Perhaps I'm looking at the teams too much 'on paper' but I do feel like with the squad they have and the fact that they are the hosts France should be winning the Euros and at least make the final
Spain have a fantastic squad as usual but they were exposed at the World Cup and need to adapt without Xavi and Alonso
Germany have the mentality and quality to win it but they do lack top class full backs and a no 9
Italy have a fantastic defence and midfield but are lacking in the final third
Portugal seem to have a big generation gap between the old guard and the recent crop
Belgium are decent but can't see them lasting the distance
England are rubbish
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France seem to be the only team without real weaknesses
In Lloris they have a top keeper
In the fullback areas they have solid, experienced players like Sagna and Evra
At CB they have the likes of Varane and Koscielny, very quick and good in possession
Holding midfield is an area they are perhaps lacking, none of them top class, but the likes of Cabaye, Diarra and Schneiderlin are decent players
In Pogba and Matudi they have some of the best box to box midfielders around
In attacking midfield Payet has proven to be a top player, and they have pace in Coman and Martial
In Benzema they have a top class no 9 if he is available, and another proven goalscorer in Griezmann, as well as Giroud and Lacazette in reserve
Not reaching at the very least the semi finals should be considered a failure for that lot in their home country
France surely faves for the Euros
posted on 26/3/16
Its not because its Spurs either....
If Arsenal had an young English keeper, two centre backs, and a pair in midfield i'd make the same argument.
posted on 26/3/16
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 7 minutes ago
And the relevance of that to England playing a "Spurs Style" that saw them hammered 5-1 against a German side?
Try and stay on topic
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Well the Spurs style is always going to suffer without five of its main components....the English players in the England squad.
Perhaps if they started in Germany you would have had a point to begin with.
Or perhaps if Mason and Carroll were starting in centre mid together tonight even.
Sooooo....
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posted on 26/3/16
Firstly you are talking about a style - it shouldn't be reliant on less than half the team. It also didn't work at WHL, when Dortmund were in cruise control
Secondly more than half of the team will not play tonight - so to lay hopes on 4 players bringing a teams style successfully to another team is not a good idea.
That it failed so dismally with Spurs players shows it ain't a good idea with players from other teams...
posted on 26/3/16
I don't think there is a lot to choose in the style of play of a lot of sides per se - most play a variant of 4231
What you can do is put players in who will influence how this is played out.
Having Dier in there will allow the fullbacks to push on with less fear.
Rose will benefit from this, it will help him play hos natural game.
Lallana is in front of him, and he knows what Rose will do as Luke Shaw would have been coached to do the same under Poch at Southampton.
Clyne is also an ex Poch alumni on the other side.
Knitting it together are the Spurs attacking pair of Kane and Alli.
6 of the 10 oufield players have played under Pochettino. It should have an effect
posted on 26/3/16
Proof of the pudding is in the eating.....we will see tobight
posted on 26/3/16
But you're missing the most important point: Hodgson doesn't coach like Pochettino, nor is he going to start doing so after 30 year of management.
If we had a coach who has similarities to Pochettino I'd be inclined to agree, but we don't.
posted on 26/3/16
Im sure Woy doesnt coach his teams to give the ball away and camp inside their own half as we did v Italy in the last Euros, but that is what we did because of the personnel employed. Scott Parker a case in point...an awful footballer.
With 6 of the 10 being Poch students, and in a formation that is very similar, id be surprised if they do not let that influence them instinctively
posted on 26/3/16
We'll see I guess.
posted on 26/3/16
.......I don't think Spurs style would suit the international stage. It is based on pressing and closing down the opposition and force them into errors. Which is fine in the PL when you have players like Ramsey , Cahill and Co who need to take a thousand touches before passing the ball. But against teams who are comfortable on the ball and play one touch football, they could be chasing shadows.
Also that style leads to lots of fouls. Are Spurs not the team that received most yellow? And that in a league where contacts are more or less permitted. At international level, it could be risky. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dier sent off Thu.
posted on 27/3/16
I thought England definitely had that Spurs vibe about them - the boys had a definite influence. Snappy and aggresive, closing down high up the pitch.
Very promising