Absolutely, even if we only started with four groups we would have seen lots of minnows make it through.

Have i missed any upsets other than Croatia beating Spain by the way?

I'm not sure Croatia beating Spain is that big of an upset. They have a very highly rated team, with a midfield that all play for massive clubs.

Quite a few have picked them to upset the apple cart before the tournament.

Distinct lack of pace in the Spain team, and their strikers aren't very good

Germany and Spain have been the most boring teams in the tournament. Both seriously lack any pace or urgency in their play. Its literally like they just try to wear teams down and bore them (like Man Utd this season).

With any luck, neither will win it.

Kind of what i thought to be honest Tam, but given the rest of the games it would still have to be the biggest upset.

And Germany and Spain have barely gotten out of first gear and Germany are just a poor side in general and Spain as DJ says are lacking pace, especially up top.

Would have said France for the title but yet another team that haven't really got out of first gear as yet.

Anyone can win this and they should be thankful Argentina are not involved as they are in fine form.

Italy Spain will be decent I think Conte's 3-5-2 is perfect to disrupt Spains passing triangles.....Germany I think will finally get their first tourny win over Italy if we meet

Croatia I think will win the whole show unless they lose

comment by Tino79 - Proud owner of a bona fide apology from Sunny - easily a bigger achievement than winning a preds league (U2087)
posted less than a minute ago

Croatia I think will win the whole show unless they lose
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This.

Germany and Spain play possession football just for the sake of keeping possession. They don't have pace up front or probe in any way (Germany looked a bit better against N. Ireland, but that is expected against a real minnow). They don't really press teams much as they know they will win the ball back eventually and keep it for ages. I find that kind of football really boring.

Barcelona play possession football, but they close down the space, press really well, move the ball quickly and have an explosive front three. That kind of possession based game is exciting to watch. The only team I have seen press the space well this tournament has been England, but unfortunately, they are limited when they win it back and have yet to take any of their high number of chances. Hopefully against a better team when the game is more open, that will change.

Hopefully Italy will dispatch Spain and Germany, so we can see something different.

Belgium could have a good route to the final now and have the players though hard to say how good they are given how poor Eire were.

if it clicks for belgium they have the players to hold their own---but they have Mark Wilmots and that hampers them greatly - bleeding moaning that Conte relies on Juves defence

Just hope it livens up and we get some memorable games, not one for seeing underdogs go far but quite possible on one side of the draw now, generally tournaments suffer as a consequence.

knock out footy means teams will either go vfor it to avoid pens...or sit deep and take a chance on pens

It will mostly be the latter I suspect, all about discipline for the unfancied nations.

We saw what Wales plan was against England, sit tight and don't break, it almost paid off as well. Strange tactic given they are not much worse than England if they try and play.

first international tourny in a generation though - Coleman not really achieved anything so it's understandable that they'd be cautious in trying to get through

Don't blame them really, the tournament set up dictates that style early.

You see messi's freekick last night

nah not seen it i'll have a peek

yea group stage is all about getting through

comment by Cinciwolf----Former KoP champion, 2x HC+DG champion, officially paid for being here-----$326 (U11551)
posted 10 minutes ago

We saw what Wales plan was against England, sit tight and don't break, it almost paid off as well. Strange tactic given they are not much worse than England if they try and play.
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Disagree with that. I think as a team, England are much better than Wales. Wales found it easier against Russia and Slovakia, as neither sat back against them like they did England as both would have fancied their chances.

In Gareth Bale; Wales have a much better player than any England player. He has something that England are missing, in that he can create something from nothing.

England are always going to dominate the game against Wales as the midfield and defence are superior. Wales will hope that one of Ramsey or Bale can create an opening with their limited possession. This will be exactly what happens again if Wales meet Belgium or Portugal in the quarter finals.

thought that whilst england looked comfortable against Slovakia it was all very slow and ultimately predictable - every clever pass was telegraphed and the Slovaks got men behind the ball in numbers - where's englands "magic man" in the business end of the tourny that's the difference maker

I dunno tam, I have never seen England dominate a game like they did that one against reasonable opposition.

England have looked fairly good though, or at least in the two games I saw.

But if Wales really are that far behind England then it is worse than I thought.

England have dominated every game they have played in this tournament. They just aren't clinical enough and are missing the 'magic man,' as Tino put it.

every truly great side needs someone that can find that lil touch to make it happen

Iniesta still does it for Spain
Muller although I don't rate him has that knack (not this tourny so far)
Payet for France
Modric for the Croats
Bale for the welsh
Italy have a couple that don't get to play
Hazard and KDB for Belgium
England - ?? Alli could be but too inconsistent

Bizarre injury to lavezzi last night as well.

Only Bale and Edwards from the Wales squad would get in the England team, if we had those two we'd probably be favourites to win it.

Hopefully when we play teams with a bit more attacking intent there will be more space for a player like Vardy to exploit. The only time we really looked dangerous against Slovakia was when they had the ball, every time they as far as the halfway line I thought we were likely to steal it and cause them problems.

lack of plan B was evident thought Tatts - Skrtel and the other Cb were far too comfy with the game played infront of them but not often enough did England stretch them or try and run in behind them...you are right though England have the players (like Italy) to play with a solid defence/counter attacking game - which will serve both sides well when we come up against possession heavy teams (France/Spain/Germany) gotta take your chances though