We wake up to a lot of good things today. It’s Friday, a long week has come to an end and the football ruckus in France starts tonight!
The world is eagerly awaiting a month of tasty ties and some heavyweight matches. There will be a lot of support, a lot of real supporters and a million dreamers.
Now it’s okay to like and cheer your team, it’s another to be realistic about their chances. While you may really think that Germany will do the ‘International Double’, or that Rooney will finally lead England to something (anything!), you may have to get your hopes down.
Here is a dissection of the contenders and how your favourite team is doomed to failure. Your unrealistic expectations, of the top contenders lifting the Euro, end here.
Viva La Chance
Team France, the hosts, the shining star of the next generation of football, is delectable to look at. Likes of Paul Pogba, Martial, Kante all set your heart aflutter. So it is really disappointing to see Koscielny and Rami in the back. See the main flaw here is while people like Evra can still go at a world class rate, it’s been a while since France had a rock at the back.
Someone like a Lewandowski or Vardy on their day can dismantle this French B Defence. When they come across a team that realises that these men can be rather easily exploited if you just nip at them, the game is over. There’s no Hummels or Ramos at the back, who marshalls the troops from the back.
It’s a shame Varane is injured, at least his pace and timing are among the best.
EspaNo!
Spain has rather lost its momentum. That’s the first thing that comes across when you think about the much-decorated team.
Pre-2014, they had ruled the world football like no other. It all started with Luis Aragones and then with Pep mavericking Barca, the tiki-taka got incorporated with precise results. And now as I write this, Spain has just lost to Georgia in an international friendly match. Losing early in a tournament isn’t new to them though, they lost to Switzerland in South Africa at the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
But with the likes of Xavi ageing, and the likes of Fabregas not really filling up that void, it feels like the golden age has hit its crescendo. Villa is gone, Torres is a swan song away and the young cats haven’t really stepped up. Morata is a hit in a league where Evra has just won the Scudetto.
With Iniesta and co. on their last legs, it seems that this is a tournament where a star might announce himself in Koke or Thiago or even Morata. Or it’s a tribute to one of the greatest sides ever and it’s time to say goodbye.
Double Deuscthe
The German squad is like a well-oiled machine, efficient and sleek; that just looks like Thomas Mueller up front. Seriously how does he score?! He is one of the most prolific strikers in Europe and it just baffles the lot of us. He looks like the waterboy had to be the 11th man because the reserves were all injured. Anyway, it’s what’s behind him that matters.
The Germans are the favorites, after all, and have players at the right peak and playing at the right positions. The likes of Bastian, Gotze, Ozil, Kroos all make a legendary midfield and further back you have Boateng and Hummels as the foundation. And then there is Michael Neuer. It’s hard to find a spot but there is one, and it takes us back to the handsome Thomas Mueller.
If he is shut down or injured then you have an over-the-hill Mario Gomez, and the ghost of Lukas Podolski. By any stretch of imagination, a squad like Spain or even France could handle those two at their mid-30s.
God Save the Queen
See I’m a fair man, I live by fair rules. So I am graciously putting my team through the ropes as well. I support England and here is why they won’t win.
The reason won’t be enthusiasm and passion because we are just past the most inspiring and storied-EPL ever! This is better than Rooney or Aguero scoring for the two Manchester clubs. This is a Cinderella story like no other.
The likes of Vardy and the Leicester gang have now their names etched in the history books for their heroics this season. Equally buoying was Tottenham’s performance. Boasting of young, spirited English talent, Spurs rose through the ranks to clinch at the third position. All this passion and bravado pumping through… and that’s the Achilles.
The tournament is won by precise, discipline execution (a la Greece 2004) as much as sparkling team play. England have a lot going for them, but a cool and calm Germany can easily pick them off, frustrate them, and go in for the kill.
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