This
group of death as it is being called looks to prove to be the more entertaining
of the four, having two of the top four and four from the top ten teams in the
world playing to progress from it.
On the face of the recent form of
the teams in this group, it appears to contain two potential and one outside
possibility of a champion for this edition of the euros. The Germans, who were
narrowly beaten in its final four years ago and dispatched from the semi final
of the 2010 World Cup, will be looking to do one better this time around while Holland will wish to
improve on their 2008 quarter final defeat. The Portuguese and the Danes, with
outside chances of qualifying are also teams to contend with.
| Hopefully they won't resort to this when they play... |
The Dutch, narrowly beaten World
Cup finalists, will be looking to go all the way this time and their near 100%
qualifying campaign would have suggested that they had what it takes win a
major international trophy. An experienced manager in the form of Bert Van
Marwijk will be on a personal mission to avenge his and the team’s late defeat
by advancing from the group, reaching the final and winning.
An efficient passing system centered
on Rafeal Van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder will look to starve opposing teams
of possession before striking with the fearsome duo of Arsenal’s Robin Van
Persie and Bayern Munich’s Aryen Robben. However, a defense that has been looking
ragged of late has meant that Van Marwijk has won only two of his last seven
games with the national side.
If Holland
wish to fully get over their hangover from South Africa two years ago, the
team will have to work hard in order to secure qualification from this tough
group. The best method of doing this is for the team to instill confidence in
themselves by putting any self doubt to bed and respectably beating the Danes
in their opening match.
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| Can the Danes do it again? |
No doubt confidence was high for Denmark late in 2011, after topping a group
containing fellow Group B counterparts Portugal
as well as Norway .
But this must have undoubtedly been shaken after learning of which teams they
were to share their group with.
The 1992 Euro winners will no doubt
fancy their chances of causing an upset after an impressive campaign to qualify
but at odds of 100/1, they must surely be considered as outsiders to lift the
trophy again.
With Morten Olsen having had the Denmark job for
twelve years at present he is the longest serving manager from the entire
sixteen teams participating and would surely like to better his quarter finals
finish from the 2004 European campaign. A strong defense in the form of Daniel
Agger and Lars Jacobsen meant that the Danes conceded only six goals but it
will be Dennis Rommedahl and Nicklas Bendtner who will wish to capitalize on
any mistakes in the defences of the other teams.
Looking at the capabilities of the
Danish team compared to those of the other contestants of the group would tell
that they’re unlikely to make it out and if they have any ambitions of
bettering their past efforts then those in the team will need to work hard to
fulfill them.
The Germans are surely and quite
rightly viewed as the strongest team of the group and unlike the Dutch, they’re
record in qualifying has been perfect, winning each game but the team will be
looking to continue their good competitive run of form by topping the group
with three wins.
Two friendly defeats to France and
the Swiss in February and May respectively seem not to have dampened spirits in
the squad who went on to beat Israel two nil just over one week ago. Perhaps
with the strongest squad of the tournament, second only to Spain, the Germans,
might perhaps be looking to meet them in the knock out stages to avenge their
beatings of two and four years ago.
With a skillful head coach in
Joachim ‘Jogi’ Löw, the Germans must surely advance from the group and reach
the final and with the players of World Cup 2010, those two years older… and
wiser, surely experience must be the greatest card they can play.
The attacking pair of the squads most capped player Miroslav Klose and the
deadly Mario Gomez represent a serious threat to defenses and with a large
midfield consisting of Bastien Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski, Germany
on the attack, are indeed a force to be reckoned with. The defensive twosome of
the eighty plus caps Per Mertesacker and Captain Philip Lahm offer plenty of
experience at the back as well as a rear line that is capable of dealing with
almost any attack in international football.
If, according to expectation Germany, qualify at the head of the group
on a maximum of nine points, then all that will be required of them is for them
to continue the work they have done in qualifying and maintain a steady nerve
against the quality opposition they will have to contend with.
This Portugal team ranked tenth in the world but lowest out of the
group, must surely be contenders to advance on to the quarter finals stage but
the team are neither considered outside or strong favorites to win the
competition – Dark horses to succeed?
The Manger of the team, Paulo Bento, who is the youngest coach in the
tournament at 42, took the position out of the hands of Carlos Queiroz
following the recent World Cup but a difficult qualifying campaign including
away defeats to both Denmark and Norway saw the Selecção, qualify through the
playoffs beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-2 on aggregate and popularity of
their savior coach remained intact.
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| Are the Portuguese relying too much on this man? |
The team is without a shadow of a doubt, centered around the masterful
skills of their captain, one Cristiano Ronaldo who with ninety appearances is
the third highest goal scorer for his country on thirty two goals, only looking
up to the great Eusébio and Pauleta. In addition to Ronaldo, the front is composed
of Helder Postiga and Manchester Uniteds Nani, who are capable players but
perhaps lack that flair to properly compliment the brilliance of their great
compatriot who will more than likely be the hope of the national team.
With a midfield including Raul Meireles and a capable defense working
off the Real Madrid central pairing of Pepe and Fábio Coentrão it would appear
that the main tactic of the Portuguese is to defend and pass to their key man,
Ronaldo. This is a flawed approach but should they manage to reach the knock
out stages then as Cristiano himself, said ‘Everything is possible’.
So, bearing in mind all that has been said here is a final group
standing prediction minus the points:
Group Prediction
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