FanNation - The Republic of Sport

so after the first day of matches i am 1-1 with my predictions.
Czech Rep bearly scraped a win against a poor swiss team, dont think thay will progress as far as previous euros, they looked as blunt as in there warmup against Scotland, swiss hopes seemed to have ended already with Frei looking a doubt for the rest of the competion
Portugal looked good but need to improve if they are to win, big plus was that Ronaldo didnt really have that big a game and they still won comfortably.
More analysis after each day

With the 2nd day of matches gone my record is 3-1 with Croatia then Germany both winning (making me some cash in the process) after watching both teams i see no reason why they will not make the KO rounds. Two very typical opening game performance's with both favorites just doing enough for the win, Germany will get better as the tournoment go's on, and Klose has yet to start scoring.

I had the same for the first two groups. I thought the Swiss, aided by the audience, would at least get a draw.
For group C, I had a draw and a Dutch victory. Call it luck or just me liking the Dutch/not liking the French and the Italian teams, but these were my predictions.
I have Spain and Sweden for today. Larsson will pull a late stunner while Ibra will struggle to find his Inter form.

Nice blog by the way

So yesterdays predictions didnt go to well 0-2, First of all i think i speak for all footy fans when i say that the France v Romania game was 1 of the worst in Euro finals history, Holland looked real good on the night and also to advance from the group although i think you have to feel your way into these tournements and think they might peak to soon (only time will tell) also think France will be the team killed by the group of death (unless they improve big time) PREDICTION RECORD 3-3

I actually think Italy will be the victim from the Group of Death.
France is usually a slow starter. Henry is looking set to play against the Netherlands. Vieira could play too (but who cares?).

Spain looked on a roll. Their defense is obviously their weak line but as long as they can outscore their opponents, they'll win.

Next round I have:
CZH - POR (draw)
SWI - TUR (draw)

CRO - GER (draw)
AUS - POL (AUS)

ITA - ROM (ITA)
NED - FRA (draw)

SWE - SPA (SPA)
GRE - RUS (RUS)

Im 6-1 so far... hopefully Larsson and Ibrahimovic make it happen for Sweden!

i have a scorecast bet for tonight : 2-1 sweden with Zlatan to score 1st (33/1)

Anyway Spain looked awesome, silky passing, clinical finishing, Torres yet to get going & Marcos Senna protecting the back 4, def semi candidates

Being from Scotland i dont rate Italy or France (got robbed by Italy/Ref at Hampden & done a number on the French) so cant see any of them contending in the later stages of the comp.

The Euro's have just been brought to life thanks to the Dutch & Spanish !

Let the action continue

So again i break even today with 1-1. an amazing win by spain, who look as desribed above, look the REAL deal (no pun intended), unfortunatly greece let me down big time both on my prediction & my gambling habbit.
After a boring 1st half where Sweden done most of the agressing while greece being greece tryed to defend and try to nick a goal from a set piece.
Dont see the defending champs being in the KO stages, after watching tonights games i think its between Russia & Sweden for 2nd spot.
Current record 4-4. at 50% after the 1st round i thought i would be better.

7-1 baby! I had 2-1 for Sweden with goals from Ibra and Larsson. Glad to see that Larsson can still play at the highest level.
I nvr had Greece as contenders for 2nd spot. My preference was already going to Sweden. Glad Ibra was able to score again with the natl team. (last goal was in October '05!)

Im hoping Portugal can keep going and play even better. I expect a lot from Moutinho.

Back on track and above ,500 (just) with the good performance of Portugal just beating the Czech's in a game in which the score line (3-1) was slightly unkind as the Czech's made a game of it and up until the closing stages where always in with a shout.
Saying that the Portugese are looking the business, Ronaldo off the mark, plus they look good on the counter attack, especially when the get ahead in a game,
Portugal def semi contenders
Czech Rep need slight improvement but should still quallify and you just dont know (Greece 04)

CURRENT RECORD 4-3 ur wooping me now ctsubasa

So after getting back on track with the Portugal win, i have taken a battering !!!
from the swiss losing in the last minute to Croatia upsetting Germany (who were 4/1 underdogs by the way) to a last min pen from the Austrian (to keep 1 co host in for a few more days at least) i got it totally wrong & went 0 for 3 damm......
So currently stand at 4-6 after 10 games, not what i was hoping for, but have been betting against some of my predictions right before kick off and have cashed in twice !!!!! about ??110.00 profit (NICE)

So yet another shocker !!!! i have given no love at all to the dutch predicting that they would draw against the alleged big two of the group and they have tought both world cup finalist's a leason in total football !!!!
I have a sneaky suspision that we have not heard the last of the italians, Buffons pen save will be the differance, they will beat the French with Romania getting a point from there last game (see predictons later) to advance, the French look like this is 1 tournement to far for the current generation and would have probably faired better playing some of there exciting young talent instead of sticking with so many of the old guard, they lacked that mixture of youth & expieriance which looks to have cost them !!!

So after the first 16 games of the Euro's i am 8-8 sitting half embaressed at .500, not the best had another win at the bookmakers on sat with a Spain/Russia double (150 pounds profit after a week not bad)
NOW i know in my last comment i said that Romaina would get a point off the Dutch, but as im going to Amsterdam this summer i think its time i start giving them some love by changing my mind and going for a Holland win (even thought they will probably play some squad players, which they have earned the right to do by Sticking it to both world cup finalists)
When you think about it Holland have the power in this Group, they can play a 2nd team, get beat and eliminate both France & Italy, On the other hand Romania took 4 points off the Dutch in the quallifying for this event and might fancy playing either the (LONG IN THE TOOTH FRENCH or LOTHARGIC ITALIANS) just a theory

Later

Ok so lets get 1 thing straight, my predictions leave a lot to be desired !!!!
If you take the QF line up i only picked 1 winner (Spain) and even that was on
penalty's (WELL OVERDUE)
Goodridence the Italians are going home !!! They are the best workman team on the planet, NOW some will say that they are quite talented which i would agree, but when Pirlo is your flair player, you know you need a lot more, and when said player is missing your bang in trouble.

SEE TOP FOR FINAL SAY OF BLOG

I think i droped the ball again, so we turn it around and say that Germany vs Turkey was the classic semi & the Spain vs Russia game will now be a blow out or a bore out !!!!!

Lets hope i was right the 1st time.