England vs Italy and other quarter-finals

[rurikbird]

I have a feeling that Italy will be harder for England than Spain would have been. Hodge's defensive tactics would have made things extremely uncomfortable for Spain; from the beginning I thought that England were one of 3 teams in this tournament capable of knocking out the Spaniards in the play-offs (the other 2 being the Germans and the Portuguese). Against Italy England will be out of their comfort zone, they will be given few chances to score and if the strikers don't take them, England will lose. This is by far the most even and unpredictable tie in the quarters.

Prediction: If it doesn't go to penalties, England will lose by one goal. If it goes to penalties, England are through.


France is simply not good enough to knock out Spain. Their central defense is too weak. Ribery and co. will starve without the ball.

Prediction: Spain by 2 goals.


I have a feeling that Greece against Germany might have some surprises in store, perhaps because of the political implications and emotions. Can't possibly predict what those surprises might be. But the end result will be Germany moving on.

Prediction: Germany to win one way or another.


Czech Republic vs Portugal will be a tight affair methinks. Portugal will feel a bit uncomfortable in the favorite's role, their game is more reactive in nature. Czechs will be organized and will try not to get caught on the break. Portugal should prevail in the end because of a moment of individual brilliance.

Prediction: Portugal by one goal.


Anybody else want share your thoughts/predictions?

 

[Ryan]

Why are you bolding certain parts of your posts Rurik? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, just looks a bit weird s'all.

Maybe you've hit on a new SCM trend; the Binny+

I'll follow suit.

Spain to beat France 1-0
Germany 3-0 Greece
England on penalties.
Portugal 2-1 Czechs.

 

[rurikbird]

Why are you bolding certain parts of your posts Rurik? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, just looks a bit weird s'all.

Maybe you've hit on a new SCM trend; the Binny+

I'll follow suit.

Spain to beat France 1-0
Germany 3-0 Greece
England on penalties.
Portugal 2-1 Czechs.

I guess Portugal are not deserving of being bolded? 🙂

 

[Ryan]

zoinks!

Portugal.

 

[rurikbird]

zoinks!

Portugal.

That's more like it

 

[RedZeppelin III]

i don't know why but i have a feeling that Portugal might beat Spain if they meet in the semis . Ronaldo might be waking up and they weren't too bad against Germany .

From the other side of the draw i'd be surprised if Germany don't make the final

 

[Athens]

True, if England had of been paired up against Spain then they would of probably just parked the bus like Chelsea in the champions league.

 

[Ryan]

From the other side of the draw i'd be surprised if Germany don't make the final

That's a fairly bold prediction.

 

[RedZeppelin III]

i live on the edge .

 

[dmishra]

France have been my disappointment of the tournament, and I think Spain will do them easily.

Italy-England is tough to call, but I'll go with the Italians.

Germany will do Greece.

The Portuguese should beat the Czechs.

 

[ArneSlot4PM]

England would of got humped if they'd played Spain.

Spain, Germany and Portugal will get through and it's a coin flip in the England/Italy game.

*Flips coin*

Italy.

 

[Portly]

The Italians seem to be looking to Balotelli for goals in the same way that the England camp have been hyping up Rooney.

That could be England's trump card in the quarter-final because Balotelli is madly volatile. If I were Hodgson I would advise Terry to give him a sly pinch on the bum and see what happens.

 

[Woland]

Well you can look to the CL semi for the results of that.

 

[dave2]

Spain 3-0 France
Germany 4-1 Greece
England 1-0 Italy
Portugal 2-2 Czechs (Czech win on Pens)

Germany 0-2 England
Spain 3-1 Czech

Spain 2-4 England

Arise Sir Roy of Croydon.

 

[dave2]

EDITED

 

[Hyena]

Spain 2 - France 0
Germany 1 - Greece 1
England 0 - Italy 0
Portugal 4 - Czech 1

One of the PIGS countries will win this.

 

[FoxForceFive]

The Italians seem to be looking to Balotelli for goals in the same way that the England camp have been hyping up Rooney.

That could be England's trump card in the quarter-final because Balotelli is madly volatile. If I were Hodgson I would advise Terry to give him a sly pinch on the bum and see what happens.

Well he's already given away his greatest weakness. If any player was stupid & insensitive enough they could call him a racist slur & watch him get himself sent off.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Italy
Spain
Germany
Portugal

 

[Fabio]

Well he's already given away his greatest weakness. If john Terry could call him a racist slur & watch him get himself sent off.

 

[the_khl]

Germany from what I've seen so far looks head and shoulders above anyone else.

Spain, England, Portugal, Italy to battle it out for second.

 

[Modo]

Germany from what I've seen so far looks head and shoulders above anyone else.

Spain, England, Portugal, Italy to battle it out for second.

Spain are missing Villa.
Germany were my favourites after I read that he wasn't gonna make it.

 

[the_khl]

Spain are missing Villa.
Germany were my favourites after I read that he wasn't gonna make it.

I thought it would be between Germany, Holland and Spain, with perhaps one or two surprises (have backed both England and Italy at the bookies), but I've been amazed by the quality shown by the Germans so far against strong opponents.

Not only do they combine like Spain but they are very powerful too and seemingly doesn't have one weak link in their side. And a bench full of even more quality.

They are the team to beat indeed.

 

[Modo]

Spot on

 

[Judge Jules]

I'm not sure the Spanish have enough goals in them to beat France easily, but I do think they'll probably win the tie. I'd LOVE it if we beat the Italians but I think their combination of ability and accomplished cheating may be too much, though they too don't look all that in the scoring department and that's what will give us a chance. The Greeks will give the Jairmens trouble but not enough to win, and the Czechs don't have enough to put one over on Portugal.

Germany-Spain final, Germany to win.

 

[Athens]

I've said from the very start that Ze Germans will win it but this quarter final against the Greeks has an added dimension to it. The Greek players will be up for it but the Germans have too much class.

 

[Avmenon]

That's a fairly bold prediction.

Now it is 🙂

 

[Modo]

I've said from the very start that Ze Germans will win it but this quarter final against the Greeks has an added dimension to it. The Greek players will be up for it but the Germans have too much class.

They're a bunch of malakas. No offence.

 

[Athens]

They're a bunch of malakas. No offence.

That would be malakes. Plural you see 😉

 

[Modo]

That would be malakes. Plural you see 😉

What's plural for Potana?

 

[Athens]

What's plural for Poutana?

Poutanes.