drove from a tight angle and scored off the post.
The result, coupled with Croatia's 1-1 draw with Italy earlier in the day, means the Irish cannot qualify for the quarter finals. They will, however, have pride at stake as they play their final group game against Italy on Monday.
Spain: Casillas, Arbeloa, Pique, Sergio Ramos, Alba, Iniesta (Cazorla 79), Xavi, Alonso (Javi Martinez 65), Busquets, Silva, Torres (Fabregas 74).
Ireland: Given, O'Shea, St.Ledger, Dunne, Ward, McGeady, Whelan (Green 80), Andrews, Duff (McClean 76), Keane, Cox (Walters 46)
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Leicester drawn away to Torquay in Capital One Cup
Leicester City will face League Two side Torquay United in the first round of the newly-named Capital One Cup.
Martin Ling's side finished fifth in League Two last season, losing to Cheltenham Town in the playoff semi finals. Their home record last season was impressive, losing only three times at Plainmoor. However, the Gulls have gone ten years without reaching the second round of the League Cup.
City fans will face a 450 mile round trip to the "English Riviera" after they were put into the southern section of the draw.
The tie will take place the week commencing 13 August and will be the first game of the 2012/13 season.
Capital One Cup First Round Draw:
Derby County v Scunthorpe United
Rochdale v Barnsley
Port Vale v Burnley
Notts County v Bradford City
Hull City v Rotherham United
Fleetwood Town v Nottingham Forest
Carlisle United v Accrington Stanley
Doncaster Rovers v York City
Crewe Alexandra v Hartlepool United
Bury v Middlesbrough
Chesterfield v Tranmere Rovers
Sheffield United v Burton Albion
Blackpool v Morecambe
Leeds United v Shrewsbury Town
Preston North End v Huddersfield Town
Oldham Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday
Cheltenham Town v Milton Keynes Dons
Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers
Stevenage v AFC Wimbledon
Exeter City v Crystal Palace
Yeovil Town v Colchester United
Birmingham City v Barnet
Bristol City v Gillingham
Northampton Town v Cardiff City
Plymouth Argyle v Portsmouth
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aldershot Town
Walsall v Brentford
Millwall v Crawley Town
Torquay United v Leicester City
Dagenham & Redbridge v Coventry City
Peterborough United v Southend United
Swindon Town v Brighton & Hove Albion
Watford v Wycombe Wanderers
Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient
Oxford United v AFC Bournemouth
Martin Ling's side finished fifth in League Two last season, losing to Cheltenham Town in the playoff semi finals. Their home record last season was impressive, losing only three times at Plainmoor. However, the Gulls have gone ten years without reaching the second round of the League Cup.
City fans will face a 450 mile round trip to the "English Riviera" after they were put into the southern section of the draw.
The tie will take place the week commencing 13 August and will be the first game of the 2012/13 season.
Capital One Cup First Round Draw:
Derby County v Scunthorpe United
Rochdale v Barnsley
Port Vale v Burnley
Notts County v Bradford City
Hull City v Rotherham United
Fleetwood Town v Nottingham Forest
Carlisle United v Accrington Stanley
Doncaster Rovers v York City
Crewe Alexandra v Hartlepool United
Bury v Middlesbrough
Chesterfield v Tranmere Rovers
Sheffield United v Burton Albion
Blackpool v Morecambe
Leeds United v Shrewsbury Town
Preston North End v Huddersfield Town
Oldham Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday
Cheltenham Town v Milton Keynes Dons
Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers
Stevenage v AFC Wimbledon
Exeter City v Crystal Palace
Yeovil Town v Colchester United
Birmingham City v Barnet
Bristol City v Gillingham
Northampton Town v Cardiff City
Plymouth Argyle v Portsmouth
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aldershot Town
Walsall v Brentford
Millwall v Crawley Town
Torquay United v Leicester City
Dagenham & Redbridge v Coventry City
Peterborough United v Southend United
Swindon Town v Brighton & Hove Albion
Watford v Wycombe Wanderers
Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient
Oxford United v AFC Bournemouth
Monday, 11 June 2012
St Ledger goal unable to prevent Irish defeat
Leicester City defender Sean St Ledger got on the scoresheet for the Republic of Ireland but was unable to help his country to an opening three points as they lost 3-1 to Croatia in Group C of Euro 2012.
St Ledger equalised for Ireland to make the score 1-1 after 19 minutes in the game in Poznan but two goals from Mario Madzukic and another from Nikica Jelavic leaves Ireland's hopes of progressing from Group C looking slim.
Despite the pre-match excitement, the Irish got off to the worst possible start. From the first corner of the game after two minutes, Ireland failed to clear the ball fully. A cross into the box fell to Mandzukic and despite slipping and being a long way out, the Wolfsburg striker steered a header into the net past a wrong-footed Shay Given.
But after regrouping, Ireland equalised through Leicester's very own St Ledger. Aiden McGeady's free-kick found St Ledger at the back post and headed home from close range. There was a slight controversy over the goal, however, as a whistle from the crowd was heard as the free-kick was crossed in and some of Croatia's defenders seemed to hesitate. But the goal stood and Ireland were level.
As Ireland were hoping to go into half time on level terms, Croatia retook the lead. After again failing to clear, the ball fell to Everton striker Jelavic who lifted the ball over Given. Irish defenders thought Jelavic was offside but the ball appeared to arrive at his feet from an Irish boot.
The start of the second half started in similar fashion for Ireland, conceding another cheap, if more unfortunate goal. Mandzukic headed towards goal which hit the post, only for the ball to go in off Given's head.
Conceding a third in such a fashion was a blow for Ireland, and if anyone looked like scoring a next goal it was the Croatians. But once again, Ireland took stock and were denied a good claim for a penalty as Gordon Schildenfeld went through the back of Robbie Keane in the area. Had that penalty been awarded and converted then perhaps Ireland would have ended up taking something from the game, but in the end Croatia deserved the win.
The result means Ireland must get a result against current World and European champions Spain on Thursday to have any chance of qualifying from Group C.
Ireland: Given; O'Shea, St.Ledger, Dunne, Ward; McGeady (Cox 54), Whelan, Andrews, Duff; Doyle (Walters 53), Keane (Long 75.
Croatia: Pletikosa; Srna, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic; Vukojevic, Rakitic (Dujmovic 90), Modric, Perisic (Eduardo 89); Mandzukic, Jelavic (Kranjcar 72).
St Ledger equalised for Ireland to make the score 1-1 after 19 minutes in the game in Poznan but two goals from Mario Madzukic and another from Nikica Jelavic leaves Ireland's hopes of progressing from Group C looking slim.
Despite the pre-match excitement, the Irish got off to the worst possible start. From the first corner of the game after two minutes, Ireland failed to clear the ball fully. A cross into the box fell to Mandzukic and despite slipping and being a long way out, the Wolfsburg striker steered a header into the net past a wrong-footed Shay Given.
But after regrouping, Ireland equalised through Leicester's very own St Ledger. Aiden McGeady's free-kick found St Ledger at the back post and headed home from close range. There was a slight controversy over the goal, however, as a whistle from the crowd was heard as the free-kick was crossed in and some of Croatia's defenders seemed to hesitate. But the goal stood and Ireland were level.
As Ireland were hoping to go into half time on level terms, Croatia retook the lead. After again failing to clear, the ball fell to Everton striker Jelavic who lifted the ball over Given. Irish defenders thought Jelavic was offside but the ball appeared to arrive at his feet from an Irish boot.
The start of the second half started in similar fashion for Ireland, conceding another cheap, if more unfortunate goal. Mandzukic headed towards goal which hit the post, only for the ball to go in off Given's head.
Conceding a third in such a fashion was a blow for Ireland, and if anyone looked like scoring a next goal it was the Croatians. But once again, Ireland took stock and were denied a good claim for a penalty as Gordon Schildenfeld went through the back of Robbie Keane in the area. Had that penalty been awarded and converted then perhaps Ireland would have ended up taking something from the game, but in the end Croatia deserved the win.
The result means Ireland must get a result against current World and European champions Spain on Thursday to have any chance of qualifying from Group C.
Ireland: Given; O'Shea, St.Ledger, Dunne, Ward; McGeady (Cox 54), Whelan, Andrews, Duff; Doyle (Walters 53), Keane (Long 75.
Croatia: Pletikosa; Srna, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic; Vukojevic, Rakitic (Dujmovic 90), Modric, Perisic (Eduardo 89); Mandzukic, Jelavic (Kranjcar 72).
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Euro 2012 Preview: Group D
Group D: Ukraine, England, France, Sweden
Fixtures: Monday 11 June
France v England. 5pm. Donbass Arena, Donetsk
Ukraine v Sweden. 7:45pm. Olympic Stadium, Kiev
Friday 15 June
Ukraine v France. 5pm. Donbass Arena, Donetsk
Sweden v England. 7:45pm Olympic Stadium, Kiev
Tuesday 19 June
Sweden v France. 7:45pm. Olympic Stadium, Kiev
England v Ukraine. 7:45pm. Donbass Arena, Donetsk
Ukraine
Ukrainian legend Oleg Blokhin returned to manage the national side after three previous coaches had tried and failed to live up to high expectations. Blokhin was at the helm when Ukraine somehow managed to reach the quarter finals of the 2006 World Cup, despite only scoring two goals throughout the whole competition. A lot of that squad remains, including AC Milan legend but Chelsea flop Andriy Shevchenko, who remarkably still leads the line despite being 36 and his best days a long way behind him. That could prove their weakness, but they proved in 2006 that you can go far without scoring many goals.
Key Player: Andriy Yarmolenko. Not a household name yet, but the 22-year-old Dynamo Kiev forward, tipped as the 'new Shevchenko' has been in fine form. He scored 12 times in 20 league appearances, leading to some Premier League clubs monitoring him. He can also play on the left and has scored seven times for his country.
Likely line up:
Shovkovskiy
Butko Kucher Rakitskiy Selin
Tymoshchuk
Koniolyanka Rotan Yarmolenko
Shevchenko Milevskiy
Odds: Win the tournament: 50/1
Win Group D: 9/2
Top Goalscorer Andriy Yarmolenko: 80/1
Matt Says: Lack of a threat up front will see them miss out on the knockouts.
England
In past tournaments, England's preparation has been scrutinised. But this time it tops the lot. The fact that star striker Wayne Rooney will miss the first two games is the least of their worries. A racism scandal involving now ex-captain John Terry led to manager Fabio Capello resigning, with his replacement Roy Hodgson being installed just a few weeks ago. Hodgson got off to a good start, beating Norway and Belgium 1-0 in warm up internationals, but his squad selection has raised many eyebrows. The inclusion of six Liverpool players was surprising, but the omission of Micah Richards, Michael Carrick and in particular Rio Ferdinand has puzzled many. Expectations are lower than ever, which could prove to be a good thing, but the public will still expect some sort of performance.
Key Player: Joe Hart. Many thought Hart should've played at the 2010 World Cup, but since then he has established himself by far and away as England's number one. This will be Hart's first major tournament, so possibly his toughest test, but after winning the Premier League title with Man City, his confidence will be booming.
Likely line up:
Hart
Johnson Terry Lescott Cole
Parker Milner
Walcott Gerrard Young
Welbeck
Odds: Win the tournament: 12/1
Win Group D: 15/8
Top Goalscorer: Wayne Rooney: 33/1
Matt Says: Should qualify out of the group. Any further will be an unexpected bonus.
France
The French are a far cry from where they were at the 2010 World Cup. Gone are the days of player revolts and going on strike under Raymond Domenech, this time the camp is united with new manager Laurent Blanc at the helm. He has introduced fresh blood to the side, with Yann M'Villa, Yohan Cabaye and Adil Rami all looking like they could start in the opening game against England. The attacking quartet of Frank Ribery, Samir Nasri, Florent Malouda and Karim Benzema looks exciting, but the defence is a slight worry. Phillip Mexes looks set to start but he has lost his pace, while there are question marks over Patrice Evra's form for club and country.
Key Player: Karim Benzema. He was left out of the squad that went to the World Cup, but under Blanc he has been a regular starter. His form at Real Madrid has picked up, scoring 32 goals in all competitions last season, while he scored three times in qualifying and against England in an friendly at Wembley. Could end up being the tournament's top goalscorer.
Likely line up:
Lloris
Sagna Mexes Rami Evra
Cabaye M'Villa
Ribery Nasri Malouda
Benzema
Odds: Win the tournament: 9/1
Win Group D: 6/4
Karim Benzema Top Goalscorer: 12/1
Matt Says: Dark horses to reach the final, but semi finals are more likely.
Sweden
Regularly qualify for major tournaments but rarely trouble the big teams when they get there, that may begin to change. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is without doubt Sweden's best player, but where to play him is a challenge. Manager Erik Hamren moved Ibra in the hole behind the striker in a friendly against Croatia which proved a masterstroke as they won 3-1. Prior to that, some Swedes were calling for Ibrahimovic to be dropped as his performances for the national team were below that of his club side AC Milan, claiming Sweden were a one man side when he played. But new talent is emerging, including Manchester City striker John Guidetti, who scored 20 goals in 23 appearances in a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven this season.
Key Player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. There is no doubt that Ibrahimovic is a talented striker, but whether he can do it on the biggest of stages is another question. He has only scored three times against English opposition in 15 appearances, and often goes lost in the big games. His mindset will be key. If he is in the mood then Sweden could go a long way. What better opportunity to silence his critics at Euro 2012?
Likely line up:
Isaksson
Lustig Granqvist Mellberg Olsson
Svensson Kallstrom
Toivonen Ibrahimovic Larsson
Elmander
Odds: Win the tournament: 66/1
Win Group D: 6/1
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Top Goalscorer: 33/1
Matt Says: Unless Ibra is on song, the Swedes won't get far.
Fixtures: Monday 11 June
France v England. 5pm. Donbass Arena, Donetsk
Ukraine v Sweden. 7:45pm. Olympic Stadium, Kiev
Friday 15 June
Ukraine v France. 5pm. Donbass Arena, Donetsk
Sweden v England. 7:45pm Olympic Stadium, Kiev
Tuesday 19 June
Sweden v France. 7:45pm. Olympic Stadium, Kiev
England v Ukraine. 7:45pm. Donbass Arena, Donetsk
Ukraine
Ukrainian legend Oleg Blokhin returned to manage the national side after three previous coaches had tried and failed to live up to high expectations. Blokhin was at the helm when Ukraine somehow managed to reach the quarter finals of the 2006 World Cup, despite only scoring two goals throughout the whole competition. A lot of that squad remains, including AC Milan legend but Chelsea flop Andriy Shevchenko, who remarkably still leads the line despite being 36 and his best days a long way behind him. That could prove their weakness, but they proved in 2006 that you can go far without scoring many goals.
 |
| Yarmolenko. Not a household name. Yet. |
Likely line up:
Shovkovskiy
Butko Kucher Rakitskiy Selin
Tymoshchuk
Koniolyanka Rotan Yarmolenko
Shevchenko Milevskiy
Odds: Win the tournament: 50/1
Win Group D: 9/2
Top Goalscorer Andriy Yarmolenko: 80/1
Matt Says: Lack of a threat up front will see them miss out on the knockouts.
England
In past tournaments, England's preparation has been scrutinised. But this time it tops the lot. The fact that star striker Wayne Rooney will miss the first two games is the least of their worries. A racism scandal involving now ex-captain John Terry led to manager Fabio Capello resigning, with his replacement Roy Hodgson being installed just a few weeks ago. Hodgson got off to a good start, beating Norway and Belgium 1-0 in warm up internationals, but his squad selection has raised many eyebrows. The inclusion of six Liverpool players was surprising, but the omission of Micah Richards, Michael Carrick and in particular Rio Ferdinand has puzzled many. Expectations are lower than ever, which could prove to be a good thing, but the public will still expect some sort of performance.
 |
| Hart: England's number one for years to come. |
Key Player: Joe Hart. Many thought Hart should've played at the 2010 World Cup, but since then he has established himself by far and away as England's number one. This will be Hart's first major tournament, so possibly his toughest test, but after winning the Premier League title with Man City, his confidence will be booming.
Likely line up:
Hart
Johnson Terry Lescott Cole
Parker Milner
Walcott Gerrard Young
Welbeck
Odds: Win the tournament: 12/1
Win Group D: 15/8
Top Goalscorer: Wayne Rooney: 33/1
Matt Says: Should qualify out of the group. Any further will be an unexpected bonus.
France
The French are a far cry from where they were at the 2010 World Cup. Gone are the days of player revolts and going on strike under Raymond Domenech, this time the camp is united with new manager Laurent Blanc at the helm. He has introduced fresh blood to the side, with Yann M'Villa, Yohan Cabaye and Adil Rami all looking like they could start in the opening game against England. The attacking quartet of Frank Ribery, Samir Nasri, Florent Malouda and Karim Benzema looks exciting, but the defence is a slight worry. Phillip Mexes looks set to start but he has lost his pace, while there are question marks over Patrice Evra's form for club and country.
 |
| Benzema: French Player of the Year |
Likely line up:
Lloris
Sagna Mexes Rami Evra
Cabaye M'Villa
Ribery Nasri Malouda
Benzema
Odds: Win the tournament: 9/1
Win Group D: 6/4
Karim Benzema Top Goalscorer: 12/1
Matt Says: Dark horses to reach the final, but semi finals are more likely.
Sweden
Regularly qualify for major tournaments but rarely trouble the big teams when they get there, that may begin to change. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is without doubt Sweden's best player, but where to play him is a challenge. Manager Erik Hamren moved Ibra in the hole behind the striker in a friendly against Croatia which proved a masterstroke as they won 3-1. Prior to that, some Swedes were calling for Ibrahimovic to be dropped as his performances for the national team were below that of his club side AC Milan, claiming Sweden were a one man side when he played. But new talent is emerging, including Manchester City striker John Guidetti, who scored 20 goals in 23 appearances in a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven this season.
 |
| Ibrahimovic: Will he perform at Euro 2012? |
Likely line up:
Isaksson
Lustig Granqvist Mellberg Olsson
Svensson Kallstrom
Toivonen Ibrahimovic Larsson
Elmander
Odds: Win the tournament: 66/1
Win Group D: 6/1
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Top Goalscorer: 33/1
Matt Says: Unless Ibra is on song, the Swedes won't get far.
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Euro 2012 Preview: Group C
Group C: Spain, Italy, Croatia, Republic of Ireland
Fixtures: Sunday 10 June
Spain v Italy. 5pm. PGE Arena, Gdansk
Republic of Ireland v Croatia. 7:45pm. Municipal Stadium, Poznan
Thursday 14 June
Italy v Croatia. 5pm. Municipal Stadium, Poznan
Spain v Republic of Ireland. 7:45pm PGE Arena, Gdansk
Monday 18 June
Croatia v Spain. 7:45pm PGE Arena, Gdansk
Italy v Republic of Ireland. 7:45pm. Municipal Stadium, Poznan
Spain
They're the reigning World and European champions, possess the best players in the world and play the best football in the world. So Spain are bound to win Euro 2012 right? It's not so certain now as it was a few months ago, with captain Carles Puyol and striker David Villa both ruled out through injury. Yes, they have an abundance of riches to call upon which would get into most other international teams, but they are not of the world class ability of all of their strongest starting XI. Another thing to consider is that this side has virtually played non-stop for the past four years, so fatigue could prove a factor.
Key Player: Xavi. One of many players that can win a game for Spain, but Barcelona's Xavi is arguably the best of them all. He was the Player of the Tournament at Euro 2008, providing the killer pass for Fernando Torres to score the only goal of the final against Germany, while at the 2010 World Cup he attempted a pass every 57 seconds on average. His partnership with Andreas Iniesta for club and country is key to both teams success in the past four years.
Likely line up:
Casillas
Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba
Busquets Alonso
Iniesta Xavi Silva
Llorente
Odds: Win the tournament: 5/2
Win Group C: 1/2
Fernando Llorente Top Goalscorer: 14/1
Matt Says: Fatigue could play a part. Beaten finalists.
Italy
In typical Italian fashion it was their defence which proved miserly in qualifying, conceding only two goals. But that only tells half the story. Under new manager Cesar Prandelli, they looked like a team more united than under predecessor Marcelo Lippi. Prandelli has also given a chance to youngsters, with Mario Balotelli, Antonio Nocerino and Claudio Marchisio all looking like they'll start the first game against Spain. However, just at the wrong time cracks are beginning to show. Yet another match fixing scandal has engulffed the country, while on the pitch they lost 3-0 to Russia in their only warm up friendly.
Key Player: Antonio Cassano. The AC Milan striker has missed a large part of this season after undergoing heart surgery in November as he suffered from cardiac problems. He made his comeback in April and was named in Prandelli's squad for this tournament. He does have a temperamental streak, which could prove interesting if he partners Mario Balotelli as is expected.
Likely line up:
Buffon
Maggio Chiellini Barzagli Criscito
Pirlo De Rossi Nocerino
Marchisio
Balotelli Cassano
Odds: To win the tournament: 16/1
To win Group C: 7/2
Mario Balotelli Top Goalscorer: 22/1
Matt Says: Should get out of the group, but not much further.
Croatia
Croatia reached the quarter finals of Euro 2008, but could have gone a lot further. Going into extra time against Turkey, Ivan Klasnic scored two minutes from time and looked set to play Germany in the semi finals. But a last minute equaliser saw the game go to penalties and Turkey went through. They did get their revenge on the Turks in November as they won 3-0 on aggregate to qualify for Euro 2012, and their starting XI will feature a few players who play in the Premier League. The Spurs trio of Vedran Corluka, Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar are all well known, while striker Nikica Jelavic has been something of a revelation since signing for Everton in January.
Key Player: Luka Modric. One of the best players in the Premier League, Modric is Croatia's most creative player. Was named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament for Euro 2008 and will be looking for a repeat performance. He can play either behind the striker or in a deeper central role.
Likely line up:
Pletikosa
Corluka Lovren Simunic Strnic
Srna Vukojevic Modric Kranjcar
Jelavic Mandzukic
Odds: Win the tournament: 50/1
Win Group C: 6/1
Top Goalscorer Nikica Jelavic: 28/1
Matt Says: Strength in attack, but defence looks leaky. Early exit.
Republic of Ireland
Arguably the surprise package to reach Euro 2012, Giovanni Trappatoni's men aren't there just to make up the numbers. Currently on a 14 match unbeaten run, including a 2-0 friendly win over group rivals Italy, Ireland are 18th in the World Rankings and concede very rarely. On the flip side, they offer little up front either. They only scored 15 goals in ten games, or ten in eight games if you exclude the games against perennial qualification whipping boys Andorra. But Trappatoni doesn't mind. After all, he has guided Ireland to their first major tournament for ten years.
Key Player: Shay Given. Still one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League despite his club side Aston Villa having a poor season. He is Ireland's most capped player with 121 caps and is one of a few that went to the last tournament Ireland qualified for back in 2002.
Likely line up:
Given
O'Shea Dunne St.Ledger Ward
Duff Andrews Whelan McGeady
Keane Doyle
Odds: Win the tournament: 80/1
Win Group C: 14/1
Robbie Keane Top Goalscorer: 80/1
Matt Says: Will be tough to break down, but a lack of creativity will see them return home early.
Fixtures: Sunday 10 June
Spain v Italy. 5pm. PGE Arena, Gdansk
Republic of Ireland v Croatia. 7:45pm. Municipal Stadium, Poznan
Thursday 14 June
Italy v Croatia. 5pm. Municipal Stadium, Poznan
Spain v Republic of Ireland. 7:45pm PGE Arena, Gdansk
Monday 18 June
Croatia v Spain. 7:45pm PGE Arena, Gdansk
Italy v Republic of Ireland. 7:45pm. Municipal Stadium, Poznan
Spain
They're the reigning World and European champions, possess the best players in the world and play the best football in the world. So Spain are bound to win Euro 2012 right? It's not so certain now as it was a few months ago, with captain Carles Puyol and striker David Villa both ruled out through injury. Yes, they have an abundance of riches to call upon which would get into most other international teams, but they are not of the world class ability of all of their strongest starting XI. Another thing to consider is that this side has virtually played non-stop for the past four years, so fatigue could prove a factor.
 |
| Xavi: |
Key Player: Xavi. One of many players that can win a game for Spain, but Barcelona's Xavi is arguably the best of them all. He was the Player of the Tournament at Euro 2008, providing the killer pass for Fernando Torres to score the only goal of the final against Germany, while at the 2010 World Cup he attempted a pass every 57 seconds on average. His partnership with Andreas Iniesta for club and country is key to both teams success in the past four years.
Likely line up:
Casillas
Arbeloa Ramos Pique Alba
Busquets Alonso
Iniesta Xavi Silva
Llorente
Odds: Win the tournament: 5/2
Win Group C: 1/2
Fernando Llorente Top Goalscorer: 14/1
Matt Says: Fatigue could play a part. Beaten finalists.
Italy
In typical Italian fashion it was their defence which proved miserly in qualifying, conceding only two goals. But that only tells half the story. Under new manager Cesar Prandelli, they looked like a team more united than under predecessor Marcelo Lippi. Prandelli has also given a chance to youngsters, with Mario Balotelli, Antonio Nocerino and Claudio Marchisio all looking like they'll start the first game against Spain. However, just at the wrong time cracks are beginning to show. Yet another match fixing scandal has engulffed the country, while on the pitch they lost 3-0 to Russia in their only warm up friendly.
 |
| Cassano: Scored six goals in qualifying. |
Likely line up:
Buffon
Maggio Chiellini Barzagli Criscito
Pirlo De Rossi Nocerino
Marchisio
Balotelli Cassano
Odds: To win the tournament: 16/1
To win Group C: 7/2
Mario Balotelli Top Goalscorer: 22/1
Matt Says: Should get out of the group, but not much further.
Croatia
Croatia reached the quarter finals of Euro 2008, but could have gone a lot further. Going into extra time against Turkey, Ivan Klasnic scored two minutes from time and looked set to play Germany in the semi finals. But a last minute equaliser saw the game go to penalties and Turkey went through. They did get their revenge on the Turks in November as they won 3-0 on aggregate to qualify for Euro 2012, and their starting XI will feature a few players who play in the Premier League. The Spurs trio of Vedran Corluka, Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar are all well known, while striker Nikica Jelavic has been something of a revelation since signing for Everton in January.
 |
| Modric: The 26-year-old has over 50 caps for Croatia |
Likely line up:
Pletikosa
Corluka Lovren Simunic Strnic
Srna Vukojevic Modric Kranjcar
Jelavic Mandzukic
Odds: Win the tournament: 50/1
Win Group C: 6/1
Top Goalscorer Nikica Jelavic: 28/1
Matt Says: Strength in attack, but defence looks leaky. Early exit.
Republic of Ireland
Arguably the surprise package to reach Euro 2012, Giovanni Trappatoni's men aren't there just to make up the numbers. Currently on a 14 match unbeaten run, including a 2-0 friendly win over group rivals Italy, Ireland are 18th in the World Rankings and concede very rarely. On the flip side, they offer little up front either. They only scored 15 goals in ten games, or ten in eight games if you exclude the games against perennial qualification whipping boys Andorra. But Trappatoni doesn't mind. After all, he has guided Ireland to their first major tournament for ten years.
 |
| Given: Ireland's most capped player of all time. |
Likely line up:
Given
O'Shea Dunne St.Ledger Ward
Duff Andrews Whelan McGeady
Keane Doyle
Odds: Win the tournament: 80/1
Win Group C: 14/1
Robbie Keane Top Goalscorer: 80/1
Matt Says: Will be tough to break down, but a lack of creativity will see them return home early.
Euro 2012 Preview: Group B
Group B: Holland, Germany, Portugal, Denmark
Fixtures: Saturday 9 June
Holland v Denmark. 5pm. Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Germany v Portugal. 7:45 pm. Arena Lviv, Lviv
Wednesday 13 June
Denmark v Portugal. 5pm. Arena Lviv, Lviv
Holland v Germany. Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Sunday 17 June
Portugal v Holland. 7:45pm. Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Denmark v Germany. 7:45pm. Arena Lviv, Lviv
Holland
The Dutch qualified for Euro 2012 in convincing fashion, winning nine out of ten games and scoring 37 goals. Not surprising considering their attacking talent. Rafael Van der Vaart, Robin Van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Klass Jan Huntelaar offer assists and goals in abundance. Any of those five can win a match single handedly which is why they are one of the favourites to win the tournament. However, the Oranje's defence appears weak on paper which could see them fall short. This was shown when they got beat by Germany 3-0 in a friendly in November, a result which they hope won't be repeated on 13 June.
Key Player: Robin Van Persie. In the form of his life for his club side Arsenal, scoring 37 goals in all competitions and the Premier League's top goalscorer with 30 this season. He is likely to start on the right for Holland, with Schalke striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar as striker, but don't be surprised if he wins another golden boot award this summer.
Likely line up:
Stekelenburg
Van der Wiel Mathijsen Heitinga Pieters
Van Bommell Van der Vaart
Van Persie Sneijder Robben
Huntelaar
Odds: Win the tournament: 6/1
Win Group B: 15/8
Robin Van Perise Top Goalscorer: 9/1
Matt Says: No doubt about their attacking talent, but their defence looks weak. Semi finals.
Germany
A 100% record in qualifying, many expect Germany to repeat the exploits of their 1980 and 1996 teams and win the European Championships. They have been close in the past two major tournaments, losing to Spain in the final of Euro 2008 and then again in the semi final of the 2010 World Cup. But this young side now have more experience and have added quality to the squad, particularly with the emergence of Borussia Dortmund duo Mario Gotze and Matthias Hummels. It's about time they went that one stage further, and with their abundance of attacking talent and strong back five, 2012 could prove to be their year.
Key Player: Mesut Ozil. The Turkish born playmaker shone at the 2010 World Cup, putting numerous defences to the sword with his vision and passing which earned him a move to Real Madrid. After a slow start, Ozil was a key player for Jose Mourinho's men as they won the La Liga title.
Likely line up:
Neuer
Boateng Hummels Badstuber Lahm
Khedira Schweinsteiger
Muller Ozil Podolski
Gomez
Odds: Win the tournament: 3/1
Win Group B: 1/1
Mario Gomez Top Goalscorer: 8/1
Matt Says: They're a better team than two years ago. Winners.
Portugal
The start of qualifying for Euro 2012 was far from convincing for the Portugesse as they drew 4-4 to Cyprus and lost 1-0 in Norway. After replacing manager Carlos Queiroz with Paulo Bento their form did pick up, winning their next five and inspired by talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. In the crucial final game they needed to beat Denmark but lost 2-1. They beat Bosnia 6-2 in the playoffs to eventually qualify, but recent results have been poor. They were held to a 0-0 draw to Macedonia and then lost 3-1 to Turkey in Lisbon. Not ideal preparation.
Key Player: Cristiano Ronaldo. The second best player in the world behind Lionel Messi. He has scored an incredible 112 goals in 102 league games in the past two years at Real Madrid and helped them win La Liga this season which could see him win the Ballon D'or.
Likely line up:
Patricio
Pereira Bruno Alves Pepe Coentrao
Veloso Meireles Moutinho
Nani Ronaldo
Postiga
Odds: Win the tournament: 18/1
Win Group B: 4/1
Cristiano Ronaldo Top Goalscorer: 12/1
Matt Says: Recent results suggest they could be heading for an early exit.
Denmark
Although not possessing any stars, its the sum of their parts which has proven successful for the Danes. Daniel Agger and Simon Kjaer form a solid partnership in central defence, while Nicklas Bendtner, often derided for his lack of goals in the Premier League, is a threat on the international stage. They pipped Portugal to automatic qualification from Group H, showing they can mix it with the big boys. Despite being in the Group of Death, they defied the odds in 1992 to win the Euro's so they should envy the role of underdog.
Key Player: Christian Eriksen. The Ajax playmaker had a limited role at the 2010 World Cup, but will be a key man at this tournament. Only 20, he was the youngest player ever to score in Euro qualifying, but has a lot of experience already having helped Ajax to the Dutch title and played in some big Champions League games. He now has a chance to perform on the biggest stage of his career so far and potentially earn himself a move to a bigger club.
Likely line up:
Andersen
Jacobsen Agger Kjaer S Poulsen
Kvist Zimling
Rommedahl Eriksen Kahlenburg
Bendtner
Odds: Win the tournament: 80/1
Win Group B: 16/1
Nicklas Bendtner Top Goalscorer: 80/1
Matt Says: The weakest team in the Group of Death. Won't make the knockout rounds.
Fixtures: Saturday 9 June
Holland v Denmark. 5pm. Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Germany v Portugal. 7:45 pm. Arena Lviv, Lviv
Wednesday 13 June
Denmark v Portugal. 5pm. Arena Lviv, Lviv
Holland v Germany. Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Sunday 17 June
Portugal v Holland. 7:45pm. Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv
Denmark v Germany. 7:45pm. Arena Lviv, Lviv
Holland
The Dutch qualified for Euro 2012 in convincing fashion, winning nine out of ten games and scoring 37 goals. Not surprising considering their attacking talent. Rafael Van der Vaart, Robin Van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Klass Jan Huntelaar offer assists and goals in abundance. Any of those five can win a match single handedly which is why they are one of the favourites to win the tournament. However, the Oranje's defence appears weak on paper which could see them fall short. This was shown when they got beat by Germany 3-0 in a friendly in November, a result which they hope won't be repeated on 13 June.
 |
| Van Persie: Golden boot winner? |
Likely line up:
Stekelenburg
Van der Wiel Mathijsen Heitinga Pieters
Van Bommell Van der Vaart
Van Persie Sneijder Robben
Huntelaar
Odds: Win the tournament: 6/1
Win Group B: 15/8
Robin Van Perise Top Goalscorer: 9/1
Matt Says: No doubt about their attacking talent, but their defence looks weak. Semi finals.
Germany
A 100% record in qualifying, many expect Germany to repeat the exploits of their 1980 and 1996 teams and win the European Championships. They have been close in the past two major tournaments, losing to Spain in the final of Euro 2008 and then again in the semi final of the 2010 World Cup. But this young side now have more experience and have added quality to the squad, particularly with the emergence of Borussia Dortmund duo Mario Gotze and Matthias Hummels. It's about time they went that one stage further, and with their abundance of attacking talent and strong back five, 2012 could prove to be their year.
 |
| Ozil: One of a number of German attacking talent. |
Likely line up:
Neuer
Boateng Hummels Badstuber Lahm
Khedira Schweinsteiger
Muller Ozil Podolski
Gomez
Odds: Win the tournament: 3/1
Win Group B: 1/1
Mario Gomez Top Goalscorer: 8/1
Matt Says: They're a better team than two years ago. Winners.
Portugal
The start of qualifying for Euro 2012 was far from convincing for the Portugesse as they drew 4-4 to Cyprus and lost 1-0 in Norway. After replacing manager Carlos Queiroz with Paulo Bento their form did pick up, winning their next five and inspired by talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. In the crucial final game they needed to beat Denmark but lost 2-1. They beat Bosnia 6-2 in the playoffs to eventually qualify, but recent results have been poor. They were held to a 0-0 draw to Macedonia and then lost 3-1 to Turkey in Lisbon. Not ideal preparation.
 |
| Ronaldo: Talisman, but enough to get Portugal out of the group of death? |
Likely line up:
Patricio
Pereira Bruno Alves Pepe Coentrao
Veloso Meireles Moutinho
Nani Ronaldo
Postiga
Odds: Win the tournament: 18/1
Win Group B: 4/1
Cristiano Ronaldo Top Goalscorer: 12/1
Matt Says: Recent results suggest they could be heading for an early exit.
Denmark
Although not possessing any stars, its the sum of their parts which has proven successful for the Danes. Daniel Agger and Simon Kjaer form a solid partnership in central defence, while Nicklas Bendtner, often derided for his lack of goals in the Premier League, is a threat on the international stage. They pipped Portugal to automatic qualification from Group H, showing they can mix it with the big boys. Despite being in the Group of Death, they defied the odds in 1992 to win the Euro's so they should envy the role of underdog.
 |
| Eriksen: Danish Player of the Year |
Likely line up:
Andersen
Jacobsen Agger Kjaer S Poulsen
Kvist Zimling
Rommedahl Eriksen Kahlenburg
Bendtner
Odds: Win the tournament: 80/1
Win Group B: 16/1
Nicklas Bendtner Top Goalscorer: 80/1
Matt Says: The weakest team in the Group of Death. Won't make the knockout rounds.
Monday, 4 June 2012
Euro 2012 preview: Group A
Group A: Poland, Russia, Greece, Czech Republic.
Fixtures: Friday 8 June
Poland v Greece. 5:00 pm. National Stadium, Warsaw
Russia v Czech Republic. 7:45 pm. Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
Tuesday 12 June
Greece v Czech Republic. 5:00pm. Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
Poland v Russia. 7:45pm. National Stadium, Warsaw.
Saturday 16 June:
Greece v Russia. 7:45pm. National Stadium, Warsaw
Czech Republic v Poland. 7:45pm. Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
Poland
Co-hosts with Ukraine meant the Poles automatically qualified for Euro 2012. As build-up, they have played some high profile friendles and faired reasonably well. They held Portugal and Germany to draws, and lost by one goal to France. They won't face that sort of calibre in Group A, being handed a reasonable draw with teams of a similar quality. Home advantage should help them, as should a solid goalkeeper in Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny. Don't let their FIFA ranking of 65th, the lowest of all the teams in the tournament, mislead you.
Key Player: Robert Lewandowski. Likely to play as a lone striker, the Borussia Dortmund player is in the form of his career. He helped Dortmund to a German double, scoring a hat-trick in the cup final against Bayern Munich. In all competitions he scored 30 goals and picked up the Bundesliga Player of the Year. The 23 year-old is so important to any hopes the hosts have of reaching the quarter finals.
Likely line-up:
Szczesny
Piszczek Glowacki Perquis Wamrzyniak
Murawski Dudka
Blaszczykowski Obraniak Mierzejewski
Lewandowski
Odds: Win the tournament: 33/1
Win Group A: 5/2
Robert Lewandowski Top Goalscorer: 16/1
Matt Says: Home advantage and an in form striker should see them win the group.
Russia
After failing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, Russia qualified for Euro 2012 in comfortable fashion, conceding only four goals on the way in topping Group B. During Euro 2008, the Russians lit up the tournament with their attacking strength as they reached the semi finals. The nucleus of their forwards remain, with Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko the two stand out names to fans in England. However, both players had limited opportunites in the Premier League and both returned to Russia in January to try and find some form. Arshavin inparticular is a far cry from the player we saw terrifying defences at Euro 2008 which is a big blow to Russia's hopes of replicating their form of four years ago.
Key Player: Alan Dzagoev. The CSKA Moscow playmaker has scored 25 goals in 100 appearances. Not bad for a 21-year-old. Unsurprisingly, Dzagoev has been linked with a move to the Premier League with Chelsea and Man City possible suitors and could well put himself in the shop window with some impressive performances. He could inspire Russia like Arshavin did in 2008.
Likely line-up:
Akinfeev
Anyukov A.Berezutski Ignashevich Zhirkov
Shirokov Denisov Zyryanov
Dzagoev
Arshavin Pavlyuchenko
Odds: Win the tournament: 25/1
Win Group A: 6/4
Roman Pavlyuchenko Top Goalscorer: 40/1
Matt Says: A stingy defence and emerging attacking talent will see them qualify.
Greece
In 2004 all was well in Greece. Their economy appeared stable, they were about to host the Olympic Games in its spiritual home and defied all odds by winning the European Championships, albeit in a very dull and defensive manner. Eight years later their economy is on the brink of collapse, but the football philosophy of the national football team remains the same. They topped their qualifying group ahead of Croatia but only scored 14 goals in ten games. Their tactics are simple. Defend for long periods with eight men behind the ball and try and nick a goal from either a set piece or a slice of luck. It worked effectively in 2004, but miracles only tend to happen once.
Key Player: Kyriakos Papadopoulos. The central defender will be key to Greece's chances, despite only being 20. He has been a big player for his club side Schalke 04, particularly in their runs in Europe over the past two seasons. He was also in the top five for tackles, interceptions and blocked shots in the Bundesliga this season.
Likely line-up:
Tzorvas
Torosidis Papastathopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas
Katsourais Maniatis Karagounis
Ninis Gekas Samaras
Odds: Win the tournament: 80/1
Win Group A: 9/2
Theofanis Gekas Top Goalscorer: 100/1
Matt Says: A repeat of Euro 2004 won't happen. Will do well to get out of the group.
Czech Republic
Since the likes of Pavel Nedved and Karel Poborsky retired, the Czechs have lacked a creative spark to go far in a major tournament like they did in 1996 and 2004. That was shown in qualifying for this tournament, scoring only 11 times in 8 games. They lack a proven goalscorer, with Milan Baros the man likely to start up front on his own. They beat Montenegro 3-0 on aggregate in the playoffs to reach Poland and Ukraine and it was here where the Czech Republic of old began to surface as Tomas Rosicky proved instrumental. An injury to Rosicky in the last Premier League game of the season against West Borm could be critical as without him, creating chances are few and far between.
Key Player: Tomas Rosicky. Form and fitness returned for Rosicky as he helped Arsenal to a third place finish in the Premier League at the end of last season. If he can recover from the injury picked up at the end of last season, then he could guide the team out of the group.
Likely line-up: Cech
Selassie Hubnik Sivok M Kadlec
Plasil Jiracek
Rezek Rosicky Pilar
Baros
Odds: Win the tournament: 66/1
Win Group A: 4/1
Milan Baros Top Goalscorer: 100/1
Matt Says: Lack of cutting edge up front means they will fall short.
Fixtures: Friday 8 June
Poland v Greece. 5:00 pm. National Stadium, Warsaw
Russia v Czech Republic. 7:45 pm. Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
Tuesday 12 June
Greece v Czech Republic. 5:00pm. Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
Poland v Russia. 7:45pm. National Stadium, Warsaw.
Saturday 16 June:
Greece v Russia. 7:45pm. National Stadium, Warsaw
Czech Republic v Poland. 7:45pm. Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
Poland
Co-hosts with Ukraine meant the Poles automatically qualified for Euro 2012. As build-up, they have played some high profile friendles and faired reasonably well. They held Portugal and Germany to draws, and lost by one goal to France. They won't face that sort of calibre in Group A, being handed a reasonable draw with teams of a similar quality. Home advantage should help them, as should a solid goalkeeper in Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny. Don't let their FIFA ranking of 65th, the lowest of all the teams in the tournament, mislead you.
 |
| Lewandowski: This seasons Bundesliga Player of the Year. |
Key Player: Robert Lewandowski. Likely to play as a lone striker, the Borussia Dortmund player is in the form of his career. He helped Dortmund to a German double, scoring a hat-trick in the cup final against Bayern Munich. In all competitions he scored 30 goals and picked up the Bundesliga Player of the Year. The 23 year-old is so important to any hopes the hosts have of reaching the quarter finals.
Likely line-up:
Szczesny
Piszczek Glowacki Perquis Wamrzyniak
Murawski Dudka
Blaszczykowski Obraniak Mierzejewski
Lewandowski
Odds: Win the tournament: 33/1
Win Group A: 5/2
Robert Lewandowski Top Goalscorer: 16/1
Matt Says: Home advantage and an in form striker should see them win the group.
Russia
After failing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, Russia qualified for Euro 2012 in comfortable fashion, conceding only four goals on the way in topping Group B. During Euro 2008, the Russians lit up the tournament with their attacking strength as they reached the semi finals. The nucleus of their forwards remain, with Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko the two stand out names to fans in England. However, both players had limited opportunites in the Premier League and both returned to Russia in January to try and find some form. Arshavin inparticular is a far cry from the player we saw terrifying defences at Euro 2008 which is a big blow to Russia's hopes of replicating their form of four years ago.
 |
| Dzagoev: Playing in the Premier League soon? |
Likely line-up:
Akinfeev
Anyukov A.Berezutski Ignashevich Zhirkov
Shirokov Denisov Zyryanov
Dzagoev
Arshavin Pavlyuchenko
Odds: Win the tournament: 25/1
Win Group A: 6/4
Roman Pavlyuchenko Top Goalscorer: 40/1
Matt Says: A stingy defence and emerging attacking talent will see them qualify.
Greece
In 2004 all was well in Greece. Their economy appeared stable, they were about to host the Olympic Games in its spiritual home and defied all odds by winning the European Championships, albeit in a very dull and defensive manner. Eight years later their economy is on the brink of collapse, but the football philosophy of the national football team remains the same. They topped their qualifying group ahead of Croatia but only scored 14 goals in ten games. Their tactics are simple. Defend for long periods with eight men behind the ball and try and nick a goal from either a set piece or a slice of luck. It worked effectively in 2004, but miracles only tend to happen once.
 |
| Papadopoulos: Despite his young age, a key player for Greece. |
Key Player: Kyriakos Papadopoulos. The central defender will be key to Greece's chances, despite only being 20. He has been a big player for his club side Schalke 04, particularly in their runs in Europe over the past two seasons. He was also in the top five for tackles, interceptions and blocked shots in the Bundesliga this season.
Likely line-up:
Tzorvas
Torosidis Papastathopoulos K Papadopoulos Holebas
Katsourais Maniatis Karagounis
Ninis Gekas Samaras
Odds: Win the tournament: 80/1
Win Group A: 9/2
Theofanis Gekas Top Goalscorer: 100/1
Matt Says: A repeat of Euro 2004 won't happen. Will do well to get out of the group.
Czech Republic
Since the likes of Pavel Nedved and Karel Poborsky retired, the Czechs have lacked a creative spark to go far in a major tournament like they did in 1996 and 2004. That was shown in qualifying for this tournament, scoring only 11 times in 8 games. They lack a proven goalscorer, with Milan Baros the man likely to start up front on his own. They beat Montenegro 3-0 on aggregate in the playoffs to reach Poland and Ukraine and it was here where the Czech Republic of old began to surface as Tomas Rosicky proved instrumental. An injury to Rosicky in the last Premier League game of the season against West Borm could be critical as without him, creating chances are few and far between.
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| Rosicky: Can he recover from injury in time to inspire the Czech's? |
Key Player: Tomas Rosicky. Form and fitness returned for Rosicky as he helped Arsenal to a third place finish in the Premier League at the end of last season. If he can recover from the injury picked up at the end of last season, then he could guide the team out of the group.
Likely line-up: Cech
Selassie Hubnik Sivok M Kadlec
Plasil Jiracek
Rezek Rosicky Pilar
Baros
Odds: Win the tournament: 66/1
Win Group A: 4/1
Milan Baros Top Goalscorer: 100/1
Matt Says: Lack of cutting edge up front means they will fall short.
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