Euro Cup 2021

MRV52 · Jun 5, 2021

Italy can win this thing. Best midfield in the tournament.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 5, 2021

Mr_V said:
Italy can win this thing. Best midfield in the tournament.

Hopefully, England will win it though......but England tends to have Cowboysitis when they're in tournaments.

jterrell · Jun 5, 2021

Furboy said:
Hopefully, England will win it though......but England tends to have Cowboysitis when they're in tournaments.

Def feels like a golden generation coming on for England.
Gotta be deepest team in the World right now.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 5, 2021

jterrell said:
Def feels like a golden generation coming on for England.
Gotta be deepest team in the World right now.

That England is. But England and the Cowboys have a lot in common, and not all of that is good lol.

jterrell · Jun 5, 2021

Furboy said:
That England is. But England and the Cowboys have a lot in common, and not all of that is good lol.

I think England has been overrated many times but this group is very, very legit.
Only question for me is GK. Pickford is solid but he's not elite.

But Mount, Sterling, Foden behind an Apex striker in Kane is just bananas.
I'd absolutely start Reece James who is so underrated with his pace, strength and ball skills but he may not get cameos.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 5, 2021

jterrell said:
I think England has been overrated many times but this group is very, very legit.
Only question for me is GK. Pickford is solid but he's not elite.

But Mount, Sterling, Foden behind an Apex striker in Kane is just bananas.
I'd absolutely start Reece James who is so underrated with his pace, strength and ball skills but he may not get cameos.

Yes, I expect England to at least make it to the semifinal. Just going to be a question if we choke or live up to expectations.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 6, 2021

I'm going to predict also that Germany will be a team to watch for. They had a disastrous 2018 World Cup. They've got a much better team than they showed. I expect them to use this tournament to prepare for the World Cup next year. I think the Final will be Germany against Italy. Also, I don't hear many people talking about Germany. They've been flying under the radar going into this tournament a bit. Lest we forget, they won the World Cup in 2014.

jterrell · Jun 7, 2021

Furboy said:
I'm going to predict also that Germany will be a team to watch for. They had a disastrous 2018 World Cup. They've got a much better team than they showed. I expect them to use this tournament to prepare for the World Cup next year. I think the Final will be Germany against Italy. Also, I don't hear many people talking about Germany. They've been flying under the radar going into this tournament a bit. Lest we forget, they won the World Cup in 2014.

I don't have Italy OR Germany in my final 4 right now.

My predicted Final 4 would be
Belgium vs France
England vs The Netherlands

Final:
France over England 2-1

jterrell · Jun 7, 2021

FWIW I so think Germany and Italy both take strides forward between now and WC202whatever.
Not sure either has the manager in place yet for that tourney.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 7, 2021

jterrell said:
I don't have Italy OR Germany in my final 4 right now.

My predicted Final 4 would be
Belgium vs France
England vs The Netherlands

Final:
France over England 2-1

I hate the thought of France beating us. Still, I think Germany is being slept on. I think they are more than capable of reaching a top 4 spot. I think they'd beat out the Netherlands. Now, I think they'd call against either England, France, or Belgium. However, I think Germany's ceiling for this tournament is third place.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 7, 2021

jterrell said:
FWIW I so think Germany and Italy both take strides forward between now and WC202whatever.
Not sure either has the manager in place yet for that tourney.

I think Germany does. Mainly because he's still the same manager who led them to a WC title. I think WC 2018 was a fluke for Germany. I don't think anyone saw that coming, and I expect them to come back with a vengeance in the Euros and really put fear back into the world as they ready for the WC next year.

jterrell · Jun 7, 2021

Furboy said:
I think Germany does. Mainly because he's still the same manager who led them to a WC title. I think WC 2018 was a fluke for Germany. I don't think anyone saw that coming, and I expect them to come back with a vengeance in the Euros and really put fear back into the world as they ready for the WC next year.

Germany is replacing Low with Hanzi Flick(sp?) after the Euros.

I think Low had a better handle on the older group in 2014 then he did in 2018 which was a really poor showing.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 7, 2021

jterrell said:
Germany is replacing Low with Hanzi Flick(sp?) after the Euros.

I think Low had a better handle on the older group in 2014 then he did in 2018 which was a really poor showing.

I am aware of the coaching change. I still think the talent on the team should help. Like I said, I think 2018 was a fluke for Germany, and I think they're going to want to prove that it was only a fluke. I could be wrong, but I can't see them doing a repeat of that. I think they at least make it out of the group stage, and I think they can make it to the semifinals.

jterrell · Jun 8, 2021

Furboy said:
I am aware of the coaching change. I still think the talent on the team should help. Like I said, I think 2018 was a fluke for Germany, and I think they're going to want to prove that it was only a fluke. I could be wrong, but I can't see them doing a repeat of that. I think they at least make it out of the group stage, and I think they can make it to the semifinals.

They still aren't working the youth really into the club and instead relying on Bayern guys.
That won't work in the next WC. They need to break Havertz in and decide who the 9 will be.
Gnabry, Havertz and Werner is a pretty fun attacking trio but lacks a true target man and Low has played them nearly zero together.
We also saw Werner at Chelsea do everything well but kick the ball. He has a maddening ability to get wide open and then futz a shot.

After Low won the WC he became a slave to that team and system that won it all. Look at a guy like Tuchel who changes systems and features 15 guys.

But it will be interesting to see what Flick does with the team. That will really tell the tale of the next WC for them.
All that said not getting out of group never really even occurred to me.
They could play poorly and finish top 8.
They still produce an insane amount of overall talent.

jterrell · Jun 8, 2021

supposed leaked Germany lineup.

I'd suggest Muller as Apex striker is a poor idea. (tho yes he has delivered so many times previously)
And the Gundogan/Kroos pairing is bigger in name than game now that both are > 30.
Chelsea rather ate up both guys while playing RM/Man City.

I don't think that team can take the field versus France without embarrassment.

I do love Rudi playing the channel in the back 3 though. He is aces there and will join the run on occasion for goal support.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 8, 2021

jterrell said:
They still aren't working the youth really into the club and instead relying on Bayern guys.
That won't work in the next WC. They need to break Havertz in and decide who the 9 will be.
Gnabry, Havertz and Werner is a pretty fun attacking trio but lacks a true target man and Low has played them nearly zero together.
We also saw Werner at Chelsea do everything well but kick the ball. He has a maddening ability to get wide open and then futz a shot.

After Low won the WC he became a slave to that team and system that won it all. Look at a guy like Tuchel who changes systems and features 15 guys.

But it will be interesting to see what Flick does with the team. That will really tell the tale of the next WC for them.
All that said not getting out of group never really even occurred to me.
They could play poorly and finish top 8.
They still produce an insane amount of overall talent.

I agree that Germany needs to get their younger players more involved. They have so much talent, it's ridiculous, and they should really get more of their younger talent involved. Perhaps their next coach will. And that is indeed a problem for Werner (though, it does make for hilarious 442oons comics).

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 8, 2021

jterrell said:
supposed leaked Germany lineup.

I'd suggest Muller as Apex striker is a poor idea. (tho yes he has delivered so many times previously)
And the Gundogan/Kroos pairing is bigger in name than game now that both are > 30.
Chelsea rather ate up both guys while playing RM/Man City.

I don't think that team can take the field versus France without embarrassment.

I do love Rudi playing the channel in the back 3 though. He is aces there and will join the run on occasion for goal support.

Oh I agree. There is no way they beat France, and I highly doubt they can match England (who I think could handle France) or Belgium. However, against teams like the Netherlands, Portugal, and Switzerland, I definitely think that's good enough of a roster to beat them.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 8, 2021

For those that haven't seen 442oons, here's one of their videos about Werner:

I can't share a few of my other favourites about him because of forum rules and words used in other videos. They've got loads of videos about all things Euro football.

RustyBourneHorse · Jun 8, 2021

So..... basically, Timo Werner is Germany's and Chelsea's version of Jaylon Smith haha.

phildadon86 · Jun 9, 2021

jterrell said:
Def feels like a golden generation coming on for England.
Gotta be deepest team in the World right now.

Belgium and France say hello.

Euro Cup 2021

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