GERMANY to win Group B? YES -137
this is a gift....
local will only take up to 10 units, would like to place 20. We'll see
this is a gift....
local will only take up to 10 units, would like to place 20. We'll see
Euro cup 2008 futures play
- Thread starter DR STRANGELOVE
- Start date
from another board
Group A
Switzerland 7points
Portugal 5 points
Turkey 2 points
Czech Republic 1 point
Switzerland is going to ride the crowd's emotions, they also get a break by getting to face the Czech Republic in the first game and Turkey in the 2nd. They could have a berth in the next round wrapped up by the time they face Portugal.
Portugal failed to impress me in qualifiers and it took them until November '07 to clinch in what was one of the easier groups. I think they will be good enough to advance, but I don't expect a repeat of 2004 or 2006.
Turkey is a bit of an enigma, they were absolutely on fire in their first four qualifiers, then they totally tanked (2-2 draw vs MALTA?!?!) and were lucky to edge out Norway. Turkey has a ton of talent, but it looks like they might be missing Hamit Altintop, either way I don't like their chances, but look out for them in 2010.
No Rosicky, No Chance... Petr Cech can only do so much and the defence in front of him is A LOT worse than the one he plays with in Chelsea. Its a pity, because the Czechs peaked in 2004 and deserved to win the tournament 4 years ago.
Group B
Germany 9 points
Croatia 4 points
Poland 4points
Austria 0 points
Germany has the luck of draw, a vanilla group and they are on the weaker side of the bracket. They were clinical during qualifiers until Joachim Loew took the foot of the pedal after clinching. Solid defense, vibrant midfielders, and a good bunch of strikers to choose from. The only question mark is who plays between the sticks.
Croatia's chances to some damage on this side of the bracket took a hit when Eduardo Da Silva went down with that gruesome injury. That said, Croatia oozes talent. When the former Yougoslavia (which would have won a major tournament had it not been for that horrible thing called ethnic strife) was divided up Croatia got the biggest share of the spoils. That said, I think they might struggle putting goals in the back of the net, but their slick midfield play will mask that during the group stages.
This is Poland's first appearance at the Euro Championship. A lot of credit has to be given to the ageless Leo Beenhaker who has instilled some confidence in this team. I think it's a huge accomplishment that they will be in this tournament and I am banking on Beenhaker to have the team put in a respectable showing... something Poland has failed to do in the past two World Cups.
Austria, oh Austria... when your own people have started a petition to ban you from a tournament in your own country, what is left to say? Scoring a goal and keeping games withing two goals should be Austria's target for this tournament.
Group C
France 5 points
Romania 5 points
Italy 3 points
Holland 1 point
I feel France has improved by leaps and bounds since their Finals appearance 2 years ago, new talent has come through that famous Clairefontaine system. This team is no longer the Team of Zidane, Barthez, Trezeguet, and Thuram (although the latter 2 might feature). There is just so much talent in this team and Domenech has had this team clicking since that 2nd round match versus Spain and there are no signs of them slowing down. That said,
they will not walk over the teams in this group... but I still think they will feature in the final.
Romania isn't really on the radar at the moment. BIG MISTAKE. First of all Romania aren't newbies. This team is a lot more than just Mutu and Chivu, I've seen the team play without them and absolutely destroy the likes of Albania and Russia. Of course, France, Holland, and Italy are far superior opponents. That said, I think Romania can grind out a couple of draws against the likes of France and Italy and have all to play for going into their last game vs. Holland (who they beat and drew during qualifiers).
Italy historically hasn't done well at European Championships, they are also notoriously slow starters. The talent is there, and even though the members of their backline are well into their 30s they still have tons of game. What worries me is whether or not Cannavaro (35), Materazzi (35), Pannucci (35) can cope playing 3 games in 9 days.... don't think so. If they can bottle that World Cup Magic then they will prove me wrong. My gut says they won't. Three draws and an early exit is what im betting on.
Holland is in complete disarray, nobody likes Van Basten... and they looked distinctly average during qualifiers (lucky that Bulgaria tied Albania twice, otherwise we'd be talking about Bulgaria right now). I also have serious questions about their defense, they need a new coach, clean slate, and a fresh start.
Group D
Spain 7 points
Greece 5 points
Sweden 4 points
Russia 0 point
Spain on talent alone will top this group, they'll look good doing it too. They will be promptly ushered out in the quarterfinals though. Aragones is this team's biggest enemy, also not taking Raul is a big mistake, defense has issues as well.
Greece are the defending champs and they cruised through a vanilla group. Looks like Rehaggel has put together a formidable combination of young players and Euro 2004 vets.
Sweden has serious issues, neither Shaaban nor Isaakson have put in serious minutes with their club teams. Zlatan Ibrahimovic failed to score in all 12 qualifiers and latest reports show that underwear model Freddie Ljunberg will miss out on this summer's tournament. But Sweden has always been more than the sum of its parts. So they'll challenge Greece for that runner's up spot.
Russia shouldn't be here, I saw their friendly against Romania and they looked absolutely atrocious. This is not your typical Guus Hidink coached team. Is Guus Hidink a miracle worker? YES. Its a miracle that Russia will be playing football this summer,, and you can thank good all Guus for that.
Quarterfinals
Switzerland over Croatia
Germany over Portugal
France over Greece
Romania over Spain
Semifinals
Germany over Switzerland
France over Romania
Final
France vs. Germany (I'll hold off on any predictions right now)
Group A
Switzerland 7points
Portugal 5 points
Turkey 2 points
Czech Republic 1 point
Switzerland is going to ride the crowd's emotions, they also get a break by getting to face the Czech Republic in the first game and Turkey in the 2nd. They could have a berth in the next round wrapped up by the time they face Portugal.
Portugal failed to impress me in qualifiers and it took them until November '07 to clinch in what was one of the easier groups. I think they will be good enough to advance, but I don't expect a repeat of 2004 or 2006.
Turkey is a bit of an enigma, they were absolutely on fire in their first four qualifiers, then they totally tanked (2-2 draw vs MALTA?!?!) and were lucky to edge out Norway. Turkey has a ton of talent, but it looks like they might be missing Hamit Altintop, either way I don't like their chances, but look out for them in 2010.
No Rosicky, No Chance... Petr Cech can only do so much and the defence in front of him is A LOT worse than the one he plays with in Chelsea. Its a pity, because the Czechs peaked in 2004 and deserved to win the tournament 4 years ago.
Group B
Germany 9 points
Croatia 4 points
Poland 4points
Austria 0 points
Germany has the luck of draw, a vanilla group and they are on the weaker side of the bracket. They were clinical during qualifiers until Joachim Loew took the foot of the pedal after clinching. Solid defense, vibrant midfielders, and a good bunch of strikers to choose from. The only question mark is who plays between the sticks.
Croatia's chances to some damage on this side of the bracket took a hit when Eduardo Da Silva went down with that gruesome injury. That said, Croatia oozes talent. When the former Yougoslavia (which would have won a major tournament had it not been for that horrible thing called ethnic strife) was divided up Croatia got the biggest share of the spoils. That said, I think they might struggle putting goals in the back of the net, but their slick midfield play will mask that during the group stages.
This is Poland's first appearance at the Euro Championship. A lot of credit has to be given to the ageless Leo Beenhaker who has instilled some confidence in this team. I think it's a huge accomplishment that they will be in this tournament and I am banking on Beenhaker to have the team put in a respectable showing... something Poland has failed to do in the past two World Cups.
Austria, oh Austria... when your own people have started a petition to ban you from a tournament in your own country, what is left to say? Scoring a goal and keeping games withing two goals should be Austria's target for this tournament.
Group C
France 5 points
Romania 5 points
Italy 3 points
Holland 1 point
I feel France has improved by leaps and bounds since their Finals appearance 2 years ago, new talent has come through that famous Clairefontaine system. This team is no longer the Team of Zidane, Barthez, Trezeguet, and Thuram (although the latter 2 might feature). There is just so much talent in this team and Domenech has had this team clicking since that 2nd round match versus Spain and there are no signs of them slowing down. That said,
they will not walk over the teams in this group... but I still think they will feature in the final.
Romania isn't really on the radar at the moment. BIG MISTAKE. First of all Romania aren't newbies. This team is a lot more than just Mutu and Chivu, I've seen the team play without them and absolutely destroy the likes of Albania and Russia. Of course, France, Holland, and Italy are far superior opponents. That said, I think Romania can grind out a couple of draws against the likes of France and Italy and have all to play for going into their last game vs. Holland (who they beat and drew during qualifiers).
Italy historically hasn't done well at European Championships, they are also notoriously slow starters. The talent is there, and even though the members of their backline are well into their 30s they still have tons of game. What worries me is whether or not Cannavaro (35), Materazzi (35), Pannucci (35) can cope playing 3 games in 9 days.... don't think so. If they can bottle that World Cup Magic then they will prove me wrong. My gut says they won't. Three draws and an early exit is what im betting on.
Holland is in complete disarray, nobody likes Van Basten... and they looked distinctly average during qualifiers (lucky that Bulgaria tied Albania twice, otherwise we'd be talking about Bulgaria right now). I also have serious questions about their defense, they need a new coach, clean slate, and a fresh start.
Group D
Spain 7 points
Greece 5 points
Sweden 4 points
Russia 0 point
Spain on talent alone will top this group, they'll look good doing it too. They will be promptly ushered out in the quarterfinals though. Aragones is this team's biggest enemy, also not taking Raul is a big mistake, defense has issues as well.
Greece are the defending champs and they cruised through a vanilla group. Looks like Rehaggel has put together a formidable combination of young players and Euro 2004 vets.
Sweden has serious issues, neither Shaaban nor Isaakson have put in serious minutes with their club teams. Zlatan Ibrahimovic failed to score in all 12 qualifiers and latest reports show that underwear model Freddie Ljunberg will miss out on this summer's tournament. But Sweden has always been more than the sum of its parts. So they'll challenge Greece for that runner's up spot.
Russia shouldn't be here, I saw their friendly against Romania and they looked absolutely atrocious. This is not your typical Guus Hidink coached team. Is Guus Hidink a miracle worker? YES. Its a miracle that Russia will be playing football this summer,, and you can thank good all Guus for that.
Quarterfinals
Switzerland over Croatia
Germany over Portugal
France over Greece
Romania over Spain
Semifinals
Germany over Switzerland
France over Romania
Final
France vs. Germany (I'll hold off on any predictions right now)
I'm still contemplating my wagers...
Unfortunately for Austia their petition to not participate didnt come through...
They are seriously outgunned by Croatia and Germany, Poland is better too, so I might bet that they wont advance.
Romania seems to be a "live" underdog.
I think the winner of this group has an excellent shot to win the tournament, but its very tough to say which team will move on....
Unfortunately for Austia their petition to not participate didnt come through...
They are seriously outgunned by Croatia and Germany, Poland is better too, so I might bet that they wont advance.
Romania seems to be a "live" underdog.
I think the winner of this group has an excellent shot to win the tournament, but its very tough to say which team will move on....
austria not advancing is $ in the bank, but price is so steep, but a sure play!
Toughest group is C to predict, all 4 teams are of good quality.
Toughest group is C to predict, all 4 teams are of good quality.
local won't budge
going to play it now before line moves
germany to win their group? YES -137
Risking 1370/1000
going to play it now before line moves
germany to win their group? YES -137
Risking 1370/1000
Lehman,I guess.
The squad will be announced this Friday, L?w promised there will be some surprises....
The German team might have some problem with their midfield, Schneider is out, Schweinsteiger hasnt been impressive lately....
Lehmans age and inactivity make him a rather controversial choice as No. 1....especially since we have a very good up and coming goalie in Rene Adler.
As for the midfield.
I like L?w but I think he bet on the wrong horses.
For the German team it is crucial that they have good players on their wings.
Ballack is a good player but he is not a playmaker.
Hitzelsberger and Trochowski are just not that good in my book, I think he should have backed Albert Streit more...he is one of the best providers in the Bundesliga....
The strikers and defenders look pretty good to me, Klose obviiously has some issues, but Gomez and Kuranyi are strong too...
Croatia should not be underestimated but I'm pretty confident that they will advance (probably as No.1)...
The squad will be announced this Friday, L?w promised there will be some surprises....
The German team might have some problem with their midfield, Schneider is out, Schweinsteiger hasnt been impressive lately....
Lehmans age and inactivity make him a rather controversial choice as No. 1....especially since we have a very good up and coming goalie in Rene Adler.
As for the midfield.
I like L?w but I think he bet on the wrong horses.
For the German team it is crucial that they have good players on their wings.
Ballack is a good player but he is not a playmaker.
Hitzelsberger and Trochowski are just not that good in my book, I think he should have backed Albert Streit more...he is one of the best providers in the Bundesliga....
The strikers and defenders look pretty good to me, Klose obviiously has some issues, but Gomez and Kuranyi are strong too...
Croatia should not be underestimated but I'm pretty confident that they will advance (probably as No.1)...
Thx for the writeup, Zerwas. Very unbiased view from a German.
Good luck to your boys. As you know, though, it's all about collecting the Dead Presidents. I think the Poles will play the Germans pretty tough.
Good luck to your boys. As you know, though, it's all about collecting the Dead Presidents. I think the Poles will play the Germans pretty tough.
Zerwas/Dr Glove:
What do you think of the favorites this year (top 5)? Are they as strong as reputation? Or has the gap closed?
What do you think of the favorites this year (top 5)? Are they as strong as reputation? Or has the gap closed?
I reckon its going to be very tough for the favorites.
It's not like the WC, where you have teams like Costa Rica or Trinidad.
Teams like Croatia or Switzerland or even Turkey and Poland could be very competetive...
Group C is an absolute killer with France, Italy, Romania and the Netherlands...I honestley wouldnt be surprised if one of the favs didnt advance...
BTW, thats why Germany is the favorite...
Romania and Poland won the qualifiers, the Netherlands and Portugal had to settle for second place...
:shrug:
It's not like the WC, where you have teams like Costa Rica or Trinidad.
Teams like Croatia or Switzerland or even Turkey and Poland could be very competetive...
Group C is an absolute killer with France, Italy, Romania and the Netherlands...I honestley wouldnt be surprised if one of the favs didnt advance...
BTW, thats why Germany is the favorite...
Romania and Poland won the qualifiers, the Netherlands and Portugal had to settle for second place...
:shrug:
line for germany to win their group has jumped from -137 to -169
:scared
I got it at the right time lol
:scared
I got it at the right time lol
Croatia only -117 to beat Austria in regulation. Looks very easy to me. :shrug:
Austria might not even score a goal the 3 games they play & Croatia has a good offense.
I see 3-0 Croatia. 4 units for me, maybe more later as I look more at the game.
Austria might not even score a goal the 3 games they play & Croatia has a good offense.
I see 3-0 Croatia. 4 units for me, maybe more later as I look more at the game.
Plays for saturday
swizz pk -102
306/300
swiz/crech UNDER 2 and 2.5 -134
268/200
portugal -.5 -139
139/100
good luck
swizz pk -102
306/300
swiz/crech UNDER 2 and 2.5 -134
268/200
portugal -.5 -139
139/100
good luck
LOVE this play as well, top bet of the tourney, I wonder if it is a trap, local will only accept 5 units max wager on it which sucks, need to diversify.
Also going to take that under 2.5 goals. Think they get maybe 1 against poland, but thats it.
8 units Croatia over Austria -117
4 units Spain to win group -120
2 units Austria under 2.5 goals -130
8 units Croatia over Austria -117
4 units Spain to win group -120
2 units Austria under 2.5 goals -130
