Euro 2012

BotN: Spain joy as Alonso wins Golden Beard

Back of the Net — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:21:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys file their final report: Spain 4-0 Italy

Spain added yet another title to their bulging trophy cabinet, players and fans erupting in joy as midfield stalwart Xabi Alonso was awarded the coveted Golden Beard.

Alonso was expected to face a stern challenge from Italy’s Daniele De Rossi, who has won Serie A’s coveted Beard of the Year prize three years running, and who recently made headlines by endorsing a leading brand of muttonchop combs.

But when they finally went head to head in Sunday night’s hotly-anticipated beard-off, the Italian’s facial thatch was oddly lacklustre and dull, allowing the Real Madrid man to romp home with the gong by four Darwin Points to nil.

“It’s great to win it,” said Alonso of the Golden Beard, which was cast in 1979 from a mould of Paul Breitner’s face and jaw, and whose previous holders include Trifon Ivanov, Socrates and Olof Mellberg.

“But I couldn’t have done it without the lads. Cesc Fabregas lathers it up, Raul Albiol combs it out, and Sergio Busquets rubs a soothing, lavender-based lotion into my follicles. A beard as lovely as this, I wouldn’t trust anyone else to touch it.

“We were expecting more from De Rossi, but you can’t afford to not use conditioner at this level.”

"It is rather lovely, isn't it?"

To cap a perfect night for Spain, manager Vicente Del Bosque was presented with the Platinum Moustache award, an honour that came as no surprise to Alonso.

“No-one deserves it more,” said the ex-Liverpool man. “The boss’ soup-strainer is an inspiration to us all. He’ll be delighted, though you wouldn’t know. His upper lip is too heavy for him to alter his expression.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
ITA 2-0 GER: Fans let down as Balotelli fails to behave like a performing seal
SPA 0-0 POR: Portugal combat 'slightly less good Spain' tag by playing like Spain, only slightly worse
ITA 0-0 ENG: England lament justice of penalty shoot-out
ESP 2-0 FRA: France fail to turn up, turn up, fail to turn up, lose
GER 4-2 GRE: Germany put long-suffering fans through slight discomfort
POR 1-0 CZE: Ronaldo: "Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo!"

Analysis: Where Italy went so very badly wrong

Alex Keble — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:02:00 GMT

Spain seemed all-conquering in the Euros, but Italy had held them in the opener. Why, asks Alex Keble, did they change their tack?

Italy's strategy in their opening game of Euro 2012 had more success with nullifying Vicente del Bosque's Spanish magicians than any other team. Their 3-5-2 formation caught everyone by surprise, stunting the Spaniard's attacks and allowing them to counter with speed and fluidity. In the final, they played the 4-4-2 diamond midfield that had proved so successful throughout the tournament, only to find themselves completely overrun. What went wrong?

Stifling the deep-lying playmaker
In Italy's opener, puppet-master Pirlo dominated, as his incisive long-field passes freed the ever-impressive Antonio Cassano and bypassed the Spanish midfield. By July 1st, everyone in the world knew who was pulling all the strings, and Spain worked hard to stunt his activity.

In the first encounter, the Italian wizard had the freedom to spray the ball around the field, stretching the opposition and carving out attacks for the advancing wing-backs. In the final, Spain minimised his threat by applying pressure quickly, forcing Pirlo to release the ball hurriedly and therefore with less attacking intent – hence the sideways passes deep in his own half, and lack of completed passes in the Spanish third.

Moreover, in the final Pirlo had less support. In the opener, Italy's defensive trio meant that Daniele De Rossi could afford to step forward when Italy were in possession and provide support to Pirlo, taking some of the creative burden off the 34-year-old's shoulders.

Between De Rossi and Pirlo, Italy were successful with many long diagonal passes, contributing greatly to their forward threat. By releasing Cassano et al with diagonal passes, Italy found themselves with the ball in advanced wide positions, where opposition from Spanish wingers Andres Iniesta and David Silva was invariably and conspicuously absent.

The diamond midfield relied too heavily on influencing play high up the pitch, and with Iniesta and Silva drifting infield to provide support, the Spanish simply outnumbered the Italians in the middle of the park. After bypassing Spain's midfield in the opening game with accurate long passes, Italy afforded themselves the solitary threat of Pirlo in the final, and the Spaniards knew exactly who they needed to mark closely. Without his and De Rossi's sweeping passes, Italy's Riccardo Montolivo and Claudio Marchisio were rendered ineffective.

Abandoning the back three
The effects of De Rossi's positional shift weren't only felt in attack. By moving him from the back three to form part of a midfield quartet, Cesare Prandelli left the Italians open and exposed.

In the opening game, Italy sat back and absorbed the pressure, allowing the Spanish to dominate possession and pass the ball in front of them. With the wing-backs dropping into defence, Spain were trying to carve open a team with a back five protected by a central three.

In the final, buoyed by the fluidity of their midfield throughout the rest of the tournament, Italy were expansive and depended upon a higher defensive line without the solidity of six players defending centrally. This was particularly the case in the first half: after the break, two goals and a man down, the Italians found themselves helplessly retreating.

These screens indicate Italy were playing much higher up the pitch, allowing Spain to play in behind them – exactly what Xavi, Iniesta, Silva and Cesc Fabregas wanted. The inadequacy of this tactic was only exacerbated by Xavi being employed higher up the pitch (partly to mark Pirlo out of the game and partly to escape the cluster of Italian midfielders playing closer to Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets), and Fabregas playing more like a traditional centre-forward.

Clipping the wing-backs' wings back
In the 1-1 draw, Italy's wing-backs provided an excellent source of attack and defence. Recognising the narrowness of Spain's play, Prandelli's 3-5-2 provided them with a line of five when defending, while also – with three central defenders to cover any counter-attacks – giving the wing-backs licence to roam forward and exploit the inevitable space out wide. Iniesta and Silva will always drift inwards and rarely track back, leaving plenty of room to utilise. Italy clearly knew this, given their long-range diagonal passing.

Perhaps more important than this was their ability to nullify the Spanish full-backs' attacking impetus. Wing-backs are notoriously difficult to combat as an opposing full-back: how far can I afford to venture forward? How much should I hold back? Do I stick tight to them, or let them go? If I stay tight then I will most likely be dragged high up the pitch, allowing other players to exploit the space behind me. If I hold back, I give them the chance to build up speed when running at me. Spain's defenders chose the latter, rarely risking a venture forward, perhaps fearful of their team-mates' defensive indiscipline.

Unfortunately for Italy, their later 4-4-2 completely obliterated these positive aspects of their play. The narrowness of their midfield diamond gave little or no opportunity for full-backs to overlap, and the increased defensive duties in a flat back four stifled their attacking intent.

With Iniesta and Silva coming infield and Alonso and Busquets taking Montolivo and Marchisio out of the game, the wings were more open than ever; unlike in their previous encounter, Alvaro Arbeloa and Jordi Alba were given license to burst forward, whilst Ignazio Abate and Giorgio Chiellini were forced to hold back.

The positive effect on the Spanish full-backs is just as obvious:

The player influence screen (below) speaks volumes: both teams were congested in the middle, but where Italy's full-backs were tentative and wary of the Spanish threat, Spain's pair caused havoc, most notably for Alba's goal. No longer troubled by the impending threat of the tricky Maggio (who had, although unnoticed by many, an outstanding game in the 1-1 draw), Alba abandoned his fellow defenders on numerous occasions, and to devastating effect.

Conclusion
Italy have learnt a valuable lesson, albeit one that comes too late: you simply can't "take on" the Spanish. Having defended doggedly in their opening encounter, employing a rigid strategy of deep, narrow defending and direct counter-attacks created by deep-lying playmakers (plural), Italy paid the price for being more adventurous in the final.

Prandelli's diamond relied on several key players being influential high up the pitch, which proved simply impossible in such a heavily congested area. It also stunted their width and ultimately left Pirlo helplessly alone, and unable to control the game.

Up until the 4-0 thrashing, Spain have increasingly been labelled 'boring'. In my opinion, the blame lies with the overwhelming negativity of the opposition, forcing the Spaniards to play patiently in-front of an ever-retreating defence. They have had to become faster and faster, finding ever more ingenious ways of breaking down their terrified opponents.

Even Jose Mourinho came to recognise the impossibility of overcoming tiki-taka, winning La Liga by defending desperately against Barcelona after several failed attempts at outplaying them.

Spain are seen as boring because teams don't play against them: they simply try and stop them. For once, a team came out and tried to win the match, not just avoid defeat. And, for once, Spain were able to get in behind a team, and utterly destroy them.

Spain can't be called boring any more. Perhaps Italy, and anybody else hoping to knock Spain off their pedestal, needs to take a word of advice from the Special One: "If you have a Ferrari and I have a small car, the only way I can win is by putting sugar in your petrol tank."

Plenty of praise to go around in celebrating Spain

Tim Stannard — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Joy aplenty in Spain. Of course, there's the small matter of la Roja retaining the European Championships, making history by winning three successive major tournaments and in doing so becoming the greatest team that there has ever been.

However, there's even more reason to knock back the beers back in the homeland of the bestest team on the planet: both the Barcelona and Real Madrid media are able to share the spoils in their respective team’s contributions to Spain’s glorious moment.

Relations between the camps normally resembles that of Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole: they're hardly going to hug each other in celebrating success, but they are capable of working together when required. That’s especially been the case over the past four years, when Spain have been doing rather well and the Barcelona press have been able to hang that success on the contribution of the players from the Catalan club.

(Not all Catalans are delighted: Joan Laporta's former vice president Alfons Godall branded them ‘mercenaries’ for celebrating Spain’s win. That's not entirely accurate from the nasty meanie-head, considering it’s very much a case of "cheque’s in the post" when it comes to the national team players getting paid by the Spanish FA.)

Monday’s edition of Sport joined the jubilant mood across the land, with Joan Vehils writing that “they may be small and little but nevertheless they are enormous footballers and greats both on and off the pitch.” The reaction of Mundo Deportivo to Sunday’s victory was to attribute the victory to Xavi and co finally getting it together. “When the Barça brain gets going, the national side reaches a level that the world envies,” writes Lobo Carrasco.

AS and Marca are in full-on la-la land mood, with the former's front page branding la Roja as “the best team in history”. Inside, there’s a tearful tribute from Javier Matallanes, who delights that “my Roja, my beloved Spain are legends. La Roja are eternal.” In his editorial, Alfredo Relaño brings things down to earth a tad, referencing the conomic crisis by noting that “football doesn’t offer solutions, but instead it brings joy.”

Marca’s front cover boasts of “Spain and nobody else” with the paper's editorial in joyous mood over “a triumph of a way of playing football, of a style and of an exemplary group of people lead by the best of all, Vicente del Bosque.”

The one downside of the win and everything that goes with the triumph is that the fact that there simply isn’t enough time to brag about finally beating – nay, destroying – Italy for the first time over 90 minutes in a competitive match. Instead, focus and attention have been split between the contributions of Cesc Fabregas and Andrés Iniesta or Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas.

But it’s a fine situation to be in, with more than enough praise to go around for everyone.

Analysis: How Spain evolved their system during Euro 2012

Michael Cox — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:22:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the changes Vicente del Bosque made in his one problem position

Throughout their victorious Euro 2012 campaign, the first ten names on Spain’s teamsheet were ever-present. Iker Casillas, Alvaro Arbeloa, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso, Andres Iniesta and David Silva started every game. The only question ever in Vicente del Bosque's mind was Spain’s centre-forward.

Part of that question was whether they’d use a centre-forward at all. Del Bosque’s experimentation with a strikerless formation had been frustrating and underwhelming over the past year – Spain often lacked directness and penetration high up the pitch, and the ball spent too long being aimlessly passed around the midfield.

That was the case in Spain’s opening game, a 1-1 draw with Italy. Del Bosque started the tournament with Cesc Fabregas as a false nine, dropping deep into midfield to link play, and switching positions with David Silva on the right. No-one expected Spain to play that way, least of all Fabregas himself. “I was more surprised than anyone,” he said after the match. “But I am happy to have had the chance – happy to be able to play.”

The formation was relatively unsuccessful; Spain’s equalising goal was superb, Silva getting the ball with his back to goal and slipping a pass in for Fabregas to run onto and finish, but this was a rare piece of penetration. All too frequently, Silva and Fabregas occupied the same space.

As a result, Fabregas was dropped for Spain’s next game against the Republic of Ireland, with Fernando Torres starting up front. Scoring two good goals in a decent all-round performance, the Chelsea striker was particularly impressive with his pressing high up the pitch, constantly forcing the Irish defenders into misplaced passes. He also improved his link-up play, which had been terrible when he had come on as a substitute against Italy.

Torres deservedly started the next game against Croatia, but found this encounter more difficult. Rather than receiving the ball in the penalty box, as he had against Ireland, he was forced to work the channels and collect the ball in much wider positions. He had three attempts, all from difficult angles (the attempt from just outside the six-yard box was a near-post header from a corner), and he was replaced after an hour by Jesus Navas, who went onto score the game’s only goal.

Therefore, against France in the quarter-final, it was back to Fabregas. And here, for the first time, Spain appeared to be functioning well without a permanent centre-forward. Like against Italy, Fabregas dropped deep, often to the right of the pitch, but now Spain offered reverse movement – Silva was higher and wider to collect Fabregas’ through balls, while Xabi Alonso opened the scoring after a storming midfield run. Del Bosque’s strikerless system appeared to be working.

After that success, Del Bosque’s decision to start with Alvaro Negredo against Portugal in the semi-final was particularly strange. The Sevilla striker is a good all-rounder, but it was difficult to see what his role was. Portugal pushed relatively high up the pitch and offered space in behind, but Negredo rarely made the right runs. His link-up play was disappointing, he had only one shot – which was blocked – and his main contribution was winning fouls from Portugal’s defenders. Fabregas replaced him after only 54 minutes.

For the final against Italy, Fabregas’ return to the side was assured, and he played a crucial role in Spain’s incredible 4-0 victory. But while Fabregas remains a midfielder by trade, his role in the final was simply that of a true centre-forward – always making runs off the shoulder of the last defender, collecting through-balls, then playing cut-backs. He received the ball much less than in the opening game against Italy, but much higher up the pitch.

Spain became the first side to win the European Championships with the same starting XI in both their opening game and the final, but while the names were identical, Fabregas’ role was completely different – his permanent positioning and direct running made all the difference. Spain didn’t start the final with a natural striker, but neither were they playing 4-6-0.

Euro 2012 Stats Zone is a free-download app from FourFourTwo powered by stats from Opta, updated LIVE in-play during all Euro 2012 matches. Stats Zone is brought to you in association with Coral. Download it here (users outside the UK download here)

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Analysis: How Spain won – and not as easily as they made it appear

Gary Parkinson — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 11:56:00 GMT

FourFourTwo.com Editor Gary Parkinson uses the Euro 2012 StatsZone app one last time to review a final which wasn't as straightforward as the final score suggests...

In some respects, this was as close a game as Spain had had all tournament. They had 14 shots with six on target, not far clear of Italy's 11 total with four on target. Obviously the important thing is that four of Spain's six shots on target went in...

Indeed, for some of the match Italy were ahead on shots – but they didn't register an attempt after 57 minutes. By contrast, in the last 10 minutes Spain had three shots, all on target – and two went in.

As ever, Spain had more of the ball (56.6% possession and 61.5% territory) and passed around with ease, completing 510 of 577 passes (88%) compared to Italy's 368 from 411 (83%).

Furthermore, Spain tried twice as many passes which ended in their opponent's third – and completed more than three times as many.

It wasn't a procession from start to finish: Italy had their spells on top, although Spain seemed able to find an extra gear. Using the sliders under the Stats Zone screens to compare different periods, you can see how after a tentative first five minutes, Spain doubled their passing rate.

Sure enough, the first goal arrived after 13 minutes through a rare David Silva header – surely the last thing Italy would have expected. The new Goal Buildup screen – which will be available on the 2012/13 version of Stats Zone – shows a typically patient preamble to the opener.

Italy refused to buckle, though, and by comparing the first 13 minutes to the second 13 minutes you can see that they completed only a quarter as many passes as the challengers came back at them.

However, shortly before half-time Spain got a two-goal cushion through Jordi Alba. Studying the goal buildup shows that once more the champions knocked it about until an opportunity presented itself – this time when Xavi carried the ball forward and found their galloping left-back.

Alba's goal was typical of Spain's first half in coming down the champions' left side. As @attacktheball pointed out by examining the Pass Combination screen, Alba found Andres Iniesta an unequalled 11 times in the first half, while on the other side Alvaro Arbeloa only found Silva three times.

Perhaps it's no wonder that Vicente del Bosque decided to withdraw opening goalscorer David Silva on 59 minutes – he hadn't received a single second-half pass from Arbeloa, while on the other side Alba was on his way to finding Iniesta another 10 times. Either way, Italy started the second half on top, with far more passes attempted and completed in the first 15 minutes.

But by the hour mark, Cesare Prandelli had made a substitution that changed the game – for the worse as far as his side was concerned. Having had to bring on Federico Balzaretti for the limping Giorgio Chiellini on 21 minutes and opted at half-time to replace Antonio Cassano with Antonio Di Natale, Prandelli brought on Thiago Motta for Riccardo Montolivo with 34 minutes to play.

The switch made sense to an extent – Motta is an excellent player with knowledge of the Spanish game – but Montolivo was unlucky to be replaced, having had 100% pass completion in the attacking third; as @FFinfo noted, at the time Montolivo went off only Xavi had completed more passes.

Whatever Prandelli's thinking, his plans were shattered within minutes when Motta was stretchered off with a hamstring injury. From that point on, 10-man Italy were almost literally chasing shadows as Spain stroked the ball about at whim.

The change in pace is also evident on the Player Influence screen: not only are the Spanish dominant, they are also mainly camped in the Italian half while the Azzurri struggle to register any attacking intent.

Del Bosque brought on Fernando Torres for the final 15 minutes to stretch a tiring Italy – and it worked. First he scored after being fed by a Xavi interception deep in Italy territory; then he laid off for clubmate and fellow late sub Juan Mata to finish a short sharp counter-attack.

Overall, Italy tried commendably to match Spain and – despite the scoreline – did much better than most. During Spain's march to retaining the trophy, nobody had more shots, completed more passes or had more possession than Italy did in the final. But Spain are true champions and simply bettered their opponents in all those categories anyway. That's what champions do.

View from Italy: Tears and misfortune but also pride and joy

Richard Whittle — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:05:00 GMT

Our man in Milan Richard Whittle on the reaction to Italy's Euro 2012 final loss against Spain

Twice now in major finals, Italy have had the misfortune of coming up against a team that defines an era in international football – and on both occasions they have lost heavily.

In 1970, it was Brazil in the final of the Mexico World Cup and now in 2012 Spain at Euro 2012.

Much like that unforgettable match in the Aztec stadium where the Pele-inspired Samba boys romped to a 4-1 win, it was one-way traffic in Kiev as the kings from Iberia ran out 4-0 winners.

REPORT Spain seal tournament treble

However, the Azzurri can still come home with their heads held high – and reaching the final should be seen as triumph enough for a squad that few expected to progress very far at the tournament.

Fans who gathered in Milan’s Piazza Duomo were left bitterly disappointed, with a good percentage making their way home long before the final whistle blew. Those who remained admitted it had been a big let-down – but that the team had done themselves proud overall.

It was just as well that everyone got their partying in on Thursday night after the win over Germany, with the mopeds zipping around and the horns honking deep into the night. Instead of that, as Sunday drifted away the flags were folded up or chucked in the nearest bin as the thought of a black Monday sank in.

The only person seemingly looking on the bright side was Prime Minister Mario Monti, who before the tournament started had suggested that Italian football take a self-imposed break in the light of the ever-developing betting scandal. Now, the technocrat turned political mover was praising coming second in Europe and claiming that football had lifted spirits throughout the country.

However, it was not only a game too far, but an evening that went horribly wrong. Already outplayed, Italy found themselves reduced to 10 men with still around 30 minutes to play. Thiago Motta was carried off moments after coming on and Prandelli had used up all his substitutions, which no doubt helped hasten such a large margin of defeat.

Like Monti, the Italian press were quick to change their opinion, with La Gazzetta dello Sport leading the damning verdict. “It really hurts ...” was their headline above a tearful Mario Balotelli, while Corriere dello Sport asked: “What have you done Prandelli?” They wondered how a team that had overcome England and then second-favourites Germany could fall away so badly when it really mattered.

Turin-based Tuttosport attempted to lift damaged spirits with a “Don’t cry Italy”, but tears were all that were left at the end of the rout in Kiev.

Balotelli breaks down after the game

At least the editorials in all the broadsheets praised the squad for returning the national side to within touching distance of the summit and finally wiping away the painful memory of World Cup 2010 in South Africa, when Marcello Lippi’s defending champions exited at the group stages.

Questions will be raised over whether Prandelli will walk away ahead of the upcoming qualifying campaign for Brazil 2014, but he moved to quell such talk in the post-game conference by maintaining that the “project” would move forward.

Throughout the tournament, Prandelli had reacted well to changing events – although in the final, knowing that there were tiring limbs and injuries being carried by the likes of Daniele De Rossi and Giorgio Chiellini (who only lasted 20 minutes), a few fresh legs in a packed midfield would not have gone amiss.

Then again, that would have gone against the whole ethos of the Prandelli reign – and certainly at these finals – where Italy had played a more adventurous style than any of its predecessors.

Prandelli’s rallying call has been “Italy with a smile” and even though this campaign ended in tears, the future does look a lot brighter for next generation of Azzurri.

BotN: Fans let down as Balotelli fails to behave like performing seal

Back of the Net — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:10:00 GMT

The Back of the Net view on Germany 1-2 Italy

Italy stormed into the final of the European Championships on Thursday night, withstanding a late fightback to record a highly impressive 2-1 victory over Germany. The game was marred, however, by the absence of any eagerly-expected clownish antics from Italian striker Mario Balotelli.

Balotelli, whose previous role in the team was simply to pull outrageous stunts and caper ineptly after lost causes, left fans deflated by scoring two clinical goals to give his side an unassailable lead – then compounded the disappointment by not falling over when through on goal, not getting sent off for dissent, and not grievously injuring a team-mate while arguing over a free-kick.

“What Balotelli did is unacceptable,” fumed spectator Lucas Chapman, 28. “I expected to see a figure of fun, a talented but ultimately risible court jester throwing his team’s chances away with his moody, adolescent petulance.

“Instead, all we saw from Balotelli was relentless teamwork, steely determination, and a brace of lethal finishes. I didn’t spend good money to watch the coming of age of one of the game’s most thrilling talents on the biggest stage imaginable. It’s a disgrace.”

Balotelli acknowledges Neuer with sickening maturity

Many fans are still clinging to the hope that Balotelli’s 20-yard rocket was a wildly miskicked fluke, and that his 36th-minute bullet header was actually an attempt to control the ball with his tongue. But most seem resigned to the fact that the Balotelli they knew and cherished is gone forever.

“Naturally, I’ll be hoping that Spain goad him successfully in the final and that the monstrous, volatile manchild re-emerges,” Chapman added. “Otherwise I’ll have to find my Balotelli entertainment from elsewhere, like if he falls over, or if he misses a penalty.

“I suppose I could conceivably just appreciate the sheer, breathtaking natural ability of one of the most gifted young strikers to emerge in the past 10 years,” he conceded.

“But when you’re dealing with a guy who any minute might do something mental, like wear his pants over his shorts, or have a haircut, why get bogged down with boring details like how good he is at football?”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
SPA 0-0 POR: Portugal combat 'slightly less good Spain' tag by playing like Spain, only slightly worse
ITA 0-0 ENG: England lament justice of penalty shoot-out
ESP 2-0 FRA: France fail to turn up, turn up, fail to turn up, lose
GER 4-2 GRE: Germany put long-suffering fans through slight discomfort
POR 1-0 CZE: Ronaldo: "Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo!"

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Stats Zone: How Italy can counter Spain – and why Del Bosque should drop Silva

Michael Cox — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:37:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to preview the final between Italy and Spain

For the fourth time in the last seven European Championships, the final is being contested by two sides who met in the group stage. The 1-1 draw between Spain and Italy in Group C’s opening game feels like an age ago, but both Vicente del Bosque and Cesare Prandelli will have reviewed that tape ahead of the final, trying to find weaknesses in their opponent.

Tactically, the key difference between that match and Sunday’s final will be Italy’s formation. Prandelli started the tournament playing a 3-5-2 system, which was effective at shutting down Spain’s system in the centre of midfield, and also pushed back Jordi Alba and Alvaro Arbeloa. But he moved to a diamond midfield ahead of the 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland, and is widely expected to continue with that system here.

Spain’s side will be very similar to that opening fixture. For that game, Cesc Fabregas started as a false nine – but after del Bosque’s experiments with Fernando Torres and Alvaro Negredo proved unsuccessful, Fabregas is likely to regain his place. Spain were hugely frustrating against Italy the first time around, and only sparked into life after going 1-0 down – but they got the false nine system to work much more effectively against France, with more width, depth and midfield runs.

Italy’s formation may have changed, but their forward partnership hasn’t. The unpredictable yet (so far) highly efficient pairing of Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli will start the final together, just as they started in Gdansk three weeks ago.

Their movement in that game was interesting – rather than staying in the centre of the pitch, they constantly looked to make runs out towards the flanks in behind the full-backs. Not only did this help restrict the freedom of the full-backs to advance, it also pulled the Spanish centre-backs into uncomfortable wide positions – Balotelli should have scored after robbing Sergio Ramos near the touchline on Italy's right. But both players actually spent more time to the left of the pitch, and Cassano in particular will look to work in that zone, having created Balotelli’s opener against Germany from that position.

The man looking to find Cassano and Balotelli with long diagonal balls is, of course, Andrea Pirlo. The Juventus midfielder was widely recognised as Italy’s key player before the tournament, but few expected him to have such a great competition. He was 100/1 to win the tournament’s best player award, which now appears to be a two-horse race between him and Andres Iniesta.

Spain didn’t deal with Pirlo especially well in their previous meeting – they started off trying to pressure him on the ball, but he managed to evade a couple of challenges and assist Antonio di Natale’s opener. The man closest to Pirlo was Xavi Hernandez, and while stats may not do justice to Xavi’s pressing, his tangible defensive contribution was weak:

Indeed, for guidance on how to contribute defensively from an advanced midfield position, Xavi could look to new Milan signing Riccardo Montolivo, who is expected to play at the top of the Italian diamond, having started the previous encounter on the bench.

Montolivo played a crucial role against Germany – not only did he assist Balotelli’s second goal with an excellent ball over the top of the defence, he also put in an excellent defensive display, breaking up the passing of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira with interceptions, tackles and even rather useful fouls, which disturbed Germany’s rhythm. He’ll probably look to do the same against a Spanish team that hasn’t encountered much pressure in midfield during this tournament and could be surprised by this approach.

As for Spain, Del Bosque isn’t a manager known for making surprise selection decisions – but after the inclusion of Negredo against Portugal, might he have another surprise in store here?

Italy may be using a different formation, but they were clearly troubled by width after Jesus Navas’ introduction in the second half of the group game, with the defence stretched in a different direction. David Silva has retained his starting place, but the semi-final draw against Portugal was another fine example of how Spain are so much more exciting when they stretch the play, and after Navas and Pedro Rodriguez came on, Spain dominated extra-time. Silva is a fine player, but Navas brings variety to Spain’s attack, and deserves some kind of role against Italy.

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Arsenal's Oxlade-Chamberlain issues 'come and get me' plea to parents

Back of the Net — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:01:00 GMT

The Arsenal youngster is having a Macaulay Culkin moment, according to Back of the Net's John Foster

Youthful winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has issued a desperate ‘come and get me’ plea to his parents, after being left stranded in Krakow at the end of England’s unsuccessful Euro 2012 campaign without any means of getting home.

The 18-year old Arsenal star missed the coach from the team hotel to the airport, and subsequently their flight to London, after reportedly oversleeping on the morning of departure after staying up all night watching cartoons with Theo Walcott.

“Mum usually wakes me up at home,” Oxlade-Chamberlain explained. “I saw I had 12 missed calls from Gary Neville, but I assumed someone had got his phone and swapped my number with David Beckham’s for a prank. By the time I twigged what had happened, it was too late.

A basic agreement is in place between the ex-Southampton ace and his family to take the player back to North London, though there are still some details to be ironed out, including whether Oxlade-Chamberlain’s mother can get time off work to fly to Poland, and whether the teenage winger will commit to cleaning his room thoroughly on his return.

“My agent’s linked me to some low-cost airlines, and we’re talking to a Warsaw-based tour operator, but I’m really hoping Mum and Dad are planning a swoop for me before the season starts,” he told FourFourTwo.com. “If that doesn’t happen, I hope I’m still on the radar of Uncle Neville and Auntie Annie.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain is keen to avoid the fate of ex-Chelsea utility man Michael Mancienne, who was left behind in similar circumstances after the European Under-21 Championships in 2011. Unable to agree terms with his parents, and having failed to attract the attention of any of Europe’s top taxi drivers, Mancienne was left with no choice but to sign a four-year deal with Hamburg.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

More from Back of the Net

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BotN: Portugal combat ‘slightly less good Spain’ tag by playing like Spain, but slightly worse

Back of the Net — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:05:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team report on Spain's penalty shoot-out victory over Portugal

Portugal lost out to Spain on penalties after proving to be not quite as good at anything as their rivals.

Faced with the task of dethroning the reigning champions, Portugal coach Paulo Bento hatched a master plan that involved mimicking Spain’s fluid passing style but with slightly less fluency and panache, before closing down the game and hoping for a penalty shoot-out where his narrowly less talented players could prove themselves to be slightly less able to hold their nerves.

There had been suggestions in the press that Portugal relied too heavily on talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Portuguese players continued the controversial practice of asking Ronaldo for permission before playing each pass. In honour of the big occasion, Ronaldo insisted upon a five-minute build-up to each of his free-kick attempts culminating in a drum-roll and mini firework display, which ate up much of the second half.

Portugal struggled as the game went on, with Joao Moutinho and Raul Meiereles proving to be less gifted than Andres Iniesta and Xavi; Pepe and Coentrao less commanding than Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique, and the Portuguese language less effective for hurried conversation than Spanish.

As Spain edged closer and closer to scoring a winning goal, Portugal’s players became increasingly brutal in their treatment of their more able opponents. Every Portuguese defender collected a booking within 90 minutes, including lumbering hoofer Bruno Alves, who was shown a yellow card for repeated inaccurate passing.

Elsewhere, a Spaniard celebrated in a marginally more hilarious hat

By extra-time, the tired Portuguese players had ceased chasing the ball and instead formed a phalanx that guarded the edge of the box, moaning loudly about Spanish players ‘showing off’, shouting that ‘Brazil is better than Mexico’ and hacking savagely at any Spaniard that came close with its 20 cumulative limbs.

Having successfully weathered 120 minutes of being slightly worse than Spain at football, Portugal were thwarted by being slightly worse than Spain at penalties.

Misses by Joao Moutinho and oafish centre-back Bruno Alves cost Portugal dear, as Spain’s clinical penalty takers took an unassailable 4-2 lead while also looking calmer, less sweaty and better groomed.

Cristiano Ronaldo was left rueing his decision to volunteer to take the fifth penalty, partly because his nation had been eliminated from Euro 2012 and mostly because he was denied the opportunity to posture, grimace and prance on the biggest possible stage.

As the disconsolate Portuguese players left the field, Ronaldo attempted to convince UEFA officials to herd fans back into their seats so he could take his dead-rubber penalty, but he had to instead settle for moodily skulking around the pitch and theatrically mouthing threats at the Gods.

Paulo Bento gave an emotional post-match press conference, but it was largely forgotten after Vicente Del Bosque’s slightly more poignant comments.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
ITA 0-0 ENG: England lament justice of penalty shoot-out
ESP 2-0 FRA: France fail to turn up, turn up, fail to turn up, lose
GER 4-2 GRE: Germany put long-suffering fans through slight discomfort
POR 1-0 CZE: Ronaldo: "Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo!"

Back of the Net are tweeting live during every Euros match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/BackoftheNetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Stats Zone: Germany's three crucial decisions against Italy

Michael Cox — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:52:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the tough choices facing German coach Jogi Low...

In an impressive show of Germany’s strength in depth, Jogi Low made three attacking changes between the 2-1 victory over Denmark in the group stage, and the 4-2 thrashing of Greece in the quarter-finals.

While Mesut Ozil remained the chief playmaker, the other three forward players in Germany’s 4-2-3-1 were different. Andre Schurrle replaced Lukas Poldolski, Marco Reus got the nod over Thomas Muller, and Miroslav Klose came in for Mario Gomez. Now, after such an impressive performance with the new players, Low has three huge selection decisions to make.

Podolski or Schurrle?
Podolski started the 2011/12 season in impressive form for Koln, but his form dipped in line with the rest of the side, and he eventually suffered his third relegation with the club. Schurrle had a decent season at Bayer Leverkusen, though scored less than half the goals he’d registered in 2010/11 with Mainz.

Schurrle is known for his calm passing and reliability in possession – but that was his major area of weakness against Greece. He continually misplaced short, simple passes and allowed the Greek side to counter-attack quickly down the flanks. One of these incidents resulted in Greece’s equaliser, scored by Georgios Samaras after good work down the right from Dmitri Salpingidis. StatsZone also shows how wasteful his finishing was, and it wasn’t a surprise that he was the first player to be substituted by Low.

Podolski plays in slightly deeper, wider positions – and he grabbed a goal against Denmark. On the basis of the two players’ performances at this competition so far, Podolski deserves his place in the side more.

Muller or Reus?
On the other flank, Low’s decision is more difficult. World Cup Golden Boot winner Muller hasn’t enjoyed the most fruitful tournament, although he appears to be a better player than Reus in a defensive sense. But Reus continued his tremendous Bundesliga goalscoring form into the match against Greece, with a powerful finish off the underside of the bar.

There isn’t much to choose between the players – Muller moves slightly deeper when linking play, but both work in the same zone on the right-hand side, and both have the ability to drift across the pitch laterally to find space. Reus’ pass completion rate has been better in the tournament so far – 87% compared to 80% – but Muller crosses the ball far more frequently, 12 times in his four appearances, whereas Reus didn’t attempt any on his sole start.

Despite these slight differences, this might come down to form and confidence levels – in which case, Reus is in pole position.

Gomez or Klose?
This feels like the classic debate – form against familiarity. Gomez has enjoyed a couple of stunning seasons in the Bundesliga, while Klose has been spearheading the German side for a decade.

Gomez started the tournament with a clever headed winner against Portugal, then notched two more goals against Holland. However, he then had a poor display in front of goal against Denmark, so Klose got his chance against Greece – and scored a typical header to stake his claim for a starting berth tonight.

Gomez is the more physical player, more of a target man, more capable of playing with his back to goal. But Klose offers so much more – he’s mobile, his link-up play is superior, and he interchanges positions brilliantly with the other three attackers. The match against Italy is likely to be a quick, technical game – and that appears to suit Klose’s skillset rather than Gomez’s.

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View from Spain: Sergio Ramos becomes Spain’s Braveheart

Tim Stannard — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:33:00 GMT

Merciful Zeus, there’s some big man-love (and lady-love) towards Sergio ‘Tarzan’ Ramos in Spain on Thursday – and why shouldn’t there be for a footballer who is such a fine defender, has cojones made of brass and a cool stick-on beard.

The Real Madrid centre-back is the latest winner of the ‘hero of the hour’ award for la Roja, taking the trophy from Xabi Alonso after a solid display at the back against Portugal and then a cheeky penalty at the end, quite the response to his missed effort in the Champions League against Bayern Munich.

Tomás Roncero in AS is leading the love-charge to the front of the queue to give Ramos a hearty hug with his declaration that “Sergio is a medieval knight who pulled Excalibur from the stone, the Braveheart who nearly breaks his neck listening to the anthem of Spain, this country and this badge that he loves above anything else.” Roncero’s AS colleagues seem to agree by giving the centre-back four out of three for his display.

"Oh get up, you diving tart..."

The semi-final sums up Spain's overall performance in the previous two matches – not great, but just enough to get through to the next stage, if on this occasion only by the hairs on the country’s chinny-chin-chin.

“OK, it wasn’t a great game,” admits AS editor Alfredo Relaño. “We weren’t better than Portugal, but neither were we worse. We didn’t do much, barely shot at goal; we were cautious, although no more than Portugal.”

Marca’s front cover applauds the country’s ‘heroes’ in a somewhat over-the-top manner, and has praise for Cesc Fabregas who volunteered to take his side’s fifth penalty. “To the final, and to history,” declares the paper’s banner on Thursday.

However, there’s a timely warning from former Atlético Madrid boss Gregorio Manzano, saying that Spain will need to buck their ideas up on Sunday if they are to make history and become the first team to win the Euros, World Cup and then the Euros again. “Until now, we’ve dreamt about being in the final,” writes Manzano, “now we have to wake up to become champions.”

It’s the same got-away-with-that-one vibe in Barcelona, with Sport's Josep Maria Casanovas writing that Spain “did not have a great game but achieved a great success”. The paper also takes great delight in noting a quote from German tabloid Bild, which writes that “there was one consolation for Ronaldo: after more than 120 minutes of football his gelled hair-do was perfect.”

Mundo Deportivo also take delight at a poke in the direction of the very Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo, with JM Artells writing (while forgetting C-Ron's goal at the Camp Nou and Copa del Rey final) that “once more, Cristiano disappeared in big games. He did nothing memorable in Wednesday’s semi.”

Nevertheless, after what was a very tense night indeed it’s Ronaldo’s Real Madrid team-mate that has won all the plaudits.

View from Spain: Mourinho hopes to avoid Portugal-Spain punch-up

Tim Stannard — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:33:00 GMT

As a proud Portuguese patriot, José Mourinho's finest achievement so far at the Bernabeu may be the apparent damage he's done to Spanish team morale and unity.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have never been bosom buddies, but Mourinho has urged his capital-city players to adopt a far more hands-on (and studs-on) approach during the many, many, many, many Clásicos – and on the rare occasions when the country's big two aren't facing each other, they've been knifing each other in the back.

In 127 games of near-constant name-calling and eye-poking has inevitably produced a certain amount of tension in the Spanish camp – despite the best efforts of Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernández to get everyone together singing songs and toasting marshmallows around la Roja’s campfire.

What poor old Vicente del Bosque has had to put up with of late might also rebound on Mourinho next season. Wednesday’s clash between Spain and Portugal almost amounts to a Real Madrid civil war, with seven starting players drawing cutlasses and boarding each other’s boats.

The clubmate clash that has naturally attracted most attention in Spain is that of Cristiano Ronaldo trying to breach the Real Madrid rearguard of Alvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas in what could be a very tasty contest indeed. “In the end, each of us has to defend their national side and here there are no club teammates. They will all be enemies,” warns Arbeloa.

We might also be blessed with the sight of Pepe trying to chop down Xabi Alonso’s fancy passes, although Fabio Coentrao will probably try to stay out of trouble, considering the Portuguese left-back still has the newbie tag in the Spanish capital.

"Let's do it for the gaffer! No, not you, Paulo..."

While LLL has been fairly confident over Spain’s passage through the tournament thus far, the blog suspects that the champions might be running into trouble against their Iberian neighbours.

A number of factors are against Spain. There's the enormous commute between the side’s training base on the Polish coast and Donetsk, scene of the semi-final and la Roja's quarter-final victory over France. Then there's the fact that Portugal have had two more days to prepare for the match, which does seem a little unfair and some iffy planning by UEFA.

Although Del Bosque may tinker with the formation (but probably not) and include Fernando Llorente – a player who made an impressive cameo in Spain’s narrow victory in the same fixture two years ago in the World Cup – his team aren’t creating nearly enough chances to defeat a team who could be a lot more prolific than their previous opponents.

The other advantage Portugal have – besides naturally lower expectations – is that they don’t really need as much possession as other rivals, as Ronaldo and Nani only need five or six seconds to get the job done. And score a goal, too.

Mourinho will be hoping for a Portugal victory, but one which makes his Madrid men shake hands after the match rather than stamp on them from the first whistle.

Ronaldo helps to heal Spain's Clásico scars

Tim Stannard — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:22:00 GMT

It’s been a long time since LLL has had a bit of a blub - at least one it's willing to admit to - but a tear of joy rolled down the blog’s face on Monday when it saw that a temporary truce had been called between fans of Barcelona and Real Madrid in their ongoing feud over who will be crowned kings of the universe.

The figure to unite these two sets of mud-slinging supporters is someone who normally divides them - a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, the either devilish or divine prince of Portugal, depending on which side your bran is salted. Barcelona-based Sport sums up what the mood will be like in Spain on Wednesday evening, with a headline reporting that “Culés and Madridistas are united to get rid of Ronaldo,” during the European Championship clash, with the paper seeing the potentially page-turning encounter between these two Iberian rivals as mirroring that between Barcelona and Real Madrid - pressure and possession facing up to a cracking counter-attack. But without the eye-poking, perhaps.

Unsurprisingly, the Spain players are being asked about how they are going to deal with the currently rampant Ronaldo. LLL suspects Sergio Ramos has something nasty lined-up for his teammate involving a wedgie. Xavi Hernández has revealed that “we’ll try to cover him so Ronaldo doesn’t feel comfortable and cannot turn around.” Meanwhile, Iker Casillas is a little worried about the direction that Ronaldo’s goal-bound balls will be traveling in. “The ball does strange things, not to the extremes of the Jabulani but if you hit it full-on with power it always has a strange trajectory which tricks you,” says the Spanish captain.

While Sport is busy revealing what Spanish fans are thinking in relation to Ronaldo, both Marca and AS are reveling in the fact that there are ten Real Madrid players in the semi-finals, and that seven goals in the competition have been scored by four of these footballers. With enough Madrid players scattered about in both camps on Wednesday night, the match could be a win-win affair for one half of the Spanish football media.

*********************

Unfortunately for the second time during these European Championships, Spanish football and the players in Poland have been rocked by another tragic event. The first was the death of former Sporting coach, Manuel Preciado, from a heart attack. The second was Betis player, Miki Roqué, losing his fight against cancer.

The former Liverpool defender had been battling cancer of the pelvis since March 2011, but passed away on Sunday at the age of just 23. “It’s difficult to come to terms with how God could take away someone so young,” said Betis president, Miguel Guillén. “It’s so difficult to express the sense of emptiness and rage,” were the thoughts of Betis coach, Pepe Mel. “I was his manager and friend and I learned from him. Until the next time Miki, as every Sunday this season my first thoughts will be of you.”

BotN: England lament justice of penalty shootout

Back of the Net — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:08:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on Italy's triumph over England

Plucky England saw their hopes and dreams crushed yet again by penalties, exiting Euro 2012 on penalties in a way that can only be thought of as heartbreakingly fair.

A characteristic performance of brave ineptitude saw England push Italy all the way, before suffering the unbearable torment of losing a match to a team who played much better than they did.

Having struck the woodwork twice and had a goal disallowed for offside in a game they dominated, the Azurri were successful with four of their five penalty attempts, leaving England to reflect on the gross justice that had befallen them.

“No team deserves to go out on penalties,” said England manager Roy Hodgson. “Except when they’ve shown no capacity to pass the ball to a team-mate, only had 32% of the possession, and taken 27 fewer shots than their opponents. Then they probably do deserve it, to be honest.”

“We were second best in every single department,” admitted captain Steven Gerrard. “So to be second-best at penalties too just seems wrong. Italy were much the better side, so the fact that they’re going through instead of us is perverse.”

The result looks set to increase the calls for penalty shootouts to be abandoned in favour of an alternative tie-breaking method, such as a coin-toss, a dance-off, or by checking which team lies closer to the Greenwich Meridian.

Meanwhile, magnanimous Italy manager Cesare Prandelli was prepared to confess that his side were the recipients of a massive stroke of fairness.

“Penalties are nothing but a contest of nerve and skill, removing any element of random chance,” he told FourFourTwo. “It’s a complete lottery."

More match reports from Back of the Net:
ESP 2-0 FRA: France fail to turn up, turn up, fail to turn up, lose
GER 4-2 GRE: Germany put long-suffering fans through slight discomfort
POR 1-0 CZE: Ronaldo: "Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo!"
UKR 0-1 ENG: Oddly apportioned karmic refund sees England through

Back of the Net are tweeting live during every Euros match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Spanish delight as France finished off with considerable comfort

Tim Stannard — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:09:00 GMT

With a squawk, splutter and explosion of feathers, the French chicken was squished under the hooves of the mighty Spanish bull on Saturday night, becoming the latest victims of la Roja over the past few years. In Spain’s quest to become the bestest team in the world, a number of formerly scary sides such as Italy, Germany, Holland and now France have been vanquished.

The latter were a team that had previously gone undefeated in six competitive games, so the sense of relief in Spain was quite tangible, but not until Xabi Alonso put away his penalty-kick.

However, despite a nervy spell in the second half when Spain resolutely refused to score another goal, the French did not put up much of a contest in the quarterfinal clash, causing Tomás Roncero of AS to wonder why it took so long to put them to the sword, and to look ahead with some confidence to Wednesday’s semi-final against Portugal and a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

“You know I love you as you were my brother, but on Wednesday you know you are going to lose,” said the columnist with a degree of bravado LLL doesn’t currently agree with.

NEWS Alonso double steers Spain into semi finals

Although Spain are still not exactly firing on all cylinders, with just three shots on goal in the game, the mood in reaction to Saturday’s result is a very sprightly one. Former Atlético Madrid manager Gregorio Manzano argues in Marca that France’s failure to turn up for large chunks of the game was the result of Spanish hard work and tactical brilliance more than anything else. “If Ribery or Benzema didn’t play more, it’s because they couldn’t and weren’t allowed to,” claimed Manzano.

AS are fairly chirpy too, but the paper’s editorial is refusing to let this whole 'lack of a real striker' business drop off the agenda. “We’ll keep discussing the No.9 as the case is open (Torres was bad when he played) but the team is there. And it’s a great team.”

There was even joy to be found in Catalonia, with Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo putting the boot into Laurent Blanc, with Santi Nolla writing that “he thought more about Spain than France when it came to choosing the team.” Sport do the job of silencing any grumblers about the less-than-scintillating Barcelona-style performance, with Josep Maria Casanovas reminding everyone that “four years ago we needed penalties to knock-out Italy. Now they’ve beaten France with superiority and tranquility.”

Although, in retrospect, Spain have been quite comfortable in most games, conceding just one goal along the way, the locals are still waiting for the side to really catch fire and give someone a battering. However, a fairly conservative ‘don’t concede and don’t lose’ approach from Vicente Del Bosque means that the Spanish support may not get what they wish and the remaining one or two matches in the tournament could follow the pattern of the previous two and be fairly tense affairs.

View from Italy: Pirlo's spoon serves up an Italian treat

Richard Whittle — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:57:00 GMT

The second that Italy knew that they had finally and deservedly overcome England came when Andrea Pirlo coolly converted his penalty. It was a delicious moment to savour for any football lover and one that turned the tide in the Azzurri’s favour.

NEWS England suffer yet more penalty pain

Riccardo Montolivo had missed the second shootout spot-kick, but at 2-1 down Pirlo brought back the belief and from there England crumbled as both Ashleys Young and Cole failed, with Gigi Buffon saving the latter’s effort.

The Italian word for extravagantly scooping the ball over a prone goalkeeper is il cucchiaio [the spoon] and had become a staple of Francesco Totti’s penalty repertoire – the AS Roma man had finished in similar style against Holland at Euro 2000 semi-finals. Antonin Panenka chipped Czechoslovakia into history in 1976, but the patent has now passed over to Italy.

EXCLUSIVE Antonin Panenka on his Euro-winning chipped pen

In truth, Italy should have seen off the opposition with a thousand little cuts long before we headed to the midnight hour goalless. Pirlo dominated the midfield, seeing off both Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker – the former reduced to a hobbling wreck, the latter withdrawn from battle in a daze.

Pirlo was without doubt the focal point, as the statistics prove: he made 139 passes to the England captain’s 38 and only 21 that did not find their intended target.

All around the playmaker there were eager runners and intelligent movement that could have led to at least three goals. Daniele De Rossi almost opened the scoring on three minutes with a curling shot that came back off the post and although England hit back quickly, Mario Balotelli then spurned three presentable chances in the first 45 minutes.

The statistics state Italy had 36 shots to England's nine but they must have been counting some of those when the English humped the ball up the pitch to Gigi Buffon at a drop-ball.

And so it went on: De Rossi missed a great opportunity at the start of the second half, Montolivo volleyed over from close range, Alessandro Diamanti hit the post with another curling effort and then Antonio Nocerino had a goal ruled out to a marginally offside decision.

However, Italy showed patience and with England doing nothing more than hitting long hopeful balls which the Juventus pair of Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci picked off with ease, it was a blue tide sweeping towards Joe Hart’s goal.

Even with 68% possession and all the chances bringing gasps of despair throughout the country – in the piazza, the packed bar or apartment living room there was the fear that the better side would not go through.

Pirlo’s moment of magic dispelled those worries and when Alessandro Diamanti neatly finished off his spot-kick Italy were in their 11th major-tournament semi-final – and tellingly they have only lost twice, to the USSR at Euro 88 and Argentina at Italia 90.

This time, on Thursday, it's Germany, who usually struggle against the Azzurri – witness the defeat on their own soil in the 2006 World Cup semi-final.

Jogi Low's men have had two more rest days and Cesare Prandelli must lift a side beset by injury and tiredness, with Antonio Cassano in particular looking a spent force: Diamanti may start, or at least come on early in the second half.

However, the coach has a squad that is united in overcoming the odds – and, in Pirlo, the chef who can always cook up a treat.

Analysis: How Stats Zone saw England's exit

FourFourTwo Team — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 23:28:00 GMT

How England's quarter-final defeat to Italy was seen by FourFourTwo's completely free Euro 2012 StatsZone app.

Penalty defeat may be desperate, but England couldn't call the result unfair. Italy had an astonishing 36 shots to England's 9. Of Italy's shots, 15 were off-target 13 blocked, meaning 'only' eight were on target – but England only tested Buffon once, through Glen Johnson's first-half scoop.

Italy outpassed England more or less three to one, completing 744 of 833 passes (89%) compared to England's 269 of 364 (74%). Notably, Italy had 68.0% possession and 51.6% territory.

In the first half-hour, although behind on total passes, England completed more passes in the attacking third – but by the end, Italy had easily surpassed England on this score too, with 208 out of 264 compared to England's 96 of 147.

As noted, England's defence stood firm with 13 blocks and 23 interceptions – but it's telling that Italy made even more interceptions as England failed to find the passes to hurt their opponents, especially down the flanks.

Joe Hart saved all eight shots Italy got on target, but England only retained possession on 15 of his 29 kicks (52%). That said, only Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young completed more passes which finished in the attacking third.

Glen Johnson caught the eye, completing 27 of 32 passes (87% – better than any starting team-mate), both his crosses and 4 of 5 take-ons - nobody else in the match completed more than one 'dribble'. Ashley Cole completed 34 of 44 passes (77%) – no Englishman attempted or completed more (although 8 Italians did) – and he completed 4 of 6 clearances, a total bettered only by Leonardo Bonucci (5/6).

Targeted by long-balls for much of the match, John Terry blocked 4 shots and made 3 clearances out of 4, with 14 completed passes out of 19 (74%). Alongside him, Joleon Lescott made 4 interceptions and won all 3 of his tackles, but again the passing was less than excellent with just 9 completed out of 13 (69%).

In the engine room, Steven Gerrard won all 5 of his tackles, a match high; made 4 interceptions, beaten only by Andrea Pirlo's 5; and completed all 5 of his clearances, as many as anyone on the pitch. However, he was only England's fifth most successful passer with 24 completed out of 32 (75%), behind Cole, Wayne Rooney, Scott Parker and Johnson. Parker, who found his man with 30 out of 35 passes (86%) before making way for Jordan Henderson in the 94th minute, also completed more attacking-third passes than Gerrard (8/11 compared to 4/9).

England's wide men were mostly toothless. Ashley Young completed 23 of 34 passes (68%), 0 of 2 crosses and 1 of 2 take-ons; James Milner, before making way for Theo Walcott in the 61st minute, completed 10 of 13 passes (77%), 0 of 5 crosses and 1 of 3 take-ons. Neither winger created a chance – but then only Gerrard, Johnson, Rooney and Andy Carroll did for England.

Wayne Rooney didn't have the impact he wanted but he did drop into the hole to link play – only Ashley Cole completed more passes for England than Rooney's 32 of 41 (78%). Rooney also tried 5 take-ons, but only 1 worked. Before making way for Andy Carroll on the hour, Danny Welbeck rarely troubled Italy but was typically efficient with 18 passes completed out of 22 (82%, bettered only by Johnson and Parker among the starters).

Coming off the bench on the hour, Andy Carroll played for as long as Welbeck but became a much more direct focus of England's attacks, receiving the ball 35 times to Welbeck's 26. Typically for a target man, Carroll's game was much less tidy, completing only 18 of 34 passes (53%) and giving away 3 fouls to 1 won; he won his only aerial duel, but England failed to find the big man enough to affect Italy.

Theo Walcott replaced James Milner after 61 minutes. The Arsenal flyer struggled to get involved, although he did complete 9 of his 10 passes (90%, obviously) including all 6 in the attacking third – but sadly for England, he didn't complete either of his crosses and didn't get the chance to attempt a take-on.

Finally, Jordan Henderson replaced Scott Parker in the 94th minute. The youngster completed all 6 of his passes, won his sole tackle and aerial duel and made an interception on the edge of his area, only blotting his copybook with a failed clearance.

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BotN: France fail to turn up, turn up, fail to turn up, lose

Back of the Net — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 16:49:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team report on Spain's 2-0 Euro 2012 quarterfinal win over France

Spain eased into the semi-finals with a 2-0 win over a French side that wasn’t present for the first half and failed to turn up for the second half.

French boss Laurent Blanc had voiced concerns about which French side would turn up after an inconsistent competition that had seen Les Bleus impress against England and Ukraine but roll over against Sweden. Blanc needn’t have worried as neither side turned up to face Spain.

The French side were held up by a disagreement between older and younger players over the quickest route to the Donbass Arena, with Samir Nasri insisting the best way would be through the centre via Universytets’ka Street, and Karim Benzema maintaining that a better route would be exactly the opposite to whatever Nasri said.

Spain enjoyed the better of the early exchanges against the 0-man French team, taking advantage of the space that France’s 0-0-0 formation allowed them.

After 20 minutes, Xabi Alonso put the World Champions ahead when he jumped high above where Gael Clichy would have been to head home a Jordi Alba cross, giving Hugo Lloris, who was sitting in a coach four miles away, no chance whatsoever.

The arrival of the French players at half-time had little impact on Spain, who continued to stroke the ball around nonchalantly as Les Bleus sulkily hacked at shadows and muttered odd, guttural obscenities at each other.

In the final minute, Anthony Reveillere brought down Pedro and Alonso buried the penalty to put the result beyond doubt, leaving French boss Blanc to rue a disappointing end to France’s Euro 2012 campaign.

“I felt we were lucky to get in to the break at just 1-0 down, given that we hadn’t turned up at all,” Blanc told FourFourTwo.com. “But sadly the players just didn’t show up once we had actually shown up for the second half.

“It’s hard to believe but it seems like a French side has failed to live up to its vast potential for largely non-footballing reasons.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
GER 4-2 GRE: Germany put long-suffering fans through slight discomfort
POR 1-0 CZE: Ronaldo: "Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo!"
UKR 0-1 ENG: Oddly apportioned karmic refund sees England through
SWE 2-0 FRA: Sweden march on, out
ITA 2-0 IRL: Italy live to use another cliché
CRO 0-1 SPA: Spain no longer any good, pundits reveal

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Rooney pressuring Pirlo will help England quell Italy's creative threat

Michael Cox — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:39:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to demonstrate the threat Italy's various creative outlets will cause England in Sunday evening's quarterfinal

Italy’s progress so far in Euro 2012 has been steady rather than spectacular. They qualified from a reasonably difficult group with five points, and one can make the case that they’re either a solid, unbeaten side – or a team that has only beaten Ireland, who were already eliminated from the competition.

Cesare Prandelli has built an attractive modern football side with plenty of flair, passing ability and creativity. As such, it’s surprising that they’ve scored only one goal in open play – Antonio Di Natale’s fine finish against Spain. Their other goals, from Andrea Pirlo, Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli, have all come from set-pieces.

But England shouldn’t be tricked into thinking the Italians are a set-piece side, for they have various sources of creativity. Prandelli will probably continue with the midfield diamond he used against Ireland, rather than the 3-5-2 that started against Spain and Croatia. That means four central midfield slots up for grabs, and Prandelli has admirably tried to fill those positions with technically gifted players.

To nullify Italy’s creative threat, England must watch out for three main players – Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Cassano. That’s not to ignore the other three Italian midfielders and forwards, but Daniele De Rossi plays a box-to-box role on the left, Thiago Motta tends to drop back from his position as a makeshift trequartista, while Mario Balotelli works the channels.

Pirlo is the clearest danger. As shown by the positions he received the ball in against Ireland, he’s happy to wander all over the pitch to pick up possession. Although he has a big defensive responsibility as the deepest midfielder, the other three in the diamond are happy to drop deep and cover for him, allowing Pirlo to venture where he pleases.

Roy Hodgson will ask Wayne Rooney to drop onto Pirlo when England don’t have the ball, or else England’s midfield won’t be able to deal with him. Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker will sit deep, and if they try to move up the pitch and press Pirlo, they’ll leave the other Italian midfielders free.

The Manchester United forward will have a big responsibility here, but he’ll have to make sure he doesn’t make any rash tackles. Pirlo is extremely good at ‘buying’ free-kicks around the halfway line, and considering how badly England coped with these situations against Sweden, it’s something they could do without.

Claudio Marchisio, who played alongside Pirlo throughout Juventus’ unbeaten 2011/12 season, is a different threat. While Pirlo ambles around the pitch and hits long, ambitious diagonal balls, Marchisio is a sneakier, more subtle threat. He slides forward from a centre-right position, creeping towards the penalty area unchecked.

Marchisio’s ball retention is superb, and suits this system perfectly. He helps Italy move up the pitch towards goal, and provides enough mobility to prevent the formation turning into a boring, flat 4-3-1-2, the type of system too common in Serie A over the past couple of years. England won’t have a specific player watching Marchisio, but they must be careful of his movement – particularly when the ball is on the opposite side of the pitch, and he can pop up between the lines, unnoticed.

Then there’s the joker in the pack, Cassano. A forward rather than a midfielder, he cleverly moves into deeper positions when the opposition is focusing on Italy’s midfield. As the graphic below demonstrates, Cassano’s happy to prowl the width of the pitch to get the ball, but enjoys trying to play straight passes down the centre of the pitch – though this was often unsuccessful against Ireland.

It feels like Cassano doesn’t get enough acclaim in Britain. Perhaps he hasn’t been as visible as other established internationals – he has rarely starred in the Champions League, he’s yet to have a significant impact at international level, and he was a promising youngster rather than an outright superstar in the Football Italia years. Now would be a perfect time to put the record straight.

ANALYSIS Italian intelligence the real test for Gerrard

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BotN: Germany put long-suffering fans through five minutes of slight discomfort

Back of the Net — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:05:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team report on Germany 4-2 Greece

Germany saw off Greece 4-2 to book their customary place in the semi-finals, but they had to come through nearly 350 seconds during which the outcome was ever so slightly uncertain.

Joachim Löw’s side were enormous pre-game favourites, having finished with maximum points in Group B, while Greece escaped Group A courtesy of the 10 coupons their coach Fernando Santos had collected in copies of Tournament Ruiner Weekly.

Germany enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the opening half hour, boosted by every member of their squad being more talented than their Greek counterpart. A series of chances went begging before Philipp Lahm scored a spectacular opener, mathematically ruling out a Greek win.

However, after half-time the Germans were to show the kind of fragility and lack of a ruthless streak that has so often dogged their national side, allowing Greece to strike on the counter-attack through the ever lethal Georgios Samaras.

You don't have to be mad to support Germany, but this guy is anyway...

The equaliser shook the Germans and left their stoic supporters wringing their hands mentally preparing for a few minutes of vague doubt about the result.

“I don’t know why they always put us through this,” German fan Anders Dörflein told FourFourTwo.com. “We never seem to be able to do things the easy way – they always have to concede a goal when they’re 3-0 up with 10 minutes left or miss a penalty when they’re only two ahead in a shootout.

“It was the same old Germany today. When we were 1-0 up and had 95% of possession you just knew that we’d let them equalize before we regained absolute control of the game and mercilessly battered them into oblivion. I don’t know how we put up with it: we must all be a little mad!"

After just under six minutes of torment, Sami Khedira blasted home to make it 2-1, which was swiftly followed by Miroslav Klose’s 950th goal for Germany.

Marco Reus added a fourth before the referee awarded Greece a farewell penalty – a courteous gesture which is being trialled as a replacement for the traditional farewell party bag containing a set of match programmes, opposition teams’ pennants and a piece of the official tournament cake wrapped in a napkin.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
POR 1-0 CZE: Ronaldo: "Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo!"
UKR 0-1 ENG: Oddly apportioned karmic refund sees England through
SWE 2-0 FRA: Sweden march on, out
ITA 2-0 IRL: Italy live to use another cliché
CRO 0-1 SPA: Spain no longer any good, pundits reveal

Back of the Net are tweeting live during every Euros match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Video: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a massive golf ball

FourFourTwo Team — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:16:00 GMT

England's mighty little Ox – although not as little as perspective suggests...

View from Spain: Puppet talk dominates Spanish face-off with France

Tim Stannard — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:04:00 GMT

LLL had always felt that Spain’s relationship with France was not too dissimilar to that of England and their Gallic neighbours – sort of nice to beat them in sporting events if we can, decent cheese, get on fairly well apart from the odd niggle here and there.

It seems that the sand has shifted because when the blog probed a Spanish colleague for his thoughts on France ahead of the quarter-final this weekend, the potty-mouthed response was to announce that they are enemy No.1 and a country stuffed full of unrepeatable so-and-so’s. Incidentally, England is only just behind France, due to the whole Gibraltar business, which the locals are still a little bit sore over.

France’s rapid move to top the hit-list – if they weren’t already there – is pretty much down to a French satirical puppet show called Les Guignols which has a naughty habit of portraying Spain’s sporting heroes clutching a blood bag, waving big needles or having Rafa Nadal filling up his car with his own urine. The most recent pee-take had The Avengers being defeated by the super-powered might of Spanish sport.

LLL definitely doesn’t know what the Frenchies are implying there and isn’t even going to attempt to speculate. However the whole affair did cause an actual, proper diplomatic incident recently. “Don’t be angry with us, it’s a joke!” claimed the show’s head, Lionel Dutemple, in an interview in Friday’s AS which takes more prominence in the paper than a chat with a certain Andrés Iniesta.

Marca have gone off on another tangent, powering up the Photoshop to call up the spirit of Nadal – not that he’s passed away, as far as the blog can tell – by jamming the mutant-armed one’s head onto the bodies of all the Spain players, in reference to the tennis player winning some kind of tournament in Paris recently. To be fair, it all seems a bit unnecessary as it’s not as if the footballers themselves have been unsuccessful of late.

Earlier this week a boastful Marca claimed that the French “didn’t want to see us” in the quarter-finals – but went on to undermine the argument somewhat by pointing out the Spanish have never beaten their northerly neighbours in a competitive game.

Indeed, Spain’s record in six matches is five defeats and a draw. Along the way there have been some pretty low moments too, such as the 2006 World Cup knockout inspired by Zinedine Zidane, possibly in turn inspired by a Marca front page informing the Frenchman that Spain were about to "retire" him.

Er, no.

Over on AS, Tomás Roncero thinks France are the perfect opposition to give La Roja a bit of a gee-up. “The English don’t have any pending cases with us, except Gibraltar,” notes the columnist. “This Spanish team needs a challenge. You have it there [with France]."

It seems in Spain that a semi-final meeting with Portugal may not be motivation enough for La Roja to get their juices flowing, so the press have activated an English tabloid-style rabble-rousing. However, with talk of a few grumbles in the French dressing room, LLL is confident that extra help won’t be needed: on the cards is a 2-0 win for Vicente del Bosque’s men – and the tantalising sight on the horizon of a Sergio Ramos v Cristiano Ronaldo Thunderdome challenge match.

Eyewitness: In the thick of it in Kiev

Eliot Rothwell — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:53:00 GMT

FourFourTwo frontline correspondent Eliot Rothwell reports from a McCafe in Kiev...

Kharkiv was orange. Kiev was yellow. Travelling around these two Ukrainian cities, the former being the former capital and the latter being the current capital, the impression was of bright colours, even brighter personalities and the occasional dimming by some unhelpful staff.

The English were warned that Ukraine was rife with racism, violence and corruption, but it may only be the latter that affects this tournament and the country’s global image. The Guardian has reported that $4billion may have lost its way during the stadium building, infrastructure enhancing and UEFA face-lifting – but at least racism and violence have been all but absent. Having said, this reporter is yet to see any complexion but white on the public transport system, although that may be a strange coincidence.

Sadly for the tournament and its hosts, both Ukraine and Poland are now out – along with the two most vibrant sets of fans, the Dutch and the Swedish. At both the Netherlands and Sweden’s final games of the tournament, it was incredible to see and hear the full effect of their vivacious support; as Sebastian Larsson commented, "We wanted to show the amazing fans we’ve had that we are proud to wear the jersey". That they most certainly did.

What Ukraine can now offer in a plentiful stock of attractive women, speedy transport systems and beer-filled fan zones, it can't offer in terms of food, often lacking in what is designated on the menu and even delivering the wrong order to journalists with a commendable grasp of Russian. This, and the determination of taxi drivers and hotel staff to bump up the charge when they understand that you're not a local, may be a sign of corruption filtering down to everyday Ukrainian life, with people seemingly unwilling to help should something go wrong.

An Englishman (not your reporter) and friends in the Kiev fanzone

Where the tournament and the experience of travelling throughout Ukraine has also excelled itself, however, is with the help of UEFA, by now old hands at organising such a football festival. The atmosphere created in the organised fan zones, perhaps more impressively in Kharkiv than Kiev, has been cultivated on the city streets, with local brew Lvivske flowing well into the morning. Sometimes until 10am, to be precise.

The fan zones really give the tournament its festival feel, none more so than on match days, with Holland fans staging a group march from the Kharkiv fan zone to Metalist Stadium before their games. The Swedes were equally impressive, draped in yellow and packing out one Kiev bar well into the morning with songs of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson and Thomas Brolin.

Michel Platini and his band of merry cohorts have also excelled in the services provided to journalists, with only actually being here impressing upon you how extremely large the task of organising a major tournament must be. There are accredited lanyards for players, staff, press officers, staff writers, correspondents, freelancers and the vast army of volunteers, headed by a Dutchman. The media centres offer a great outlet for writing, McCafe’s and free beer, as well as the detailed pre- and post-match statistic packs. The only negative, perhaps, being the annoyingly repetitive promotional music blasted out around the media centre ceremoniously every 25 minutes.

Whether the improvements made by the Ukrainian government and UEFA have any lasting legacy once the thousands of football tourists have left the country remains to be seen, with Ukrainian politics still stuck in a precarious position and the appetite for football in this country not as high as it could be.

What will remain however are the memories, tinted in orange and yellow.

BotN: Ronaldo: “Ronaldo? Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Ronaldo-Ronaldo. Ronaldo!”

Back of the Net — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 09:40:00 GMT

The Back of the Net gang report on Czech Republic 0-1 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered the knockout blow for Cristiano Ronaldo against the Czech Republic, to send a jubilant Cristiano Ronaldo through to the semi-finals.

The goal was no more than Cristiano Ronaldo deserved, after a commanding performance in which Cristiano Ronaldo was particularly dominant.

The Czechs had no answer to Cristiano Ronaldo’s spirited running, his ominous presence on the shoulder of the last defender, nor his influential movement that created a number of gilt-edged chances, many of them falling to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a shot charged down by the Czech goalkeeper in the 25th minute, and placed an overhead kick just wide minutes later. Cristiano Ronaldo also came close with two free kicks, shot just over from the edge of the area, and rifled a shot off the post after superb work by Cristiano Ronaldo.

"We all dream of a team of Posti....errrrm....Ronaldos!"

But Cristiano Ronaldo in particular was not to be denied forever, and after Cristiano Ronaldo had again gone close, Cristiano Ronaldo got in front of his man to power home a 79th-minute header from eight yards, to send Cristiano Ronaldo fans into raptures.

“Cristiano Ronaldo just wanted it more tonight,” said Cristiano Ronaldo, speaking on behalf of Cristiano Ronaldo. “If Cristiano Ronaldo is to go all the way in this competition, you can be sure Cristiano Ronaldo will have a lot to do with it, despite him being an insufferable, pampered, pettish, self-lubricating godemiche of a man.”

Cristiano Ronaldo dominated possession against the Czechs, who showed little attacking intent, and whose limited style is unlikely to be mourned following their elimination by Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Some people will say that football was the real winner tonight,” continued Cristiano Ronaldo. “But they’re wrong, of course. The real winner tonight was Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
UKR 0-1 ENG: Oddly apportioned karmic refund sees England through
SWE 2-0 FRA: Sweden march on, out
ITA 2-0 IRL: Italy live to use another cliché
CRO 0-1 SPA: Spain no longer any good, pundits reveal
POR 2-1 HOL: Things starting to look bad for Dutch, admits Van Marwijk

Back of the Net are tweeting live during every Euros match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Germany stride on as a fearsome unit – not a bunch of individuals

Stefan Bienkowski — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:22:00 GMT

Ahead of Germany's quarter-final against Greece, Stefan Bienkowski looks at the only team to have won all its Euro 2012 games...

Ahard-fought victory over Denmark confirmed Germany as Group B winners with a 100% record – the only country to achieve that feat – and set up a quarter-final showdown with Greece on Friday.

To suggest Germany have been efficient would be slightly more than just an ill-advised stereotype; it would be true. Joachim Low’s side conquered the much-heralded Group of Death in second gear, alongside Portugal, at the expense of Denmark and World Cup finalists Holland.

Yet the very fact that the national team have accomplished so much without breaking sweat has brought die Mannschaft criticism rather than recognition of their superior quality. Instead of allowing the players to protect their fitness and fine-tune their skills, the German media have demanded that they huff and puff from the very first whistle.

This was never going to be the case, with Low taking a very calculated approach to the tournament, in light of the "play football first, think later" approach that lit up World Cup 2010 but only amounted to a disappointing third place. As Holland, Portugal and Denmark floundered amongst themselves, Germany patiently picked each off with a calm yet commanding presence that even the Spanish would envy.

In each game Low selected the same starting XI (except for Lars Bender replacing the suspended Boateng against Denmark). Rather than pick more outright attacking players like Mario Gotze or Marco Reus, the German coach has stuck with the tried and trusted Lucas Podolski and Thomas Muller. The two wide attackers have been criticised for what they have offered going forward in the tournament so far, but they supply cover for either wing and suit a tactical formation that Low obviously favours over sheer attacking ability.

Bicycle kicks: The German squad go for a ride

Even his substitutions remain characteristically subtle and in tune with Low’s general approach to the tournament. If a change is necessary, he has turned to Miroslav Klose to replace the like-for-like Mario Gomez, Toni Kroos to slot in the midfield in Mesut Ozil’s stead, or energetic Leverkusen winger Andre Schurrle to replace the similar Lucas Podolski.

In a tournament marked by fierce debate over Spain's necessity for a striker, Holland’s self-destructive egos and the English front-line conundrums over Andy Carroll or Danny Welbeck and James Milner or Theo Walcott, Germany’s side have slipped under the radar with a system that has won them three games to no great theatrics or applause. This style versus substance debate is nothing new in football – and as Chelsea pointed out in this season’s Champions League Final, the safest rout can be the most lucrative.

Yet this isn’t simply a defensive German side hoping to cancel out any opponent and score the odd goal along the road to the final. Low’s system is nothing more than a simple structure built around the players to which he has entrusted the roles he needs executed.

While England look to Steven Gerrard for his exquisite passing and France employ Frank Ribery for his wing trickery, Germany play Sami Khedira or Bastian Schweinsteiger because they can do exactly what Low asks of them. If footballers are nothing more than puppets attached to the tactical strings of their authoritative puppet master, Low’s Germany possess an array of compliant marionettes firmly attached to their taut strings, and ready to outplay any opponents.

This has been evident throughout their Euro campaign. Holland and Portugal, two sides forever accommodating fantastic individuals, fell to the might of this German side because they couldn’t function as a unit as well as Low’s team. Consider the German goals.

Gomez’s goal in the 1-0 win over Portugal came down the wing that Ronaldo hadn’t bothered defending. His two against Holland came through the middle as Germany’s midfield exploited the gap between the Dutch midfield and defence. And Bender’s late winner against the Danes was a counterattack allowing the German midfield to instantaneously overcome a fleeting gap in the Denmark defence. Substance, in all its calculated glory.

Germany's Euros may not be about individual brilliance, but individuals rarely win tournaments. Joachim Low’s side prepare for their quarter-final with a common goal and the knowledge that no foe yet encountered has been able to stop their well-oiled system.

Analysis: Czechs change their wide play to great effect

Michael Cox — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:26:00 GMT

Zonal Marking maestro Michael Cox on how Michal Bilek's side changed their game – and reached the quarter-finals...

Of the four sides that topped their group, the Czech Republic were clearly the most surprising winners. Of course, they had the advantage of being in a weak group – but after a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Russia in their opening game, few expected them to be competing in the first quarter-final this evening.

The shape of the Czech side in the last couple of matches is very different to the system Michal Bilek started the tournament with. Against Russia, he played without a true holding midfielder, pairing Jaroslav Plasil and Petr Jiracek in the centre of the pitch, with Tomas Hubschman only on the bench.

It was understandable: over the last year, the Czechs had often looked better and more fluid without Hubschman in the side, particularly in the play-off victory over Montenegro. Therefore, it was a logical move from Bliek to play without the Shakhtar Donetsk man – but it turned out to be disastrous, as Russia took advantage of Plasil and Jiracek’s poor positioning and counter-attacked through the middle.

At half-time, Bilek reverted to his alternative system. It was still a 4-2-3-1, but Hubschman now sat solidly in front of the defence alongside Plasil. This made the Czechs more defensively secure, but equally important was Jiracek’s new role. Instead of playing as a left-sided central midfielder, he was pushed to the right of midfield, as shown by the difference in the zones he received the ball in, before and after half-time.

This gave the Czech Republic much more balance. Before half-time they were playing with two wide forwards: Vaclav Pilar on the left and Jan Rezek on the right. Their play was too obvious, too direct, with both players trying to make runs in behind the defence.

After the switch, Jiracek played much narrower than Rezek, and came into the centre of the pitch to become involved in build-up play. Pilar, on the opposite flank, continued to make runs in behind – and soon grabbed the Czechs’ first goal of the tournament with this approach. They still lost 4-1, but it showed the way they should play in their next two group games.

Therefore, for the game with Greece, Bilek used the same system: Hubschman sitting deep, Jiracek on the right. Again, the system worked well because of the variety in the Czech attacks. Jiracek sometimes got the ball on the flanks, but often ventured into the centre of the pitch, and the assist for his early goal was the most central pass he received in the attacking third.

Pilar stayed much wider, hugging the touchline and stretching the play. Almost all the passes he received found him outside the width of the penalty boxes.

Another interesting feature of the wide players’ performances in that game was how many fouls they committed – nine between them. Only Croatia committed more fouls than the Czech Republic in the group stage.

For the final group game against Poland, there was a different pattern to the positions occupied by the wide players. The Czech Republic played a cautious game, with the players in a more structured, boxy system.

Pilar continued to get the ball wide on the left, but so did Jiracek – barely venturing into the centre of the pitch, with the exception of the pass for his goal, which came after he made an excellent diagonal run to the opposite flank to support Milan Baros.

It will be interesting to see how Bilek asks Jiracek to play against Portugal. Portugal’s left flank is their biggest strength going forward, with Fabio Coentrao overlapping Cristiano Ronaldo, but all four goals Paulo Bento’s side have conceded have come from that wing. One way or another, the battle on that side will be key, and Jiracek’s positioning will be crucial.

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Five players who have made a name for themselves at Euro 2012

Gerard Brand — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:09:00 GMT

With the group stages of Euro 2012 done and dusted, Gerard Brand names five players we think have made a big impression at the tournament so far...

Theodor Gebre Selassie – Czech Republic and FC Slovan Liberec
The energetic right-back's performances in the group stages will come as no surprise to his club side, who he helped win Czech title last year. He will continue to be a key weapon for the Czechs thanks to his crossing ability, though he won't overlook his defensive duties when required - the complete antithesis to fellow right-back Alan Hutton. Gebre Selassie’s athleticism in both attack and defence will undoubtedly alert larger clubs in Europe, with Werder Bremen reportedly interested.

Michael Krohn-Dehli – Denmark and Brøndby IF
After his clever finish upset the hotly tipped Dutch in their Group B opener, the Danish winger’s stock has risen steeply throughout the first three games. With creativity and endurance in abundance, the 29-year-old’s club side Brøndby may struggle to keep hold of him, particularly moving into the latter stages of his career. Providing a useful link between midfield and attack, Krohn-Dehli bowed out of the tournament with two goals and an assist, more than Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben could manage combined, despite the Dutch pair having on average 98% of their team’s possession.

Alan Dzagoev – Russia and CSKA Moscow
Although his name was already on the lips of many of Europe's biggest clubs, Dzagoev’s three goals in Group A will have further ramped-up interest from across the continent, with the midfielder already stating that he would like to ply his trade in another European league. Despite being unable to progress in the tournament, blocked by the Greeks' frankly ridiculous good fortune, the CSKA man showed quality as both an attacker and a playmaker, often doubling up with Aleksandr Kerzhakov in the last line of attack. At just 22-years-old, the Russian’s price will undoubtedly be sky high.

Václav Pilař – Czech Republic and Wolfsburg
Already set for Germany next month, after Wolfsburg lined-up a summer move back in January, the speedy, direct winger performed superbly in the group stage, helping his side scrape through to the quarter-finals. The third entry from Group A, dubbed the 'The Group of Dearth', 23-year-old Pilař bagged two goals in two games, whilst constantly providing a threat down the left wing. Costing Wolfsburg a measly €1 million from Viktoria Plzeň, he has been dubbed the ‘Czech Messi’ in his homeland, which as we know means absolutely nothing.

Mathieu Debuchy – France and Lille
With Newcastle’s scouts on first name terms with the Air France check-in staff at their local airport, it came as no surprise to hear that Debuchy’s club side Lille have already received and rejected a £4m bid from St. James Park in the last few days. Another right-back who has showed strength going forward during the first three matches, the 26-year-old’s stamina will be tested against reigning champions Spain in the quarter-finals. After replacing injured Bacary Sagna, his accuracy in delivery and resilience in defence has been outstanding in a French team that holds back-line with more weaknesses than strengths. Chelsea are also thought to be interested in Debuchy, who played alongside recent signing Eden Hazard for Lille last season.

Analysis: Modric's Euros prove his suitability for Madrid move

Alex Keble — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:48:00 GMT

Croatia's Euros adventure is over but their main man may be back on the continent sooner than later, says Alex Keble

Two minutes into Spain vs Croatia, Luka Modric got his first taste of possession among the titans of the Spanish midfield. The Spurs man jinked between two of them, outpaced a third then cut back inside and delivered a 30 yard crossfield pass, stretching the opposition and setting Croatia up for their first attack of the game.

The crowd roared with delight: so many Croatian hopes were pinned on their No.10, whose delicate touch and nimble footwork are renowned for their sparks of inspiration and thoughtful ingenuity. It was a burst that signalled Croatia's intentions – and one that, with Jose Mourinho looking on, could herald a career with the world's most prestigious club.

The jolt of electricity Modric provided in these opening minutes was emblematic of his performance; his influence was sporadic, but when given the opportunity Tottenham's playmaker offered a technical assurance comparable to his Spanish counterparts, carefully weaving goalscoring opportunities on several occasions.

Intentionally or not, Modric's assured performance against Spain was as much an audition as it was an attempt to defeat the world champions. Rumours of Real Madrid's interest have slowly emerged over the season, and it is becoming clearer and clearer that Modric epitomises the attributes Mourinho is scouring Europe for.

Modric and Madrid: A Mourinho-made match?

What are Madrid searching for?
When Mourinho arrived at the Bernabeu following success with somewhat safety-first styles at Inter and Chelsea, concerns were raised about his ability to fit Madrid's rich tradition of exciting, attacking football.

Not any more. On their way to winning last season's league title Madrid amassed 121 goals, and a considerable portion of the credit should be given to Mourinho's implementation of a 4-2-3-1 formation utilising three flexible attacking midfielders: Mesut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria can all play anywhere across this line. Their malleable nature allows for constant positional change, giving Madrid the fluidity and unpredictability that was so deadly last season.

Another option there is 30-year-old Kaka, but the €65m man has never truly sparkled in Madrid, and last season contributed only five goals and seven assists. Moreover, the now thirtysomething Kaka can only really play the central No.10 role, contradicting Mourinho's requirements.

Despite signing Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin last summer, Mourinho knows he is short of options in this area, and is looking for reinforcements. David Silva is a target, but is enjoying success at the financially mighty Manchester City. Sao Paulo's teenage Brazil international Lucas Moura has a great future, but is still inexperienced. So what would Mourinho have made of Spurs' Croatian maestro?

Modric's talents
Facing Spain was a good test of Modric's Madrid credentials – confronting the Spanish style, specifically a largely Barcelona-based midfield. Emerging from such an encounter with respectability would prove the depth of his talent, and indicate an ability to influence play when submerged by the overwhelming presence of Barcelona midfielders.

Modric struggled to remain consistently influential, although this can only be expected when playing against a team virtually guaranteed at least 60% possession. But when Modric was on the ball, his weaving slaloms and tricky little dribbles gave Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso plenty to think about.

Dribbling and technical ability
Playing in an advanced central role (as he presumably would at Madrid), Modric was the catalyst of Croatia's attacks, offering stability and composure in possession to facilitate swift counterattacks, while also providing a significant solo threat with his balletic footwork.

His Stats Zone take-on screen shows the frequency with which Modric was able to outwit the opposition one-on-one. Notice how the majority of these successful take-ons were in central regions: although unable to influence the game closer to Spain's goal due to the champions' dominance, Modric was still able to offer his flair and grace in the most congested area of the pitch.

Positional play
As noted, to play for Madrid Modric would be required to play various positions wihtin the attacking midfield triumvirate: agility and mobility are essential components of Madrid's fluid and varied attacks.

Although he had a central role for Croatia against Spain, the Stats Zone screen showing his passes received shows his movement off the ball, receiving passes in a variety of positions and on both wings. Indeed, with previous experience as a winger, Modric does not suffer from the same positional hindrance as Kaka.

Influence on the game and creative burden
The highlight of Modric's evening was the chance he created early in the second half. Seizing on an intercepted pass, he flicked the ball past Jordi Alba with a deft touch before sprinting 30 yards in possession, cutting inside, and crossing the ball exquisitely with the outside of his foot. Ivan Rakitic should have scored, Spain could have gone out, and Modric would have stolen all the headlines.

One noteworthy screen shot from the game is Modric's own distribution, which involved almost exclusively longer balls over 15 yards or so; it is rare to see such a conspicuous absence of very short passing.

What this shows us is that Modric was Croatia's creative hub, dictating the tempo and direction of their attacks, while the team followed Bilic's orders by attempting to stretch Spain on the break. Shouldering this creative burden deserves credit, considering the extent to which he was still able to catch the eye and create what should have been a goal.

Croatia's other matches
After impressive performances in all three of their group games, Bilic's side were desperately unlucky not to reach the quarter-finals.

Against Ireland, in which Croatia had 55% of the possession, Modric was the top passer, asserting his dominance on the game. He completed 58 passes, almost the same as Ireland's two central midfielders Glenn Whelan (38) and Keith Andrews (31) combined.

The Italy match was a fascinating tactical performance that would have greatly interested Mourinho. After an unsuccessful first half left Croatia trailing 1-0, Bilic moved Modric into a more advanced role. When their talismanic No.10 was able to receive the ball in more dangerous positions, Croatia's fortunes greatly improved: note their advancing passing shape. Modric proved to any potential suitors his ability to take control of a game – at the highest level.

Conclusion
Although failure to qualify from the group stage will have hurt Luka Modric, he can be quietly confident that his displays have been proficient and assured. The majesty and intelligence of his playmaking is not fully represented in the statistics, but is in plain sight for the casual observer. Jose Mourinho will know that the 25-year-old is a technically gifted footballer, with the intelligence, ingenuity, adaptability and speed (of mind and body) that is needed to complement the similar grace and brilliance of Ozil, Ronaldo & Co.

With a confident display against a Spain side dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona players, Modric may have just passed the final test before being granted entry to the Mecca of world football. Tottenham fans beware.

Gerrard proves he can deliver from deep - but Italian intelligence the real test

Michael Cox — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:28:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the action from Poland and Ukraine

Roy Hodgson has based his England side around organisation, discipline and a good shape without the ball. It’s not a system that brings the best out of individuals, particularly flair players, and as a result, it’s been difficult to name a standout man of the match in any of England's three Euro 2012 matches so far – despite England topping their group comfortably with seven points.

But over the three games, Steven Gerrard has been England’s star performer, from his deep midfield role alongside Scott Parker.

Many have questioned Gerrard’s discipline to play in that position, and while England have often looked vulnerable between the lines of defence and midfield – summed up by Samir Nasri’s equaliser in the opening game – it’s hardly been a disaster.

Despite his deep role, Gerrard struggles to have a constant attacking influence on games within this system. It’s simply not possible, as England spend long periods without the ball – only Ireland and Portugal have averaged less than England’s 42% possession over the three games - and Gerrard has completed just under 50 passes per game, only the 35th most of the competing players. He thrives in the opposition half, but spends more time getting back behind the ball.

But Gerrard has been able to provide important balls into the box – three of them, in fact. He assisted Joleon Lescott’s opener against France with a brilliant long free-kick from the right, played a similar cross to Andy Carroll against Sweden, then provided the ball that was deflected three times before being headed in by Wayne Rooney against Ukraine. Gerrard isn’t seeing as much of the ball as he would like, but he’s still providing decisive moments.

He’s turned in a different type of performance in all three games. Against France, in addition to his excellent assist for Lescott, he also contributed heavily without the ball. There were five successful tackles, and three crucial blocks as France continually attempted long-range shots.
In open play, his passing was slightly wayward – a few too many unsuccessful diagonal balls, as England struggled to turn defence into attack quickly, offering little threat from open play.

Against Sweden, there was a different pattern to his passing. Although Gerrard still misplaced a couple of long balls into the box, England’s gameplan was different because of the introduction of Carroll, an aerial force. Carroll’s opener proved the approach was correct, and as such, these ambitious balls can be excused. Besides, Gerrard’s performance in deeper positions was impressive. He played careful, reliable passes out to the flanks, and England were more comfortable on the ball than in their other two games.

However, Gerrard contributed little without the ball. Amazingly, he managed to go the entire game without even attempting a tackle, although he did make two interceptions. Sweden scored from two long free-kicks, and therefore Gerrard’s lack of defensive work in midfield wasn’t the primary reason for the concessions – but England might have relieved the pressure if they’d won the ball more frequently.

Finally, there was Gerrard’s performance against Ukraine, his best of the tournament so far. He wasn’t officially credited with the assist – because of the deflections on his cross – but his passing display was his most reliable of the competition so far. Balls from deep positions were rarely wasted, with possession generally only conceded when trying a killer pass or a cross.

Gerrard’s defensive presence returned, too – two interceptions, and five out of six successful tackles.

Bigger tests will come in this tournament – first, against an Italy side that possesses plenty of intelligent ball-playing midfielders. Gerrard will have to show patience and intelligence on the ball, and also make some important tackles. For now, his greatest impact is with his delivery from the right – for as long as he provides one superb cross per match, England are starting with a one-goal head start.

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BotN: Rooney and oddly apportioned karmic refund see England through

Back of the Net — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:03:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys on England 1-0 Ukraine

England triumphed over Ukraine to book a quarter-final with Italy thanks to Wayne Rooney but were thankful to see an equaliser ruled out for reasons of karmic realignment.

Fresh from their effortless demolition of Sweden, the Three Lions were expecting to beat Ukraine and finish top of Group D to avoid the inconvenience of having to beat world champions Spain in the quarter-finals.

But strangely the Ukrainians had other ideas and it seemed that several of their players hadn’t read the script, possibly on account of its being written solely in English rather than their native language of Ukrainian or Russian, which is widely used for administrative or bureaucratic purposes.

Fortunately, Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov had read the all-important scene at the start of the second act labelled ‘Pyatov’s clanger’ and gave a powerful performance as the bumbling goalkeeper who comprehensively spills a twice deflected cross to gift Wayne Rooney (played by Wayne Rooney) the simplest of goals.

All the world's a stage...

However, a moment of controversy was to shape the game and indeed the delicate balance of the cosmos.

Ukraine’s Marko Devic broke through the English defence and shot but John Terry heroically cleared the ball from the back of the net and no goal was given. A replay showed that the whole of the ball, all of John Terry and most of Joe Hart’s hand towel had crossed the line.

While the Ukrainian players protested, referee Viktor Kassai quite correctly pointed out that the goal had been disallowed as compensation for Frank Lampard’s wrongly disallowed strike at World Cup 2010, which cost England a 4-2 defeat against Germany.

The referee’s report has confirmed that England are now even but Ukraine are owed one disallowed goal, which they can redeem during their World Cup 2014 qualifier against Montenegro or trade in for any regular Subway sub with the exception of Italian BMT.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
SWE 2-0 FRA: Sweden march on, out
ITA 2-0 IRL: Italy live to use another cliché
CRO 0-1 SPA: Spain no longer any good, pundits reveal
POR 2-1 HOL: Things starting to look bad for Dutch, admits Van Marwijk

Back of the Net are tweeting live during every Euros match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

BotN: Sweden march on, out

Back of the Net — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:47:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on Sweden 2-0 France

Sweden recorded a majestic 2-0 win over France and sent a warning to the rest of Europe that they would be a force to be reckoned with were they not out of the competition.

Any chance of Sweden progressing to the quarter-finals was extinguished by a cruel 3-2 defeat against England, but despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s attempts to convince his team-mates to "pop over to Turkey" instead of playing France, the Swedes turned up and put in a commanding performance in Kiev.

Having spent most of the first period asking coach Erik Hamren how much longer he had to stay, a sulky Ibrahimovic netted with a perfectly-struck volley early in the second half, living up to his reputation as an enigma by taking the form of a malevolent black cat to celebrate.

"Taxi!"

While the French knew that defeat could leave them facing Spain rather than Italy, they seemed unable to get a foothold in the game and were fully punished for some oddly casual defending.

Philippe Mexes was too engrossed in a dog-eared copy of Corinne Maier’s Bonjour Paresse to mark anyone at corners, simply calling out to Sweden’s strikers to "be so kind as to pull your own shirts and maliciously paw at your own crotches".

Meanwhile Gael Clichy was caught a mile and a half out of position for Sweden’s second goal, having attempted to sneak a visit to the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine, where he failed to impress, delaying a carefully orchestrated group tour by asking several banal questions about traditional Ukrainian looms.

France limp through to face Spain in the last eight, while Sweden march emphatically to Kiev Airport for a mid-afternoon flight to Stockholm.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
ITA 2-0 IRL: Italy live to use another cliché
CRO 0-1 SPA: Spain no longer any good, pundits reveal
POR 2-1 HOL: Things starting to look bad for Dutch, admits Van Marwijk
GRE 1-0 RUS: UEFA hope Greece forget to claim their quarter-final slot

Back of the Net are tweeting live during every Euros match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Stats Zone player watch: England 1-0 Ukraine

FourFourTwo Team — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

So England got through to the quarter-final, despite only having 43% possession and completing 262 passes out of 321 compared to Ukraine's 386 of 453. But how did the players do individually? Here are their player dashboards from Stats Zone, the in-game analysis app from FourFourTwo and Opta.

Here's the key to the symbols:

Joe Hart's kicking wasn't very successful, but kicking as opposed to rolling is always inexact, and there were times England wanted to get forward quickly. His most important stat: Ukraine's three shots on target (the same total as England's) were all saved.

Glen Johnson completed 15 of 19 passes (79%) and 5 of 6 clearances (the circles below – 3 of 4 headed).

John Terry completed 20 of 25 passes (80%), 4 of 4 tackles and 2 of 3 clearances. He also made 4 interceptions (green diamond) and two blocks (grey bar – one, er, 'on' the line).

Joleon Lescott completed 27 of 33 passes (82%) and 3 of 3 clearances.

Ashley Cole completed 30 of 34 passes (88%) and made 2 interceptions and 4 clearances. He even had a shot.

James Milner completed 9 of 13 passes (69%), made a successful tackle and an interception, gave away 3 fouls (black triangles) and got replaced on 70 minutes by Theo Walcott.

Scott Parker completed 43 of 47 passes (91%) – of which only 2 were classed by Opta as 'long', one of them a backpass to Hart – plus a tackle, a block, a clearance and 2 interceptions. He also won an aerial duel (orange up-arrow, on the right wing) and had a rather speculative shot.

Steven Gerrard completed – excluding corners – 48 of 53 passes (91%), of which 7 were long, plus 5 of 6 tackles and 2 interceptions.

Ashley Young completed 18 of 22 passes (82%), 1 of 5 crosses, 1 of 2 take-ons (hexagons: orange success, purple fail), 0 of 1 corners and 1 of 2 tackles.

Wayne Rooney completed 25 of 33 passes (76%), had 4 shots (2 on target, both from set plays) and 1 failed take-on (on the left wing), lost all three aerial duels (purple up-arrows), created a chance on the edge of the box... and scored the winner.

Danny Welbeck was, as usual, tidy with his passing (15 of 16 is 94%) and completed 2 of 3 take-ons. He also made 3 interceptions (green diamonds), an incomplete clearance from the six-yard box (purple circle) and gave away 3 fouls (black triangles) before giving way to Andy Carroll on 82 minutes.

SUBSTITUTES

Theo Walcott came on for Milner on 70 minutes and, as far as we can see, touched it once. Completed the pass, though.

Andy Carroll replaced Welbeck on 82 minutes and as target-man got rather more involved, making a successful tackle at left-back and – higher up the pitch – making an interception, giving away a foul and losing an aerial duel.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came on as well, for Rooney on 87 minutes.

DOWNLOAD STATS ZONE (users outside the UK download here)

View from Scotland: Tournaments – the parties we're no longer invited to

Craig Anderson — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:01:00 GMT

Craig Anderson brings the shock news that some Scots wouldn't mind England winning – just the media reaction that would follow...

There’s nothing we Scots like more than a party. But there’s nothing we hate more than knowing where a party is and not being there. That’s what it’s like for us when it comes to major international tournaments now.

We used to be there regularly, from every World Cup bar one between 1974 and 1998 and even two Euros in the 90s, where the sights of kilted (and drunk) Scotsmen were normal. Now we’re reduced to an almost voyeuristic role, with the realisation that our team just isn’t anywhere near good enough for these things any more.

Watching Euro 2012 reminds us just how much we miss these occasions, although it has to be said that Republic of Ireland’s fans are filling our role as the loveable rogues very well.

Mexico 86, when men were men and shorts were short

There’s no real allegiance to any team, with the exception of ones that would earn short-term financial gain via the bookies, or whoever is playing England.

When tennis star Andy Murray declared his support for England’s opponents during the World Cup in 2006, it caused quite a scandal south of the border – but he was essentially speaking for us all.

If you speak to Scots football fans, the problem doesn’t lie with the England players (although there are generally hate figures, with Wayne Rooney and John Terry the current ones). We can recognise the talent and ability of players and acknowledge that, no matter the nationality.

The problem for us is the English-based media and the swaggering smugness that must be in the job description. The numerous mentions of 1966, the constant belly-aching about bad luck at penalties, the obsession with the Germans. The cliché alarm is off the scale.

It seems like Adrian Chiles forgets he’s broadcasting to the whole of the UK when England are involved, such is his obvious excitement. Meanwhile Mark Lawrenson proudly cheerleads the nation of his birth, conveniently sweeping his 30-odd Republic of Ireland caps under the carpet as he criticises Lukas Podolski for turning his back on Poland to play for Germany.

Then there’s “Clive f**king Tyldesley” (to give the full name my dad seems to have rechristened him with), clearly already dreaming of whatever England captain will lift the trophy before the first game’s even kicked off. Even “that turncoat” Alan Hansen gets it for being on the BBC’s panel talking about England. So it’s not the team, it’s the media.

Our perverse enjoyment of seeing these personalities almost breaking down on the back of another England hard-luck story is what makes up for us not being at the events themselves. Their lack of humility can stretch things too far. I can’t remember a time when, after an exit, someone admitted England just weren’t good enough.

Chin up, lads, surely it'll work out...

Most of us have friends from south of the border and wouldn’t begrudge them some glory if the unthinkable ever happened – although we’d be ignoring text messages and deleting Facebook.

So until Craig Levein gets our team right and on the road to Brazil in two years' time, we can all enjoy England blaming someone for cocking it up in spectacular fashion.

As for our own hopes, World Cup qualifying is looming large and while a group containing Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Wales and Belgium looked negotiable after the draw, it seems to have got progressively more daunting.

The former Yugoslav states are always notoriously tricky, despite Croatia being the only one to qualify for Euro 2012, while Belgium look capable of reaching the heights they reached in the mid- to late-80’s where they reached the semi finals of the World Cup in 1986.

Wales have also improved in recent years, with Chris Coleman looking to further the foundations laid by predecessors John Toshack and the late Gary Speed in having a young, vibrant side.

In the meantime, we can only wait then watch Gary Lineker look bemusedly into the camera with tears in his eyes as our “auld enemy” crash to another elimination.

Until we’re invited to the main do again, that’s the only party we’ll have.

BotN: Italy live to use another cliché

Back of the Net — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:47:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on Italy 2-0 Republic of Ireland...

There were scenes of great relief as Italy overcame the Republic of Ireland 2-0 to book a place in the quarter-finals and earn the right to use a devastating array of football clichés.

Anything, except for Irish qualification, was possible heading into the final games in Group C and Italy knew that they needed to win and hope Spain and Croatia didn’t draw 2-2 in order to progress.

The Italian press had voiced fears that Spain and Croatia would collude to engineer a suitable scoreline but the two nations’ unimpeachable footballing principles and the lack of a mutually comprehensible language put paid to that threat.

But Italy found it tough to secure the three points they needed. Despite spending much of the game unsure where he was, which team he was coaching and if the Kingdom of Two Sicilies had been integrated into the Italian Union, wily 200-year-old Irish boss Giovanni Trapattoni made life hard for his countrymen with Italy struggling to victory courtesy of goals from Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli.

It was clear just how much the victory meant to an Italian side who were knocked out of World Cup 2010 at the group stage, before they’d had a chance to demonstrate even a fraction of the clichés they are capable of.

"At the end of the day, Brian…"

“Our Euro starts here,” Cassano declared in the post-match press conference. “I really feel that we can go all the way and we fear nobody.

“On a personal level it was great for me to score because I’m a striker and strikers love scoring goals.”

“On a day like today it’s the result that counts,” coach Cesare Prandelli asserted. “We’ll be taking each game as it comes and won’t be getting carried away just yet but winning is a habit and while we didn’t get out of first gear you can only beat what’s out there.”

FourFourTwo is still awaiting Trapattoni’s post-match comments, which he tends to communicate via pigeon post.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
CRO 0-1 SPA: Spain no longer any good, pundits reveal
POR 2-1 HOL: Things starting to look bad for Dutch, admits Van Marwijk
GRE 1-0 RUS: UEFA hope Greece forget to claim their quarter-final slot
POL 0-1 CZE: Polish celebratory vodka repurposed as misery vodka

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

View from Spain: A nervy national night in crunch Croatia clash

Tim Stannard — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:45:00 GMT

For the last half-hour of Monday night's nervous Croatia match, it seemed the only Spaniards not completely bricking it were TV station Telecinco's commentators.

“Everything’s OK!” was the message for much of the game, despite everything clearly not being OK. “It’s a sign that there’s no need to panic, and that everything’s under control,” opined a BS-producing pundit when Spain’s only striker came off to be replaced with yet another dithering midfielder.

However, this cool and calm approach could only last so long before the scream of “for the love of God, shoot!” came blasting through the TV speakers of Spain at yet another attempt at an Arsenal-style finish came to nothing.

Desperation and panic were the overriding sensations across the nation, with LLL hearing thumps and screams of frustration from upstairs, down the hall and even across the street as supporters implored their team to stop passing the ball into the net wherever possible and sully themselves by taking a frackin’ shot for once.

Perhaps the only Spaniard not to feel this almost unbearable tension was the one closest to the action: Iker Casillas squeeze and touchline reporter Sara Carbonero, who sounded as bored as you like while noting that the grass is green, someone is warming up and it might rain. “Thanks Sara” is now a Twitter trend in Spain, in response to her illuminating pearls of wisdom.

The national mood began as "a goal will come at some point", moved to "a draw will be fine" and ended up as a desperate "Merciful Zeus, if Croatia score, then we’re out!” Even Sevilla manager Míchel admitted on radio station Cadena Ser that he spent the final 10 minutes of the game standing up in front of the TV, like millions of others.

La Roja road: Spain fans outside the Bernabeu

Tuesday morning sees sweaty brows being wiped with a sense of got-away-with-that-one – a far cry from the euphoria of the Ireland victory. “Top of the group! But what a scare” cries the headline in AS, with the editor noting that Croatia should have had two penalties. “These elite referees are treating us like the big teams. A sign that this is what we are,” claims Alfredo Relaño.

The paper’s match report frets that Spain are repeating what has happened to Barcelona over the past season in terms of their ability to close out games. “Chelsea have turned into a sort of Robin Hood. Their way of knocking Barça out of the Champions League shows the path to follow,” claims the paper, being a little unfair on what was a fairly positive approach from Croatia.

Marca writes that “To be the champion, you have to suffer” and sees the positive side of the evening: Iker Casillas and Andrés Iniesta are looking very sharp indeed, and Spain have now gone unbeaten in their last 17 official games. The hope here lies with Vicente Del Bosque who feels that now the group stages are over, “we’ll be able to play with our philosophy and be more like ourselves.”

One thing that Monday’s match did achieve was making much of the country realise that they really did want Spain to win the Euros again – that the joy of football celebration wasn't old hat after two tournament wins.

For 15 or so minutes, there was the very real, very sticky feeling that Spain were going to be heading home very prematurely indeed. Nobody wants to feel like that again. The message is being sent out to the Spanish players to up their game and then some.

BotN: Spain no longer any good, experts reveal

Back of the Net — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:15:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team report on Croatia 0-1 Spain

Spain scored a late winner to beat Croatia and finish top of Group C, but the win was overshadowed by the news that the European and World Champions are no longer any good.

The Spanish moved on to seven points, booking their place in the quarter-finals and extending their unbeaten run to 18 competitive matches as they attempt to retain their European crown and establish themselves as one of football’s most decorated teams.

But there was some tough news for coach Vicente Del Bosque to swallow just minutes after the final whistle, as TV pundits revealed that his team aren’t really very good.

“I think you have to say that on the basis of this performance, taken in baffling isolation, Spain aren’t a very good football team,” no-time World Cup winner Alan Pardew explained in the BBC studio.

“I for one don’t think it’s a lamentably fatuous conclusion to draw that England would beat Spain if they played in exactly the same manner.”

"Well if we can't please Pards, what's the point in carrying on...?"

Pardew’s comments were a measure of the sea-change that had taken place amongst the pundits. Alan Hansen had started the evening describing Spain as ‘simply the best’ but by half-time was referring to them as ‘very, very poor’ and after the final whistle ‘chorizo scoffing yawn-mongers’.

Even the commentary team neglected to show the expected respect for Spain after their uncharacteristically dreary performance and Jesus Navas’ winner was greeted with hoots of derision and a series of increasingly risqué Jesus jokes.

Gary Lineker ruthlessly tore into the Spanish during the post-match analysis, performing a well-executed impression of Fernando Torres eating some Manchego cheese and repeatedly referring to Andrés Iniesta as ‘Biniesta’ – one of the gravest insults imaginable for a Spaniard.

Spain’s rapid decline will surely come as a big relief to England boss Roy Hodgson. England may face Spain in the quarter-finals should they progress from Group D but it is now clear that the Three Lions would be able to sweep Spain aside with ease.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
ITA 2-0 IRL: Italy live to use another cliché
POR 2-1 HOL: Things starting to look bad for Dutch, admits Van Marwijk
GRE 1-0 RUS: UEFA hope Greece forget to claim their quarter-final slot
POL 0-1 CZE: Polish celebratory vodka repurposed as misery vodka
SWE 2-3 ENG: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency...

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

View from Italy: Balo's 'Poznan Pivot' shows promise of greatness

Richard Whittle — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:53:00 GMT

Having seen Cristiano Ronaldo join the party, Mario Balotelli picked the perfect moment to make his own grand entrance at Euro 2012.

In truth, Balotelli was a little unfortunate to have been relegated to the bench for the match against Ireland, having worked hard against Croatia. But if the Manchester City man needed any incentive to demonstrate to Cesare Prandelli that he deserved to start, then he certainly proved it in a blistering moment of physical dexterity.

What will surely become known as the 'Poznan Pivot' produced a goal of stunning beauty to ease any lingering fears that Italy may relinquish their lead and exit the tournament. It might just also free the young talent from his shackles of gloom, to turn him into potentially the player of the tournament.

Balotelli has always believed he is as good as any of the top performers in Poland and Ukraine and with the Azzurri facing France, Ukraine or England in the quarter-finals, he must fancy his chances of delivery on his promise to be the best in the business.

He had come into the competition with question marks over whether he had the temperament for the big occasion; they looked set to be justified when, in the opening match against Spain, he dallied on the ball when he had time to shoot.

He's no stranger to racist chants, which have reared their head again at this tournament, but the opposition fans' boos that welcomed his every touch against Ireland were borne of fear of the flashes of brilliance he has shown in the Premier League.

However, there is a sense that within the Italian camp he needs guidance from the more level-headed players – and Leonardo Bonucci’s celebrations with Balotelli centred around silencing the goalscorer as he looked to set to turn on the Irish fans.

With Balotelli already on a yellow, it was a quick piece of thinking from the Juventus defender – but the quarter-final tie will once again have everyone on their guard for a moment of Mario madness.

"Hush now, you beautiful fool"

Having gone head-to-head with most of yesterday’s opponents in the English game, Balotelli was prepared for the physical approach – although replays suggested that he did swing an errant elbow towards Richard Dunne, which fortunately for the perpetrator the veteran defender decided to completely ignore.

In the build-up to the game, Balotelli had suffered a slight knee injury which needed strapping – adding to the intrigue surrounding whether it was genuine or one of those 'diplomatic' injuries that Italians use to soften the blow of leaving a player out. However, like the potential of Spain and Croatia baking 'il biscotto' to ensure their mutual progress, it was proved to be much ado about nothing.

In the event, the tussle against the Irish was everything it was expected. There was no denying that Cesare Prandelli’s side – returning to the narrow 4-4-2 which dominated their qualifying group – were the classier outfit, but once again the problems lay in getting the ball into decent goalscoring positions.

Tellingly, both goals came from corners and while there was a bit of fortune about Antonio Cassano's opener bouncing off the striker’s shoulder and in under the bar, there was no denying that Balotelli’s was straight off the sweet spot of the boot – and this when he was also having his shirt pulled off his back by John O’Shea.

Unlike against Croatia, Prandelli used his substitutions to excellent effect, with Alessandro Diamanti given a good 30 minutes in place of the spent Cassano. The former West Ham man used the ball intelligently, although he should never be allowed to make a challenge, conceding two free-kicks in quick succession in dangerous areas.

Diamanti’s dangerzone is further forward and when Balotelli replaced Antonio Di Natale he had the perfect target man for the ball knocked diagonally from left to right over the Irish defence.

Prandelli needed to freshen up the attack and Di Natale was deserving a start; with Balotelli not 100%, the coach had an easier decision facing him – just as it was when it was time to introduce new faces from the bench.

One of those may not play with much of a smile but inside he must be having a good giggle at the thought of proving his critics wrong.

More Euro 2012 analysis, reportage and humour

Analysis: Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal's greatest threat... and liability?

Michael Cox — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:37:00 GMT

Zonal Marking editor Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse Cristiano Ronaldo's group-stage performances

With two fine goals in yesterday’s crucial win over Holland, Cristiano Ronaldo was inevitably the man who grabbed the headlines. Win, lose or draw, he's always the star attraction – even if his performance is significantly weaker than most of his teammates, as against Denmark on Wednesday.

Ronaldo has had a strange Euro 2012 so far. Against Germany in Portugal’s opener, Paulo Bento decided to play a very defensive system, putting nine men behind the ball, soaking up pressure and looking to play on the counter-attack through Ronaldo and Nani on the flanks.

Ronaldo turned in a good defensive display, showing willingness to track back and help Fabio Coentrao defend Portugal’s left flank, but his attacking contribution was disappointing. He was playing against Jerome Boateng in Germany’s supposed problem position at right-back, but played the role intelligently, staying in deep, narrow positions. Ronaldo couldn’t cut inside and shoot – and when an excellent ball from Joao Moutinho created his best goalscoring opportunity, Boateng made a superb block.

It felt like Ronaldo had used up a tournament’s worth of defensive discipline in that opening game, because in Portugal’s next game, the 3-2 win against Denmark, he did absolutely no tracking back at all. Danish right-back Lars Jacobsen continually pushed forward down the touchline to stretch the play, and received constant long diagonal passes from the midfield. Sometimes Ronaldo was simply too lazy to get back into position, on other occasions he made an effort, but found himself caught out of position. Both the Denmark goals came from that side.

He became frustrated by the taunts of the Danish fans, who chanted "Messi!" at him towards the end of the game, angrily responding in the post-match press conference. He was also criticised for his poor finishing ability, having missing two one-on-one chances. That was a little harsh – Ronaldo had made good runs to get into the positions in the first place.

But then again, considering he was leaving Portugal so exposed at the back, he needed a solid contribution in the final third to compensate. Because of Ronaldo’s own attitude – not wanting to defend, clearly highly focused upon individual targets – he does need to score goals.

That’s exactly what he did against Holland. There was no improvement in his defensive work – Gregory van der Wiel was allowed to go forward unchecked, and although Bento seemed to have instructed his midfield to cover for Ronaldo more readily, Portugal still conceded after a move from that flank.

But with Holland desperate for a two-goal victory, and constantly pushing forward and leaving gaps at the back, Ronaldo thrived on the counter-attack. He increasingly started to wander inside when Portugal had the ball on the right, and his first goal was struck from a similar position to his (second) bad miss against Denmark. With Helder Postiga not providing a constant goal threat, Ronaldo becomes a second forward, with Coentrao providing width on the left.

Later on, Holland effectively played without a left-back when they brought on Ibrahim Afellay for Jetro Willems. The direct beneficiary was Nani down the right, but as Holland’s defence shuffled across from side to side, Ronaldo got space on the left, too.

Nani teed him up for Portugal’s winner, and the Real Madrid man later hit the post with another fine effort. In total, he had 12 shots – more than any other player in a single European Championships game in history. He also set up team-mates for scoring opportunities three times – one of which was Nani’s shocking miss from inside the six-yard box.

After a slow start, Portugal are now odds-on to make the semi-finals due to a great draw against the Czech Republic. Ronaldo’s battle against the speedy, energetic Theo Gebre-Selassie will be one of the individual contests of the quarter-final stage; expect Portugal to be most dangerous from their left flank, but also most vulnerable to Czech attacks down that side too.

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Analysis: How to beat Spain (or go down fighting)

Alex Keble — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:37:00 GMT

Who can stop the champions? Alex Keble uses FourFourTwo's completely free Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the action so far – and suggest teams who could counter the kings...

Spain reasserted their dominance in European football after thrashing the Republic of Ireland. So how, if at all, can any nation at Euro 2012 beat the Spaniards?

Nullifying the threat of Spain's world-class midfielders is perhaps the most pressing concern for any nation that believes they can win the tournament. Perhaps nobody has the answer, but there are certainly a few dos and don'ts to be learnt from Spain's opening two performances.

Sit deep, and contain
The most stark contrast between the approach of the Italians and Irish when facing the world champions was their defensive set-ups.

The Azzurri, in typically Italian fashion, absorbed the pressure and allowed Spain time on the ball. Sitting in deep lines of four, they allowed Xavi, Iniesta & Co. to pass the ball freely in front of the defence, safe in the knowledge that nothing will pass behind them. Spain were frustrated, and the tactic worked.

In direct contrast to this, Giovanni Trapattoni decided to press high up the pitch in an attempt to stifle the Spaniards, putting them under pressure and denying them space.

The positioning of interceptions and tackles strongly suggests that Italy were sitting deeper and giving Spain space until they approached the Azzurri goal, whereas Ireland attempted to harass the Spaniards all over the pitch.

Intriguingly, if we drill down into Ireland's tackling and compare the positions in the two halves, they seem to have dropped deeper in the second half. This may have been a loss of energy or a deliberate tactical move, but the fact remains that in the first half Ireland pressed constantly high up the pitch.

It was certainly an interesting decision by Trapattoni: recent history strongly discourages this approach when facing tiki-taka, most vividly exemplified by the changing fortunes of Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid against Barcelona, whose possession and passing game is the template upon which Spain's international triumphs have been modelled.

For his first Clasico in November 2010, Mourinho employed a high pressing game – and Madrid were humiliated 5-0. By April 2012, the Portuguese had learned his lesson: reverting to a deep containment strategy, he oversaw a 2-1 win which more or less sealed the league title. Even the mighty Mourinho, with his world-class (and mostly Spanish) players, ultimately accepted you must approach with caution and humility.

The problem with a more adventurous approach – as Ireland discovered to their peril – is that the Spaniards are able to overwhelm the central midfield area, exacerbated by the willingness of Spain's wide men, usually David Silva and Andres Iniesta, to drift inside. Their player dashboards indicate the support they provide in the centre of the park.

When the Irish pushed up in their attempts to break up play before the final third, they left holes between their defence and midfield, giving Spain's dangerous playmakers crucial time and space in front of the penalty area.

The player influence diagrams, which show each player's average position on the ball during the game, show the success of the Italian system over the Irish: Xavi, Alonso, Busquets, Iniesta and Silva all played higher up the field.

Crucially, Xavi enjoyed much more time on the ball. The Italian system made him rove around to find space; against the Irish he rarely left a central band 20 yards wide between halfway and the penalty area, directing traffic and causing havoc.

Conclusion: You can't stop Spain outpassing you, or disrupt their rhythm. Accept that they will dominate and sit back, soaking up the pressure and focus on a crowded defence that prevents the killer pass. Barcelona were rendered almost harmless by Chelsea's reactive containment, and Italy did a great job preventing Spain from tearing them open.

Who can implement this the most effectively? In reality, with years of defensive heritage and three central defenders, Italy's group-stage display was as proficient as you are likely to see against Spain. The point Italy captured shows that Vicente Del Bosque's men can be stopped – but can they be beaten?

Counter-attack with a target man
Against opponents who dominate possession, teams need quick counter-attacks via a target-man who'll win the majority of his long passes.

It sounds like a straightforward point, but it's a very difficult issue. Expecting 35% or less possession, teams must be decisive, clinical and consistent when the opportunity of a counter-attack presents itself. The only way to achieve this is a well-drilled plan.

Both Italy and Ireland attempted long, direct passes to the Spanish right-back position, presumably recognising Silva's tendency to drift in from right midfield and provide little defensive cover. Italy's long passes, particularly to the left flank, were far more successful than Ireland's.

The Spanish midfield's overwhelming presence makes this direct approach, spreading the play wide rather than attempting to work it through the densely-packed midfield, the only realistically viable option. Notice how almost all of the passes Ireland made in Spain's half and in the centre of the pitch failed, and how infrequently the more successful Italy team attempted to play in this zone.

Conclusion: Spend hours on the training ground working on a counter-attacking strategy. Players need to know instinctively where they are going to pass the ball, and who is going to support the strikers. On match day, they need to be able to turn possession in their own penalty area into possession in the final third within a matter of seconds.

Who can implement this the most effectively? The obvious answer: Germany. Brilliantly organised and ruthlessly efficient, they have the counter-attacking prowess could make for a great Euro 2012 Final with Spain. The Germans had a lot of success with their direct counter-attacking style against Holland, and would be more than happy to employ it again.

Spain's high pressing game
Ireland's ball retention was criminal, and this is in no small part to the Spaniards' own high pressing game, stopping the less talented Irish making the passes they needed. Spain work tirelessly to close down their opponents all over the pitch, pressurising them into misplacing their passes.

The majority of Spain's tackles are made high up the pitch, suggesting a successful high pressing game. Studying Ireland's incomplete short passes shows how they struggled with the Spanish defensive system.

Italy overcame this problem by cutting themselves out of that midfield battle, refusing to take part in a passing game in the centre of the pitch, as shown above. It's notable that Spanish interceptions of Italian passes were more uniform and deeper than against the Irish, whom they robbed all over the park.

Conclusion: As the Spaniards give you no time on the ball, a direct tactic that minimises passing and time in midfield is a must. Who can implement this the most effectively? Possibly England: Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney supporting Andy Carroll, with long driven passes from Steven Gerrard, could do the trick.

Spain don't counter-attack
One substandard element of Spain's play is their ability to counter attack. Just as Barcelona can appear frustratingly one-dimensional in their approach, so too can Spain seem overly insistent on a specific style of build-up play. On a number of occasions when Ireland had poured men forward into attack, Spain were unable to break at speed. David Silva is perhaps the only player with dribbling speed in the squad, and their breaks after regaining possession were slow.

Spain don't really do long balls, except to spread the play to the wing; their long balls forward had a 0% success rate, and their infrequency suggests an unwillingness to commit to a swift counter-attack. Similarly, dribbling around the opposition is sporadic and, again, infrequent.

It would appear that counter-attacking is not their strong point. Considering their possession statistics, this isn't particularly pertinent to them – but it is for their opposition.

Conclusion: At attacking set-pieces, do not be afraid to commit men forward; Spain are unlikely to find much success if you lose possession deep in their half. Who can implement this the most effectively? Croatia have already scored a couple from set-pieces, while France, England, and Italy all have height on their side.

Fernando Torres vs Cesc Fabregas
It's easy to criticise Del Bosque for failing to field a striker against Italy, particularly given subsequent success of Fernando Torres against Ireland. In reality, the decision was pretty ingenious, and undoubtedly a decision based on the opposing defensive set ups of Italy and Ireland.

As discussed, Italy sat very deep, refusing to allow the ball to be played in behind them. Fielding Torres – a striker who plays best on the shoulder of the last defender – would probably have been fruitless. Against Ireland, who played with a higher defensive line, Spain's midfielders were able to play passes through the defence and find Torres, as they did for the third goal of the game. The diagrams below show how the inclusion of Torres, coupled with the defensive strategy of the Irish, allowed for a greater number of incisive passes to the front line.

This is reflected further in the attacking intent of Spain over the two games. Against Ireland, the champions played more successful forward passes – and higher up the pitch. (Note also the higher number of failed long passes in that Italy match as the Spanish got frustrated.)

Conclusion: Torres & Co. cannot break through the defensive ranks if the lines of four are deep enough. To come full circle, a compact, deep-lying defensive line is a must for any team that wishes to end 90 minutes against the world champions with their defence and dignity intact.

To conclude, there are some basic rules that should be followed by any team hoping to beat Spain.
* They need an organised and disciplined defence, willing to absorb pressure and sit on the edge of their own penalty box for the majority of the match.
* When in possession, they need quick, direct and incisive passing to counter-attack, which should come through the wings.
* They must be bold and commit men forward at attacking set-pieces, considering Spain's lack of height and counter-attacking speed makes them vulnerable to an onslaught at corners and free-kicks.

Doesn't that sound remarkably similar to the way Roy Hodgson has always drilled his teams?

Spanish honour at stake in Croatia clash

Tim Stannard — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:03:00 GMT

Monday night’s final Group C match against Croatia really is a win-win affair for Spanish fans – unless of course La Roja lose and are prematurely ejected from Euro 2012 before the side has barely warmed up. So, by LLL’s rejigged reckoning, the game is a win-win-lose.

Beat their rivals fair and square and they can continue strolling around the moral high ground, where the Spanish press re currently taking their holidays; end up with 2-2 draw against Croatia and it’s bye-bye Italy. Although there would be a giant hullabaloo about pacts and deals and what-not, no one would care that much, really, as Italy being knocked out in the group stages would be a source of enormous amusement and mirth in Spain.

Nevertheless, Marca are there to soothe Italian fears of a stitch-up by reminding the country that the Spanish are not... well... Italian. The headline “Don’t worry, we don’t hold grudges” carries the implication that they have every right to, considering it is accompanied by a picture of Luis Enrique having had his nose just broken by Mauro Tassotti at USA 94.

“La Roja doesn’t understand deals,” preens the paper, carefully drawing a distinction between the national team – which is as clean as a whistle, especially during the closing Euro 84 qualifier in which they beat Malta by precisely the 11 goals they needed – and Spanish league football, which can be a little iffy from time to time, something that Marcelo Lippi was keen to point out. “Ask Villarreal if Spanish football is honourable. They went down in the last game as two teams had a result that was comfortable for both of them.”

AS are calling for Spain to win the game fair and square, firstly to make sure the team goes through, but also to avoid any suspicions in regards to the honour and dignity of a great nation. “Spain doesn’t do these things,” boasts Alfredo Relaño. “Spain carries the flag of football.”

Spain fans carrying a flag to the football

There are many reasons to believe Xavi, who notes that his team “only knows how to attack as a draw would not suit us.” The first is that ‘arranging’ such a high-scoring outcome could be fiddly and as one pundit on the radio noted, Spain wouldn’t be very good at making everything look quite normal. Another is that it would be a rather dangerous approach: at 2-2, a late Croatia goal would knock Spain out and see the players never being allowed back in the country again.

However, the big debate has been a pleasing distraction from the constant talk over whether Vicente Del Bosque will be playing a striker or not. Besides, there are bigger concerns for Spain ahead of Monday’s game in relation to cards and suspensions, with Alvaro Arbeloa, Jordi Alba, Xabi Alonso, Javi Martínez and Fernando Torres all one yellow away from missing a possible quarter-final clash.

This may see a few rejigs in the team, with LLL suspecting that Juanfran will come in for Arbeloa – not a sentence many would have foreseen last summer – and Santi Cazorla taking Xabi Alonso’s spot in midfield. Despite the changes, it’s going to be a 3-0 victory for the reigning champions… although should the sides share four goals, the blog will lick its lips in anticipation of the mother of all poop-storms between two countries who don't rub along that well at the best of times.

BotN: Germany beat Denmark just because they can

Back of the Net — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:01:00 GMT

The Back of the Net report on Denmark's desperate defeat to non-gentle giants Germany

Germany spitefully defeated Denmark 2-1, knocking the distraught Danes out of the competition and giving boss Joachim Löw a brief flicker of pleasure.

The conclusion to the Group of Death saw Portugal, Holland and Denmark desperately fighting for their lives while Germany looked on with a mixture of disinterest and disdain.

Driven by mortal terror, Denmark made a lively start to the game while their opponents looked faintly amused, the occasional knowing smile breaking across their otherwise inscrutable faces.

While the earnest Danish side tried to put together passing moves and shots on target, the smirking Germans mockingly mimicked their efforts, having sarcastic shots of their own on Stephan Andersen’s goal.

The contest was 19 minutes old when Germany struck as Lukas Podolski blasted past Andersen and celebrated by making a rude joke about Daniel Agger’s mum.

But Denmark fought back valiantly and Michael Krohn-Dehli equalised, allowing his teammates to dream of a place in the quarter-finals.

However, the Germans weren’t going to let Denmark off the hook that easily and with 10 minutes remaining, Lars Bender rounded off a breakaway move to make it 2-1 and end any chance Denmark had of progressing.

"Oi, Olsen. Outside, after, you're dead"

Joachim Löw briefly clenched his fist before clearly tiring of the action and spending the remainder of the game expertly firing spitballs at Danish boss Morten Olsen.

“Of course I feel sorry for Denmark,” Löw told FourFourTwo in his post-match press conference while giving Olsen a wedgie, before adding “…sorry they’re such losers,” as Olsen looked up hopefully.

Germany march on to face Greece in the quarter-finals despite a strongly-worded letter from Denmark’s mum suggesting they should be removed from the competition.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
POR 2-1 HOL: Things starting to look bad for Dutch, admits Van Marwijk
GRE 1-0 RUS: UEFA hope Greece forget to claim their quarter-final slot
POL 0-1 CZE: Polish celebratory vodka repurposed as misery vodka
SWE 2-3 ENG: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency...
UKR 0-2 FRA: Ukraine, 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop France

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

BotN: Things starting to look bad for Holland, admits Van Marwijk

Back of the Net — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:42:00 GMT

Back of the Net report on Portugal 2-1 Holland

Holland boss Bert van Marwijk has admitted that his Dutch side have it all to do to secure a place in the quarter-finals after defeat against Portugal left them with no points on the board and no games remaining.

Van Marwijk's 2010 World Cup finalists were amongst the pre-tournament favourites but a sluggish opener against Denmark, sluggish second game against Germany and sluggish final match against Portugal have seen their odds slide considerably from 4/1 to ∞/1 with most bookmakers.

Trailing second-placed Portugal by six points with no games left to play, coach Van Marwijk has been forced to confess that it might not be Holland’s year.

“I can’t deny that we have made things hard for ourselves by losing every one of our scheduled fixtures at the competition,” Van Marwijk told FourFourTwo. “We aren’t exactly in the box seat in Group B.

“In an ideal world we would have picked up nine points by now, failing that seven, six, five, four, three or indeed one point. But we still have a lot to give in this competition and I don’t think anyone will be writing us off just yet.”

"Look on the floor… they might have dropped a point"

The Dutch will take heart from the Czech Republic’s gutsy run at Euro 2008, when they shrugged off being eliminated in the group stages to set up a three-team quarter-final against Turkey and Croatia, then a semi-final against Turkey, Croatia and Germany before suffering a heart-breaking final defeat at the hands of Spain, Germany, Turkey and Croatia.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
GRE 1-0 RUS: UEFA hope Greece forget to claim their quarter-final slot
POL 0-1 CZE: Polish celebratory vodka repurposed as misery vodka
SWE 2-3 ENG: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency...
UKR 0-2 FRA: Ukraine, 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop France

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

BotN: UEFA hope Greece forget to claim their quarter-final place

Back of the Net — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 14:47:00 GMT

The Back of the Net gang report on Greece 1-0 Russia

Greece are through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, a reluctant tournament spokesman has admitted, but organisers are clinging on to the hope that they might forget to claim their place in the last eight.

Fernando Santos’ men produced a scarcely believable smash and grab raid to beat Russia 1-0, to the joy of Greeks everywhere and the horror of anyone with even the slightest fondness for the sport of football.

A Giorgios Karagounis goal – the fifth in Greek football history – proved enough to knock out a wasteful Russian side, who had 31 shots but only managed two on target, 16 off target and 13 that are still missing, feared wide.

While the result was met with scenes of delirium in Athens, football fans across Europe have responded less enthusiastically. For many, the scars of Euro 2004, which Greece won without attempting at any stage to put the ball in the opposition’s net, are still raw.

And there is genuine fear that history could repeat itself despite pre-tournament guarantees that there would be ‘no more than 270 minutes of Greece’.

"Oh no..."

“Greece have finished second, so yes they are technically through to the next round,” Euro 2012 organiser Markiyan Lubyivskyi grumbled through gritted teeth.

“But we’d really appreciate it if nobody would mention that to them. With all due respect, Greece are to a football tournament what myxomatosis is to rabbits.”

There has been pressure on UEFA to address the problem of the Greeks. A special committee meeting in March led to an abortive attempt to transfer Greece to the Oceania Football Federation and Michel Platini has repeatedly stressed that a Greek victory at Euro 2012 would leave him with no option but to discontinue the competition.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
POL 0-1 CZE: Polish celebratory vodka repurposed as misery vodka
SWE 2-3 ENG: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency...
UKR 0-2 FRA: Ukraine, 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop France
ESP 4-0 IRE: Trapattoni pinpoints kick-off as turning point for Ireland
ITA 1-1 CRO: Croatia refuse to give in, grab socially awkward point with Italy

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

BotN: Polish celebratory vodka repurposed as misery vodka

Back of the Net — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 14:42:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team report on Poland 0-1 Czech Republic

Co-hosts Poland crashed out of Euro 2012 on Saturday evening following a 1-0 defeat to the Czech Republic, leaving their manager, players and fans with gallons of apparently unusable celebratory vodka.

However, a number of enterprising Poles soon found that the vodka, which they had planned to drink to acclaim Poland’s progression to the quarter-finals, could just as easily be drunk to commiserate their disappointing group-stage exit at the hands of a limited Czech Republic side.

“Before the game, we were all really excited,” Leszek Śleszyński, a 26-year old Wroclaw man, told FourFourTwo.com. “When we were dominating the first half, everyone was sure that come 90 minutes we’d be cracking open the celebratory vodka to toast a Poland victory.”

“Then when we lost, we thought we’d have to throw the celebratory vodka away. Until someone pointed out that we could totally pretend that the celebratory vodka was actually misery vodka, and drink it anyway.”

Vodka: popular

Petr Jiráček’s 72nd-minute goal condemned Poland to defeat, and spoiled the victory party of manager Franciszek Smuda.

“I had planned to sit at a bare wooden table illuminated by a single lightbulb and drink celebratory vodka until I fell over from sheer joy,” he told journalists. “But now that plan has been ruined. So instead, I’ll be sitting at that table, under that lightbulb, drowning my sorrows with misery vodka until I fall over from abject despair.”

Despite the gloom of missing out on a last-eight place, many Poles could take comfort in the simultaneous elimination of old foes Russia, 1-0 losers against Greece.

“That’s Russia’s celebratory vodka ruined! They’ll have no use for celebratory vodka now!” Śleszyński crowed, pouring himself another vodka. “Do you know, I reckon this misery vodka could easily pass as schadenfreude vodka.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
SWE 2-3 ENG: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency...
UKR 0-2 FRA: Ukraine, 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop France
ESP 4-0 IRE: Trapattoni pinpoints kick-off as turning point for Ireland
ITA 1-1 CRO: Croatia refuse to give in, grab socially awkward point with Italy
POR 3-2 DEN: Postiga karaoke triumph enrages bitter Ronaldo

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Absolutely Fabulous... The Euros so far

Vaishali Bhardwaj — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:03:00 GMT

The Euros have been such a pleasure so far that Absolute Radio's lead commentator Jim Proudfoot couldn't wait to tell Vaishali Bhardwaj all about it...

Group A
Russia started their Euro 2012 campaign in the best possible way as they trounced the Czech Republic 4-1 with displays of quick, expansive and smooth counter-attacking football.

Key to Russia's successful approach has been their front-line. Aleksandr Kerzhakov has not been in great form so far but either side of him, Alan Dzagoev and Andrei Arshavin – who looks like a player reborn – have certainly been impressive.

Russia's counter-attacking approach may have looked slick at times but the team's 1-1 draw against Poland showed that it can be stifled by packing the midfield with men. Dick Advocaat's men, though, will still remain favourites to qualify as winners of Group A.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic have resurrected their chance of staying in the competition after they followed up a heavy loss to Russia with a 2-1 win over an admittedly poor Greece side.

Michal Bilek's men made a huge improvement for their second match as they pressed well, netted the fastest-ever two-goal lead in European Championship history through Wolfsburg pair Petr Jiracek and Vaclav Pilar, and generally defended better too – although that perhaps excludes their usually reliable goalkeeper Petr Cech, who has let in five goals so far this tournament.

The Czechs sit second in Group A and to progress to the next round they will need to beat Poland. Indeed, there will be many questions facing coach Franciszek Smuda ahead of Poland's final group game, ranging from which goalkeeper to choose between in Przemyslaw Tyton and Wojciech Szczesny to which formation to go for.

The team have shown that they possess character and spirit and the co-hosts still have every chance of qualifying for their first-ever European Championship quarter-final.

The same cannot be said for rock-bottom Greece though. The 2004 champions have seen their current campaign marred by injuries and poor defensive displays. After a horrific start to the tournament, the equation is now very simple for Fernando Santos's men: beat Russia in their final game and they qualify. Lose, and they will be eliminated.

Group B
It was always going to be tough getting out of the so-called 'Group of Death' – but for one team it has been rather simple. Germany have shown why they are favourites, alongside holders Spain, to win Euro 2012 after convincingly beating both Portugal and the Netherlands to seize top spot in Group B.

In a tournament where some of the star forwards have so far failed to find their finishing touch, Germany have had no such problem. Mario Gomez has been the focal point of his team's success after netting three times in two games to repay Joachim Low's faith for starting him ahead of Miroslav Klose. Germany have not only been deadly up front but have looked fluid and creative in midfield while their defence, which may have been a cause for concern before the tournament, has performed well.

One forward who cannot say the same as Gomez about his performances thus far though is Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid ace is yet to score in the Championships and what has been most noticeable has been his listless and unhappy body language, particularly in his team's 3-2 win over Denmark.

Ronaldo surprisingly missed two one-on-one chances in that game, leading to sarcastic Danish chants around the stadium of "Messi! Messi!". Perhaps it is the weight of expectation of captaining his country or perhaps it is just fatigue after a successful but long season with Madrid.

Whatever the reason for Ronaldo's record of five goals in 15 games at major finals since Euro 2004, second-placed Portugal will look to their star man to help inspire the side to qualification in their final group game against the Netherlands.

Surprisingly, Bert van Marwijk's side are still in the tournament even though they have lost against both Denmark and Germany. The Netherlands have an undoubtedly talented squad but with weak defensive performances and powerless attacking displays thus far, the Oranje sit bottom of Group B.

But there is still hope. Van Marwijk is expected to make changes to his team against Portugal and if they can beat Paolo Bento's side by more than one goal and if Germany defeat Denmark, they will go through.

Group C
There was much chatter pre-Euros about whether Spain had the motivation to win a third consecutive major tournament, a feat that no other country has managed to achieve. But the truth is: they have. The successful Spanish side simply hate losing and with talent right across the squad even with the absences of key players such as Carles Puyol and David Villa, Vicente del Bosque's men are still the team to beat this tournament.

They may have drawn their opening game 1-1 against Italy, but La Roja sit top of Group C after thrashing – and ultimately eliminating – the Republic of Ireland 4-0. Del Bosque decided to start Fernando Torres up front against Giovanni Trapattoni's side after being criticised for his use of Cesc Fabregas as a 'false No.9' against the Azzurri, though the striker-less formation worked to a certain extent.

And with the out-of-sorts Chelsea man bagging a brace and as looking as sharp as ever, Del Bosque may now stick with Torres for their last game against second-placed Croatia.

Spain will only need to draw that game to qualify. But intriguingly, the manner of the draw would dictate the fate of Cesare Prandelli's Italy in the competition. With a number of different scenarios, the essence is that La Roja could do what Sweden and Denmark did to Italy in Euro 2004 – knock them out.

But why are Italy in this position? After playing very well in their 1-1 draw against Spain, they failed to be as incisive up front against Croatia and have ultimately been punished for it. Prandelli has no doubt improved the team since taking over as coach and Italy certainly look better than they did at the 2010 World Cup. But they are still not quite there.

Perhaps that is down to the former Fiorentina coach's choice to go with the as yet unrewarded partnership of Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano in attack ahead of Antonio Di Natale. Or perhaps it is down to the emergence of Croatia, who beat Ireland 3-1 in their opening match and who remained positive enough to come from a goal down to grab a point against the Azzurri.

One team who certainly have not looked good enough though is Ireland. They conceded seven goals this tournament after having come into the Championships on a 14-match unbeaten run with Trapattoni blaming "fear" and "tension" for his side's exit. The Italian has called on his team to bow out of Euro 2012 with a positive result against Italy but that will be made all the more difficult considering the Azzurri's predicament.

Group D
After their disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign, many have wondered just how far France can go in this year's European Championships. Laurent Blanc has no doubt steadied the ship since the events of South Africa and has succeeded in bringing youth and instilling confidence back into Les Bleus. And so far Blanc's team have shown potential at Euro 2012.

France opened up their campaign with a 1-1 draw against England in which Blanc's side had no less than 21 shots on goal to England's five. With France's frailties particularly evident in central defence and at left-back, the match left some asking if misfiring would ultimately prove them costly.

And while it seemed to be a familiar story of France creating chances but failing to put them away in the first half against the Ukraine, they responded to criticism about their finishing by scoring two goals in four minutes to beat the co-hosts 2-0 – and win their first match in an international tournament for six years.

Les Bleus are now unbeaten in 22 games and will need a single point against the already-eliminated Sweden to progress to the quarter finals.
England can join France there if they can clinch a point against Ukraine but they will need to be cautious. Ukraine took a surprise early lead in Group D after beating Sweden in their first group game. Andriy Shevchenko bagged a brace in the clash in Kyiv before going on to terrorise France's defence in Ukraine's second group match in Donetsk.

With that in mind, England will have to improve on their wobbly defensive performance against Sweden if they are to ensure survival in the competition. However, the key positive that England can take into their final group game has been their ability to react positively in sticky situations, and in particular, the way they responded when going 2-1 down against Erik Hamren's men.

Hodgson's decision to bring on Theo Walcott in that clash proved vital and with Wayne Rooney back from suspension for the Ukraine game, England should be able to find the goods to join France in the next phase of Euro 2012.

Listen to live Euro 2012 commentary on Absolute Radio with Jim Proudfoot from all of England's games plus two quarter finals, one semi final and the final on 105.8 FM, 1215AM, DAB, online, mobile and digital TV. You can also catch up on all of the analysis and banter with Ian Wright every day from 5pm throughout the tournament www.absoluteradio.co.uk

More about the writers:
Vaishali Bhardwaj is a freelance sports journalist whose work in European football saw her nominated for the Football Media award at the 2012 Asian Football Awards. Vaishali can be found writing for FourFourTwo as well as several other publications. She also works within broadcasting and presents the weekly football Round-Up Show on Break London Radio and hosts World Football Minute, the weekly news bulletins on Beyond the Pitch's Prime Time Football Show with former England international, Warren Barton.

Jim Proudfoot is Absolute Radio's lead commentator on Rock 'N' Roll Football. Jim is an award winning football commentator, who has worked on national radio and television since the late 1990s and celebrated his 20th Anniversary in the industry in January 2011. He is also a die-hard Torquay fan.

BotN: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency...

Back of the Net — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:00:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on Sweden 2-3 England

England vanquished ancient foes Sweden in Kiev with a commanding performance that left the result in no doubt whatsoever at any stage.

The Three Lions had never beaten Sweden in a competitive fixture, coming closest to victory in the Anglo-Swedish War of 1810-1812, which ended in the first of many draws that would become characteristic of the fixture.

Motivated by the unfinished business left by the Treaty of Örebro, England tore into their bitter rivals with wave after wave of scintillating attacks and passing so slick the ball often appeared a blur.

Using his intimate knowledge of the Swedish game, Roy Hodgson called up greasy-haired nuisance man Andy Carroll to try and take advantage of the fact no Swedish player had ever headed a football.

The strategy proved highly effective as Carroll headed home on 23 minutes while the Swedish defence cowered and cooed believing that the Liverpool man’s head was likely to fall off.

England were completely in control and almost embarrassingly so, stroking the ball around with the elegance of the Brazil team of 1970. The Swedish players looked dispirited and out of their depth while many neutrals in the stands wept with sheer joy, awe-struck by the quality of football they were watching.

The spectacle was such that fans began to openly jeer Johann Cruyff, who was covering the game for Dutch TV while the presenter on Brazil’s GloboSport was intentionally sick on Pelé’s shoes as a sign of contempt.

Olof Mellberg scored twice after half-time to make it 2-1 to Sweden.

England were toying with their weaker foes like a lion toying with a lame chinchilla. And the inevitable happened when substitute Theo Walcott blasted England level with a strike that no goalkeeper in the world could have saved.

br>Downcast Sweden fans accept their fate before the game

Sweden knew the game was up and Danny Welbeck dealt the death blow with a sneer. Not deeming the Swedes worthy of seeing his face, the Manchester United man converted a Walcott cross with a contemptuous back-heel.

On the final whistle there was very little emotion displayed by the England players or supporters as the unstoppable juggernaut rolled on with a sense of inevitability. England’s final Group D game is against Ukraine who would be ill advised to expect anything but a 3-2 thrashing of their own.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
UKR 0-2 FRA: Ukraine, 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop France
ESP 4-0 IRE: Trapattoni pinpoints kick-off as turning point for Ireland
ITA 1-1 CRO: Croatia refuse to give in, grab socially awkward point with Italy
POR 3-2 DEN: Postiga karaoke triumph enrages bitter Ronaldo
GER 2-1 NED: Dutch defence, midfield, attack, kit, language the problem

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Nasri's drifting from the left makes Malouda irrelevant

Michael Cox — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 14:17:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the action from Poland and Ukraine

No-one denies that Samir Nasri is an extremely good footballer, but no-one has ever been able to decide upon his best position. Like others before him, Nasri’s versatility has often held him back – asked to play on the left one week, on the right the next, then through the centre.

Arsene Wenger wanted him to become a goalscorer, going in behind the defence from the right of midfield, and at the start of the 2010/11 season Nasri played this role superbly. At Manchester City, however, he’s more of a passer, leaving the goalscoring to others, and acting as the link between the central midfielders and the attackers.

For France, Nasri has already played two very different roles at Euro 2012. Against England he nominally started on the right wing, drifting inside between England’s defence and midfielder to become a central playmaker, from where he had a big influence upon the game, and scored France’s equaliser.

Despite that influence – or, perhaps, because of it – Blanc decided to use him in a different position against Ukraine. This time, Nasri was permanently in the centre of the pitch, between the lines, as France moved to a 4-2-3-1 formation. As the position of Nasri’s passes received in both games demonstrates, there actually isn’t a great deal of difference between the zones he worked in.

In both games, despite starting on the right of midfield and as a central attacking midfielder respectively, he actually drifts to the left to get the ball. Against Ukraine he was being marked by Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and moved into deeper positions to pick up possession in space, but he’s effectively playing in the same general position of the pitch, once one accounts for Ukraine being more open than England were.

A more obvious difference is the frequency of chances Nasri created. In the first match he set up teammates for eight shots on goal, generally with short passes from centre-right positions. Against Ukraine, however, he only created two chances – both of which were from hopeful lobs into the penalty box, rather than more intricate passes.

But despite Nasri receiving the ball less and creating fewer chances, France were actually better overall because of his permanent central position. Against England, Nasri’s drifts inside left the right flank bare. Against Ukraine, Blanc’s side had the directness of Jeremy Menez on the right, giving the side balance and width, meaning Nasri could dictate the play without making France congested and predictable.

As the ‘player influence’ screen from the two games demonstrates, France simply occupied a greater area of the pitch against Ukraine, with Menez and Ribery wider. Nasri’s drifts inside against England made Florent Malouda’s role confused and irrelevant, and France didn’t suffer from his absence against Ukraine. The Chelsea midfielder may struggle to regain his place in the side

Blanc has a host of attacking midfielders to choose from, but he seems to have found the right balance. France’s build-up play against Ukraine was impressive, with Nasri, Ribery and Karim Benzema combining on the left, before transferring the ball quickly to Menez on the right. Their opening goal was the perfect example of that, and the attacking quartet seems to have everything – passing technique, dribbling skill and finishing ability. With this display, France demonstrated that they are genuine contenders to win the competition.

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BotN: Ukraine and 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop France

Back of the Net — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 11:30:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team report on Ukraine 0-2 France

France stamped their authority in Donetsk with an exhibition of free-flowing passing football, but they had to weather an early storm in the form of an early storm created by Mayan rain deity Chaac.

Despite sitting top of Group D after their victory over Sweden, Ukraine had every reason to fear the French, who enjoyed more than 100% of possession against England. Samir Nasri had been issued the ball a day before kick-off and retained it until three hours after the final whistle when he was dispossessed by a waitress in a wine bar while attempting a rabona.

And the French were again looking ominous in the first three minutes in Donetsk, prompting Ukraine to turn to a fickle and capricious rain God – a strategy that had been widely backed in the local press since Chaac was spotted in training earlier in the week creating rainstorms with his trademark lightning axe.

Oleg Blokhin signalled for Chaac to begin warming up after just 60 seconds of action and He replaced a nonplussed Yevhen Selin.

It didn’t take long for Chaac to made an impact. Within two minutes He had slipped his marker and chased the sun and moon from the sky, delivering a devastating flash flood.

With most of Donetsk underwater, referee Bjorn Kuipers was forced to take the players off the pitch but Chaac continued to show his quality, throwing a series of speculative lightning bolts at Yohan Cabaye.

However, a lack of match practice took its toll on Chaac whose last reported outing came in 1694 as half of a deadly partnership with the skeletal Death God Zaccimi, now manager of Besiktas. After 55 minutes Chaac had to be withdrawn from the action and France regained the upper hand.

"Pour in a minute! It's gonna pour in a minute!"

With the exception of Philippe Mexes, who struggled to come to terms with the affront of having his hair washed by a stranger, Laurent Blanc’s men seemed remarkably unfazed by Chaac’s cameo and struck twice within three minutes to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.

While Ukraine had their opportunities, they were let down by many of their players not being Andriy Shevchenko – a state of affairs that Blokhin is unlikely to be able to address in time for the host nation’s final group game against England.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
ESP 4-0 IRE: Trapattoni pinpoints kick-off as turning point for Ireland
ITA 1-1 CRO: Croatia refuse to give in, grab socially awkward point with Italy
POR 3-2 DEN: Postiga karaoke triumph enrages bitter Ronaldo
GER 2-1 NED: Dutch defence, midfield, attack, kit, language the problem

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

BotN: Trapattoni pinpoints kick-off as turning point for Ireland

Back of the Net — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:42:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys look back on a disappointing night for the Irish...

Reflecting on the 4-0 defeat by Spain on Thursday that saw his side exit the tournament, Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has pinpointed the moment when it all started to go wrong for his players, namely the first half kick-off.

“Until we kicked off, our players looked quite comfortable,” Trapattoni told FourFourTwo. “I was pleased with the way they dealt with the early challenges, such as tying their shoelaces, not getting injured while stretching, and successfully singing the national anthem despite at least three of them being about as Irish as I am.”

However, the kick-off signalled a change in Ireland’s luck, as Fernando Torres took advantage of the fact that the game had started to rifle an unstoppable shot into Shay Given’s goal.

“To concede a goal in the fourth minute was a blow, but the game had been swinging away from us for a good four minutes by then,” Irish captain Robbie Keane admitted afterwards.

“We felt we matched Spain man-for-man for tracksuits, and we booted it much further than they did in the warm-up. Not kicking off was probably our best chance of keeping the scorelines level, but sadly we weren’t able to manage that.”

"Hide! If they can't find us, they can't kick off!"

In an attempt to prevent the game kicking off, Trapattoni had detailed John O’Shea to engage the referee in conversation on subjects including cross-stitch, the history of Gdansk, and whether a heap of straw would still be a heap of straw if one straw were removed.

However, hopes that the versatile defender’s sparkling repartee would distract the Portuguese official from blowing his whistle were soon quashed.

“In fairness to the referee, he’s been very professional,” Keane said. “He told John that the notion of ‘heap-ness’ has fixed boundaries, but that these boundaries are necessarily unknowable, and John had no answer to that.

“He was clearly still thinking about the principle of two-valued logic when David Silva scored their second.”

Another goal for Torres and a late fourth by Cesc Fabregas concluded the rout, but Trappatoni saw reasons to be optimistic about Irish football’s future.

“Now we have to look towards World Cup 2016,” he said. “Our qualifying campaign begins in 84 days’ time, and if we can keep it goalless till then, I think we’ve got a chance.”

Analysis: Lessons from Spain 4-0 Republic of Ireland

FourFourTwo Team — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 12:36:00 GMT

Whether you're stuck without a telly or you're following the fallout on a second screen, check FourFourTwo's Twitter commentary during the match for illuminating analysis using the completely free Stats Zone app, fired by Opta statistics updated live during the game.

A few things StatsZone users shared during the Spain-Ireland game:

The Spanish soon settled into their tiki-taka ways, and as @RaviCNN pointed out, it took Spain 37 minutes to top the number of passes England completed against France.

Vicente del Bosque's decision to recall a true striker helped stretch the Irish. @CareFreeChronic noted at half-time how Torres was getting more long direct passes than Cesc Fabregas had against Italy.

By the end, Trapattoni's tireless team had been chasing Spain all over the pitch. @GaryParkinson spotted that the top tackler was, perhaps not obviously, Aidan McGeady.

After the torture was over for the Irish, @TotalFootballFC noted that the final-third passes "show the quality gap" (Spain completed 243 to Ireland's 31).

And finally, just about everybody compared the two sides' passing stats: it's probably the most shared screen in Stats Zone's brief but illustrious history. Sorry, Trap…

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Make – and share – your points with Euro 2012 Stats Zone, a free-download app from FourFourTwo powered by stats from Opta, updated LIVE in-play during all Euro 2012 matches. Stats Zone is brought to you in association with Coral

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Football journalists triumph against under-par Ireland

Tim Stannard — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 12:29:00 GMT

The Spanish football press has leapt upon the rather flattering notion that Vicente Del Bosque had spent the last few days pondering whether, despite having a fairly decent record as a manager for club and country, he should ignore his own instincts and instead heed the wisdom of the crowd of football journalists by deploying a proper striker against Ireland.

Thursday evening’s romping, stomping 4-0 victory over their Celtic opponents appears to have pleased some, not because it was an important and impressive result and performance for the team, but because it gives them an opportunity to say ‘told-you-so’, with Fernando Torres starting the match and scoring twice. Indeed, this simple tactical move has been offered up as the single cause of Spain’s win, ignoring the fact that Ireland are not actually that good and even Javier Arizmendi, hopping about on one leg, could have bagged a brace against the first side to be eliminated from the tournament.

“Go Number Nine!” yells the headline in AS, with editor Alfredo Relaño writing that Spain’s apparent weakness disappeared in just under four minutes. “The double (from Torres) shows that when we ask the boss to play with a number nine, it was not uncouth pigheadedness from journalists who are eternally dissatisfied,” notes Tomás Roncero, again missing the whole Ireland-not-very-good point.

“Spain wakes up” says Marca on Friday’s front cover, with a boast that a lesson in total football had been given. “We saw an impressive Spain in every aspect,” opined former manager Luis Aragonés, claiming, not incorrectly in a spiritual sense, that there was only one team on the pitch.

The Barcelona-based press are also getting in on the excitable act, with Sport drooling over a “Festival of Goals”.

“Del Bosque gave in to the clamour from the Madrid press for the presence of Torres,” writes Josep Maria Casanovas who emotes that “with Spain experiencing such a serious financial crisis that nobody knows how it will end, we have the consolation that La Roja is the only thing that works and makes us happy.”

Mundo Deportivo drools over an 'exhibition', with Santi Nolla chippily stating; “Torres played yesterday and scored two goals, shutting the mouths of those who always say that he misses too many.”

The victory over Ireland, along with Italy’s woes in the group stages, should see Spain supporters in a fairly chirpy mood over the weekend, but none more so that those in the football media camp, who firmly believe that it was them wot won it on Thursday evening.

BotN: Croatia refuse to give in, grab socially awkward point with Italy

Back of the Net — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:30:00 GMT

The Back of the Net gang report on Italy 1-1 Croatia

Croatia fought back to secure a 1-1 draw with Italy in Poznan, leaving everyone feeling a little awkward.

Cesare Prandelli’s Italy dominated the game from the off, penning the Croats back in their own half, erecting a makeshift customs checkpoint on the halfway line and forcing their opponents to fill in several complicated forms in order to enter Italian territory.

The pressure began to build as the caged Croatians struggled to repel the Italian occupation. Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa made a series of superb saves and issued several impassioned rallying calls to his countrymen, but they fell upon deaf ears with the Croatian outfielders unwilling to mark themselves out as troublemakers.

But after Andrea Pirlo’s magnificent free-kick put Italy 1-0 up, the mood amongst the oppressed Croat players seemed to shift.

Despite being offered a very reasonable surrender settlement at half-time that would have seen Italy awarded a 2-0 win in exchange for a ceasefire on the Croatian goal, Slaven Bilic commanded his men to fight on.

And Croatia mounted a stealth attack, sneaking Mario Mandzukic into the Italian half via a complex network of underground connections where the lethal marksman hooked the ball into the roof of the Italian net.

The decision angered and upset the Italian camp, who felt the settlement to be the gentlemanly solution to the conflict. The Azzurri famously won the 2006 World Cup after playing just 22 minutes of football thanks to Marcello Lippi’s series of expertly brokered deals.

The last 18 minutes were unpleasant with both sides looking at the clock frequently and yawning a little.

After the final whistle the players exchanged half-hearted handshakes with some of the Italian players even pretending to have to answer an important phone call in order to leave the pitch without swapping shirts.

The points were shared, leaving Group C tantalizingly poised but throwing grave doubts on whether Slaven Bilic’s invitation to Cesare Prandelli’s birthday barbecue on August 19th still holds.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
POR 3-2 DEN: Postiga karaoke triumph enrages bitter Ronaldo
GER 2-1 NED: Dutch defence, midfield, attack, kit, language the problem
POL 1-1 RUS: World's top statistician works on group permutations
GRE 1-2 CZE: Samaras's failure to score reinforces Greek belief in Samaras
UKR 2-1 SWE: Fairytale for Sheva as he scores, kills wolf, rescues princess

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Analysis: Lessons from Italy 1-1 Croatia

FourFourTwo Team — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:27:00 GMT

A few things StatsZone users noted during the Italy-Croatia match:

Italy, and specifically Andrea Pirlo, bossed the first half. @CareFreeChronic showed how he attempted and completed far more passes after 25 minutes than before.

One of Italy's main outlets was Antonio Cassano, whom @CareFreeChronic noted was drifting to the right and creating chances.

By necessity, Croatia's first-half tackles were therefore concentrated in the left-back zone. Or, as @natefc asked: "Reckon Italy are focusing on a certain area of the pitch?"

Croatia needed a half-time reshuffle, and coach Slaven Bilic provided one, changing his team to a 4-2-3-1 and pushing Modric further forward. This helped nullify Pirlo but also allowed Croatia's full-backs to come forward. @ZazooShah noted how left-back Ivan Strinic was receiving the ball further forward, keeping Italy right-wingback Christian Maggio into defensive duties. And eventually it worked: @rmd282 noted that Strinic's first completed cross created Mario Mandzukic's equaliser.

Facing the possibility of first-rounf elimination, Italy need to show a bit more tactical flexibility. @CouchPundito compared Italy's long balls against Croatia and Spain: "Moving the ball over long distances is a key feature for Italy." Will the Irish team be able to cope with it? We'll find out on Monday...

ANALYSIS Prandelli's failure to make changes leaves Italy facing another 2004

Follow FourFourTwo on Twitter for commentary, news, features and more

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Analysis: Lessons from Holland 1-2 Germany

FourFourTwo Team — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:55:00 GMT

Whether you're stuck without a telly or you're following the fallout on a second screen, follow FourFourTwo's Twitter commentary during the match for illuminating analysis using the completely free Stats Zone app, fired by Opta statistics updated live during the game.

Some things we noticed during Holland v Germany last night:

The Dutch were on top during the first 15 minutes, with more possession leading to roughly 50% more passes, of varying length: some short but some over the top as they probed the opposition's central defence. For their part, the Germans seemed content to knock around mainly 10- to 15-yard passes. It would prove wise.

By the half-hour mark, that division of styles was becoming clearer. The pass-and-move Germans rarely tried to take on their man, whereas the Dutch forwards frequently tried to dribble – and usually failed.

As if to prove the century-old idea that crisp passing will overcome direct dribbling, Germany's two first-half goals both came through Mario Gomez after being supplied by Bastian Schweinsteiger. Intriguingly, as @TotalFootballFC (Stats Zone app creator Colm McMullan) noted using the app's Pass Combinations facility, those were the only two (first-half) occasions on which 'Schweini' found the George McFly-a-like.

As the world took a half-time breather, FourFourTwo's editor David Hall (@FourFourTwoEd, funnily enough) weighed in by noting that for all his defensive frailties, teenage Dutch left-back had a 100% pass completion rate…

…while FourFourTwo.com editor Gary Parkinson (@GaryParkinson) noted that on the other hand, the Germans were diligently attempting more than four time as many tackles.

New York Red Bulls youth coach José Figuera (@JoseCoaching) was full of praise for Mesut Ozil's attacking-third passes, all of which had been successful.

For the second half, the desperate Dutch brought on Rafael van der Vaart and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar for Mark van Bommel and Ibrahim Afellay. It worked, to an extent, as Robin van Persie got a goal back – partly because the accuracy of the Dutch passing in the attacking third improved sharply, as @TotalFootballFC noted by comparing it to the first half.

Germany held on to win, and @TotalFootballFC applauded the excellent all-round play of Mats Hummels, Philipp Lahm…

…and Schweinsteiger, the man described by FourFourTwo alumnus @HenryWinter as "Almost Roy Keane in lederhosen". And there's no following that.

Follow FourFourTwo on Twitter for commentary, news, features and more

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BotN: Postiga karaoke triumph the final straw for furious Ronaldo

Back of the Net — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:19:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on Denmark 2-3 Portugal

A late Silvestre Varela goal helped Portugal overcome Denmark in a five-goal thriller on Wednesday night, but star man Cristiano Ronaldo endured another frustrating evening after being outshone by Hélder Postiga for the umpteenth time this week.

Ronaldo missed a series of chances, skewing shot after shot high and wide, overhitting a number of final balls, and twice failing to hit the target when one on one with the Danish keeper. And to make matters worse for the Real Madrid man, he was once again put firmly in the shade by compatriot Hélder Postiga, who troubled Denmark’s defence all evening, and scored his side’s second with an ice-cool finish after ignoring Ronaldo’s screams for the ball.

It compounded a poor week for the ex-Manchester United star, which has seen Postiga’s attitude to training compared favourably to Ronaldo’s, Ronaldo’s long-held inter-squad Jenga record bested by Postiga, and a succession of supermodels walk straight past Ronaldo to compliment the former Tottenham forward on his appealingly sensible haircut during a team night out in Lviv.

“Cristiano has always resented Hélder,” a source in the Portugal camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, told FourFourTwo. “Hélder’s a natural leader, a brilliant conversationalist, and he makes a mean guacamole. Everyone looks up to him, which makes Cristiano insanely jealous.”

“But when Hélder beat Cristiano in a karaoke sing-off with his rendition of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game, that was the final straw. That’s Cristiano’s favourite song. But deep down, he knows he could never compete with Hélder’s impassioned yet sensuous rendering of the 1989 surf-rock classic.”

To make matters worse for Ronaldo, Nicklas Bendtner, his longtime rival for the title of ‘world’s best player’, scored twice for Denmark in a masterful performance, finally proving his long-questioned deadliness from one yard.

“Cristiano was fuming,” the anonymous source added. “His late lunge on Daniel Agger was a desperate attempt to finally come first in something, in this case the game’s most detestable player award.”

“But tragically for him, Pepe was on the field too. And Pepe is basically football’s Pol Pot.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
GER 2-1 NED: Dutch defence, midfield, attack, kit, language the problem
POL 1-1 RUS: World's top statistician works on group permutations
GRE 1-2 CZE: Samaras's failure to score only reinforces Greek belief in Samaras
UKR 2-1 SWE: Fairytale for Shevchenko as he scores twice, kills wolf, rescues princess
FRA 1-1 ENG: Everyone and no-one happy as England and France draw

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Analysis: Flexible midfield partnership helps Germany overcome functional Netherlands

Michael Cox — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:30:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the action from Poland and Ukraine

Germany’s 2-1 win over Holland was one of the best team displays of the competition so far. In a meeting between two of the pre-tournament favourites, Germany were clearly the better side, and should have won the game by more than one goal.

The difference between the two sides was stark. Holland coach Bert van Marwijk ignored calls to scrap his system featuring two holding midfielders, persisting with the duo of Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong. This boxy, functional midfield looked utterly anarchic compared to the flexible partnership in the centre of the German midfield.

As at the World Cup, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira took it in turns to go forward and join the German attack. Holland struggled to deal with this unpredictability, and while de Jong followed Mesut Ozil across the pitch, van Bommel didn’t know whether to pick up Schweinsteiger or Khedira. For Germany’s two goals, he was tracking Khedira – so Schweinsteiger moved forward unchecked, and provided the assists for Mario Gomez.

The understanding between Germany’s central midfielders is terrific – neither are given a permanent defensive job. Looking at the patterns of their positioning and passes from last night’s game, it appears as if they’re playing in exactly the same zone. For example, they both receive the ball in positions across the width of the field, with neither showing an obvious bias towards the left or the right:

And there’s a similar pattern when it comes to their passes played – minimal difference, with Schweinsteiger tending to play slightly longer balls, and more incisive ones.

Therefore, when Germany are dominating possession and these two players are rotating, their ‘average position’ is the same. In the first half, when Germany were on top, their names overlap on StatsZone’s player influence screen. After half-time, when Holland made attacking changes and offered more of a goal threat, forcing Germany to sit deeper and stay in solid positions, there’s more of a structure to the German midfield, with Schweinsteiger to the left, and Khedira to the right.

But, interestingly, neither player actually did much defensive work. Schweinsteiger succeeded with only one of his four attempted tackles, made just one interception and committed one foul. Khedira, on the other hand, won two tackles and made one interception. They contributed only 7% of Germany’s successful tackles, and 12% of their interceptions – which isn’t a particularly impressive statistic for a central midfield pairing.

This backs up the feeling that neither of these players are true defensive midfielders – they’re more all-rounders, with Schweinsteiger offering more technical quality, and Khedira more mobility. In the defensive phase of play, they maintain good positions, pressure opponents at the right moments, but rely upon the back four to actually win the ball.

Of course, it also indicates that Holland didn’t offer much creativity from the centre of midfield, and therefore didn’t need to be dispossessed in that zone. Rafael van der Vaart replaced van Bommel and improved Holland slightly, but they still attacked predominantly down the flanks.

The two players combined through passing 17 times – usually with simple square balls across the centre circle, although Schweinsteiger slipped in Khedira a couple of times with more forward-thinking passes.

But the major threat was more subtle than that – one of them distracting van Bommel, the other enjoying the freedom of the space their partner had created. It was a lesson in cohesion and understanding, and if they continue playing like, future opponents will find it difficult to cope in midfield.

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Defiant Del Bosque prepares for aerial battle against Irish

Tim Stannard — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:06:00 GMT

Spain’s dominance of world football over the past four years isn’t simply down to having fairly decent players and not allowing anyone to play with their ball.

There’s also a huge amount of insecurity from fans and the media, which helps keep the team on their tiqui-taca tippy-toes and ensures that every opponent is treated like a potential vegetarian restaurant – the metaphorical equivalent of a minefield for the ham-happy Spanish.

From LLL’s humble perspective, Spain have already picked up a handy point against an Italian side who traditionally come away with a victory in that particular fixture, and can feel confident about winning their two remaining matches. The game-plan of keeping things tight for 70 minutes before letting a striker loose on the opposition would have come together nicely, Hannibal-style, were it not for the whole Fernando Torres not being able to score issue.

Indeed, the normally placid Vicente Del Bosque gave a moustache twitch of irritation this week in response to the criticism his line-up has received from many quarters - including Luis Aragonés and José Mourinho - and cancelled media interviews on Tuesday. The Spain coach was obliged to speak a day later to announce that Spain’s morale was intact and that “everyone can have their opinion, the difference is that I’m the one who makes the decisions.”

Marca have continued their cheerleading though, and have warned that “it is forbidden to doubt the Champions,” on the front cover of Thursday’s paper, despite articles this week suggesting that the no-striker policy was a long, uphill jog up a blind, dog-dirt laden alley.

Nonsense gossip and stories about Neymar and two of the areas in which the mainstream football papers in Spain excel. The other is analysis of the opposition, despite all the fluff and nonsense elsewhere, which is why there has been much fretting about whether Jonathan Walters will be playing for Ireland in Thursday night’s match. However, there’s not too much discussion on whether that will alter the opposition’s strategy. “Their virtues are reduced to a powerful aerial game,” note Marca.

AS have gone on a similar tangent, not that the paper is suggesting that opposition managed by a member of the dreaded Italian species is to be taken lightly.

“The Irish are coarse, booting balls 50 metres up the pitch looking for a miracle. For them tiqui-taca must be a crag located off Easter Island,” froths the wonderful Tomás Roncero. “But experience tells me to take them seriously. They are honest representatives of another kind of football.”

Xabi Alonso certainly feels the same way. “Irish teams are always proud,” said the midfielder, who is also fond of the odd hopeful 50 metre welly up the field. “We know them well, many are playing in the Premier League and we need to be patient.”

Moans about a dry, slow pitch and whether or not a Fernando of some sort should start against Ireland will no doubt dominate the build-up to the game for Spain, but it is a lot of fretting over nothing, as Spain really shouldn’t have any troubles against an Ireland team who are set for a long night of deep, deep, defending.

BotN: Van Marwijk identifies Dutch defence, midfield, attack, kit, language as problem

Back of the Net — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:04:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on Holland 1-2 Germany

Holland are on the brink of elimination from Euro 2012 after a devastating defeat by bitter rivals Germany and coach Bert van Marwijk has admitted disappointment at the performances of his defence, midfield, attack, substitutes, kit manufacturer and fans.

The Dutch came into the competition amongst the favourites, with their brutal, bloodthirsty progress to the final of the 2010 World Cup still fresh in the mind. However, after squandering 450 clear chances in a 1-0 defeat to Denmark, the men in orange knew they had to triumph over their old enemy to maintain a realistic chance of progressing.

Games between Germany and Holland are renowned for their ferocity and several players on both sides, quite rightly, took the field in full body armour. UN peacekeepers stood by on the sidelines prepped to intervene should things turn nasty.

After a nervy opening, Germany started to dictate the pace and asked questions of the Dutch defence, including "Why is there a huge gap between the two centre-backs?" and "What’s your capital city then: Amsterdam or The Hague?”, to which the Dutch had no satisfactory answers.

"Where am I? And who's he?"

There was also a lack of cohesion within the Holland team. Jonis Mathijsen had to be formally introduced to Wesley Sneijder in the 65th minute, while Arjen Robben repeatedly appealed to Jetro Willems for free-kicks, believing him to be the referee.

Germany took full advantage and a Mario Gomez double took the game away from Van Marwijk’s men. Even a superb Robin van Persie goal couldn’t rescue a point, leaving the Dutch boss to rue everything.

“I have a great many regrets,” Van Marwijk told press. “My main disappointments were the defence, midfield, attack, the way our kit has these weird patches on it and the odd guttural chants our fans sang in a language that makes German seem elegant.

“Maarten Stekelenburg is OK, though.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
POL 1-1 RUS: World's top statistician works on group permutations
GRE 1-2 CZE: Samaras's failure to score only reinforces Greek belief in Samaras
UKR 2-1 SWE: Fairytale for Shevchenko as he scores twice, kills wolf, rescues princess
FRA 1-1 ENG: Everyone and no-one happy as England and France draw
IRL 1-3 CRO: Ireland defeated as every chance somehow falls to Keith Andrews
SPA 1-1 ITA: Torres performance vindicates Spain decision to play with no strikers

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT
...and FourFourTwo's updates at http://twitter.com/FourFourTwo

Analysis: Lessons from Denmark 2-3 Portugal

FourFourTwo Team — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:26:00 GMT

Some things we noticed during Denmark v Portugal last night:

On 37 minutes we showed that Portugal had scored with their only two shots on target. (As it happens, that stayed true until half-time.)

Perhaps counter-intuitively, Denmark completed twice as many first-half passes as Portugal. As you can see from the red arrows (incomplete passes), Portugal's gameplan seemed to be feeding their wingers Ronaldo and Nani – but they had little joy with their attempted long passes to set the pair in behind the Dasnish full-backs.

As @TotalFootballFC (Stats Zone app creator Colm McMullan) noted, Portugal were struggling to feed Ronaldo, who only received nine (completed) passes and not uncoincidentally had little effect at the sharp end.

As well as updating live, Stats Zone lets you choose (and compare) stats from any period during the game. After the first 15 minutes of the second half it seemed Denmark were still outpassing Portugal – and the app backed that up.

Stats Zone is excellent for solving arguments – like when we were asked how well Ronaldo's passing was holding up compared to other players. Although you can't share it as a screen, under the heading 'Top Players' Stats Zone lists in merit order for various categories: shots, passes, attacking-third passes, chances created, take-ons (dribbles), tackles, interceptions, blocks, clearances, aerial duels, and fouls committed and suffered. At the time, 20 players had completed more passes than C-Ron. By the end, 10 Danes and six team-mates had outpassed the Madrid man. Sorry, Ronnie.

Indeed, his woes are summed up by a quick comparison with Nicklas Bendtner, who scored two to continue his remarkable run against the Portuguese.

After Bendtner's 80th-minute equaliser, Paulo Bento took a calculated but necessary risk by replacing Raul Meireles with Silvestre Varela. The game plan remained the same – hit early balls into the area behind the full-backs, as shown by the passes Varela received. Brilliantly for Bento, Varela also bagged the winner for a slightly lucky but certainly interesting Portugal side.

Follow FourFourTwo on Twitter for commentary, news, features and much more

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Holland face Germany and history with echoes of Euro 80

Mohamed Moallim — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:45:00 GMT

Having qualified in style for the Euros, World Cup runners-up Holland face the Germans in the second group game with everything on the line. 2012? No, 1980, as a worried Mohamed Moallim explains…

The biggest grudge match in Europe takes centre stage once more. When the Netherlands face Germany in Kharkiv on Wednesday evening it will be the first competitive meeting since 2004. The potential outcome is striking: Germany once again have the chance to eliminate the Dutch from a major tournament.

The events of 1974's World Cup Final and 1990's spittle-flecked Round of 16 meeting are well documented. But what gets forgotten is an equally exciting German side effectively dispatching their neighbours in Euro 80.

The sides were in contrasting health when they locked horns for a crucial group game in Naples. Brimming with exuberance, West Germany were blooding another golden generation including Bernd Schuster, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Klaus Allofs and a 19-year-old Lothar Matthäus, who made his debut against the Dutch to win the first of his 150 caps.

On the other hand, Holland relied on some of the players that had agonisingly lost the World Cup final two years earlier in extra time. Sound familiar?

With the group winners going straight through to the final, the 3-2 West German win all but ended any hope of Oranje progression. After two World Cup finals and a third place at Euro 76, that failure would ultimately spell the end of Jan Zwartkruis, a manager who was popular with the players, yet maligned by the press and public. Again, there are strong echoes with the present.

Schuster ran the game as the Dutch were downed

Zwartkruis and Bert van Marwijk are two peas in a pod. Ardent disciplinarians, they turned sides in danger of stagnating into solid, results-first outfits. Zwartkruis, formerly of the army, took over from George Knobel after Euro 76, when the Dutch were in danger of eating themselves.

Swiftly introducing discipline to the point of training the players like an army general, he soon met with player complaints and took a step back. Van Marwijk hasn’t gone that far – maybe he should have – but has certainly addressed splits within the camp, saying he doesn’t expect his players to be buddies but professional enough to work together for the same cause.

EURO 80: THE WHEELS COME OFF FOR ORANJE
Despite leading Oranje to successful qualification for Argentina 78, before the finals Zwartkruis was ignominiously demoted to assistant under Ernst Happel – although a mid-tournament mutiny meant that from the second round Zwartkruis was effectively coaching Oranje with Happel a puppet manager. But for all his man-management prowess, he was no miracle worker, and by the summer of 1980 he had squeezed out every pip.

Oranje qualified for Euro 80 in dramatic fashion; after winning five of their first six games then being held at home by group leaders Poland, they travelled to Leipzig for their final game and came back from two goals down to win. Heading to Italy for the Euros, the double World Cup finalists' confidence was understandably high, but they would only play three group games before returning home embarrassed.

In their opening game they were fortunate to beat tournament underdogs Greece 1-0 with a penalty, but luck deserted them against Germany in the baking heat of Naples: despite a rearguard fight, they were downed by Klaus Allofs’ hat-trick.

14 Jun 1980: The old rivals walk out at Napoli's largely empty stadium

The ugliness of the rivalry and ill-discipline of the Dutch – to Zwartkruis's horror – spilled out: Johnny Rep hit Harald Schumacher, who then fought with Huub Stevens, and René van de Kerkhof punched Bernd Schuster. “To them, beating us is the best thing there is,” Karl-Heinz Förster said. “They hate us so much more than we hate them.”

Three days later, Oranje drew their final group game against Czechoslovakia, who finished as group runners-up to reach the third/fourth-placed play-off; the result also guaranteed the Germans top slot and thus their third consecutive Euros final. The contrast with the Dutch couldn't be greater.

It was a disaster. Years before the coining of the term WAGs, Zwartkruis blamed the players' partners for distracting the squad, but in truth his side was a shadow of its former self – mentally as well as physically – before and during the tournament. The friendlies prior didn’t show a team on a serious mission, but glimpses of a disjointed unit. Once again, there are echoes with the present, after Oranje's disorganised defeat at home to Bulgaria recently.

NEWS, 26 May 2012: Bulgaria inflict home defeat on sloppy Dutch

The fallout from summer 1980 ended a golden generation. Zwartkruis was soon out of a job. Ruud Krol would retire, return and retire again, a farce which only confirmed how far and fast the nation had fallen. Having been absent from 10 straight final stages since the 1930s, the Dutch returned to the doldrums by failing to qualify for Spain 82, France 84 or Mexico 86.

EURO 2012: ORANJE FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Fear mounts with pressure, and after Euro 2012's shock opening defeat against Denmark, the Dutch need to try harder against Germany or risk first-week elimination: as Joachim Löw notes, it's “all or nothing for Oranje”. With the Germans superior and Holland desperate, there’s every chance the cynicism adopted against Spain could return. Throw in the rivalry and things could get ugly.

As the match draws near, the wise old heads are having their say. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a participant in 1980, sees reflections of the past in the present. “The current German team reminds me of Oranje,” he said but warned. “The Dutch played beautiful football but at the end of the tournament died in beauty.” Johan Cruyff calls Germany the only “dangerous” team at the Euros.

Van Marwijk's refusal to renovate could eventually be his downfall: perhaps he’s taken this generation of players as far as he can. True, the Dutch created (and wasted) chances against Denmark, but that only masked serious internal concerns.

NEWS, 9 Jun 2012: Profligate Dutch punished by Denmark

The German press, especially Bild, indulged in good old-fashioned schadenfreude. This is the essence of rivalry: one side’s failure is celebrated by the other. It has always been the case and will continue.

Van Marwijk was given a four-year extension last December, but his approval rating continues to plummet. Calls for his removal will intensify if Holland crash out at the first hurdle – unimaginable a month ago, with players talking of glory, but exactly the same happened in 1980: pride hurt, with Oranje facing an uncertain future, it becomes even more unbearable with Germany standing tall. Again.

BotN: World’s top statistician begins work on permutations as Poland hold Russia

Back of the Net — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:42:00 GMT

The Back of the Net gang cast an eye over Poland's entertaining 1-1 draw with Russia

A magnificent strike from Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowski earned Poland a crucial point against Russia, creating a wave of euphoria across the co-host nation and bafflement among the statistical fraternity charged with working out all the possible outcomes of Group A.

Group A, widely known as the ‘Group of Dearth’, was always likely to be one of the tightest at Euro 2012 after Poland took full advantage of their right as hosts to choose their opponents.

And while the Poles initially seemed to have bitten off more than they could chew by picking Russia, a rocket from consonant-rich captain Blaszczykowski earned them a point in a lively encounter in Warsaw, leaving the group so evenly poised that one of the world’s top mathematicians has been called in to wrestle with the permutations.

On hearing about the situation developing in Group A, NASA statistician Astrid Heard immediately broke off from delivering incontrovertible evidence of the existence of life on extrasolar planet 16 Cygni Bb to help ITV establish all the possible outcomes of Saturday’s group deciders.

Heard is still in the early stages of his investigation, which he has described as ‘the biggest challenge of my career’ but it is believed that he has already found over 2,000 possible scenarios, none of which involve Greece qualifying for the next round.

“So far I’ve created a logarithm that allows us to see that the Czech Republic must beat Poland to qualify, but a draw will be enough if Russia win or draw against Greece,” Heard told FourFourTwo.com.

“From there we can extrapolate that Russia can qualify even if they lose as long as Poland draw with the Czechs. Greece can progress if they beat Russia, but the probability of that is so slim that even I, a mathematician of probability, have disregarded it.

“The one thing that does keep coming up in my research is that this situation can be avoided if you put at least one decent team in each group.”

ITV are said to have agreed a substantial fee with Heard in order to prevent a repeat of the 2010 World Cup when commentator Peter Drury spent the entire 90 minutes of England’s final group game against Slovenia running through a series of potential permutations, neglecting to commentate on any of the live action. To date, Andy Townsend is still unable to explain why England met Germany in the last 16.

More match reports from Back of the Net:
Samaras' failure to score only reinforces Greek belief in Samaras
Everyone and no-one happy as England and France draw
Fairytale for Shevchenko as he scores twice, kills wolf, rescues princess
Torres performance vindicates Spain decision to play with no strikers
Ireland defeated as every chance somehow falls to Keith Andrews

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT

BotN: Samaras' failure to score only reinforces Greek belief in Samaras

Back of the Net — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team explain some of the curious tactics witnessed during Greece's 2-1 defeat to the Czech Republic

Despite a defeat that leaves them on the brink of elimination from Euro 2012, Greece’s players and coaching staff have restated their unwavering belief that Georgios Samaras is capable of scoring at all times from all positions and that the defeat is part of his greater plan.

After an entertaining opening game against Poland, there had been suggestions that Greece were slowly moving away from their traditionally fundamental Samarasian outlook, but those claims soon looked rash as they quickly moved into the 10-0-Samaras formation that has become synonymous with Greek football.

Much to the Greeks’ astonishment, their profligate Deity was unable to protect them, as the Czech Republic netted twice in six minutes, taking advantage of a gap in the Greek defence caused by Vasilis Torosidis being dragged out of position to anoint the sores on Samaras’ feet, then pouncing as Giannis Maniatis was preoccupied penning an emotive psalm.

While other sides may have relented and resorted to playing passes between defence and midfield, trying to engage their wingers or delivering crosses into the box, Greece remained true to their beliefs and continued to offer up an endless flow of hoofed balls towards a largely immobile Samaras, who appeared angry when these attempts required him to move fractionally to his left or right.

And although many will feel Samaras failed to make the most of the 6500 balls thudded artlessly in his general direction, the Greeks insist that the Celtic man’s apparent lack of any influence on the game is in fact the greatest proof of his influence.

“I’m not disappointed,” Greek coach Fernando Santos insisted. “How can I be? It is the will of Samaras.

“Like any coach I would have liked us to win, or draw, or score a proper goal, but there is a higher power at work.”

Greece did claw their way back into the game in the second half when Petr Cech dropped a routine cross at the feet of Fanis Gekas to make it 2-1: a goal they celebrated by butchering left back Jose Holebas and placing his bloody carcass at the feet of Samaras.

“It was the work of Samaras,” captain Giorgios Karagounis explained. “People will say that he was nowhere near the ball on the one occasion we did score. but we understand that it is faith in something we cannot see that makes it true faith.

“If Samaras were to have shots on goal or win headers or hold the ball up for teammates then it wouldn’t require us to have this faith in him. The fewer goals Samaras scores, the more certain I am that we would be wrong to try and engineer a basic passing move without him.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
Everyone and no-one happy as England and France draw
Fairytale for Shevchenko as he scores twice, kills wolf, rescues princess
Torres performance vindicates Spain decision to play with no strikers
Ireland defeated as every chance somehow falls to Keith Andrews
Portugal lull Germany into a real sense of security

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT

Analysis: What England can learn from Ukraine vs Sweden

Alex Keble — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:11:00 GMT

After a slow start, Ukraine's victory over Sweden was one of the most exciting games of the tournament so far. But what can England learn about the tactics of these two teams, ahead of the games on Friday and Tuesday? Well, frankly, quite a lot.

Both sides clearly laid down their tactical models for the tournament, and with the help of FourFourTwo's free Euro 2012 Stats Zone app, we can learn a lot about the threats Roy Hodgson's England team need to be wary of.

UKRAINE

Passing style
One particularly good aspect of Ukraine's play, which appeared to take pundits by surprise, was the accuracy and fluidity of their passing, dictating play with neat interchanges of short passes. A high 80% pass success rate only tells half the story: a large portion of the misplaced passes were longer, more ambitious ones.

Their willingness to play a short passing game was centred largely around the excellent Tymoshchuk, who dictated the tempo from central midfield. He showed more dominance in this area than any England player was able to show against France, as shown by the contrast in the 'player influence' screen grabs below.

Conclusion: England must be wary of this threat. If they are unable to take control of the game in the centre of the park, Tymoshcuk – and Ukraine – will.

Width
Ukraine's most obvious tactic was their reliance on width, namely the highly-rated 22-year-old wingers Yevhen Konolyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko. The technical assurance of both players was competent, and at times excellent; both ended gained an assist.

Ukraine's short passing game, controlled by Tymoshcuk, relies on using the width of the pitch when approaching the opposition area, as highlighted by the diagram below. This tactic was particularly prominent on the counter-attack – something far more likely to be utilised against stronger opposition, which England would hope to be.

As Ukraine employ inverted wingers, this tactic will not necessarily expose England's full backs: the infrequency of crosses delivered from the byline is testament to this. The real concern with the Ukrainian wingers is their ability to switch the play with incisive cross-field passes, changing the focal point of their attacks with speed.

For Sweden, this was a significant problem: they spent the entire match shifting their defensive lines of four across the pitch to offer as much support to the wing as possible, presumably in an awareness of the threat from either Konolyanka or Yarmolenko cutting inside. Consequently, Ukraine's quick shifts in momentum exposed large empty spaces on the flanks; Sweden could not move their defence back across quickly enough. The diagrams below show how many times the ball was moved quickly from one flank to the other: the red arrows are usually failed verticals rather than lateral switches.

Conclusion: England must be wary of making the same mistake as Sweden. They must be disciplined and keep their defensive positioning under control, denying Ukraine the opportunity to pull them around. Hodgson's defensive structure should already be drilled in a way that will prevent the undisciplined eagerness of the Swedes.

Ukraine's exploitation of defensive line
The defensive line held by Sweden was perplexing, to say the least. For the first 20 minutes they held a deep line, forcing Ukraine to play in front of them. Their slick passing, and attempts to utilise both wings, were largely futile in the opening stages. Sweden stood off, allowing Ukraine to dominate the possession stats whilst remaining compact and deep.

With Ukraine forced to pass the ball around in front of two organised banks of four, they simply couldn't find any space to exploit. This was exactly the same defensive tactic England employed against France, as indicated in the diagrams below.

Notice how in both diagrams the attacking team makes very few forward passes into the box: they were stifled when it came to the final third. For the first 20 minutes against Ukraine and the full 90 against France, these defences let nothing pass through them by holding a deep, rigid line.

England were particularly good at holding the line, as shown by France's reliance on long range shots and their offside count: nothing got through the defence. Against Ukraine, England should have no problems with this style of defending.

The bizarre thing is, after the first 20 minutes Sweden suddenly pushed their defence up, which allowed Ukraine to play the ball in behind them, via clever runs on the shoulder of the last defender by Shevchenko, receiving delivery from Voronin, who dropped off the defensive line to find space. Note the number of long balls Shevchenko received in dangerous positions.

Conclusion: England must be wary of making Sweden's mistake and pushing the defence up. Ukraine's tactics are nullified by a deep defensive line – a method Hodgson's England side already seem comfortable with employing. They mustn't press too high up the pitch, or they risk exposure to Shevchenko's intelligent runs.

Long balls
The final point to make on Ukraine is their poor aerial ability. Their long forward passing was completely ineffective against the strength and height of Olof Mellberg & Co. The diagrams below tell us that their direct forward passes were almost always intercepted, and that they won the minority of any aerial challenges.

Conclusion: England's defenders should have no trouble clearing up any desperate attempts at direct passing by Ukraine.

SWEDEN

Defensive line
Sweden's defensive line evolved catastrophically from a deep line to a high line. Whether this was a deliberate tactical decision or an ill-advised growth in confidence from the Swedes is up for debate, but either way, England can learn from the successes and failures of both styles of defending.

If the Swedes sit as high as they did for the majority of their opening game, England can hope for the same joy Shevchenko and Voronin found in running behind the defence. Just as Voronin dropped off into space and provided passes through the defence for Shevchenko, so too can Young find space for Welbeck to run the channels.

The diagrams below show the partial success England had in employing this against France: playing more in the No.10 role, Young received direct passes to feet in the centre of the park (in front of the defenders), while Welbeck looked to get in behind and receive passes in dangerous positions.

Against stronger opposition such as England however, Sweden are far more likely to learn from their mistakes and use the same tactic that was so efficient in the opening 20 minutes.

Conclusion: If Sweden remain cautious and organised, England will need to play on the front foot, taking the game to them and dictating the tempo a lot more effectively than they have in previous Hodgson matches. Fluidity of passing and a high defensive line will be a must for England, if they are to break past a deep-lying defensive unit.

Long passing
Unfortunately for England, a higher defensive line will be favourable to the direct, long ball approach of the Swedes. The diagrams below show the frequency with which Sweden play long diagonal passes to their left flank, utilising the strength and long passes control of Toivonen. Note that the winger successfully received every diagonal ball played to him, and that, consequently, Sweden's success rate was far higher on the left flank than the right.

Conclusion: This is the major threat that England need to be wary of, exacerbated by the potential susceptibility of England's full-backs. When taking on Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson, France were successful 50% of the time; Sweden's direct route to the full-back positions could expose any England weakness – especially if they target Toivonen on Johnson and John Terry, playing on his less favoured right-sided central defensive berth, gets pulled out of position.

Ibrahimovic
Newly redeployed by Sweden in the classic No.10 position, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the focal point of every Sweden attack: against Ukraine he created more chances than any other player, and nobody had more shots.

His strength can be frightening, often finding space just in front of the opposition defence and holding up the ball before bringing others into play. Note how infrequently he receives direct passes in dangerous positions: for Sweden, he is the creator, receiving passes with his back to goal and dictating the tempo of an attack.

Conclusion: England can overwhelm Sweden simply by nullifying his threat. Parker may need to sit tight on Ibrahimovic for the duration, preventing him from creating the space he needs. Tight marking is a must; Parker is at his best when harassing opposition attackers, and this is what he will need to do to Ibrahimovic, again and again.

------------

In short, against Sweden England have little to fear if they stifle Ibrahimovic and are willing to take the game to the opponents. Against Ukraine, however, England will need to be far more cautious. Their neat passing and intelligent forward play against Sweden took everyone by surprise. If England remain cautious during Ukrainian attacks, there is no reason why England cannot collect three points from the hosts.

BotN: Everyone and no-one happy as France and England draw

Back of the Net — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:20:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys report on England's 1-1 draw with France

France and England finished with honours even in Donetsk as the teams played out a 1-1 draw that left everyone completely satisfied, and also thoroughly unsatisfied.

Aware that a defeat could prove incredibly costly in what promises to be a tight group, both Laurent Blanc and Roy Hodgson began cautiously, leaving little that could be seized on by the other side’s players, or their own fans.

“The game left me absolutely delighted,” said Hodgson afterwards, echoing a widely-held view that was shared by precisely nobody. “We had to stop France from playing by making the 90 minutes as disappointing as possible. I think we achieved that spectacularly.”

Speaking to FourFourTwo, Laurent Blanc expressed similar sentiments. “We would have taken that beforehand,” he said. “That game was exactly what I wanted, though I wish I hadn’t had to watch it.”

Joleon Lescott gave England the lead after 30 minutes by throwing his face in the way of a Steven Gerrard cross, but Samir Nasri equalised just nine minutes later after being given time and space to control the ball, turn, pick his spot, and tw*t it as hard as possible.

There was little further action, and although neither English nor French fans will be satisfied with the encounter, each set of supporters will grudgingly accept that it was perfectly satisfactory.

“We were second favourites coming into the game, but we gave the other side very little to cheer about, which our fans will certainly celebrate,” the official England and France Supporters’ Associations said in a joint statement this morning.

“After all, this vaguely mediocre yet hopeful start is already a huge improvement on that nightmarish debacle two years ago in South Africa.”

More match reports from Back of the Net:
Fairytale for Shevchenko as he scores twice, kills wolf, rescues princess
Torres performance vindicates Spain decision to play with no strikers
Ireland defeated as every chance somehow falls to Keith Andrews
Portugal lull Germany into a real sense of security
'We're ranked ninth in the world,' squeak plucky Danes

During the Euros, Back of the Net will tweet live during the match.
Follow the commentary at http://twitter.com/backofthenetFFT

Analysis: Roy should call on ‘horses for courses’ Carroll to capitalise on Sweden frailties

Gregg Davies — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

England’s display in their Group D opener against the French was symptomatic of what fans have already come to expect from the Three Lions under Roy Hodgson.

Tactically disciplined and typically spirited, Monday’s performance ‘built a solid foundation’ in England’s bid to qualify from their group and reach the quarter-finals.

Scott Parker provided the reality check after the Donbass Arena draw, saying: “I don't know if you can win tournaments playing like that.” And with the ‘hardest game’ now out of the way, the onus will be on England to attack a tad more against a Sweden side now desperate for points after being upset by co-hosts Ukraine.

Tireless front duo Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young were at the heart of England’s brightest moments in the opening 30 minutes, culminating in Joleon Lescott’s goal.

However, Hodgson may just be tempted to adopt a different approach at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium on Friday evening, given their opponents' susceptibility in a certain area.

Sweden appeared well set to kick off their Euro 2012 campaign with three points after Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s opener, but contrived to throw them away after a quick-fire couple from home hero Andriy Shevchenko – both headers.

Sheva’s aerial double means Erik Hamren’s side have now conceded five consecutive goals from headers, with Sweden also allowing Serbia and Iceland (twice) to net with their noggins in two warm-up matches ahead of the tournament (videos below).

Three of those goals have come from corner-kicks, with the zonal marking system currently employed evidently leaving the Scandinavians in a bit of pickle at set-pieces.

It continued against the co-hosts, with Ukraine finding a team-mate with two of their three flag-kicks, while three of the four headed clearances Sweden attempted inside their own penalty area were unsuccessful.

Andy Carroll’s inclusion in Hodgson’s final 23-man squad may have come as a surprise after a disappointing season with Liverpool, but the big man got the nod, thanks largely to two domineering displays against England colleague John Terry in May.

In Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield – four days after his impressive cameo in the FA Cup Final – Carroll won all seven of his aerial duels, as well as teeing up Daniel Agger to score the Reds’ third.

Sweden’s defence could therefore do without his presence in Kiev, and given the right delivery from Messrs Young, Milner and (and maybe even Downing), Carroll’s contribution could prove key if England are to alleviate some pressure ahead of the Ukraine clash.

Videos

Serbia’s goal v Sweden

Iceland’s goals v Sweden

DOWNLOAD STATS ZONE (users outside the UK download here)

BotN: Fairytale for Shevchenko as he scores twice, kills wolf, rescues princess

Back of the Net — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:30:00 GMT

The Back of the Net gang provide an alternative take on Ukraine's Sheva-inspired comeback against Sweden

Matchwinner Andriy Shevchenko has described Ukraine’s win over Sweden as “a fairytale,” after he scored two goals to complete a stunning comeback in his nation’s Euro 2012 opener, and defeated an evil wizard to win the love of a beautiful princess.

The match had threatened to be a nightmare for Shevchenko and his compatriots, after a 52nd-minute goal by malevolent sorcerer Zlatan Ibrahimović put the Swedes in a commanding position.

Ibrahimović was booed throughout by the home crowd, who reacted badly after he imprisoned their beloved princess in a 1,000-foot tower early in the first half. And for a while it looked like he would have the last laugh, after he tricked Ukraine defender Yevhen Selin into drinking a sleeping potion, before taking advantage of his absence to open the scoring from six yards.

Things looked even bleaker for Ukraine after Swedish manager Erik Hamren decided to go for the throat, unleashing a ravenous wolf, which threatened to blow down Andriy Pyatov’s goal and eat his grandmother.

But Shevchenko rode to the rescue, slaying the wolf with a single blow, before sneaking past ferocious giant Olof Mellberg to score a deserved equaliser.

Then, following a cross by trusty sidekick Yevhen Konoplyanka, the intrepid Shevchenko confounded Ibrahimović to power home the winner, sending the crowd into raptures and as the evil genius crumbled into a pile of dust.

After the game, Shevchenko was presented with the match ball and the hand of the beautiful princess, whom the dastardly Ibrahimović had planned to marry for himself.

“The important thing was to get the three points, but rescuing the princess is obviously great on a personal level,” Shevchenko told FourFourTwo.com. “It’s been a difficult few years for me, ever since I signed for Chelsea and an evil witch cursed me and took away my powers.”

If they want to progress to the knockout stages, Ukraine still have get past France, England, and a dark enchanted forest. But the former AC Milan hero insists that he has destiny on his side.

“We’re definitely the underdogs, but we’ve shown that we can answer any riddles asked of us,” he said. “With hard work, a bit of luck, and maybe a magical sword, I’m convinced that this team can live happily ever after.”

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Analysis: Italy's back three plus Spain's false nine equal a tactical spectacle

Michael Cox — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:20:00 GMT

ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's Euro 2012 StatsZone app to analyse the action from Poland and Ukraine

From a tactical point of view, the standout match of the opening round of Euro 2012 fixtures was Italy’s 1-1 draw with Spain.

Of the 16 coaches at the competition, Italy’s Cesare Prandelli was the only one to choose a three-man defence, while Spain’s Vicente del Bosque played without a recognised striker – also unique in the tournament so far.

But Italy had spent most of the last fortnight practicing the formation in training and the 3-5-2 system was largely expected. In stark contrast, Spain’s formation was a big surprise. They had tried to play without a striker before – against Scotland, and also briefly in the 1-0 defeat at Wembley last year, where David Silva moved upfront and David Villa played as a left winger – but as Cesc Fabregas admitted after the match, “We’d never trained in that system.” Del Bosque may have surprised Italy, but he also surprised his own players.

Spain encountered predictable problems – the same issues they’d faced in the 1-0 defeat to Switzerland in their opening game of World Cup 2010. Then, they fielded Villa as a lone striker, but with Andres Iniesta and David Silva both moving inside and crowding the middle, the Swiss shut out Spain easily, by defending very narrow.

That pattern was repeated on Sunday – simply with the addition of another central playmaker, Cesc Fabregas, adding to the congestion in that zone. He was playing the ‘false nine’ position – the man highest up the pitch, but dropping into midfield - but with he, Iniesta and Silva moving into a similar position, Spain concentrated their passing in a very small area of the pitch. Italy were relatively comfortable.

As with so many of their games in South Africa, Spain looked significantly more threatening when they introduced players who offered width and depth: Jesus Navas and Fernando Torres. As the ‘player influence’ screen demonstrates, Spain’s shape in the final 20 minutes was completely different to their narrow first half formation – it stretched the Italian backline and created gaps for the creative midfielders to pass through.

Navas and Torres were of great benefit to Spain, purely as they provided variety and made Spain’s attacks unpredictable. The passes Torres received were extremely straight, and often balls played in behind the defence – it took three-quarters of the game for Spain to test Italy’s offside trap, and they manufactured two clear-cut chances by playing through-balls between the three defenders. Torres may have wasted two promising chances, and his passing was also wayward, but he was certainly a threat.

Navas’ crossing was typically inconsistent. However, with right-back Alvaro Arbeloa playing a defensive-minded role and scared to move forward for fear of giving Italy’s strikers space in the channels, Navas started to draw Italy’s back three out of position. He always received the ball wide on the flank, and although only one of his crosses found its intended target, Spain were attacking from a different angle. Torres has never thrived on crosses – the use of a tall striker like Fernando Llorente might reap rewards, in tandem with width, in Spain’s remaining games.

Of course, the ‘false nine’ system did work well once – for the goal, when Silva (at that point, the false nine) slipped in Fabregas running from deep, for Spain’s equaliser. A system featuring a false nine can bring success, but you need runners from deeper positions to make it work. If Del Bosque wants to continue with this system, Fabregas should be the player breaking forward into space, rather than starting high up and moving towards the ball.

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Analysis: Lessons from France v England

James Maw — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:30:00 GMT

With all the talk ahead of England's Euro 2012 Group D opener against France being of how vastly inferior Roy Hodgson's squad was to that of Laurent Blanc's France, the nature of the match that unfolded should have come as no surprise.

England were generally happy to sit men behind the ball and let France have possession 30 yards from their goal. Although it may not have made for a great spectacle, it seemed to do the trick, and England nabbed a point which should stand them in good stead as far as qualifying for the knock out stages is concerned.

DIFFERING PASSING STYLES

While much of France's possession in the early stages of the game was inside their own half, they spent the final stages of both the first and second halves camped just outside England's penalty area, passing and probing, hoping to find an opening.

Although a similar proportion of England's passes came in the final third (roughly one in four in both cases), they were never able to keep the ball long enough to build sustained pressure and drag French players out of position to work an opening for Danny Welbeck or Ashley Young to exploit.

SHOOTING FROM DISTANCE

Unsurprisingly, given their domination of the football, France had far more shots on goal – 21 to England's five.

But of France's shots, 15 came from outside the penalty area, where England were able to keep their opponents for most of the match. Of the six shots inside the area, only three hit the target, and only Alou Diarra's 34th minute header from a Samir Nasri set-piece brought the best out of Joe Hart – the only other two attempts on target were from an acute angle and saved relatively comfortably by the England keeper.

Of course, one of France's shots from outside the box – Samir Nasri's in the 39th minute – did hit the target and subsequently the back of the net. In this instance, both of England's deeper-lying midfielders Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard were poorly positioned to deal with Nasri and Franck Ribery after an exchange of passes, and were both unable to prevent or block Nasri's strike.

They appeared to learn their lesson in the second half, as not only was Nasri unable to get another shot in, but Gerrard and Parker both blocked three shots in central positions.

PARKER THE KEY FOR ENGLAND

Parker's performance was probably the one that best mirrored that of the team – defensively resolute, if not often particularly expressive or expansive in possession, although he did complete 92% of his passes (44/48), making him England's most prolific passer on the night.

However his all-action approach – or perhaps even his recent injuries – saw him tire as the second half wore on, and the Spurs man was eventually replaced by Liverpool's Jordan Henderson in the 78th minute.

Although Henderson is generally tidy in possession, he doesn't have the same defensive tenacity as Parker, and that showed in his and England's performances in the final stages of the match. Whereas Parker had made three blocks, attempted five tackles and made four interceptions in 78 minutes, Henderson was unable to perform any.

This wasn't entirely Henderson's fault, of course – the players around him had played well over an hour in searing heat and England as a team were struggling to keep possession for longer than a few seconds. But it did signal a significant swing in the flow of the match, which saw France dominate possession in the final twelve minutes of regulation time and the two minutes of injury time.

England completed just 19 passes in those 14 minutes (1.36 passes a minute), compared to 268 in the previous 78 minutes (3.72 passes a minute). France's passing naturally became more frequent, rising from 6.41 passes a minute in the first 78, to 7.71 passes a minute in the final 14.

The below diagram shows exactly how dominant France were in terms of possession after Parker's exit.

ENGLAND TAKE THE LEAD BUT LOSE MOMENTUM

But that wasn't the first spell in which England looked a distant second best. England started the match well, created the best opportunity when James Milner rounded Hugo Lloris, then took the lead on the half-hour through Joleon Lescott – but having gone in front, England froze.

The tempo immediately dropped and England sank back to the edge of their own penalty area as France took control of the game. The below diagrams show exactly how much further the match swung in France's favour during that period.

This was the period of the match in which Franck Ribery started to have more influence. Over the 90 minutes the Bayern Munich man attempted to take on opponents 11 times – eight more than any other player – although he was largely unsuccessful in doing so in the attacking third, where he was dispossessed on six of his nine attempts.

Ribery also created six goalscoring chances, the most of any player on the pitch, and five were from short, neat backwards passes. This contrasts starkly with the approach of Steven Gerrard, England's biggest creative influence, who supplied three chances – all from set-pieces.

MILNER: A DIFFERENT TYPE OF WINGER

Although he popped up right across the pitch, Ribery did most of his attacking down the French left, where he came up against England right back Glen Johnson and the versatile James Milner. Interestingly, it was Milner who did more of the defensive dirty work in that zone, making five successful tackles from five attempts and two interceptions compared to Johnson's one tackle and two interceptions.

Nobody made more tackles than Milner, although Diarra and Gerrard also managed five. This would certainly seem to justify Roy Hodgson's decision to pick Milner ahead of a more direct attacking threat on the right wing, such as Arsenal's Theo Walcott.

AN ISOLATED ATTACK

One England player who was selected to provide that attacking verve was Manchester United's Ashley Young, but the 26-year-old struggled to make much impact. Young failed to have a single shot on goal, and created just one opening for a team-mate – although that was one of the best of the game, when he slid Milner through only for the midfielder to hit the side netting having beaten Lloris.

Young and United teammate Danny Welbeck were victims of England sitting so deep: they suffered from being isolated so far up the pitch. Many of the passes Young received were hit long, and they weren't particularly regular. He would certainly have rather had the kind of service enjoyed by France's Samir Nasri, who received nearly five times as many passes over the 90 minutes, many of which were from team-mates joining him in the final third.

England will need to bridge the gap between attack and defence if they are to pose more of an attacking threat against Sweden on Friday.

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BotN: Ireland defeated as every chance somehow falls to Keith Andrews

Back of the Net — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:45:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team give their take on Ireland's frustrating 3-1 defeat to Croatia

A commanding performance from Mario Manduzkic helped Croatia to victory on a wet night in Poznan, while Ireland were left wondering what might have been, specifically, what might have been had all their scoring chances not somehow fallen to workmanlike midfielder Keith Andrews.

Ireland had a chance to take the lead after just two minutes, as Andrews rose highest to head a Stephen Ward cross wide. Moments later, his wastefulness was punished, as Manduzkic blooped a soft header past Shay Given to give the Balkan side the lead.

The Irish had a chance to hit back immediately, but both Andrews’s free-kick and his follow-up were blocked. Giovanni Trappatoni’s side continued to exert pressure, but an Andrews flick-on, an Andrews cross-shot and an acrobatic Andrews bicycle-kick were all saved.

Eventually, on 19 minutes, Sean St Ledger headed in the equaliser, having been left all alone after the entire Croatian defence moved en masse to mark Keith Andrews. But Croatia regained the lead just before the break through Nikica Jelavic, and moments into the second half it was three, as Croatia broke quickly after clearing an Andrews chance.

Forced to chase the game, Ireland created a number of opportunities, but were unable to unleash either Kevin Doyle or Robbie Keane, as a series of headers, penalty area scrambles, and one-on-one breaks unaccountably fell to the defensive-minded Andrews.

Finally, after Andrews missed the target with a bullet header, a volley, and a close-range snapshot, Trappatoni lost patience, and the holding midfielder was hauled off.

To Ireland’s frustration, however, chances kept falling Andrews’s way, as a through-ball picked him out perfectly on the Irish bench, and a corner dropped right onto his head while he struggled to zip up his tracksuit.

With ten minutes to go, the exasperated Trappatoni sent Andrews from the stadium, but Ireland’s best chance would once more fall to the former West Brom grafter, as a long Ward pass sailed over the stand and into the car park, where Keith Andrews just failed to bring the ball under control.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

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BotN: Torres performance vindicates Spain decision to play with no strikers

Back of the Net — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Back of the Net's report on Spain's 1-1 draw with Italy

It finished one apiece in Gdansk as purists enjoyed the absorbing battle served up by the contrasting tactical approaches of Spain and Italy.

After learning that his opposite number Cesare Prandelli had picked a team of mostly defenders, Spanish manager Vicente Del Bosque chose to select a team with no strikers – a decision it seemed the walrussy maestro either hadn’t thought about, or had thought about much too hard.

By the final whistle, however, the move had been thoroughly vindicated, as second-half substitute Fernando Torres provided the blunt edge that Spain had hitherto been lacking.

Left out of the starting XI in favour of a front three of Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva, Torres spent most of the game slumping morosely on the bench. But with the scores still level in the 74th minute, Del Bosque called for the Chelsea man, who spent the rest of the game slumping morosely on the pitch instead.

“When picking the team, I had to make a straight choice between Fernando and no-one at all, and it was clear in my mind which option would cause Italy more problems,” Del Bosque told FourFourTwo.

“I have to admit, I was questioning myself after our seventeenth dinky through-ball trickled through to their goalie without anyone attacking it, but after seeing Fernando in action, I’m pretty damn sure I was right all along.”

Moments after coming on, Torres missed a one-on-one chance to score, despite a disdainful Gianluigi Buffon not bothering to use his hands to stop him. Minutes later, with the opportunity to either shoot or to play in Xavi, Torres instead galumphed the ball widdershins and the danger was cleared.

The girly-haired galoot elbowed out his frustrations on Daniele De Rossi’s face, which had clearly been bothering him, but was less accurate moments later with an ill-judged lob. His evening was rounded off by an attempted through-ball to Iniesta, that would have been perfect if only De Rossi had had no legs.

Del Bosque confirmed his intention to continue packing the midfield, at the expense of Torres, in his side’s remaining games. “No strikers is just the start,” he promised. “Who needs defenders when you’ve got 10 midfielders?”

“Hang on, we’re playing Ireland next, aren’t we? Eleven midfielders should be fine.”

Editor's note: All quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

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BotN: Portugal lull Germany into real sense of security

Back of the Net — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 09:00:00 GMT

The Back of the Net comedy collective run the rule over Germany's 1-0 win over Portugal

Germany started their Euro 2012 campaign with a clinical 1-0 win over Portugal, whose slipshod passing and lack of a cutting edge successfully lulled the Germans into a very real sense of security.

Perhaps mindful of the Netherlands’ slip-up against Denmark earlier in the evening, both sides started cautiously. Germany spent the early stages keeping possession and occasionally probing the Portuguese defence, while Portugal went out of their way to make the Germans feel confident that they’d ultimately stroll to victory without overextending themselves.

For Portugal’s important ‘rubbish striker’ role, coach Paulo Bento selected Helder Postiga, whose trademark scurrying uselessness soothed the 2008 finalists into a thoroughly understandable complacency.

“They were so wasteful in attack that our players switched off for long periods,” admitted German coach Joachim Löw. “Gomez didn’t do much until his goal, Lahm was invisible, and frankly I forgot Podolski was playing.”

“Not that it mattered. In fact, it’s probably good we got some rest in the second half.”

Portugal were not helped by a disappointing performance from Cristiano Ronaldo, who looked to be burdened down by the weight of expectations, or possibly by his metric tonne of hairgel.

“We’d prepared to face a dangerous, incisive Ronaldo, a player who can change the course of a game with a single moment of genius,” Löw continued. “But after he spent forty-five minutes with his hands on his hips looking flouncily narked, we relaxed and forgot about him.”

“Apparently that’s exactly what they wanted us to do. God knows why, though. He was dreadful.”

Ronaldo and company will have to do better in their next game, against Denmark on Tuesday. Reports suggest that Portugal will look to float like a butterfly, and sting like a carpet moth.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

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BotN: ‘We’re ranked ninth in the world’, squeak plucky Danes

Back of the Net — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The Back of the Net gang on the Netherlands' 'shock' 1-0 defeat to Denmark

Fresh from their 1-0 giant-killing win over the Netherlands, adorable minnows Denmark have piped up to tell everyone that they are the ninth-ranked team in the world and all this fuss is incredibly patronising.

“Look, we’re actually quite good,” said Denmark’s white-haired coach, 62-year old Morten Olsen. “We’ve got players at Manchester United and Roma. We topped our qualifying group ahead of Portugal. What the hell is wrong with you people?”

His side achieved probably the greatest upset in European Championships history thanks to a goal from Michael Krohn-Dehli, who looks like he has a part-time job as a tailor or something. His 24th-minute strike condemned the Dutch to a stunning defeat against a side probably ranked at least a hundred places below them by FIFA.

“We’re ranked ninth in the world by FIFA,” Krohn-Dehli told FourFourTwo.com. “I am not a tailor.”

Should they repeat the feat against Germany (ranked third) or Portugal (ranked tenth), it would probably count as the greatest thing Denmark has ever done, beating the Kalmar Union, TV show The Killing, and winning the European Championships in 1992.

“We won the European Championships in 1992, you idiots,” continued Krohn-Dehli, who bizarrely claims he used to play for Ajax. “We beat Portugal in October. We haven’t lost to Germany for sixteen years, for helvede.”

Short-sighted grandfather Olsen concluded his press conference by insisting that his team of wacky no-hopers deserved their win, asking journalists if they hadn’t got Denmark confused with the Faroe Islands, or Norway.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

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BotN: Ruthless Russians nostalgically crush Czech resistance

Back of the Net — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:00:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team on Russia's 4-1 opening night victory over the Czech Republic

In a performance that was has been praised as devastatingly efficient and historically appropriate, a merciless Russia stormed to victory against the Czech Republic, crushing their opponents’ resistance with a sustained assault that bodes ominously for all who would oppose them.

“They denied us any freedom in our own territory,” said rueful Czech manager Michal Bílek, who admitted that his side did not have enough firepower to cope with Russia’s tactical superiority.

“We didn’t realise that by defying the Russians and trying to open things up, we would only provoke them,” he said. “They laid siege to our area before eventually breaking our spirits with overwhelming force. It was pitiless.”

“The worst part, though,” Bílek continued, “Is that the rest of Europe just watched.”

Russia, meanwhile, can be satisfied at having given the Czechs a brutal lesson.

“We like to be in control,” said Russian captain Andrei Arshavin. “We knew that if we gave them time and space, they could hurt us, so it was vital we cut off their supply lines and bombarded their goal early doors.”

“If we’d shown any signs of weakness,” he added, “Poland might have got some funny ideas. And we don’t want that happening again.”

Goals from Alan Dzagoev and Roman Shirokov put the Russians in a commanding position, but Vaclav Pilar popped up deep in enemy territory to pull a goal back for the Czechs. In response, Russia took off the underperforming Alexander Kerzahakov and threw on Roman Pavlyuchenko, who created a second for Dzagoev before scoring a fourth.

“Fortunately, just when it looked like they might do something, we had some big guns we could bring on,” Arshavin said. “Just like the old days.”

Russia will look to confirm their position as the group’s dominant power against the Poles on Tuesday. They will be without Kerzhakov, however, who has paid for his wasteful performance by being arrested, and faces an extended period on the sidelines in Siberia.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

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BotN: Poland vs Greece fails to live up to expectations, thank God

Back of the Net — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The Back of the Net team give their unique take on the opening game of Euro 2012 - Poland 1-1 Greece

The opening match of the European Championships of 2012 completely failed to live up to its billing, as Poland and Greece played out a 1-1 draw that was characterised by a dearth of highly-anticipated timewasting and a complete lack of unwatchably negative anti-football.

The game was hotly tipped as one to watch by killjoys and insomniacs, mindful of Poland’s memorably average squad and Greece’s dazzling reputation in the eyes of expert masochists.

But instead, viewers were served up two goals, two red cards and a missed penalty, leaving many feeling they’d been misled by the pre-match billing.

“Anyone who expected us to play an ugly but effective style will be disappointed,” said Greece’s manager, Fernando Santos. “And that includes me.”

Santos’s sentiments were echoed by his Polish counterpart, Franciszek Smuda. “Anyone who watched Poland at Euro 2008 knows what we’re capable of, namely disjointed, uninspiring dross,” he said. “Did you see us at the last World Cup? Of course not, we weren’t there. We won three games in qualifying, and two of those were against San Marino.”

Robert Lewandowski’s 17th-minute goal came as a surprise to no-one, except those who’d previously seen Poland play, and Dimitris Salpigidis’s 51st minute equaliser was a slap in the face for everyone who thought Greece could only threaten from set-plays.

Mindful of having let their audience down, the Poles were in contrite mood after the match.

“I have to say, one performance like this is not a reflection of our true quality,” Smuda told FourFourTwo.com. “I’m confident that things will return to normal against Russia on Tuesday.”

Erratic Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo was also praised for making a potentially dire game more entertaining, and consequently looks set to be appointed to England’s clash with Ukraine.

Editor's note: this isn't a serious accusation and all quotes are fictionalised. But you knew that, because you're not stupid.

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Why Euro 2012 will rock

Nick Moore — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 06:30:00 GMT

From the mind-boggling stadiums to the tension-fuelled grudge games, here are 15 reasons why FourFourTwo can't wait for the fun to start...

Anyone can win the trophy
A victory by the Republic of Ireland, Poland or the Czech Republic may be about as likely as Nigel Reo-Coker poking Craig Bellamy on Facebook – but it would take a fool to completely rule out the chance of a minnow triumphing this summer. Miraculous 80-1 shots Greece shocked us all in 2004, and both Denmark (1992) and the Czechs (1976) have also pulled off unlikely Euro wins.

With nine different champions from 13 competitions, and only Germany, Spain and France winning it more than once, this is the most unpredictable international tournament. The longer format means a true outsider has never won a World Cup, with eight teams monopolising its 19 tournaments, while Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay boss the Copa America. But with a bit of luck and the right tactics, every nation fancies their chances of escaping the group stages here.

Slavek and Slavko
You can’t beat ludicrous mascots, and following on from South Africa’s Zakumi – a camp teenage leopard in tight-fitting green disco shorts – Poland and Ukraine have produced the goods with Slavek and Slavko, who look every inch like an Eastern Bloc version of reality TV oddballs Jedward. Our heroes grasp the mascot mantle from Trix and Flix, the equally Jedwardesque Austro-Swiss abominations of nature, who bizarrely released a single with Shaggy.

The madness is already in full swing: Slavek (the Polish one) and Slavko (the Ukrainian one) are currently starring in a cartoon in which they sleep in gigantic leaves, balls grow on trees and they pass their days playing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-style one-a-side football. Admirable nonsense.

No involvement from FIFA
The World Cup is still the greatest show on earth, but FIFA’s frankly surreal behaviour of late (potential winter events, figures of £138bn being bandied about for air-conditioned, white elephant stadia in the desert) means it’s refreshing to enjoy a tournament free from Sepp Blatter. Michel Platini may be a mini-Sepp of sorts – we wonder whether UEFA are making a mistake raising the number of teams to 24 for 2016 – but the scope for megalomaniac meddling is lessened considerably when the thing has to be held in Europe. Good.

A decent ball
The Jabulani not only had an idiotic name, but throughout the last World Cup it flew more erratically than a 747 piloted by Charlie Sheen. Thankfully, Adidas’ boffins have recognised the PR disaster, got their act together and gone back to creating what they create best: a classic Tango.

The Tango 12 arrives amid the usual bragging about it being the most tested football of all time – the company have even used a mechanical ‘robi-leg’ to develop it – but FourFourTwo can confirm the hype is true. We’ve been hoofing it around every Thursday lunchtime since January, and it’s a good-looking little belter – even when spooned 40 yards over the fence and into the car park. We’re certain Europe’s top players will concur.

Multiple grudge matches
If one good thing has emerged from thousands of years of war, slaughter, enslavement, oppression and vile dictatorship across the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, it’s the frying up of some seriously delicious football rivalries. Almost everyone in Europe has some sort of payback to carry out, and the 2012 draw has resurrected a few crackers.

Whether it’s Russia vs Poland (decades of communist rule!), Holland vs Germany (Anne Frank’s attic!) or England vs France (their President snubbing our PM at the EU summit!), it contains more grudges than a reunion party at Roy Keane’s house. Time to settle the scores with a ball and army of 11 each.

Sensible kick-off times
The reality of the 2014 Brazil World Cup for British armchair viewers will be numerous midnight and 2am kick-offs, and while we can’t stand the thought of missing a 0-0 group game between Gabon and Norway, we’ve all got to be up for work. The Euros, however, have refreshingly convenient kick-offs – Ukraine is only a couple of hours ahead – meaning you won’t miss any play and can give that ProPlus a swerve.

Topless protests
Protests in the Ukraine seem to consist primarily of topless women angrily – yet alluringly – clutching placards. At least, the ones that make it into the British media do. While there’s a serious feminist agenda to it all, we’re not sure the message will get through to millions of beery football fans arriving in the country. Oh well – carry on.

Two ‘groups of death’
Germany, Holland, Portugal and Denmark: bingo. Spain, Italy, Croatia, the Republic of Ireland: bingo bongo. England’s group isn’t shabby either.

Fantastic finals
Let’s be honest: France winning in 1998 was fun, and Zizou sticking his angry nut on Materazzi in 2006 was an unforgettable ‘wow’ moment, but there hasn’t been a genuinely enthralling World Cup final since 1986. The Euro end games have been far more interesting.

Recall the stunning quality of France vs Italy in 2000 (a reflection of the superb tournament as a whole), the Danish and Greek fairy tales of 1992 and 2004, the genius of Platini in the 1984 final, Van Basten and Gullit’s majesty in 1988, Spain breaking their trophy drought in 2008 – all of these matches have either been absorbing spectacles or had a dramatic underdog narrative. We expect – nay, demand! – more of the same this summer.

Nice team, shame about the shirts

There really are no easy games
It’s a cliché to talk about the lack of easy games at virtually every level of football – and from the Champions League to the Blue Square North, it’s nonsense – but in the case of the Euros, the point stands. Ten of the world’s top 15 sides are here, and there’s no Iraq or Togo to lower the tone.

At Euro 2008, only four games were won by three goals – two of them by Spain – and none by four or more. Browse through the fixtures for 2012 and see if you can spot a nailed-on thrashing: Spain vs Croatia? Germany vs Denmark? Tricky, isn’t it? The unpredictability only adds to the excitement.

Great window shopping
New stars are born at every European Championship, and a host of young pups will spend this summer dancing for the coins of the zillionaire oligarchs who control the world’s richest clubs. Among those looking to give themselves global profiles are Denmark’s slippery schemer Christian Eriksen, already the youngest ever scorer in Euro qualifiers after netting against Iceland; Germany midfielder Mario Gotze, hailed as the best ever German prospect by Matthias Sammer; and clinical CSKA Moscow and Russia forward Alan Dzagoev. There’s also young Greek keeper Stefanos Kapino, Yann M’Vila of France, Holland’s Kevin Strootman, Ivan Perisic of Croatia, Spain’s Thiago Alcantara and plenty more. Their time is now.

World class WAGs
Will England’s brigade of models, actresses and pop princesses paint Donetsk red this June? Will Mrs Casillas embrace her stopper boyfriend on the box again? We’ve no idea, but a major tournament will once again offer the opportunity for the cream of the continent’s womankind to secure fashion shoots and reality TV contracts.

Sylvie van der Vaart and Sarah Brandner (Bastian Schweinsteiger’s squeeze) were among World Cup 2010’s limelight-winners, but this time round we’re tipping Lara Alvarez (beau of Sergio Ramos), Danish model-singer Anine Bing (Anders Svensson) and Daniella Semaan (Cesc Fabregas) to prevail. And if Shakira wants to croon some Colombian pop to Gerard Pique from the stands, you won’t hear us complaining, although presumably Vicente del Bosque wouldn’t be too thrilled.

Seriously impressive stadia
With each passing tournament, the stadia get more impressive. This time around we can marvel at arenas that resemble a Chinese lantern (the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw), a giant 50p (Lviv Stadium), a vast wicker basket (the new Polish National Stadium in Warsaw) and a mini Soccer City (the PGE Arena in Gdansk).

Then there’s the technologic marvels of the Olympic Stadium in Kiev – which is being given a huge makeover and transparent roof – and the £262m, infrared-heated Donbass Arena in Donetsk. Yes, it’s probably a bit much, but be honest – you want to visit all of them…

It's like, wicker, man…

Goodbye vuvuzela, hello zozulica
Oh Lordy. If your World Cup 2010 experience was marred by a million wallies with plastic trumpets, then we wouldn’t retire the earplugs just yet. The zozulica is a traditional Slavic whistle, named after and shaped like a cuckoo and usually parped by a local folk musician. Inevitably, this summer’s hosts have spotted an opportunity, and cheap versions of this chirruping monstrosity will be widely available across the tournament.

Thankfully, the zozulica can’t reach the volume of the vuvuzela, which produced an ear-splitting 127 decibels, so it won’t be startling any goalkeepers in Poland and Ukraine, but it should give the competition a ‘unique’ soundscape, nonetheless.

England have a chance of winning – honestly!
A reality check: England have never made it to a European Championship final, let alone won it. But as one of the best seven sides in a 16-team tournament, and with an eminently winnable group, a decent run is far from beyond hope. The Three Lions have shown their ability in friendly wins against the likes of Spain, but tournament football – with the pressure and expectations of a nation playing on the minds of the whole squad – is a different matter, and England need to turn into a more ruthless team to have a chance of getting their hands on the Henri Delaunay trophy.

They will also need to eliminate at least two of the world’s best sides, and many of the teams who didn’t play well at the last World Cup (such as France) will be equally determined to return to the top of their games. But who knows, with a bit of luck it could just be England’s year. It’s certainly about time.

More Euro 2012 stuff
FourFourTwo's previews • Back of the Net's previews • Euro 2012 news
VIDEO Moments that rocked the Euros

Euro 2012 preview: Sweden

Jonathan Wilson — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 05:53:00 GMT

They've forsaken 4-4-2 and found a new role for talisman Ibra, reports Jonathan Wilson

New model army: Sweden have changed their form and formation

For many years since the mid-’70s, when the influence of Bobby Houghton and then Roy Hodgson started to take hold, Sweden have been more English than the English, wedded to a solid 4-4-2 that made them tough to beat but less than inspiring to watch. The appointment of Erik Hamren in 2009 changed all that, making them something of an unknown quantity.

After the 1970 World Cup, Sweden made a conscious effort to copy the German model, imposing a libero at every level of the national team. It was this orthodoxy that Houghton and Hodgson, followed by Tord Grip and Sven-Goran Eriksson, overturned. Three years ago, though, they returned to Germany for inspiration, seeing Hamren as a Joachim Low equivalent and looking to build from the under-21 side, with PSV’s Ola Toivonen seen as the Mesut Özil figure.

That hasn’t quite worked out and, while there is youthful promise from Martin Olsson and Behrang Safari, as well as Toivonen, there remains a number of experienced players in the side – the likes of Olof Mellberg, Anders Svensson and Andreas Isaksson. The key, though, remains Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The AC Milan striker is as enigmatic as ever, a captain who couldn’t be less like a captain – even if he did once invite the whole team to his house to eat a roast boar he had shot himself. Initially his form dipped under Hamren, and there were suggestions he seemed frustrated to be lining up with players of lesser quality than he was used to at his club sides.

When he was suspended for the decisive Euros qualifier against Holland, the Swedish media produced statistics that showed the national team had won every Euro qualifier they had played without Ibrahimovic in the decade since he made his debut; with him, they had won only 55%. Sweden went on to beat the Dutch 3-2 as Johan Elmander worked ferociously up front in the Ibrahimovic role.

As though to confirm they’re a one-man team who are better without that one man, Sweden then performed insipidly with Ibrahimovic back in the side at Wembley in November, as England ended their 43-year, 12-match winless run against the Swedes.

But just as the anti-Ibra bandwagon was starting to roll, Hamren moved him back to play in the centre of the creative trident in a 4-2-3-1 against Croatia in Zagreb. With Elmander the central striker, Ibrahimovic was inspired and Sweden dominated in a 3-1 win. “He is pure class,” said Croatia’s assistant coach, ex-Derby midfielder Aljosa Asanovic. “When you give him space, like we did, he is unstoppable; like someone from outer space.”

That 4-2-3-1, with attacking full-backs, has become Hamren’s default. Some say it’s too attacking, but it should make Sweden more of a draw for the neutral than they have been for several years.

Shake it all about: Ibra (behatted) is central to the new plan 

Lesson from qualifying
Get the best out of Ibrahimovic. Whatever the stats may say, Hamren will surely start with him and the manager’s priority before June 11 will be to get his mercurial forward in the right frame of mind. “I try to see the individual in a player a lot,” Hamren said recently, going against the grain of Swedish notions of equality.

“I get asked if I treat players differently and the answer is yes, I treat all players differently. I want to try to do that as much as I can to get as much as possible from the individual. Only then can he contribute his best and make the team as good as possible. That is true for Zlatan as well as every other player in my squad.”

Strengths
Although inexperienced at this level, the likes of Toivonen and Rasmus Elm are additional creative talents – as the Dutch found out in their shock 3-2 defeat during qualifying – as is Twente midfielder Emir Bajrami.

Weaknesses
Hamren may have been in charge for three years, but this still feels like a team in transition, slowly adapting his more open approach. Which is the true Sweden? The side that lost dismally at Wembley or the one that thrilled against Croatia? And as the old 4-4-2 has gone, so too has the sense of security. Many feel the two full-backs, Olsson and  Mikael Lustig, are too attacking.

Did you know…?
Boca Juniors took their colours from Sweden. When the founders of the club met, they decided to take the colours of the next ship to dock in the harbour. As a ship bearing a Swedish flag sailed in, they took the blue and yellow, creating the iconic club kit.

Expert’s view
Daniel Eriksson, FourFourTwo Sweden
“After failing to qualify for the last World Cup, the expectation for Euro 2012 is huge in Sweden. The new coach Erik Hamren has been a breath of fresh air and the team spirit seems to be better than ever. Our main concern is who will play together with Olof Mellberg in the centre of defence, with Daniel Majstorovic injured. In attack, the Swedish strikers seem to be scoring for fun at club level this year.”

Verdict
New approach not enough unless Ibra fires.

Getting the message: Ibra with coach Hamren

Key Player
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The giant striker is supremely talented, but often questioned over his ability to deliver on the very highest stage. Outspoken and supremely self-confident, the 30-year-old has a golden chance to finally silence his doubters and prove once and for all that he is a true great. His new position may help, but most important is his mindset.

The manager
Erik Hamren
The 54-year-old took over from Lars Lagerback after Sweden failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup and secured their Euros place as best runners-up. He had guided Aalborg to the summit of the Danish league and into the Champions League before winning back-to- back Norwegian league titles with Rosenborg in 2009 and 2010.

How they play
The tried and tested 4-4-2 may no longer be Sweden’s default formation, but the names haven’t changed much: the line-up is full of experienced, familiar faces in Svensson, Mellberg, Kallstrom et al. Ibrahimovic is likely to sit behind Elmander, as he did to such good effect in Zagreb. Expect the full-backs to overlap and, along with Larsson and either Toivonen or Elm, put in plenty of crosses.

Euro record
1960 DNE
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 DNQ
1988 DNQ
1992 Semi-finals
1996 DNQ
2000 First round
2004 Quarter-finals
2008 First round

Fixtures
June 11, Ukraine (Kiev, 7.45pm)
June 15, England (Kiev, 7.45pm)
June 19, France (Kiev, 7.45pm)

Odds
Sweden are 66/1 to win the Euros – and 250/1 to win it with Ibrahimovic being the tournament's top scorer.
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60.
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FOURFOURTWO'S EURO 2012 PREVIEWS
Grp A: Poland • Russia • Greece • Czech Republic
Grp B: Netherlands • Germany • Portugal • Denmark
Grp C: Spain • Italy • Croatia • Republic of Ireland
Grp D: Ukraine • England • France • Sweden

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Euro 2012 preview: France

FourFourTwo Team — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 05:52:00 GMT

Rejuvenated since the shame of South Africa, Laurent Blanc's side have momentum and a wealth of attacking riches, says Ben Lyttleton

When Laurent Blanc marked his first game in charge by dropping all 23 players who were part of France’s embarrassing 2010 World Cup campaign, it was no gimmick. Though France lost 2-1 to Norway, he handed international debuts to several players who will be part of his plans this summer, including Adil Rami, Yann M’Vila, Yohan Cabaye and Jeremy Menez.

Since losing their first qualifier at home to Belarus, Blanc’s France have gone on an 18-game unbeaten run that includes wins over England, Brazil and Germany. It’s one thing playing down expectations when the team has just gone on strike and failed at a World Cup; quite another when it beats one of the Euro favourites, Germany, 2-1 on their own patch.

But it has not been an easy process for Blanc. His first win came in the excellent 2-0 qualifying success over Bosnia & Herzegovina, when his midfield of M’Vila, Abou Diaby and Alou Diarra combined physique and technique to put down their markers for the future.

Then the wheels came off: Diarra, initially pencilled in to be Blanc’s captain, had a dramatic loss of form after moving to Marseille last summer, while Diaby has been injured for most of the season. That gave Cabaye a chance and he took it, as did Samir Nasri – a player, like fellow Clairefontaine graduate Karim Benzema, overlooked by Raymond Domenech after a row at Euro 2008.

Under Blanc, Benzema has looked the world-beater he can be for Real Madrid, and his best performances have come against the better teams: he scored in the Wembley win over England, and got the winner against Brazil.

Blanc’s long search for a captain was another concern for les Bleus: he trialled Florent Malouda, Philippe Mexes, Hugo Lloris and Eric Abidal as well as Diarra, before settling on Lloris, the quiet goalkeeper who insists he has charisma but prefers to keep it behind closed doors. It’s a strange selection: Blanc might have preferred Mexes, but the AC Milan centre-back has a habit of losing his temper on the pitch.

The tensions in the squad under Domenech have now gone: if anything, the tensest relationship now involves Blanc and his French federation bosses. Blanc was upset at his perceived lack of support last summer after he was implicated in a storm over racial quotas in French youth teams (see this month’s FourFourTwo for the full story).

Since qualification was sealed with a final qualifying draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina, has been keen to extend his contract – but new French FA head Noel Le Graet, mindful of the problems his predecessor had in locking Domenech into a two-year extension pre-Euro 2008, wants to wait until after the tournament to decide. By then it may be too late, as Blanc is on the wanted list at several top club sides. The temptations of a World Cup in Brazil could be resistible after all.

Lesson from qualifying
Don’t make any long-term plans. Blanc was extremely unlucky with injuries, not least to Diaby, a player the manager rates hugely. But while his unpopular predecessor always played two holding midfielders in his preferred 4-2-3-1 system, Blanc prefers to partner M’Vila with a passer like Cabaye in the middle of the park.

Strengths
The spine of the team is talented, solid and young, with Lloris, Rami, M’Vila and Benzema representing the future – and Benzema comes off the back of a superb season at Real Madrid. Blanc also has some decent impact subs to call on: Menez can run at players with pace while Mathieu Valbuena has a big-game mentality. Both could be useful squad additions.

Weaknesses
A lack of leaders has been a problem since before the World Cup, and Blanc’s 18-month search for a suitable captain only highlighted that. When the team was wobbling at 1-0 down in their final qualifier – and looking set for another play-off lottery – it was hard to find the individual pushing the team on.

As it was, Nasri scored the decisive penalty against Bosnia & Herzegovina and announced afterwards that he was ready to be the leader that France needed. Meanwhile, the eternal debate over Franck Ribery could emerge again: brilliant for Bayern, average for France. He has the ability, but needs to start showing it for les Bleus.

Did you know...?
One of the bones of contention between Blanc and his bosses is the backroom staff. A source close to FA boss Le Graet was quoted as saying, “we could do with one or two fewer” than the 21 members. But former coach Domenech took 25 to South Africa, including two press officers and two goalkeeping coaches. Blanc’s biggest expenditure may be the ‘consultancy contract’ handed to Fabien Barthez: the former keeper and kiss recipient gets €90K per year for his informal role.

Expert’s view
Darren Tulett, host, Al-Jazeera Sport France
“French football was in the doldrums after the World Cup, but this team could be redeemed if they get out of their group and put up a valiant fight in the knockouts. The public haven’t been seduced by the style of football, but France have come a long way in two years, and that is down to Blanc and the new faces he’s brought in who don’t carry the stain of South Africa.”

Verdict
United, talented squad. Outsiders for final?

Key player
Karim Benzema
After a poor debut season at Real Madrid, Benzema was left out of the 23-man France party who finished bottom of their group at the 2010 World Cup. But under Blanc he’s been a regular starter and the 24-year-old has repaid his manager by scoring three goals in qualifying, as well as the opener in the friendly against England. The focal point of the French attack.

The Manager
Laurent Blanc
The World Cup winner took over a team in disarray after poor showings at Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010. He lost his first two games in charge, including a home qualifier to Belarus, but has since steadied the ship, les Bleus going 18 games unbeaten. Won this trophy as a player in 2000 but faces a bigger challenge to do it again as manager.

How they play
The three players behind the lone striker provide width and pace in attack. Protected by two deeper midfielders,  the fluid attacking quartet are given free roam to cause problems for opponents. Blanc faces something of a selection dilemma, though, with Nasri, Malouda, Ribery, Menez, Valbuena and Loic Remy all vying for those three attacking midfield spots.

Euro record
1960 Semi-finals
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 Winners
1988 DNQ
1992 First round
1996 Semi-finals
2000 Winners
2004 Quarter-finals
2008 First round

Fixtures
June 11 England (Donetsk, 5pm)
June 15 Ukraine (Donetsk, 5pm)
June 19 Sweden (Kiev, 7.45pm)

Odds
France are 11/1 to win the Euros – or 5/1 to finish bottom of the group.
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60.
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Euro 2012 preview: England

James Maw — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 05:51:00 GMT

England expects? Not after preparation ravaged by managerial change, off-field arguments and half a dozen injuries, says James Maw

Missing in action: Half of England's team has been ruled out

There are always plenty of ‘ifs', ‘buts' and ‘maybes' when it comes to England at a major tournament; Euro 2012, though, will take that to a whole new level.

It says a lot about the recent upheaval surrounding the Three Lions that star man Wayne Rooney’s suspension for the first two matches of the competition is almost seen now as the least of their worries. Since that ban was confirmed by UEFA in December, England have also had to find a new captain and manager, while several key players have been forced to miss the competition thanks to various injuries and 'footballing reasons'.

The disruptions to their preparations for this summer’s tournament, combined with a poor showing at the 2010 World Cup, have left even the usually impatient English tabloid press almost willing to write off Euro 2012 as a learning experience for the younger players: only Germany go into the competition with a younger squad.

That would not be music to the ears of England’s ‘golden generation’, with the tournament set to be a last international hurrah for Ashley Cole (31 years old), Steven Gerrard (32) and the now armband-less John Terry (31), whose injured sidekick Frank Lampard (33) may have already played his last international.

Lampard's late injury was one of many to weaken the squad: fellow midfielders Gareth Barry and Jack Wilshere had already been ruled out, along with defenders Kyle Walker, Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill. Up front, with Rooney missing until the Ukraine game and Darren Bent failing to recover from an ankle ligament injury, the forward line will need a major, if temporary, overhaul.

This will likely see Ashley Young playing behind either Andy Carroll or Danny Welbeck – 23 and 21 respectively, with nine caps and two goals between them. This highlights England’s lack of a recognised international goalscorer, bar the Manchester United star: besides his 28 goals, Gerrard's 19 and Jermain Defoe's 15, the squad has only scored 18 international goals in total, six each from Terry and Ashley Young.

One problem position England have filled is in central midfield, where they've finally found a replacement for the perennially banjaxed Owen Hargreaves, albeit most likely only a short-term one, in Scott Parker. The Spurs enforcer, also 31, has been a latecomer to the international scene, having won only three senior caps before his 30th birthday. But the composure, intelligence and maturity in his performances have seen him quickly become one of the first names on the team sheet. It’s just a shame that he won't be joined in the middle by the injured Jack Wilshere. Or Frank Lampard. Or Gareth Barry. Or Michael Carrick.

In goal, Joe Hart looks likely to make the position his own for the next decade. The Manchester City stopper is a steadier presence than recent incumbents of the No.1 jersey, such as David James and Robert Green. This is Hart’s first major finals as first-choice keeper, so it will be the biggest test of his character yet, but having shown his nerve during the tense final weeks of the Premier League title race, he should be nothing if not confident.

Above all else, for England to make a splash in Poland and Ukraine they’ll need to be well drilled tactically and defensively sound. Roy Hodgson may at first have seemed something of a surprise choice as Fabio Capello's replacement, but his track record suggests he could very well be the right man for the task.

Flying solo? Hodgson sets off for the east

Lesson from qualifying
Be flexible. It may be a cracking name for a magazine, but England have benefited from finally learning that 4-4-2 isn’t the only option. With his hand possibly forced by the growing injury list, Hodgson has used his two friendly matches (both won 1-0) to switch from Fabio Capello's 4-2-3-1 to a slightly more pragmatic 4-4-1-1 system. How Hodgson and England react to going a goal behind is likely to determine exactly how they fare this summer, and that is a test Hodgson has yet to face since his appointment.

Strengths
Without calm passing players such as Jack Wilshere (injured) and Michael Carrick (frozen out – voluntarily or otherwise), England are unlikely to be able to compete with the likes of Spain when it comes to a short passing game. But what they do possess is a wealth of athletic, versatile and technically gifted forward players in Theo Walcott, Ashley Young and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Getting the ball forward quickly may be England’s best chance of creating openings, and until Rooney returns they’ll need to do that as often as possible.

Weaknesses
While in previous tournaments England have had a settled back four, there has been plenty of chopping and changing over the course of this campaign, with left-back Ashley Cole the only shoo-in. At centre-back, most of the usual suspects have struggling for fitness and/or consistency over the last 12 months, with Joleon Lescott the one player to have enjoyed a full and consistent season. The Manchester City defender could still miss out if Hodgson opts to partner Terry – who prefers to play as the left-sided centre back – with Phil Jagielka, who generally plays on the right. With little time to bed in a unit, such selection headaches at the back could prove particularly unwelcome.

Did you know…?
Workers slacking off to watch the 2010 World Cup cost the UK economy over £4.9 billion, according to estimates made by sales data firm InsideView. Just think how high that figure could get if England reach the final here...

Expert's view
Guy Mowbray, BBC commentator
“At least this time England won’t go into a major tournament carrying the weight of the nation’s expectation – because quite frankly there isn’t any. Fabio Capello’s sudden exit might have pleased many, but it’s left a gaping hole in terms of preparation that ought to rule England out of being genuine contenders. We should be pleased just to get out of the group this time, and then see what happens. On an optimistic note, it’s a younger squad largely free of the scars of previous failures, and there might be a longer-term benefit from the experience.”

Verdict
Quarter-finals would be considered success.

Huyton expectations: the two Scousers have scored 47 of this squad's 80 goals

Key player
Wayne Rooney
Yes, he will miss the first two games, but England will need their attacking talisman if they are to progress to the latter stages. Rooney is fit and firing for Manchester United, and has far more experience than any of England’s other options (Welbeck and Carroll have yet to score a competitive goal for their country). A repeat of Euro 2004, when he scored four, could make all the difference to the Three Lions’ hopes.

The manager
Roy Hodgson
It's fair to say the press pack were caught out by the FA's naming of Hodgson as the new England manager in May. Tottenham's Harry Redknapp was generally considered to be nailed-on for the gig, but perhaps his side's slump over the second half of the season worked against him. Hodgson has performed well with unfancied Premier League sides Fulham and West Brom in recent seasons – guiding the Cottagers to the Europa League final and West Brom to their highest league finish in over 30 years. His eye for tactical detail and calm demeanour will serve this group of players better than Redknapp's cockney wideboy-isms and tactical naivety.

How they play
Fabio Capello was lambasted for using a rigid 4-4-2 formation at the World Cup, but he opted for a more fluid 4-2-3-1 in several of England’s qualifying matches, with the extra man in the middle helping the team see more of the ball.

Hodgson has tweaked this into a 4-4-1-1, with Manchester United's Ashley Young supporting the main striker. This has led to friendly victories over Norway and Denmark, and although the defence has looked solid, with Parker shielding the back four, retaining possession once again started to look a challenge. Hodgson also faces choices out wide, between the diligent but hardly spectacular Stewart Downing and James Milner or the pacier but less defensive Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Euro record
1960 DNE
1964 DNQ
1968 Semi-finals
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 First round
1984 DNQ
1988 First round
1992 First round
1996 Semi-finals
2000 First round
2004 Quarter-finals
2008 DNQ

Group fixtures
June 11, France (Donetsk, 5pm)
June 15, Sweden (Kiev, 5pm)
June 18, Ukraine (Donetsk, 7.45pm)

Odds
England are 9/1 to win Euro 2012, with Wayne Rooney 40/1 to finish as tournament top scorer, despite missing the first two games.
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60.
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Euro 2012 preview: Ukraine

FourFourTwo Team — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 05:50:00 GMT

The co-hosts have been busy building stadia and rebuilding the team under a legend, says Dan Brennan

Ukraine: welcoming the world (well, Europe)

The co-hosts’ preparations for Euro 2012 have been inauspicious. After working their way through three coaches – Alexei Mikhailichenko, Myron Markevych and Yuriy Kalitvintsev – in two years, they returned to Oleg Blokhin last April.

The former Dynamo Kiev and Soviet Union forward led Ukraine to their only previous major tournament, the 2006 World Cup in Germany, then took them to the last eight. He is determined to make a similar mark on home turf. “This tournament is very special for me as I never played at a European Championship, so I want to catch up as a coach,” he says. “I hope Euro 2012 will be remembered for the successful performance of our national team.”

Results in friendlies over the past two years offer little justification for Blokhin’s optimism. While he can point to a win over Norway in 2010 and a 3-3 draw with Germany late last year, Ukraine have been betean by every other decent side they have come up against – including at home to group opponents Sweden and France, who thrashed them 4-1. They’ve also lost to the Czechs and the Italians, suggesting Ukraine will struggle to make an impression in June.

It won’t just be Chelsea fans who find it remarkable that Andriy Shevchenko continues to captain his country and lead their line. Even at the 2006 World Cup, before he moved to Stamford Bridge, the 2004 Ballon d’Or winner looked a spent force, and his continued presence underlines a paucity of options. Blokhin is clearly underwhelmed by the other senior strikers at his disposal.

“We don’t call up players for their beautiful eyes – in my team I only want players who are prepared to fight for our country,” he snarled recently. That was primarily a dig at forwards Artem Milevskiy and Andriy Voronin, whose performances have not been as big as their reputations. “These players need to be our leaders, but they are not fulfilling their potential,” Blokhin said. “If this doesn’t change they may not be included in my selection. I don’t look at the names.”

One name who won’t be too familiar outside Ukraine yet, but who is capturing local hearts – Blokhin’s included – is Milevskiy’s Dynamo Kiev team-mate Andriy Yarmolenko. “When he's on his game, he's unstoppable,” purrs Blokhin of the 22-year-old, who has already written himself into the record books with Ukraine’s quickest ever goal, 15 seconds into a friendly against Uruguay.

With speed and quick feet, Yarmolenko was originally deployed as a winger or even a left-back, but is now deployed as a playmaker and is raking in the plaudits. “Yarmolenko is the future of Ukrainian football,” says Shevchenko. “He has a rare combination of physical strength and football intelligence.” Meanwhile, Dynamo coach Yuri Syomin calls him “the most industrious and inventive player in the squad, with a work rate 20% higher than anyone else”. The big stage awaits.

Yarmolenko (left) and Milevskiy: much to prove

Lessons from their last tournament
Shevchenko may be a national icon but he is no miracle worker. This will be his 17th year in the national team, and he simply does not have enough guile to make up for the diminishing pace. Goals may generally prove hard to come by, given that at Germany 2006, Ukraine only managed to score in open play against Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

Strengths
Disciplinarian Blokhin has restored a sense of purpose to a squad undermined by a lack of continuity. In record-cap holder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Ukraine have a tireless midfield general who has been on song for Bayern Munich this season without being overplayed.

Weaknesses
Ukraine may have got their infrastructure ready for Euro 2012 – just – but will the team be ‘fit for purpose’? Having had no competitive football for two years, their final preparations involve friendlies against Austria and Estonia – two teams they have already beaten in the last year. This seems like an attempt to secure soft victories, rather than the sort of full-blooded warm-up needed for encounters with Sweden, France and England. Moreover, the pressure of trying to please the local public might make home support more of a burden than a boon.

Did you know...?
Tymoshchuk has something of a Lothar Matthaus fixation. He once wrote to the former German enforcer to ask for a signed shirt, and also owns his USA 94 armband, which he has been known to wear when captaining club or country.

Expert’s view
Dmytro Dzhulai, Setanta Eurasia commentator
“Unity will be key for a team representing a country that’s been criminally divided by a ruling clique. Dirty politicking has stained the league season and players from Dynamo and Shakhtar will have to put all that aside to form a cohesive and solid squad. If anyone is known for his ability to make his players work for the common good it is Oleg Blokhin, who had always stressed the importance of ‘playing for the shirt’. Tactically, the team is at its best when sitting back and hitting on the counter, as in the first half of their 3-3 draw with Germany. But the same game also highlighted a major weakness: any quick and classy opponent will cause Ukraine many problems.”

Verdict
Leaky defence makes quarter-finals unlikely.

Hail to the chief: or will it be taxi for Blokhin?

Key player
Andriy Yarmolenko
The Russian-born Dynamo Kiev forward, dubbed the ‘new Sheva’, has been in fine form this season, finding the net 12 times in 20 league appearances. No surprise Premier League clubs are monitoring the dynamic 22-year-old, who can also play on the left and has scored seven times for his country.

The Manager
Oleg Blokhin
The first Ukrainian to win the Ballon d’Or in 1975, Blokhin returned for a second spell as manager in April last year. During his first stint he led his country to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup and his experience will be vital if the co-hosts are to progress. Hard on underperforming players but he can unite a team that appear divided at club level.

How they play
Blokhin has favoured a 4-4-2 system during most of Ukraine’s warm-up friendlies, but has experimented with 4-5-1 and 4-3-3. A midfield four seems most likely, with Bayern’s Tymoshchuk playing the defensive role and the wide players supporting the two strikers, most likely to be Artem Milevskiy and Andriy Shevchenko. Young Yarmolenko will provide a real threat.

Euro record
1960 DNE
1964 DNE
1968 DNE
1972 DNE
1976 DNE
1980 DNE
1984 DNE
1988 DNE
1992 DNE
1996 DNQ
2000 DNQ
2004 DNQ
2008 DNQ

Fixtures
June 11, Sweden (Kiev, 7.45pm)
June 15, France (Donetsk, 5pm)
June 19, England (Donetsk, 7.45pm)

Odds
Ukraine are 40/1 to win the Euros, and Shevchenko is 100/1 to be tournament top scorer.
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60.
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Tossed coins, tear gas and Three Lions: the fascinating history of the Euros

Jonathan Wilson — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:49:00 GMT

The rise of the European Championship, from a World Cup afterthought to international football’s toughest tear-up. Take that, Jules Rimet!

“For me, the Euros is even harder to win than the World Cup. There are only big teams.” Zinedine Zidane, a winner in 2000, may have a point – but the European Championship wasn’t always the toughest tournament in international football. In fact, it took three decades to even get off the ground, and even longer for the continent’s football heavyweights to take it seriously.

The idea of a European Championship was first mooted in 1927, three years before Jules Rimet’s World Cup vision became reality. But while the FIFA president had an understandably global outlook, his fellow Frenchman and administrator, Henri Delaunay, had something a little closer to home in mind. A World Cup, he reasoned, would be a logistical nightmare – and so it proved, with just four of the 13 participants in Uruguay in 1930 finding passage from Europe.

Only after the formation of UEFA in 1954, however, did the campaign for a pan-European contest gather momentum. Given a leg-up by the European Cup, which had proved a huge success in its first two seasons, the European Nations Cup, as it was then known, officially received the green light by UEFA’s executive committee in June 1957 – but not before the usual posturing and politicking.

The British, as ever, were suspicious of Johnny Foreigner, concerned that a new competition would interfere with the Home Championship. All four UK associations abstained from the vote; so did would-be World Cup hosts Sweden, with West Germany – apparently miffed that all their best players had been poached by Italian clubs after their 1954 World Cup triumph – and Italy among seven UEFA members to vote against the idea. But with 14 nations in favour, the new tournament was born. Two years after his death, Delaunay’s dream had come true.

So as not to step on the World Cup’s toes, the Euros would be held every four years from 1960. Inspired by the European Cup, the early rounds would be played over two legs home and away (beginning in autumn 1958), with the semi-finals and final taking place as a mini-tournament in one country. Fittingly, the Henri Delaunay Trophy would be contested for the first time in its founder’s homeland, France.

There was controversy from the off, with the USSR given a bye in the quarter-final after General Franco, still bitter at the Soviet involvement in the Spanish Civil War over 20 years earlier, refused the Russians entry into Spain. Inspired by legendary keeper Lev Yashin, the USSR beat Yugoslavia 2-1 in the Paris final. But with so many notable absentees, could the Euros really be considered a success yet?

1960: Yashin dashing into action

At least England were impressed enough to take part in the 1964 qualifiers, falling at the first hurdle to France – to begin an extraordinary run that has seen them never win a knockout game in the Euros without the help of a penalty shootout.

Despite their quarter-final forfeit in 1960, Spain were chosen as hosts for the four-team tournament stage this time, on the condition that they opened their borders to any potential opponents. There were some squeaky bums at UEFA when the USSR beat Sweden in their quarter-final to qualify, but Franco’s government played ball this time, taking great pleasure in watching their team beat the holders in the final at a packed Bernabeu.

And so to 1968: a tournament of firsts. It was the first time the name ‘European Championship’ was used; the first time the reigning world champions (England) took part; and the first time qualification began with a group phase. Eight group winners then played two-legged quarter-finals before the familiar four-team finals.

This phase itself boasted several firsts. After a 120-minute stalemate in the opening semi, Italy were the first and only team in Euros history to progress via a coin toss, the unlucky Soviet Union calling wrong. The second semi-final saw Alan Mullery become the first England player to be sent off in a senior international, his team losing 1-0 to Yugoslavia, who then lost the final in the competition’s first replay. While some of these innovations would quickly be done away with, the event was here to say.

The next finals witnessed the tournament’s first truly great team: a West Germany vintage arguably better than the one that would win the World Cup two years later. They dominated England in the Wembley leg of their quarter-final, playing what L’Equipe called “football of the 21st century”, then beat hosts Belgium in the semi before hammering the Russians 3-0 in the final.

The Germans weren’t much worse in 1976, and were joined in the finals by three other excellent teams: Holland, hosts Yugoslavia and outsiders Czechoslovakia, who would provide the crowning moment of international football’s first major penalty shootout drama.

Having come from two goals down to beat Yugoslavia in the semis, West Germany again came from behind to force extra time against Czechoslovakia in the final, but neither side could find a winner. “We were all heading for the dressing rooms when we were waved back,” recalls defender Koloman Gogh, who, along with his Czech team-mates, was all set for a replay. Unprepared they may have been, but they kept their composure and won thanks to Antonin Panenka’s famous chipped effort.

1976: Panenka shows the world his cojones

INTERVIEW Great Goals Retold: Antonin Panenka on his famous chip

Just as the 1958 World Cup was seen by many as the competition’s first ‘proper’ tournament, so 1980 took the Euros onto the next level. The expanded eight-team format – reflecting the popularity, success and quality of the 1976 finals – was good news for Italy, who qualified automatically as the hosts (these would henceforth be chosen well in advance because of the additional organisational demands).

UEFA hadn’t quite cracked the finals format yet, though. Seven group winners would qualify alongside Italy – a sensible enough idea, even if excellent teams such as France and Poland failed to progress. But of the eight teams divided into two pools of four, the group winners would qualify directly for the final, with the runners-up contesting third place. With no semi-finals – and no second chances – the result was anxious, often physical football, with teams so scared of losing their first or even second games that they didn’t really try to win them either. No wonder only 22 goals were scored in 12 games.

1980: Turin trouble as England fans get gassed

For England, who qualified comfortably and were well-fancied to win the tournament, the defining memory was of Ray Clemence blinking through the haze as police in Turin used tear gas to break up rioting fans at their opening game against Belgium. That game was drawn 1-1, and a 1-0 defeat to Italy in their second game meant Ron Greenwood’s men were out, even though they went on to beat Spain.

That Belgium went on to lose 2-1 to West Germany in the final only heightened the sense of what might have been for England – even if, admittedly, the Belgians only got on the scoresheet in that final courtesy of a penalty given for a foul that took place miles outside the area.

ARCHIVE Squad rotation, tear gas and a bucketload of medals: How England flopped at Euro 80

Negative football, crowd trouble, dodgy refereeing… it was hardly a resounding success for the new-look Euros. What followed in the next two tournaments, though, was clear validation. The 1984 finals produced a great team (France), led by a great player (Michel Platini), inspired by a great midfield (the Magic Square) who won a great semi-final (against Portugal) on their way to lifting the trophy.

1984: A national icon. And Michel Platini

Further vindication for the introduction of semi-finals came four years later, when the Dutch – who only finished second in their group – gained revenge for an opening-game defeat against the USSR by beating them 2-0 in the final. History tends to forget that Marco van Basten started the tournament on the bench, remembering instead his hat-trick against a poor England, late winner in a dramatic semi-final against West Germany and, of course, iconic volley in the final. This remains the best goal in the history of the Euros – and to think, under the old format it would never have happened.

Suddenly the Euros seemed to be all about second chances. Euro 92 was a tournament of generally functional football, but the fairy tale of Denmark made up for it. Called in at the 11th hour when a UN security resolution ruled out Yugoslavia, they weren’t quite dragged off the beach as popular myth suggests but their coach Richard Moller Nielsen was decorating his kitchen when he got the phone call. They ate burgers, played crazy golf and defied the odds. As though to prove the stars were aligned, John Jensen scored in the final as the newly reunified Germany were beaten 2-0.

By 1992, the European Championship was well established as the world’s biggest football tournament after the World Cup. Further expansion was desirable; indeed, inevitable. For England, after the stadium improvements that followed the Taylor Report, that was excellent news. Accordingly, it was selected as the host nation for Euro 96.

1996: England fans find an identity

For once, the country wore an optimistic face. A deeply unpopular government was limping to the end of its term and the new one, unsullied by reality, stood by ready to replace it, full of gleaming potential. Britpop and Britart ruled, still fresh and exciting. Even the weather was decent. In two and a half of their five games, England played great football, but more important was the mood of the tournament. As crowds sang along to Three Lions, England’s footballing rehabilitation after the horrors of Bradford, Heysel and Hillsborough was complete.

ARCHIVE Euro 96: FFT's contemporary reaction

Yes, an IRA bomb destroyed much of the centre of Manchester on the day England beat Scotland; yes, there was rioting after England’s semi-final defeat to Germany; and yes, the football was largely grim and the grounds not always full. But for a generation of fans there will never be a better summer.

It didn’t merely make huge numbers of English fans love the Euros, but also made patriotism fun again. The vast numbers of those who travel abroad to watch England play football, cricket and rugby are now infused with a similar spirit. Germany, with Matthias Sammer to the fore, ended up winning the tournament… while UEFA realised they were onto a money-spinner.

ARCHIVE Euro 96: Remembering how to enjoy football

England’s new image was quickly tested at Euro 2000 (held in Belgium and Holland, the first joint hosts) by rioting in Charleroi. They and Germany (England's only victims) were both dreadful, but elsewhere the football was sparkling, the rise of 4-2-3-1 leading to the best tournament on the pitch bar none. And, for the first time since the expansion of the format in 1980, it was played out in front of full stadia in Belgium and Holland.

2000: Penalty pain again for the Dutch

Romania dazzled briefly; so did Spain, before Raul’s crucial missed penalty in the thrilling quarter-final against France; Portugal’s golden generation succumbed to a golden goal in the semi-final; so, too, Italy in the final, having somehow seen off Holland, glorious losers in the semis just like fellow hosts England four years earlier. Winners France were luckier than on home soil in the ’98 World Cup, but they were also better. Football’s like that sometimes.

ARCHIVE Possession, Jon Harley & foreign coaching: Henry Winter's post-2000 blueprint

It was dramatic, intoxicating stuff and, for a while, it seemed Euro 2004 might live up to it. The Czech Republic were superb, their 3-2 win over Holland probably the greatest international game of the decade. England, inspired by the 18-year-old Wayne Rooney, were fleetingly brilliant. Portugal, with a side dominated by the Porto team that had won the Champions League – plus Cristiano Ronaldo – flickered with menace.

Then came the anti-romance: Greece dourly ploughing their way through the tournament with man-marking and set-plays, underestimated until it was too late, by which time they had pulled off a triumph more unlikely even than Denmark’s 12 years earlier. Yet despite their dreadful style of play, somehow nobody held it against them.

2004: More fairytale stuff with Greece

This was the way of the Euros: won – with the exception of Germany in 1996 – either by great teams or by fairy tale underdogs. But by 2008 it was the turn of a great side again, amid lots of good ones. Holland, Russia, Turkey, Germany and Croatia all had their moments, but the cream ultimately rose to the top, even if Spain needed penalties to see off an average Italy side in the quarter-finals. Nobody’s perfect… although, as their World Cup triumph would prove two years later, this Spanish side came pretty darned close.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? More than enough to whet the appetite ahead of this summer’s tournament. But what of the comparisons with the World Cup? The present 16-team format certainly offers far more concentrated quality, with seven of FIFA’s top-10-ranked teams (for what that’s worth) coming from Europe and 13 of the world’s top 20 about to compete in Poland and Ukraine. As Zizou points out: “At a World Cup you have time to get going, but here you can’t afford to make even a single mistake.”

While the European contest might lack the variety and exoticism of the World Cup, it does have a habit of producing unexpected winners – perhaps because it’s easier for a weaker team to produce a run of form (or luck) over the span of a five- or six-game tournament than the seven matches required to reach a World Cup final.

But not for much longer. In France in four years, there will be 24 teams at the finals, arranged in six groups of four, meaning four of the third-placed teams will make it through to a last 16 knockout stage (as happened at the 1986, 1990 and 1994 World Cups). Will it dilute the quality and intensity? It’s hard to argue that there are more easy games at the World Cup since the number of finalists was increased to 32 – just as the world’s smaller nations are becoming more competitive, so too are Europe’s.

But is the Euros, as Zidane suggests, really harder to win than the World Cup? Only when the two have the same number of teams will we really be able to make that comparison. For now, the European Championship remains smaller and more perfectly formed than the World Cup – and more thrilling than Henri Delaunay could ever have imagined.

EURO TIMELINE
1927 Frenchman Henri Delaunay floats the idea of a European international tournament, but receives a lukewarm response
1954 The formation of UEFA and subsequent early success of the European Cup prompts the idea of an international version to resurface
1957 UEFA members vote in favour of a ‘European Nations Cup’, with a finals tournament to be held every four years from 1960
1960 A four-team finals tournament takes place in France after two-legged knockout qualifying stages; the USSR are crowned champions
1968 The name is altered from the European Nations Cup to the European Championship, with the format changed to eight qualifying groups followed by two-legged quarter-finals
1976 The first ever Euros penalty shootout sees Czechoslovakia beat West Germany thanks to Panenka’s penalty chip
1980 The success of the Euros sees the final tournament extended to eight teams, with group winners meeting in the final  and hosts no longer having to qualify
1984 The format is tweaked so group runners-up also qualify for the semi-finals, resulting in more positive play
1996 The tournament is expanded to include 16 teams and quarter-finals; this is deemed a great success
2000 France become the first reigning world champions to win the Euros, courtesy of David Trezeguet’s golden goal, the second final to  be won this way
2004 80-1 outsiders Greece win the tournament with the help of a ‘silver goal’ (scrapped not long after) against the Czech Republic
2016 Finals tournament to be expanded to include 24 teams, just eight fewer than the World Cup... but will the quality  be as good?

More Euro 2012 stuff
FourFourTwo's previews • Back of the Net's previews • Euro 2012 news
VIDEO Moments that rocked the Euros

Euro 2012 preview: Republic of Ireland

FourFourTwo Team — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:54:00 GMT

As Ireland make a welcome return to the big stage, Paul Kelly assesses the men in green's chances of causing another upset or two in Ukraine and Poland

Believe it or not, this man is Italian...

After a decade of disappointments, Ireland are back in the big time – and it’s all down to one man. Giovanni Trapattoni has earned a new contract and the undying gratitude of the Irish FA, whose €50m debt will be cut by at least €8 million from the Euro 2012 kitty.

The only third-seeded team at the start of the qualifying campaign to reach the finals, Ireland have made steady progress since ‘Trap’ succeeded Steve Staunton in 2008. They have climbed from 42nd to joint-18th in the FIFA rankings, losing only twice in 24 competitive matches under the 73-year-old, and came agonisingly close to reaching the 2010 World Cup until Thierry Henry’s hand intervened.

But the 20,000 Green Army fans expected to travel to Poland are less than ecstatic about their team’s style of play. Trap’s safety-first approach means little spectacle and a nagging sense that Ireland are selling themselves short in terms of quality, creativity and player development. Former Ireland manager Brian Kerr summed up the frustration of many after a drab 1-1 draw with the Czechs in February. “Having been away for a few years, I didn’t see any of our qualifiers,” Kerr wrote in the Irish Times. “I heard it was bad – but I didn’t think it would be this shocking for 80 minutes.”

Does Trapattoni care? Not a bit. “If you want entertainment, go to La Scala [the Milan opera house],” he has told his critics more than once. In other words: never mind the quality, count the points. Likewise, media clamour for Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and James McClean to be given more prominent roles has largely fallen on deaf ears. McCarthy was forced to pull out due to a family illness, but Coleman was left out of the final 23 and McClean is far from certain to start.

Trap will rely on experience. Richard Dunne, Shay Given, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane, all 2002 survivors, have 402 caps between them and John O’Shea and Kevin Doyle, another 121. Will it be enough in the ‘other group of death’?

Can younger stars like Long and McLean blend with the veterans of 2002?

Lesson from qualifying
Find an alternative to 4-4-2. Six wins, three draws and one defeat was enough to secure second place in Group B and follow it up with a comfortable play-off victory over Estonia, but the home matches against Russia (2-3) and Slovakia (0-0) were worrying: on both occasions Ireland were outnumbered in the middle of the park.

Strengths
Defensive organisation. Under Trap, every player knows what’s expected of him. Defensive discipline led to a record eight successive clean sheets last year, a run which included a 2-0 friendly win against Italy. O’Shea, Dunne, Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward form a solid unit, although behind them Given conceded two soft goals from long range against Armenia and Estonia. Dunne, in particular, is invaluable. Despite serving two suspensions, the hero of Ireland’s amazing 0-0 draw in Moscow is the rock on which Trap builds his defence. Trap’s team refuse to lie down and have developed a useful habit of scoring early and late. Under the Italian, 30 per cent of Ireland’s goals in competitive matches have come in the first 15 minutes, and 21 per cent in the closing stages.

Weaknesses
Trap doesn’t expect central midfielders Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews to run the game, so Ireland often lose possession cheaply. Croatia, Spain and Italy will all expect to repeat Russia’s dominance, especially if Ireland resort to launching long, hopeful balls out of defence. Full-backs O’Shea and Ward are seldom encouraged to overlap, so a huge onus falls on wide midfielders Duff and Aiden McGeady to produce openings. Forward-thinking Duff and McGeady are also expected to track back when Ireland defend, though the Spartak Moscow player has improved considerably at doing this. There’s a lack of variety in Ireland’s play, which could be addressed by the introduction of the aforementioned youngsters. In fact, Trap’s team are often at their best when they fall behind and have to adopt a less cautious approach, a situation in which impact substitute Stephen Hunt currently thrives.

Did you know…?
In 15 finals matches since 1988, Ireland have scored more than a single goal only once (when they beat Saudi Arabia 3-0 in the 2002 World Cup). Even so, they have managed to reach the knockout stages in three of the four major tournaments they’ve contested. They’ve also recorded a win and two draws against Italy under Trapattoni.

Expert’s view
Darragh Maloney, RTE commentator
“Ireland must take something from the opener against Croatia. I think they will, so if Spain get three wins it will mean there is all to play for in Ireland’s final match against Italy. I’d love to say that an emerging Irish talent like McClean will make the biggest impact, but with Trapattoni the system comes first and players need time to be educated into it. Reading between the lines, the players would like to express themselves more. I don’t expect Ireland to lose all three matches, but if that happened the FAI would be under pressure to replace Trapattoni.”

Verdict
Pluck (and organisation) of Irish not enough.

The good thing about international football is the lack of 'boyhood club' gags

Key player
Robbie Keane
Ireland’s top scorer in qualifying with seven goals, Robbie Keane remains his country’s most significant attacking threat. He may have lost some pace, but the captain still has the predatory instincts that have brought him 53 goals for his country. At the age of 32, this tournament could prove to be his last – how’s that for incentive?

The Manager
Giovanni Trapattoni
The Italian became Republic of Ireland manager in 2008 and almost took them to the 2010 World Cup. He is vastly experienced, winning league titles with six clubs as a player and manager. Having guided the Boys in Green through the play-offs, ‘Trap’ will be looking to cause a few upsets – especially against his homeland in the group stages.

How they play
Trapattoni prefers a rigid 4-4-2, with hard-working central midfielders adding steel in the middle of the park, wingers running with the ball and a supporting forward playing off the central striker. By having two banks of four behind the ball, Ireland are difficult to break down and can counter-attack quickly down the wings when in possession or with longer balls to the strikers. It has proved successful so far.

Euro record
1960 DNQ
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 DNQ
1988 First round
1992 DNQ
1996 DNQ
2000 DNQ
2004 DNQ
2008 DNQ

Odds
The Republic of Ireland are 80/1 to win Euro 2012, and 100/1 to win all three group games.
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60. More details coral.co.uk/fourfourtwo

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Euro 2012 preview: Croatia

Jonathan Wilson — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:53:00 GMT

Surprise packages at Euro 2008, Slaven Bilic's side know they'll need to be at their best to progress from Group C. Jonathan Wilson previews Croatia.

Croatia secured a Euro 2012 place with a play-off win over Turkey

It’s not hard to pinpoint the moment things began to go wrong for Croatia. When Ivan Klasnic put them ahead in the final minute of extra time in their Euro 2008 quarter-final against Turkey, coach Slaven Bilic seemed unstoppable. They would have faced Germany in the semi-final, having already beaten them in the groups. But two minutes into injury time Semih Senturk equalised, and a shattered Croatia lost on penalties.

Recovery has been slow and painful. Niko Kovac had been the unsung hero of that side, providing a platform at the back of midfield, and it was only after he was gone that he was missed. In World Cup qualifying the Croatia back four was left hideously exposed – England put nine past them in two games. Eduardo’s potency had given them an edge and, though they coped well without him in the Euro 2008 finals, his broken leg and subsequent loss  of form cost Croatia. Meanwhile, Bilic’s lustre faded as relations with the local media soured following allegations about his personal life.

Others may have quit – he could easily find  a much better paid job elsewhere – but Bilic stuck it out and had his reward in qualifying. Luka Modric now plays much deeper, alongside either Ognjen Vukojevic or Tomislav Dujmovic, playmaking from just in front of the back four, and that seems to have given Croatia better balance. They’re still not quite in the form of 2007 – they were pitiful, for instance, in a drab defeat away to Greece, offering little creatively and conceding two cheap goals to set-plays – but at least there is a sense of progress.

And, vitally, there was a cathartic victory over Turkey in the play-offs. The return of Ivica Olic to the forward line after a lengthy injury gave them a true front-runner, an energetic chaser of lost causes, and that in turn gave respite to the gifted but fragile Mario Mandzukic, who was able to drop off the front line to link with the midfield four. That meant leaving Eduardo and Everton’s Nikola Jelavic on the bench, which gives some indication of the depth of Croatia’s attacking options. Croatia went ahead after two minutes in Istanbul and picked off their opponents on the break to win 3-0, leaving them to play out a 0-0 draw back in Zagreb.

Modric sets the tempo, but equally essential for the Croatians is captain Darijo Srna. He tends to play as an attacking right-back for Shakhtar Donetsk but operates in midfield for Croatia, which not only gives them the benefit of his crossing ability and dead-ball expertise, but also provides balance so Bilic can field a more attacking option, such as Niko Kranjcar or Ivan Rakitic, on the left. Or, if he wants a more hard-working midfield, there’s Danijel Pranjic of Bayern Munich, another attacking full-back who can play in midfield.

Srna's delivery from the right could prove crucial to Croatia

Lesson from qualifying
Croatia need Olic. They may be blessed with technically gifted players but sometimes you need energy and physicality to convert ball retention into goals. He is 32 and far from a regular at Bayern, but stats showed he was the fastest player at Euro 2008 and he gives  Croatia an aspect they otherwise lack.

Strengths
Croatia have a wealth of creative options both in midfield and upfront, and in Bilic, an intelligent and charismatic coach whose six years on relatively meagre wages offer an inspirational example of patriotic pride. Modric is one of the best playmakers in the modern game, an imaginative passer whose wit allows him to escape much larger opponents.

Weaknesses
There are serious doubts about the back four. The Modric-Vukojevic pairing does not provide the same cover Kovac once did and Greece exposed just how vulnerable they can be to the crossed ball. Given the leading centre-back candidates Josip Simunic and Gordon Schildenfeld aren’t going to win too many foot races, that seems a major deficiency. Then there is the issue that so many of their players are prone to injury and/or bouts of poor form. If Croatia turn up with a squad at the top of their games they could be a serious threat; if not, they’ll barely be also-rans.

Did you know…?
The red and white checked shirts are derived from the sahovnica (chessboard), a symbol of the Croatian nobility that dates back at least as far as 1499 and possibly to the 10th-century Croatian king Stjepan Drzislav. Nothing to do with restaurant tables at all, then.

Expert’s view
Aleksandar Holiga, FourFourTwo Croatia
“Fans and the media lost faith in Slaven Bilic’s boys and grew increasingly negative after the failed 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. The squad is being sent off to Poland with very little fanfare, but will be aching to prove the critics wrong. Bilic has too many options upfront and too few at the back, so he usually crams five or even six offensive-minded players into the team, putting emphasis on individual instructions rather than formation. But these things take time and practice – luckily, they will have enough of both for the first time in four years. If they stay clear of injuries, the Blazers could be on fire once again at the Euros.”

Verdict
Defensive deficiencies likely to be exposed.

Modric is the man to keep Croatia ticking over in possession

Key player
Luka Modric
Since joining Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2008, Modric has developed into one of the best players in the Premier League. A fine passer of the ball who also possesses great vision, Modric is Croatia’s most creative player who will pull the strings in the midfield, even from a deeper position.

The manager
Slaven Bilic
He has won many admirers for his work as Croatia manager, taking the Vatreni to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008. He likes his teams to play attacking football – not a problem given where Croatia’s strengths and weaknesses lie – and the 43-year-old former West Ham and Everton defender looks destined to one day manage in the Premier League.

How they play
Croatia’s offensive approach shows in their 4-4-2 set-up, with an emphasis placed on quick counter-attacks. They swept aside Guus Hiddink’s Turkey in the play-offs and will be a match for many teams in the tournament. But strikers like Mandzukic and Jelavic will have to be in top form if Croatia are to emulate their quarter-final appearance of 2008.

Euro record
(Croatia did not join FIFA and UEFA until 1992)
1996 Quarter-finals
2000 DNQ
2004 First round
2008 Quarter-finals

Odds
Croatia are 50/1 to win Euro 2012, while Nikica Jelevic to finish as top scorer with Croatia winning the tournament is 400/1
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60.
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Euro 2012 preview: Italy

FourFourTwo Team — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:52:00 GMT

With Italian football rocked by allegations of match-fixing, the national team could boost their public by bringing home some silverware. Matt Barker assesses the Azzurri's hopes of repeating the trick of 2006...

Italy dull and functional? Unlikely with these two in the team...

Cesare Prandelli’s two years at the Azzurri helm have provided, if not quite the winds of change, a breath of fresh air after the increasingly grumpy and disastrously stubborn tenure of Marcello Lippi. Prandelli is a progressive coach, more open to the idea of giving younger players a chance.

As qualifying campaigns go, Italy’s was fairly routine (bar the drama at Genoa’s Stadio Luigi Ferraris, when the match was abandoned and the home side awarded a 3-0 win due to rioting Serbian fans) and they topped the group undefeated with a record points haul. Not that there wasn’t the occasional hiccup: a goalless draw in Northern Ireland and squeaky 1-0 win against the Faroes is hardly the stuff of European champions.

Prandelli has stood by Mario Balotelli, reacting to inevitable scrapes with a paternal good grace. The Manchester City player made his international debut in the coach’s first game, a 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in August 2010. Prandelli did, however, make a point of dropping both Super Mario and Daniele De Rossi for a high-profile friendly against the US; a warning shot to both about disciplinary problems.

Antonio Cassano’s prolonged absence has been a major blow. The Milan player underwent heart surgery in November after suffering cardiac problems following a game against Roma. At the time of writing, ‘Fantantonio’ had just made his Milan first-team comeback from the bench, and the hope is that he can regain full match fitness and form in time for the tournament. Fellow striker Giuseppe Rossi has been ruled out of the tournament through injury, however, meaning Prandelli’s preferred trio of Rossi, Cassano and Balotelli will need reinforcements. A succession of so-so stand-ins have already featured in the injured duo’s absence, with young buck Fabio Borini (ex-Chelsea and Swansea, now going great guns at Roma) a possible surprise package.

In midfield, a revitalised Andrea Pirlo will pull the strings, protected by De Rossi in front of him, with Milan’s Antonio Nocerino and Juve’s Claudio Marchisio – or maybe even Fiorentina’s Riccardo Montolivo, if he can buck his ideas up a bit – set to do the running. Keep an eye out for a cameo from Bologna’s in-form Alessandro Diamanti (yes, the former West Ham man).

The former Fiorentina coach is big on fluidity: a high back line links up with a midfield primed in turn to take advantage of the strikers pulling the opposition defence out of shape. Granted, there’s not a great deal of width, but when everyone’s on song, they play with a zip and flexibility that can catch teams unaware.

Prandelli has kept a lid on expectations, stressing that this is a team in transition while keeping media and public onside. All of which could go right out of the window once the serious stuff begins against the Spanish on June 10...

Coach Prandelli has attempted to cool expectations back home

Lessons from qualifying
Come out all guns blazing from the off. At times during qualification, Italy were happy to dictate a faster rhythm during opening exchanges. Possession stats make for intriguing reading, too (second only to Spain). Time to finally put those catenaccio clichés to bed?

Strengths
Serie A big-wigs scuppered plans for a series of team get-togethers in the run-up to the Euros, but Prandelli’s man-management skills have fostered a true squad mentality, above and beyond Lippi’s Juve-centric old boys’ club. The ability to keep Balotelli and Cassano’s mood swings in check is a huge plus, and could prove crucial as the tournament progresses.

Weaknesses
If star man Cassano struggles with fitness during the tournament, Italy’s slightly threadbare attacking options may be a major problem. The national side has lacked a true out-and-out striker since Pippo Inzaghi’s heyday, and at times failure to finish off all that good work in the midfield has cost them dear.

Did you know…?
Dolce & Gabbana will provide  off-field garb for the Italian team during their time in Poland and Ukraine, all part of a “continually evolving bond, born of a spontaneous sharing of passion, discipline and a striving for excellence”. Which is nice.

Expert’s view
Riccardo Patresi, Gazzetta dello Sport
“I wouldn’t say people are worried about the Euros; more that there’s a need for redemption, and Italy to make its presence felt again on the international stage. Italians generally like Prandelli, and I can’t see him getting sacked even if the Azzurri do have a poor tournament. Yes, he has been patient with Balotelli, but that will only go so far: the player needs to behave properly on and off the pitch, or he’ll find himself left out.”

Verdict
Good enough to progress, but not past quarters.

Cassano scored four in eight for Italy in 2011 - but what of 2012?

Star man
Antonio Cassano
Ignored by Marcello Lippi, striker Cassano has been a regular in Prandelli’s side, and has relished leading the line. Equally adept at creating and scoring goals, Cassano was Italy’s top marksman in qualifying, with six goals. If he can regain fitness and form on his return to club colours before the summer, the AC Milan frontman will be vital to Italy’s hopes of success.

The Manager
Cesare Prandelli
He took over from Marcello Lippi after Italy’s dismal World Cup campaign in 2010 and has set about rebuilding the side, giving younger players like Mario Balotelli and Antonio Nocerino a chance. The former Fiorentina boss has lifted the spirits within the Italian camp since their South African debacle and should get them to the knockout phase.

How they play
Using a narrow formation with four central midfielders, Italy compete for the ball relentlessly in the middle of the pitch and look to retain possession. Width will come from the fullbacks, while unpredictable duo Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli will play up top. With fresh faces and much to prove after a poor World Cup, expect a highly motivated Azzurri.

Euro record
1960 DNE
1964 DNQ
1968 Winners
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 Semi-finals
1984 DNQ
1988 Semi-finals
1992 DNQ
1996 First round
2000 Runners-up
2004 First round
2008 Quarter-finals

Group fixtures
June 10, Spain (Gdansk, 5pm)
June 14, Croatia (Poznan, 5pm)
June 18, Rep of Ireland (Poznan, 7.45pm)

Odds
Italy are 12/1 to win Euro 2012, with Man City striker Mario Balotelli 66/1 to be official player of the tournament.
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Euro 2012 preview: Spain

FourFourTwo Team — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:51:00 GMT

The World and European champions will unsurprisingly be among the favourites for Euro 2012. Graham Hunter runs the rule over La Furia Roja

Spain's golden generation are surely not done lifting trophies - are they?

Forget the frisky pre-tournament chat as the runners and riders parade around the ring – no matter what has happened in the 24 months since the World Cup was so dramatically won at Soccer City, Spain remain the team to beat.

One or two of their defeats in friendlies have been excruciating. There was a stage when, if another of their strikers lost form or did himself damage, the pro-Raul lobby were sharpening up their arguments. And when England sapped the energy and assurance out of Vicente del Bosque’s side at Wembley, some might have concluded that this was developing into another ‘France in 2002’ fiasco. Not so.

Even if Holland and Germany can claim a slender advantage in the statistical details of how to qualify and make a statement of intent at the same time, Spain still walloped their opposition in Group I, strolling into their base near Gdansk with a 100 per cent win rate and a favourable goal ratio of 26-6.

Even before we take recourse in the brand name ‘world champion players’, consider this: neither Roberto Soldado, Javi Martinez, Fernando Llorente, Jordi Alba, Santi Cazorla nor Juan Mata played any significant role in adding the 2010 World Cup to Euro 2008 – in fact, some of them didn’t even make it to South Africa. Yet if Del Bosque had to start against Italy, Ireland or Croatia with any or all of those in his XI, only a fool would call it a drama, let alone a crisis.

While David Villa has missed out through injury, Fernando Torres has been sneaking up on the rails. The Chelsea forward looks renewed under Roberto Di Matteo, though Del Bosque has made it clear that no one is guaranteed a start – every man knows that either you play your own way into the squad or you get trampled in the rush.

There are more positives. The bad blood which has simmered between Real Madrid and Barcelona since last spring avoided rising another notch when the Champions League draw kept the two sides apart in the semis – something which would otherwise have led to three clasicos in six days in April, hardly healthy for morale in the Spain camp.

Three important things have happened to Spain since their big breakthrough four years ago. Firstly, there is a winning mentality. They know they can win again. Secondly, this is a golden, fruitful epoch for La Roja. Martinez and Ander Herrera won the U21 Euros last season; Cazorla is fit again, Llorente has come of age, and there is a queue of young talent. Finally some really key footballers – Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique – used the spring to hit their tempo and shake off the early-season rust. But while the youngsters will be chomping at the bit, will the double champions really be able to lift themselves for a tilt at three-tournaments-in-a-row immortality? That’s the big question.

Llorente has come of age for club and country in recent years

Lessons from qualifying
Keep believing. Scotland roared at Hampden and drew level on a wave of bravado; Spain won. Liechtenstein and the Czech Republic parked the bus in front of the goal and defended for their lives; Spain won. Lithuania produced a potato-patch pitch and let brawn dominate brain; Spain won.

Strengths
Simple, really – in David Silva (right), Mata, Xavi, Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas, Spain have five of the most creative, quick-thinking, quick-footed, punishing and intelligent footballers on the planet. Finding room for them all in the squad – let alone the team – is the only problem.

Weaknesses
This is not the Fort Knox defence of four years ago. Then, the back four of Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Carlos Marchena and Joan Capdevila was utterly miserly. Now there is a revolving door for defenders, and sometimes a 4-3-3 formation instead of the usual 4-2-3-1. Occasionally, if Spain go 1-0 down their engine coughs and splutters for a while, instead of immediately blasting through the gears.

Did you know…?
Before the Euro 2008 final, so many Spanish fans travelled to the team’s hotel in Vienna that there was singing and cavorting all night – to the extent that midfielder Marcos Senna broke the habit of a lifetime and took a sleeping pill in order to get some rest for the match. He went to sleep before waking up with the fans’ song about “winning on the 29th of June” in his head, and later admitted: “I knew that absolutely no way could we let them down after that.”

Expert’s view
Juan Castro, Marca
“I feel the reality of winning again will be harder than people are expecting. Overall, I can only see one team beating Spain and that’s Germany – the only team that can look Spain in the eyes.”

Verdict
Incredible quality but may fall short after a tiring season.

Xavi is very possibly the best of a ruddy good bunch

Star man
Xavi
Spain boast an abundance of world-class players, but if there is one man who keeps them tickingover it's Xavi. The Barcelona midfielder is the heartbeat of the Spain side, retaining possession masterfully and finding gaps in the opposition which seem almost impossible. Dictating play from the centre of the pitch, he has been a consistent performer for both club and country.

The manager
Vicente del Bosque
After succeeding  Luis Aragones in 2008, Del Bosque won his first 13 games as Spain qualified for World Cup 2010. The former Real Madrid boss did not alter a winning formula, just tweaked the formation and personnel. Despite a defeat to the Swiss in Spain’s opener in South Africa, Del Bosque led his much-loved team to glory.

How they play
Spain play a fluid 4-2-3-1 which allows them to dominate possession in the middle of the field. Alonso and Busquets provide a defensive shield in front of the back four, allowing the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Silva – likely to get the nod ahead of an out-of-form Pedro – to do what they do best in attack. Even without Villa, the Golden Boot winner four years ago, there are plenty of striking options.

Euro record
1960 DNE
1964 Winners
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 First round
1984 Runners-up
1988 First round
1992 DNQ
1996 Quarter-finals
2000 Quarter-finals
2004 First round
2008 Winners

Group fixtures
June 10, Italy (Gdansk, 5pm)
June 14, Rep of Ireland (Gdansk, 7.45pm)
June 18, Croatia (Gdansk, 7.45pm)

Odds
Spain are 11/4 favourites to win Euro 2012, and 5/1 to eliminated in the Group Stage.
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Euro 2012 preview: Denmark

FourFourTwo Team — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:04:00 GMT

Ever hear the one about the team who were 'on the beach' just days before the start of the tournament they were about to win? Oh, you have? Every four years since 1992? Here's Ben Lyttleton on Denmark's chances 20 years on.

The Danes warm up for Euro 2012 (deckchairs and beachballs not pictured)

Denmark are used to being written off before a European Championship even starts. It was 20 years ago that they failed even to qualify but, as late replacements for Yugoslavia, beat Holland and Germany to win Euro 92. They will face those two sides again after being drawn in Group B, but Danish coach Morten Olsen has no intention of letting his side be the whipping boys of the first round.

“We are without doubt in the toughest group, but I don’t think Holland, Germany or Portugal were happy with the draw either,” he said. “It’s tough for everyone, but especially for us. We can’t do anything but surprise everyone, and for that we need everyone in top mental and physical shape. We see this as a challenge and we are up for it.”

Olsen has changed his system and overhauled the ageing midfield that struggled at the World Cup in South Africa two years ago: out are Martin Jorgensen, Jesper Gronkjaer and Thomas Kahlenberg - though the latter will travel to Ukraine and Poland as back-up. Instead, Stuttgart right-back William Kvist plays in holding midfield alongside Club Brugge hard-man Niki Zimling.

Ahead of them is a three-man attacking trident, with Dennis Rommedahl providing the pace despite his ageing legs (he is now 33), highly-rated Ajax youngster Christian Eriksen as the central playmaker, and late bloomer Michael Krohn-Dehli playing for a move away from Brondby on the left flank. This is Eriksen’s first big chance at this level – he made a brief substitute appearance at the World Cup as an 18-year-old and there is enormous pressure on him to live up to his hype (not helped by Johan Cruyff comparing him to Michael Laudrup).

Upfront is Nicklas Bendtner, much more dangerous for country than club, and rated highly by his compatriots given the paucity of options behind him: Soren Larsen has not scored for three years, while Mads Junker (Roda), Morten Skoubo (OB) and Nicklas Pedersen (Groningen) have all had chances but scored a combined two goals in 20 games. Olsen has said he expects the three players behind Bendtner to start weighing in with more goals to take some pressure off Sunderland’s on-loan forward.

At the back, former Charlton man Stephan Andersen or Manchester United's Anders Lindegaard will replace the injured Thomas Sorensen in goal, while Daniel Agger’s fitness is crucial to Denmark’s stability in central defence. Without him, Simon Kjaer has partnered Andreas Bjelland and the pair have looked shaky. There is still a chance that Bjelland could pip Kjaer to a starting place

Just as they did in the World Cup, Denmark face Holland first. They lost 2-0 in Johannesburg but know they are a stronger side now. As for their second opponents, Portugal, they beat them 2-1 last October in the final qualifier to finish top of Group H. “Our collective turned out to be more important than their individuals,” said Rommedahl after that game. One thing is for sure: Denmark will need three collectively brilliant performances to graduate from this group.

If anybody has the confidence to lead the line, it's Nicklas Bendtner

Lesson from qualifying
Olsen’s new system and the team spirit that helped Denmark get past Norway and Portugal in a tough qualifying group has boosted their confidence despite the tough draw. Olsen may have failed to solve the problem of his over-reliance on Bendtner for important goals, but the talented young players in the squad point to an exciting future for the Danish team.

Strengths
Bendtner scored three important goals in qualifying: both strikes in the 2-0 win against Norway and the winner in the decisive qualifier against Portugal. If he is fit and in the mood, Denmark have no one else like him. Their possession play all goes through Eriksen, while the pace of Rommedahl is still a threat down the right flank.

Weaknesses
There are concerns that Kjaer, back in contention after a long-term injury at Roma, is a soft touch at this level and needs a bit more of Agger’s toughness. Olsen has admitted that, while his first XI is strong, the lack of squad depth is a worry. “We can’t afford to get any injuries, otherwise we will not get through,” he said bluntly.

Did you know...?
Morten Olsen is the longest-serving coach at the finals, having been appointed in August 2000. Only one player has lasted the full 12 years with him: Dennis Rommedahl, who got his first call-up in Olsen’s very first squad. Rommedahl is now 15 caps short of Peter Schmeichel’s Danish appearance record of 129.

Expert’s view
Kim Damsgaard Pedersen, journalist, Tipsbladet magazine
“If nobody from the starting line-up is injured, the Danish side looks strong; but if one of the key players is injured it suddenly looks extremely fragile. If Denmark play the way they did in the qualifying matches when they beat Norway and Portugal, they have a small chance.”

Verdict
Could split Dutch and Germans. Then again...

Euro 2012 could prove to be something of a shop window for Eriksen

Key man
Christian Eriksen
It’s only right that the current Danish Player of the Year should be their key man in Poland and Ukraine. The youngest player at World Cup 2010 and the youngest ever scorer in Euro qualifying, Eriksen is young (still 20) but not at all inexperienced. He has dealt with title races and Champions League football for Ajax as well as notching 21 international caps; now the big stage is set for him to dazzle this summer.

The manager
Morten Olsen
There may not be many managers present at this Championship who are as patriotic as Olsen. The Danish manager landed 50 caps captaining Denmark as a player, represented them at three consecutive competitions and then became manager in 2000. The 62-year-old has already pencilled in Danish legend Michael Laudrup as his replacement.

How they play
Lining up in a conservative 4-2-3-1 formation that often becomes a simple 4-5-1, the Danes will set up to stifle the opposition’s attacking threat rather than maximise their own. Much will depend on the lone striker holding up the ball to bring team-mates into play, as Denmark do possess a number of players who can cause damage, with the exciting Eriksen expected to shine.

Euro record
1960 DNQ
1964 Semi-finals
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 Semi-finals
1988 First round
1992 Winners
1996 First round
2000 First round
2004 Quarter-finals
2008 DNQ

Group fixtures
June 9, Holland (Kharkiv, 5pm)
June 13, Portugal (Lviv, 5pm)
June 17, Germany (Lviv, 7.45pm)

Odds
Denmark are 100/1 to win Euro 2012, and 33/1 to reach the final
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Euro 2012 preview: Portugal

FourFourTwo Team — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:03:00 GMT

Perennial underachievers they may be, but Portugal do still possess perhaps Europe's finest player. Ben Lyttleton assesses A Selecção's chances in Poland and Ukraine

Nani, Meireles, Veloso and co. celebrate being allowed to take free-kicks

The squad may look similar, but the mood with Paulo Bento in charge of Portugal is very different. Bento, the former Sporting Lisbon boss, replaced Carlos Queiroz as national team coach after the team’s  first qualifier, a 4-4 draw with Cyprus, was followed by a 1-0 loss to Norway. Those dropped points almost cost them dear but  it was actually losing their last qualifier,  2-1 away to group winners Denmark, that forced Portugal into a play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

And it was in that game, specifically the second leg after a 0-0 away draw, that we  saw Bento’s team at its best. If one moment summed up his reign, it would not be the sublime long-range strike from Nani, the solo dribble and finish from Cristiano Ronaldo, nor the two strikes from Helder Postiga that proved his credentials as more dangerous for country than club (now Zaragoza); no, it would be the free-kick from which Miguel Veloso scored Portugal’s last goal in the 6-2 win. The reason? Because under Bento, anyone can take the  free-kicks – not just Ronaldo (who had actually scored one earlier in the game).

It was a different story under Queiroz.  The coach who helped Manchester United  sign Ronaldo stifled the winger by fielding  a defensive side and then asking too much  of his captain. The players resented Queiroz and, after a while, Ronaldo did too. Bento changed things: he moved Ronaldo from centre-forward back to his preferred position on the wing, giving him licence to come inside; he moved Pepe from holding midfielder back to centre-back; and he kept the three-man midfield but this time with Veloso, a composed passer, the deepest midfielder, restoring  Joao Moutinho as the box-to-box runner  with Raul Meireles making up the trio.

Ronaldo and Bento were team-mates at Sporting, and the obvious bond between  them was apparent when the coach faced  his biggest test: banning Ricardo Carvalho  from the team after the Real Madrid defender was benched for Pepe and Bruno Alves to  start against Cyprus in September. Carvalho left the team’s camp in a strop and Bento called him a “deserter”. Carvalho hit back  and it was getting ugly until Ronaldo intervened, siding with the young coach.

Carvalho, who on this season’s form  probably doesn’t deserve to start anyway,  is not the only notable absentee; in fact,  Jose Bosingwa – who fell out with Bento  after complaining about being named as  a substitute against Argentina (Bento accused him of faking injuries to get out of friendlies)  – could be a bigger loss. His replacement  at right-back, Joao Pereira, is shorter and  less dynamic than the Chelsea man.

Bento also has a wild card up his sleeve,  the type of player Portugal have lacked  for generations, because it looks as if  a bona fide top-class centre-forward may  be emerging. His name is Nelson Oliveira and the clamour for his inclusion  is growing. He is only 20 and has played just a handful of games  for Benfica this season, but scored  10 minutes into his Champions League debut in a win over Zenit St Petersburg. He may not dislodge Postiga, but he gives Portugal a new scoring option from the bench.

Lesson from qualifying

The Sporting connection works: Bento played with Ronaldo, and coached Rui Patricio, Nani, Veloso and Moutinho at the Lisbon club.  Bento released the pressure the players  were under during Queiroz’s reign, and they are enjoying representing Portugal again.

Bento's past with many of his squad will at least save him learning new names

Strengths
The mood in the camp is positive, and despite the bust-ups with Carvalho and Bosingwa, Bento is a popular figure. Beating Spain 4-0 in a friendly also helped. Keeper Rui Patricio, another Sporting player, is developing well, and Ronaldo and Nani (right) on either side of Postiga works.

Weaknesses
There are concerns about Pereira  at right-back, and while the midfield  is solid and compact, it lacks a quality number 10, with Portugal never  having properly replaced the creative talisman of the noughties, Deco.

Did you know…?
When Carvalho stormed out of the Portugal camp after he was benched for the game against Cyprus last September, he drove  away in Fabio Coentrao’s car. Hopefully he asked for his team-mate’s permission first.

Expert’s view
Sergio Krithinas, Football Editor, O Jogo
“A recent survey in O Jogo found that Bento has an 84 per cent approval rating among the fans, which shows how much things have changed from the miserable Queiroz era. The players like being involved now, which makes a big difference. The fact that Portugal are in a tough group is not seen as a problem; in fact it reminds us of Euro 2000, when we got  out of a group that featured England, Romania and Germany.”

Verdict
Too reliant on Ronaldo. Early exit.

Ronaldo certainly won't be unwilling to be Portugal's focal point

Key player
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal squeezed through the qualifying round via the play-offs and will now be looking to their talisman for guidance. With the huge responsibility of being both creator and  goalscorer, Ronaldo simply must  be on form in order for Portugal to progress from their group of death. Hopefully there will be a little less winking and a little more delicate dinking from Europe’s best player.

The manager
Paulo Bento
At the age of 42, Bento is not only the youngest manager at the Euros but also the least experienced. He only has seven years of high-level management to his name (two of them with Portugal), but the former Sporting Lisbon manager was reportedly earmarked to join  Sir Alex Ferguson  as assistant back  in 2008 when Carlos Queiroz  left for Real Madrid.

How they play
Portugal can be absolutely brilliant or equally frustrating, summed up by some lacklustre qualifying performances. The centre of midfield looks strong, and no defence would like to face Ronaldo and Nani cutting in from the flanks. Postiga looks set to play through the middle, although don’t be surprised to see Nelson Oliveira get his chance upfront if the former Spurs man doesn’t hit the ground running.

Euro records
1960 Quarter-finals
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 Semi-finals
1988 DNQ
1992 DNQ
1996 Quarter-finals
2000 Semi-finals
2004 Runners-up
2008 Quarter-finals

Group fixtures
June 9, Germany (Lviv, 7.45pm)
June 13, Denmark (Lviv, 5pm)
June 17, Holland (Kharkiv, 7.45pm)

Odds
Portugal are 14/1 to win the tournament, while Cristiano Ronaldo to finish as top scorer with Portugal winning the tournament is 25/1.
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Euro 2012 preview: Germany

FourFourTwo Team — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:02:00 GMT

Imagine the old-fashioned German efficiency married to the attacking brio of, say, Holland. No wonder, says Ulrich Hesse, the German fans are loving this team...

Germany 2012: Lean, fit, efficient and extremely exciting

In the past two years, Germany have beaten England, Argentina, Uruguay (twice), Brazil and then, to the country’s delight, old rivals Holland. In five of those six games they scored three goals or more and in each they were clearly the better side, sometimes by a considerable margin.

But the results are not the main reason Germans love this team more than any other in recent memory – more than the sides of 1996 and, yes, even 1990. The reason for the current team’s immense popularity is that its attacking football is so pleasing to watch, often reminiscent of the exuberant Borussia Dortmund team that surprisingly ran away with the Bundesliga title last year.

The central elements are the same: youthful enthusiasm combined with tactical nous, a 4-2-3-1 formation in which the players push far upfield and play the pressing game, constant movement and quick passing in midfield. It’s not unlike the model most teams aspire to these days: Barcelona and Spain.

The model is also the nemesis: Germany lost to Spain in both the Euro 2008 Final and the 2010 World Cup semi-final, albeit narrowly. Yet there are many experts who argue that Spain are no longer as hungry as they used to be, and that Joachim Low’s team can be third time lucky. Not even the difficult draw could dampen this widespread optimism. But then, in late February, Germany unexpectedly lost at home to France, which had the fans waking up to the fact that Spain are not the only danger.

"Quite fun, this football lark"

Lesson from qualifying
Perfection is possible. Even the Germans, notoriously commanding during such campaigns, had never won 10 out of 10 qualifying games before. This amazing record proves that the team is astonishingly consistent, given its relatively young age, and able to focus on a task at hand.

It also speaks of burning ambition – personified by coach Low, who, as soon as qualification was in the bag, declared he was aiming for a perfect record. The fact that his players then pulled it off also shows that they can translate their new, un-German qualities – style and flair – into the very German one of getting results. In brief, it’s frightening.

Strengths
Germany’s offensive depth is so impressive that only Real Madrid’s gifted playmaker Mesut Özil is an automatic starter in the attacking department. Centre-forward Mario Gomez, for example, may be the most successful goalscorer of the current crop, but Low is also very fond of Miroslav Klose, who’s enjoying an Indian summer with Lazio.

There are even more options for the wide positions, so neither the silky-skilled Mario Gotze nor the dynamic Marco Reus should be more than subs. Toni Kroos, Bayern’s most improved player of the season, would love to play in Özil’s central position, but would settle for deposing Sami Khedira in front of the back four. The Germans have so much flair and creativity, they may very well be using two trained trequartistas as holding midfielders.

Weaknesses
Once feared the world over for their ruthless, watertight and efficient defences, the Germans are now almost forced to play attacking football simply to keep the ball away from their own penalty area. Despite the occasional blunder this year with the ball at his feet, Manuel Neuer is a world-class goalkeeper, and his Bayern team-mate Philipp Lahm is consistently outstanding – but the other three positions at the back are long-standing causes for concern.

No matter on which wing Lahm is used, there is no reliable full-back for the other flank. The most experienced centre-back, Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker, comes off a difficult season and a long injury lay-off; all of his potential partners are doing well for their clubs but have repeatedly failed to bring their domestic form to the international game.

Did you know...?
The German players are allowed to smoke. During Euro 2008, UEFA banned Low from the touchline for Germany’s game against Portugal so he watched it from a VIP lounge – where TV cameras caught him lighting up. He came under criticism from anti-smoking groups yet saw no reason to quit.

“I’m not a shining example,” he admitted recently, “but I’ve never smoked in the presence of the players. As far as I know, none of them smoke, but I wouldn’t forbid it… except at the table or during a team meeting, of course.”

Expert’s view
Christoph Biermann, editor-in-chief of 11 Freunde and winner of Germany’s Football Book of the Year award in 2010
“In the past six years, the team has stunned and fascinated the German public by playing both beautiful and successful football – but they haven’t taken the last step, namely winning a title. It’s about time. The men in charge of the team actually support this view – nobody is attempting to distort things and give Germany the role of an underdog. After all, talented players like Mario Gotze and Marco Reus have been added since the 2010 World Cup, which has further increased the team’s options.”

Verdict
Better and hungrier than in 2010. Winners.

Ozil: "I fly by Cabaye"

Key Player
Mesut Özil
Historically known for their industrious team ethic, the current German side is also filled with flair and creativity – and no-one has more than Özil. Unstoppable during the qualifying campaign, notching five goals and assisting seven, Özil’s vision and clever passing are a match for the creative elite of world football.

The manager
Joachim Low
With a sophisticated look from the dugout, Low has continued the philosophical ways started by Jurgen Klinsmann, leaving out Michael Ballack to concentrate on the nation’s youth and playing ultimate ‘team football’. Germany eased through the qualifying rounds with a 100% record, only raising the stock of the 52-year-old coach.

How they play
With 34 goals bagged in qualifying, accompanied by an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, Germany will be a great goal threat this summer. Although not fully settled at the back, they have a powerful and relentless midfield that contains more than enough creativity to support the striker when it comes to scoring. Expect a team performance in every outing at the Euros.

Euro record
1960 DNE (Did not enter)
1964 DNQ (Did not qualify)
1968 DNQ
1972 Winners
1976 Runners-up
1980 Winners
1984 First round
1988 Semi-finals
1992 Runners-up
1996 Winners
2000 First round
2004 First round
2008 Runners-up

Fixtures
June 9, Portugal (Lviv, 7.45pm)
June 13, Holland (Kharkiv, 7.45pm)
June 17, Denmark (Lviv, 7.45pm)

Odds
Germany are 3/1 to win Euro 2012 and 50/1 to win (in 90 minutes) all six games on the way to the title.
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Euro 2012 preview: Netherlands

FourFourTwo Team — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:01:00 GMT

They qualified with stylish ease and have a fearsome front four, says Ben Lyttleton, but the Dutch have problems – not least at the back…

"You go over there… no, not you…"

They’re never happy, the Dutch. Always fighting. At least, that’s how it seemed after Holland had beaten England 3-2 in a friendly back in February, and the Dutch press laid into coach Bert van Marwijk for starting with Nigel de Jong alongside Mark van Bommel as his holding midfielders.

The hallmark of Holland’s qualifying campaign – in which they won their first nine matches, only losing the last 3-2 to a Sweden side who needed the win to qualify – was the phasing out of De Jong as the second enforcer, replacing him with the more attacking Rafael van der Vaart or Kevin Strootman.

Van Marwijk shrugged off the criticism as the game itself showed the best of what Holland has: in Arjen Robben, a winger who can win matches on his own when the mood takes him; and in Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, top scorer in qualifying for any nation with 12 goals and fast closing in on Patrick Kluivert’s all-time record 40 goals for Holland (he has scored 31 in his first 50 games), a supreme poacher.

That’s before you even consider the talents of Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie, whose form has veered in opposite directions since the 2010 World Cup Final: Sneijder has had a difficult season at Inter, while Van Persie has been breaking personal records galore at Arsenal. Those two players have had their differences, but Van Marwijk has ended the reign of player power and somehow the pair co-exist with no problems or tantrums.

Van Marwijk’s dilemma is how to replicate Van Persie’s Arsenal form. He has flourished playing between two wingers, Gervinho and Theo Walcott. The coach is under pressure to pick Robben and Ibrahim Afellay out wide, but he likes Dirk Kuyt for his exemplary work-rate even if he’s not a true winger. The other option is to play Van Persie on the right – which was tried several times towards the end of qualifying – so that, like Robben on occasion, he can cut in on his left foot. Alternatively, he could be the No.10 behind Huntelaar... but what then for Sneijder?

He also has a selection quandary in defence, where injury ruled out PSV Eindhoven left-back Erik Pieters. If fit, he could have offered an option by moving across to partner Johnny Heitinga at centre-back, as there have been concerns about Joris Mathijsen’s form at Malaga this season.

However, with no obvious left-back cover for Pieters, it looks like Van Marwijk may have to turn to midfielder Stijn Schaars, veteran Wilfred Bouma – or at the other extreme, the barely 18 years old Jetro Willems, who was fast-tracked from the Dutch U19 squad in late May.

Van Marwijk has made this team more attacking than the World Cup finalists and  it is to his credit that they are now a stable group, who often compare the camaraderie  in the camp to that of a club side – but will he stick with De Jong for Holland’s opener against Denmark on June 9? Van Marwijk knows his squad has the ability to go one better than in 2010, but that decision alone could set the tone for Holland’s tournament.

Dutch dejection in 2010

Lesson from qualifying
Scoring goals is the best way to win back public support. Holland managed 37 in their 10 qualifiers, and the memory of the World Cup final against Spain grew ever more distant. “In the space of two hours in that final, they destroyed a 40-year tradition, dragged it through the s***,” said Hard Gras magazine editor Henk Spaan of that match. “It was a disgrace; a lack of any historical insight, leadership and morals.” Van Marwijk’s job this summer is not only to win the tournament, but to restore faith in the old ideals of Dutch football. No pressure, then.

Strengths
Any of the attacking talents can win a match on their own. The only trouble is, they can’t always manage it together – but if they could be less reliant on Sneijder and Robben, and find a way to get the best out of Van Persie while exploiting Huntelaar’s unbelievable scoring record as well…

Weaknesses
This defence may struggle against top-class opponents, which should only encourage Holland to play a more attacking, possession-based game. But Germany’s comfortable 3-0 win in a November friendly, albeit with the Dutch missing five key starters, remains a memory that the Oranje won’t want repeating on June 13 in Kharkiv.

Did you know...?
Robin van Persie’s first coach when he broke into the Feyenoord team – and the man who sanctioned his departure to Arsenal after repeatedly falling out with him – was Bert  van Marwijk. The pair insist they have both matured and now get on very well.

Expert’s view
Wesley Meijer, Het Parool newspaper
“Many doubt if ‘Oranje’ will be able to defeat the Germans and Portuguese in the group stage. If they can anything is possible. Still, Spain and Germany are expected to be stronger. The squad is largely the same as in 2010, but many want Van Marwijk change his one-striker system and put Huntelaar next to Van Persie, although RvP’s never as good in Oranje as he is for Arsenal.”

Verdict
Attacking riches but defensive deficiencies. Semis at best.

RvP and JKH: Brilliant Oranje?

Key player
Robin van Persie
In a team with stars all over the pitch, Van Persie’s prolific form for club and country in 2011-12 makes him our key man. In 2011, Arsenal’s flying Dutchman scored 50 goals in all competitions, making the step up from top-level forward to genuinely world-class striker. One of the favourites for the Golden Boot.

The Manager
Bert van Marwijk
The Dutch FA were so content with the nation’s success in the last World Cup, despite losing the final to Spain, that they extended his contract until 2016. A UEFA Cup-winning manager with Feyenoord in 2002, 59-year-old Van Marwijk has fellow ex-players Ernest Faber and Phillip Cocu on his staff and is father-in-law to midfielder Mark van Bommel.

How they play
With the plethora of attacking options that this Holland squad possesses, goals should be a certainty. Sneijder and Van der Vaart, even if deployed deep (in place of destroyers Van Bommel and De Jong), have the technical ability and vision to set up the tournament’s most prolific finishers in Van Persie and Huntelaar. Holland’s attack-minded flair meant they were the tournament’s highest scorers in qualifying, netting 37 times.

Euro record
1960 DNE (Did not enter)
1964 DNQ (Did not qualify)
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 Semi-finals
1980 First round
1984 DNQ
1988 Winners
1992 Semi-finals
1996 Quarter-finals
2000 Semi-finals
2004 Semi-finals
2008 Quarter-finals

Fixtures
June 9, Denmark (Kharkiv, 5pm)
June 13, Germany (Kharkiv, 7.45pm)
June 17, Portugal (Kharkiv, 7.45pm)

Odds
Netherlands are 7/1 to win Euro 2012 and 66/1 to beat Denmark 5-0
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Euro 2012 preview: Czech Republic

Jonathan Wilson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 08:04:00 GMT

The 1996 finalists, though unfancied, will be looking to cause an upset in Group A. Jonathan Wilson on the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic sealed qualification with a play-off victory over Montenegro

Tomas Rosicky has long been the icon of Czech football. The ‘Little Mozart’ (perhaps an odd name, as the maestro was Austrian) was there in Euro 2004, pulling the strings as the Czech Republic dazzled, coming from 2-0 down to beat Holland only to run into the immovable object that was Otto Rehhagel’s Greece in the semi-final. He was there at the 2006 World Cup, playing adequately as the Czechs failed to live up to expectations. And he’s been there for the past few years, underperforming and looking out of sorts alongside his sluggish-looking team-mates.

Recently, though, it’s been a different story. The sudden surge of form Rosicky has enjoyed at Arsenal since February was in evidence for his country three months earlier. Having been anonymous in qualifying, he suddenly looked the Rosicky of old in the play-off win over Montenegro. The question for a grateful nation was: why? Was it simply that it had taken him that long to recover from a long-term tendon injury, as he said, or was it something else?

The coach, Michal Bilek, had been widely criticised after an uninspiring qualifying campaign in which the Czechs scored only 12 goals in eight games despite being in a group with Liechtenstein. They were extremely fortunate to get the benefit of two penalty decisions – one for, one against – in drawing with Scotland at Hampden. They lost at home to Lithuania. In hindsight a progression can be seen, culminating in a 4-1 away win, but at the time it felt like one dull display after another.

But then the suspension of Tomas Hubschman led to a rejigged midfield for the play-offs, where the level of control in the 3-0 aggregate win over Montenegro was impressive. Petr Jiracek moved into his preferred position in the middle, and Jaroslav Plasil dropped deeper. The Bordeaux captain suddenly seemed more involved, linking with a rejuvenated Rosicky, who revelled in the playmaking role of a 4-2-3-1. Out on the flanks, Vaclav Pilar and Jan Rezek look to have confirmed their places.

The issue, as it has been for a while, is how to convert that into goals. It’s far from clear who the Czechs’ first-choice striker will be. Milan Baros played in most of the qualifiers, but 22-year-old Tomas Pekhart of Nuremberg, once of Spurs, performed admirably against Montenegro. Tomas Necid of CSKA Moscow, also 22, could come into contention if he can overcome a ruptured knee ligament, and coming off the bench there is Sparta Prague’s 19-year-old Vaclav Kadlec. He scored against Liechtenstein in his only national appearance, but was a star of last summer’s Under-21 Euros when the Czechs reached the semis.

Defensively Bilek’s side is sound, but they need a gifted midfield to click. It did against Montenegro, but in the friendly against Ireland in February they were back to the old stodginess. This easy group, though, may give them time to hit their straps.

Petr Cech's return to form will be a welcome boost for his national team

Lesson from qualifying
Be brave in selection. Leaving out Hubschman, for all his experience, may help the balance of the team. He came on at half-time against Ireland and did little to alter that impression.

Strengths
They don’t concede many, and have really tightened up in recent games. That perhaps glosses over concerns about the form of Petr Cech, who endured a nightmare Euro 2008. But he’s still a class act and there is solidity in front of him, especially in the Czech Republic’s first player of African descent, right-back Theodor Gebre Selassie (although he often plays at centre-back for Slovan Liberec). Roman Hubnik of Hertha Berlin and Tomas Sivok of Besiktas make a fine centre-back pairing.

Weaknesses
This is a team between generations. Baros may only be 30, but he seems to have been around forever and often plays like it. Rosicky was in a similar slump until his recent resurgence and it’s doubtful that the likes of Plasil and the forward David Lafata will be around come the World Cup. But while some players are on their way out, the side that impressed at the U21 Euros isn’t quite ready, so the Czechs can give the impression of being both stale and naive.

Did you know…?
Of the Czechoslovakia side that won the Euros in 1976, only three of the starting 11 – keeper Ivo Viktor, winger Zdenek Nehoda and Antonin Panenka, who scored the decisive chipped penalty – were Czech. The rest were all Slovak.

Expert’s view
Michal Petrak, Sport
“Had the fans judged the Czechs’ chances at the Euros by the performance in the friendly in Norway that Bilek’s men lost 3-0 last August, the expectations would be below zero. At that time, there was enormous pressure on Bilek to step down – and for some of the most disappointing performers never to pull on the national shirt again. However, that match proved a turning point. Bilek abandoned his ill-advised 4-2-2-2 formation, found proper roles for Plasil and Rosicky, and an influx of new blood has given the team new hope, so the mood is a bit more optimistic. The group is unpredictable, but if the Czechs perform as they did in the closing stages of qualifying and in the play-off against Montenegro, they have every chance of progressing.”

Verdict
Will do well to make it out of their group.

Arsenal midfielder Rosicky will be a key figure for the Czech Republic

Key player
Tomas Rosicky
Anyone who watched the 2004 Euros will remember Rosicky’s virtuoso performances. And after a difficult and injury-hit few seasons at the Emirates, the schemer has been back on form in recent months. Fitness permitting, he could drag his nation to success this summer.

The Manager
Michal Bilek
Voted 1990 World Cup Player of the Year in his home country, 46-year-old Bilek got the coaching position after coming through the backroom ranks. After assisting then-coach and former team-mate Ivan Hasek, Bilek took full control in 2009 following the Czech’s failure to qualify for South Africa, and took them to the Euros via the play-offs.

How they play
The Czech Republic face a difficult task in scoring goals this summer. Their defensive line-up highlights the lack of any real striking options. Baros has 40 international goals, while Rosicky has 20 – the rest of the expected squad combined have scored only 34 between them. There is serious cause  for concern upfront for the Czechs, and they need Baros to stay fit and firing.

Group fixtures
June 8, Russia (Wroclaw, 7.45pm)
June 12, Greece (Wroclaw, 5pm)
June 16, Poland (Wroclaw, 7.45pm)

Euro record
1960 Semi-finals (as Czechoslovakia)
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 Winners
1980 Semi-finals
1984 DNQ
1988 DNQ
1992 DNQ (as Czech Republic)
1996 Runners-up
2000 First round
2004 Semi-finals
2008 First round

Odds
Czech Republic are 66/1 to win Euro 2012 and 16/1 to not score a goal at the tournament.
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Euro 2012 preview: Greece

Jonathan Wilson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 08:03:00 GMT

Euro 2008 was something of a damp squib for the champions of 2004 - can they make a splash in Ukraine and Poland? Jonathan Wilson casts an expert eye over Greece

Greece are compact, stubborn, pragmatic, but most of all, effective

The players change, the manager changes, but the method doesn’t. When Greece faced Croatia in October, they had to win to retake top spot from Slaven Bilic’s side with one game to go. Amid a fierce atmosphere in Piraeus in which at least two petrol bombs were thrown, you might have expected a ferocious start: a cavalry charge to capitalise on the fervour and have the game won before Croatia could come to terms with the mayhem. Instead, the first half could hardly have been more soporific - on the pitch at least - and Greece won thanks to the familiar route of two goals from set-pieces in the final 20 minutes.

Greece under Fernando Santos are compact, stubborn, pragmatic in the extreme, threatening from set-plays and undeniably effective. Having won the league with Porto and been named coach of the decade in Greece for his work with Panathinaikos, AEK and PAOK, the Portuguese replaced Otto Rehhagel in July 2010. From there, Greece went 17 games unbeaten before a 3-1 home defeat to Romania in a friendly in November. It says something of the caution in the Greek approach, though, that of the 19 games Santos has overseen, eight have been drawn.

Santos preferred a 4-3-3 for most of the campaign, but it’s certainly not the Barcelona ‘false nine’ model or even Chelsea’s targetman approach. There are no wingers - rather, Santos has three forwards who roam looking for scraps; a classic broken team who sit eight men behind the ball. Theofanis Gekas, once of Portsmouth (literally - he made one appearance as sub), came out of international retirement to become first-choice centre-forward. He usually has Georgios Samaras of Celtic to his left and PAOK’s Dimitris Salpigidis on his right.

Angelos Charisteas, who scored the winner in the Euro 2004 Final, still floats around the squad as back-up at the age of 32, while there is real excitement in Greece at the potential of 21-year-old Olympiakos forward Ioannis Fetfatzidis. Nicknamed ‘the Greek Messi’, partly because the club helped pay for growth hormone treatment, he is highly gifted technically and has already played 12 times for the national team. In an otherwise solid and hardworking squad, he adds a dash of flair and imagination, even if his one-in-six goalscoring record for Olympiakos leaves him some way behind the real Messi.

Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis continue to patrol midfield as they did eight years ago, with Alexandros Tziolis the favourite to join them, although with Giorgos Theodoridis, Giorgos Fotakis and Pantelis Kafes, Santos could go for a trio of thirty-somethings.

The backline is more youthful: 20-year-old Kyriakos Papadopoulos, an elegant ball-playing centre-back-cum-midfielder, offers hints that the way ahead may not be so painfully functional. Then again, the recent past has been the most successful spell in Greek football history, so while the rest of the world may not want to watch it, they see no great reason to change.

Katsouranis and Karagounis continue to run the midfield

Lesson from qualifying
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Up to 2004, Greece had qualified for only one World Cup and one European Championship; since then they’ve qualified for two more Euros and another World Cup. The football may not have much flair, but its effectiveness is beyond doubt. Manager Santos, wisely, has not changed a winning model.

Strengths
Greece are a physically powerful side, more reliant on brawn than brain to break down opponents. They don’t concede many goals - just five in 10 qualifying games - and present a major threat from set-pieces, as Croatia found out. It’s likely to be attritional - men behind the ball then long forward passes on the counter - but the model has served them well for years. They also have experience; as many as five of the 2004 squad could line up this time around.

Weaknesses
They don’t score many either: 14 in 10 in qualifying, only netting more than two in a game once - against Malta. Unless Fetfatzidis is given his chance, they lack imagination: they can frustrate good sides, but can’t pick apart teams who defend against them. Also, the midfield in particular looks old: you wonder how their legs will stand up to the summer heat.

Did you know?
In 2004, Greece became known as ‘the pirate ship’ when they shocked hosts Portugal 2-1 in their first game, following a lavish opening ceremony that featured a replica 16th-century Portuguese ship. Euro championship, ahoy!

Expert’s view
Antonis Oikonomidis, Sportday reporter
"Summer 2004. Greece sees its finest moment: the Olympics provide a basis for development and prosperity, and they win the Euros. Summer 2012. Greece is bankrupt. One in five are unemployed, one in two live in poverty, and the migratory stream reaches record levels.

"One of the few factors in common is Greece making the Euros. No one expects a coronation - miracles happen only once - but this team is one of the very few things Greeks still believe in. Qualification from the group would almost be equivalent to winning and is a realistic target. This team allows Greeks to dream."

Verdict
Unlikely to progress without more creativity.

Could Papadopoulos be the rock on which more Greek success is built?

Key player
Kyriakos Papadopoulos
Euro 2012 could be the coming of age for Schalke and Greece’s young centre-back. Comfortable in front of the back four but most at home in the heart of the defence, he’s in the Bundesliga top five for tackles, interceptions and blocked shots this season. A big-game player, he could provide the foundations for another Greece upset.

The Manager
Fernando Santos
The previous decade saw the most successful era in Greece’s football history, with the high point being, of course, the Euros win in 2004. Santos took the coaching position in 2010 and will have a job topping that. Prior to his appointment, though, the Greek Football League rewarded his domestic efforts with the ‘coach of the decade’ award.

How they play
It may look an aggressive formation on paper, but Greece sit eight men behind the ball, with the front three living off scraps. Greece will be hoping that experience proves key to their forward line. They have a combined age of 89, sharing 162 caps and 35 goals. Katsouranis and Maniatis will double up as the midfield anchors in charge of keeping teams at bay.

Group fixtures
June 8, Poland (Warsaw, 5pm)
June 12, Czech Republic (Wroclaw, 5pm)
June 16, Russia (Warsaw, 7.45pm)

Euro record
1960 DNQ
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 First round
1984 DNQ
1988 DNQ
1992 DNQ
1996 DNQ
2000 DNQ
2004 Winners
2008 First round

Odds
Greece are 66/1 to win Euro 2012, and 250/1 to draw all 3 group games 0-0.
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Euro 2012 preview: Russia

FourFourTwo Team — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 08:02:00 GMT

Russia were among the more impressive performers in Austria and Switzerland four years ago, but can they repeat the trick? Dan Brennan casts an eye over Dick Advocaat's side

Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko will look to prove 2008 wasn't a one-off

Four years ago, perennial underachievers Russia took Euro 2008 by storm, with Guus Hiddink masterminding a Slavic take on total football that cast Andrey Arshavin in the Cruyff role. Hopes that their exciting run to the semi-finals would spark a new golden era have not materialised. Instead, under Hiddink’s fellow Dutchman Dick Advocaat, there’s been an overall impression of a team treading water and growing old together.

After failing to make the 2010 World Cup, Russia’s qualification for the Euros this time was achieved in efficient but unspectacular fashion. That they edged out the Republic  of Ireland to top Group B owed more to the solidity of a defensive unit that conceded just four goals in 10 matches than the free-spirited attacking displays that lit up Euro 2008.

The parsimony of that rearguard is a major asset, and hardly surprising given that two  of the back four – Sergei Ignashevich and Aleksei Berezutski –  have been playing together for club (CSKA Moscow) and country for the best part of  a decade. With another seasoned operator, 34-year-old Konstantin Zyryanov, in midfield, the team is built on strong foundations.

Further up the pitch, the cracks appear,  not least because Arshavin – still the creative fulcrum – seems to have lost his way. Locked out at Arsenal, the 30-year-old has sought solace and regular playing time in the bosom of his alma mater, Zenit St Petersburg. His national team-mates Yuri Zhirkov, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Dimitar Bilyaletdinov (who was omitted from Advocaat's final 23-man squad) also ended up as fringe players in England and have been shipped home. It’s hardly a glowing vindication of the Russian game, but Advocaat sees a silver lining: “I think Arshavin’s return  to Zenit will help the national team. He’ll  get more match practice. The same goes  for Bilyaletdinov and Pavlyuchenko. All of  these players were not getting regular  games in the first half of the season, but  now they should be playing every week.”

Some sections of the Russian media have called time on Arshavin’s role as national talisman altogether, talking up the prospects of young pretender Alan Dzagoev. The CSKA Moscow playmaker is the one truly exciting talent to emerge during the last cycle, but  is still a relative rookie. As former Russian captain Yegor Titov notes, Arshavin’s ability to rediscover his mojo remains key: “Do we need Arshavin? Definitely. I keep reading things like, ‘Why did he return? What do we need him for?’ But Arshavin is the only Russian player of his generation who has shone in Europe.”

Despite flopping at Arsenal, Arshavin is still a key figure for his country

Lesson from qualifying
Goals are hard to come by. Take away the  6-0 home thrashing of Andorra, and Russia found the net just 11 times in 9 qualifiers. Advocaat’s insistence on sticking with  a big targetman – either Pavlyuchenko or Pavel Pogrebnyak – has limitations. On the rare occasions when he has cut loose and opted for a fluid 4-3-3, with Dzagoev and Arshavin swapping positions on either side of Aleksandr Kerzhakov, they have looked closer to the spirit of 2008.

Strengths
This is an experienced squad that has matured tactically under Dutch guidance. Most of the players are drawn from Russia’s two most successful clubs, CSKA  and Zenit, and the core have been together  in the national fold for at least six years. Playing in neighbouring Poland and  Ukraine should boost support for a team  who are generally poor travellers.

Weaknesses
Physical strength and stamina are  a recognised weak spot – a shortcoming  that Advocaat has just sought to address  by recruiting former Wales coach Raymond Verheijen. But even he won’t be able to do much about the fact that the squad will be  one of the shortest in height at Euro 2012.  A further possible weakness of Advocaat’s approach is his dislike of substitutions – potential impact players such as Vladimir Bystrov, Aleksandr Samedov and Denis Glushakov remain largely untested – reducing his ability to change games. There is no plan B.

Did you know…?
Former Chelsea man Yuri Zhirkov is an avid collector of World War II memorabilia.

Expert’s view
Ivan Kalashnikov, deputy editor, sports.ru
“Just as four years ago, expectations are  pretty low – but the Euro 2008 team turned  out to be arguably the best we’ve ever produced. The nucleus of that squad  remains the same, so they have continuity  and experience on their side. On the  flip side, this is an ageing team, indicative  of a lack of new talent being produced.

"In the qualifiers Russia showed what ‘false dominance’: keeping possession but with no cutting edge. The high point of the qualifying campaign was the 3-2 win away to Ireland, which saw Kerzhakov, Arshavin and Dzagoev swapping positions in a fast, fluid attack that was the trademark of Hiddink’s Russia, but which has been rarely sighted under his successor. He continues to waver between Pavlyuchenko and Pogrebnyak to spearhead the attack – even if the best centre-forward  in Russia at the moment is Kerzhakov.”

Verdict
Resurgent stars should sneak them through.

Dzagoev has already impressed domestically and in the Champions League

Key player
Alan Dzagoev
The 21-year-old CSKA Moscow man is an exciting prospect  as an attacking midfielder. Having played three full seasons  in the Russian Premier League and  the Champions League, Dzagoev is  no stranger to pressure and the big stage. Although he injured his toe in March, he’s expected to be fit in time for the opener. If he hits form this summer, he might just inspire Russia in a similar way to Arshavin in 2008.

The manager
Dick Advocaat
Taking the reigns from Guus Hiddink in May 2010, 64-year-old Advocaat lost his first home qualifier to Slovakia, but the former Holland and Rangers manager, who won the 2008 UEFA Cup with Zenit St Petersburg, found the winning formula, qualifying for Euro 2012 as group winners, staying unbeaten for the remaining qualifying games.

How they play
The strength of this Russian side comes right down the centre of the pitch. With a solid central defence to build  on, Advocaat will be looking to get young playmaker Dzagoev on the ball as much  as possible, ideally in the hole behind the striker. With Dzagoev and Arshavin feeding the likes of Pavlyuchencko, Pogrebnyak and Kerzhakov upfront, the Russians could prove a handful for their three rivals in Group A.

Group fixtures
June 8, Czech Republic (Wroclaw, 7.45pm)
June 12, Poland (Warsaw, 7.45pm)
June 16, Greece (Warsaw, 7.45pm)

Euro record (including as USSR/CIS)
1960 Winners
1964 Runners-up
1968 Semi-finals
1972 Runners-up
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 DNQ
1988 Runners-up
1992 First round
1996 First round
2000 DNQ
2004 First round
2008 Semi-finals

Odds
Russia are 20/1 to win Euro 2012, while Andrei Arshavin to finish as top scorer with Russia winning the tournament is 400/1.
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Euro 2012 preview: Poland

Jonathan Wilson — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 08:01:00 GMT

Robert Lewandowski will look to give the Poles goals

The last European Championship was Poland’s first, but it wasn’t exactly memorable: they were eliminated after taking just a point from their three games.

After a 2-0 defeat to Germany, the crucial game came against the co-hosts, Austria. Poland led 1-0 going into injury-time but were undone by a penalty awarded by Howard Webb – correctly, albeit for no more than routine penalty-box tussling. The Polish tabloids, conveniently ignoring the fact that their goal was offside, laid into Webb, one depicting his head on a dartboard while  the Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, said  he’d felt like “killing” the referee.

All of this rather disguised the fact that the Poles hadn’t played very well. Their problems, though, were brought home in a crushing way in the World Cup qualifiers. After a 1-1 draw with Slovenia, a simple win over San Marino and an impressive victory over the Czechs, Poland topped their group after three games. They led Slovakia 1-0 with five minutes remaining in their fourth fixture, but  somehow lost 2-1 – and then collapsed, beating only San Marino in the six games that remained to finish fifth out of six in their group.

Failure to qualify led to Stefan Majewski being replaced as coach by Franciszek Smuda, who led Widzew Lodz to two Polish titles and Wisla Krakow to another in the ’90s. After the optimism that carried Leo Beenhakker’s side to Austria and Switzerland, expectations are far more muted this time. “What will a football fan do when Poland win Euro 2012?” runs a popular joke. “Turn off the video game and go to sleep.”

Smuda has tried to instil defensive discipline and collective responsibility, and both were in evidence in the 0-0 draw against Portugal with which Poland inaugurated their new national stadium in February. “We don’t have stars,” Smuda said, insisting that Russia are favourites to win what looks just about as soft a group as the co-hosts could have hoped for. “We can only accomplish something as a team.”

Slowly, there is evidence of his side coming together. Poland have lost just one of their  last nine friendlies – to Italy – as Smuda has settled on a 4-2-3-1 formation in which the two most familiar names are Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny and Jakub Blaszczykowski, plus his Borussia Dortmund team-mate  Robert Lewandowski. Blaszczykowski usually operates on the right with Lewandowski as  the main centre-forward, playing just ahead  of Bordeaux’s Ludovic Obraniak, a Ligue 1  title-winner at Lille last season.

As Smuda said, though, this side isn’t really about individuals – it’s about the collective, and that it is coming together is borne out  by their defensive record. Nine goals conceded in 10 games might not sound too special, but given they played France, Germany, Italy and Portugal in that run, it suggests a resolve that was perhaps lacking four years ago.

Jakub Blaszczykowski will provide a real threat down the Polish right

Lesson from their  last tournament
You have to hope Poland have learned  to be realistic about expectations and not blame referees for their failings,  as they did in 2008. While they would hardly be alone among national teams  if they didn’t, the sense in the build-up to the tournament is of a side aware  of its limitations, even as co-hosts.

Strengths
Although both Austria and Switzerland failed to make it through the group stage four years ago, home support is always a major factor  in international tournaments – as Gabon and Equatorial Guinea proved this year by both reaching the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. Passionate fans and new stadia could give impetus to a squad that is looking tightly bonded; Poland are difficult to break down and, in Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski, they have genuine quality in attacking areas if the ball can be worked to them quickly enough.

Weaknesses
So far Smuda has struggled to strike the right balance between attack and defence, and the holding midfield duo of Rafal Murawski and Dariusz Dudka (or Eugen Polanski) offers little in the way of guile. They’re about effort and stopping the opposition playing, which means Poland effectively play a broken team with  six deep and four forward. Bridging that divide can be a problem, as their record of 11 goals scored in those last 10 friendlies suggests.

Did you know…?
Before eliminating England from the 1974 World Cup, Poland’s only previous appearance in a major tournament had come in 1938, when Ernest Wilimowski scored four in a  6-5 extra-time defeat to Brazil in Strasbourg and later defected to play for Germany.

Expert’s view
Wojciech Szaniawski, FourFourTwo Poland
“Both in the opening match and the final of Euro 2004, the same two teams competed against each other: hosts Portugal and Greece. The hosts will again kick off against Greece, but Poland don’t even dream of playing in the final. The goal is to advance to the quarter-finals out of, theoretically, the weakest group. Dortmund’s title-winning Polish trio – Jakub Blaszczykowski, Robert Lewandowski and Lukasz Piszczek – will need to carry their form into the tournament while Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny has the chance to become a hero.”

Verdict
Home advantage to prove vital in open group.

Wojciech Szczesny must take his domestic form to the international stage

Key player
Wojciech Szczesny
The outspoken Arsenal goalkeeper has been one  of the most consistent players  in an inconsistent team this season at the Emirates.
At 22 and 6ft 5in he is a massive prospect for the future of Polish football in more ways than one,  but Szczesny really needs to perform like an experienced veteran this  summer if the Poles are to  succeed in front of their home fans.

The Manager
Franciszek Smuda
The outspoken  coach has never been one to hold back, criticising his nation’s centre-backs, stating: “If someone can find  a class defender with a Polish passport, they deserve a special bonus.” After ten years of thinking about it, he finally landed the job in 2009 having managed 15 clubs and won three  Polish league titles.

How they play
For all Poland’s recent improvement, Smuda’s hunt for a settled defensive unit is proving difficult – he has changed the back four on numerous occasions. The coach will more than likely continue to play five across the middle in an attempt to combat this issue, leaving Lewandowski up top on his own. In decent form for club side Borussia Dortmund, the striker has scored 13 goals in 40 games for Poland.

Euro record
1960 DNQ (Did not qualify)
1964 DNQ
1968 DNQ
1972 DNQ
1976 DNQ
1980 DNQ
1984 DNQ
1988 DNQ
1992 DNQ
1996 DNQ
2000 DNQ
2004 DNQ
2008 First round

Group fixtures
June 8, Greece (Warsaw, 5pm)
June 12, Russia (Warsaw, 7.45pm)
June 16, Czech Republic (Wroclaw, 7.45pm)

Odds
Poland are 50-1 to win Euro 2012 and 33-1 to score more goals than any other team.
Exclusive Coral/FourFourTwo free bet offer: Bet £30, get £60.
More details coral.co.uk/fourfourtwo

...and there's more: try Back of the Net's satirical previews

Euro 2012 previews: All 16 nations assessed

FourFourTwo Team — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 06:50:00 GMT

Get the lowdown from FourFourTwo's global experts on the 16 Euro protagonists...

Group A
Poland • Russia • Greece • Czech Republic

Group B
Netherlands • Germany • Portugal • Denmark

Group C
Spain • Italy • Croatia • Republic of Ireland

Group D
Ukraine • England • France • Sweden

...or, for a different view, how about checking out the alternative previews from our mischievous mirth-makers Back of the Net?

Group A:
Poland – It's Not All Fun & Games
Russia – Excellent Control There
Greece – Cautious Football, Reckless Spending
Czech Republic – Might Not Surprise A Few People

Group B:
Netherlands – Together As One, For Now
Germany – Herr There or Thereabouts
Portugal – It's Not All About Him, You Know
Denmark – Poulsen, Poulsen & Poulsen Aim For Glory

Group C:
Spain – So Good, They Might Not Even Bother
Italy – The Bookmakers' Favourites
Croatia – Like A Game Of Chess. No, Really...
Rep of Ireland – Oh Yeah, Lucky As Anything

Group D:
Ukraine – No Definite Article
England – Struggling To Meet Low Expectations
France – Sane Coach Proving A Novelty
Sweden – Loveable Fans, Workmanlike Team

Brotherly love, goalkeeping crises & refereeing scandals: The A-Z of Ukrainian football

Mark Gilbey — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 08:15:00 GMT

As Euro 2012 draws ever closer, FourFourTwo.com's Eastern European expert Mark Gilbey tells us more about the football history of the two host nations. Here's, Ukraine...

A - Andriy Shevchenko is arguably the greatest Ukrainian footballer of all time. The 35-year-old earned himself a reputation as one of Europe’s most feared strikers at Dynamo Kyiv and AC Milan. A Ballon d’Or winner, “Sheva” has scored 67 goals in European competitions and is his country’s leading marksman. Just don’t mention that penalty in Istanbul. Or Chelsea.

B - An issue some people grumble about is the brotherly love of Ihor and Hryhory Surkis. The former owns Dynamo Kyiv, while his elder sibling is the president of the Football Federation of Ukraine, leading to accusations of favouritism towards the capital city club. Hryhory recently announced that he would not stand as a candidate for the presidency at this September’s FFU congress.

C - Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk have been the dominant forces in a post-independent Ukraine. Not since Chornomorets Odesa were runners-up in 1995/96 has any other side finished in the top two. In each of the last six years, Metalist Kharkiv have been bronze medallists.

D - Thirteen times a champion of the Soviet Union and winner of three European trophies, Dynamo Kyiv are the country’s most successful club. Bilo-Syni (the Blue-and-Whites) have won another 13 league titles since independence, too.

E - Three Ukrainians have been crowned European Footballer of the Year: Oleh Blokhin (1975), Ihor Belanov (1986) and Andriy Shevchenko (2004).

F - Fix. Whispers of match-fixing, or dogovornyak, continue to dog the Ukrainian game. A recent survey by FIFPro revealed that almost eight per cent of players had been approached to fix a match.

G - National team coach Oleh Blokhin has something of a goalkeeping crisis on his hands for Euro 2012. First choice keeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy is injured, as is Andriy Dykan, while Oleksandr Rybka has been handed a two-year ban by Uefa after failing a doping test.

H - The Halytsko-Volynske derby between Karpaty Lviv and Volyn Lutsk is the biggest game in western Ukraine.

I - Premier League outfit Illychivets Mariupil from south-eastern Ukraine have become something of a de facto reserve side for Shakhtar Donetsk, with Mircea Lucescu sending a sizeable contingent out on loan there. Eight lined up against the Pitmen when the pair met recently.

A statue of Welshman John Hughes, founder of Donetsk

J - It was the British workers of Welsh coal and steel magnate John Hughes – the founding father of Donetsk – who introduced football to local miners. In time, they formed Shakhtar Donetsk.

K - Volodymyr Khomytsky scored the only goal in the first official match on Ukrainian soil for Lviv against a side representing Kraków on 14 July 1894.

L - Journeyman striker Lucky Idahor has played in every corner of the country. The Nigerian started out at Dynamo Kyiv in central/northern Ukraine, had a spell at Karpaty Lviv (west), then southern side Tavriya Simferopol before joining Zorya Luhansk (east) this season.

M - As a youngster, Yaya Touré played for Donetsk’s other Premier League side, Metalurh Donetsk, when his agent was vice-president of the club. After joining in 2003 he went on to make 37 appearances for Metalurh before signing for Olympiacos.

N - The final of the European Championships will be held at the renovated NSC Olympiyskiy Stadion. Since the turn of the year it has also been used by Dynamo Kyiv for their home matches.

O - Only one player has won the league with two different teams: defender Oleksandr Holovko (Tavriya Simferopol and Dynamo Kyiv).

P - If Ukraine wasn’t co-hosting this summer’s European Championships, they probably would have lost in the play-off stage of qualifying. Four times since gaining independence Ukraine has fallen at the final hurdle. These defeats have come in qualifying for the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cups, and Euro 2000.

Sheva reacts to defeat to Greece in a World Cup 2010 qualification play-off

Q - Q is for quota. In 2007 the Premier League introduced a limit on foreign players; clubs must now field a minimum of four Ukrainians.

R - It seems we are never far from a refereeing scandal in Ukraine. Pierluigi Collina was recruited in an attempt to improve standards, but former Volyn Lutsk manager Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi recently spoke of the refereeing system being “corrupt from head to toes”.

S - Rather than money-spinning trips to the Far East, Ukrainian clubs spend pre-season on gruelling training camps known as sbory, where they are whipped into shape with continuous exercise routines, training sessions and friendlies. Usually these take place somewhere around the Mediterranean, yet they are anything but a holiday.

T - The first champions of Ukraine after the fragmentation of the Soviet Union were Tavriya Simferopol.

U - Ultras. Passionate fans creating the atmosphere at matches with singing, flares and banners. With Euro 2012 and Uefa’s stadium regulations on the horizon, their choreographed displays have been a big talking point in Ukraine.

V - One of the game’s most pioneering managers, Valeriy Lobanovskiy had three spells in charge of Dynamo Kyiv over a 30-year period. His statue stands outside the stadium that bears his name. A brilliant tactician and renowned as something of a disciplinarian, Lobanovskiy died in 2002 aged 63 after collapsing in the dugout during a game in Zaporizhya.

W - Shakhtar Donetsk’s right-footed, left-sided midfielder Willian was linked with Chelsea in January and proved himself to be the league’s most useful player this season. The Brazilian created 16 goals for his Shakhtar Donetsk team-mates, as well as scoring five times himself.

X - Metalist Kharkiv have followed Shakhtar Donetsk’s lead by building a team with a large South American contingent. Their Brazilian captain Cleiton Xavier is one of 11 South Americans at the club (five Brazilians, six Argentineans) that includes his fellow countryman Edmar, who recently took Ukrainian citizenship and made his debut for the national team against Sweden. The midfielder was on the stand-by list for Euro 2012.

Y - Two youngsters to keep an eye out for at Euro 2012 are Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk’s Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko of Dynamo Kyiv - both 22.

Z - Zorya Luhansk are the Premier League’s easternmost team. Twinned with Cardiff, the city of Luhansk grew out of the iron works Scottish industrialist Charles Gascoigne founded there towards the end of the 18th century. As Zorya Voroshilovgrad, they were crowned champions of the Soviet Union in 1972.

FEATURE Holy wars, miners and underdogs: The A-Z of Polish football

Holy wars, miners and underdogs: The A-Z of Polish football

Mark Gilbey — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 07:30:00 GMT

As Euro 2012 draws ever closer, FourFourTwo.com's Eastern European expert Mark Gilbey tells us more about the football history of the two host nations. First, Poland...

A - Lech Poznań’s Artjoms Rudņevs was top scorer in Poland this season with 22 goals. Hamburg recently parted with €3.5m for the 24-year-old striker, who becomes the first Latvian to play in the Bundesliga.

B - Zbigniew Boniek is arguably Poland’s best-ever footballer. Playmaker “Zibi” left Widzew Lodz to sign for Juventus in 1982 where he earned the nickname “il Bello di Notte” (the Beauty of the Night). A quick, intelligent player with an eye for a pass, Boniek spent six years in Italy with Juve and Roma.

C - The country’s first professional football club were Czarni Lwów, founded in 1903. Then a part of Poland, what is now western Ukraine was absorbed by the USSR during World War Two and the side were disbanded. Lwów, or Lviv, to use its Ukrainian name, is one of the eight host cities for Euro 2012.

D - The big derby in Poland is between Legia Warszawa and Lech Poznań.

E - E is for Ekstraklasa, the 16-team topflight. Śląsk Wroclaw won only their second league title this season, 35 years after the club’s first.

F - Górnik Zabrze and Wisła Kraków have both won the Ekstraklasa a record fourteen times.

G - The only Polish side to reach a major European final are Górnik Zabrze. They were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City in the final of the 1970 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

H - Holy War (Święta Wojna): the name given to the Kraków derby between Wisła and Cracovia.

Police interrogate Wisla fans following a typically fiery Krakow derby

I - I is for imports. The likes of Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski represent Germany at international level, but Poland do have a couple of imports of their own. National team coach Franciszek Smuda has named Damien Perquis and Ludovic Obraniak – both from France – in his 23-man squad for Euro 2012.

J - Former Bolton Wanderers defender James Sinclair plays for Polonia Bytom, who were relegated to Poland’s third tier this season.

K - Fans were left outraged by the decision to remove from Poland’s kit the white eagle, the country’s oldest national symbol. After much pressure it was finally returned to the shirts.

L - Aside from Czarni Lwów, the city of Lviv is home to a number of other football firsts for Poland. The Polish Football Federation was founded there and the national team played their first three matches in the city. Lviv was also where an official copy of the rules were first translated into Polish.

M - Former Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek almost became a miner instead of a footballer. Growing up in the mining town of Knurow, he went down the pits twice a week as a 17-year-old until receiving an offer from a team in the third division.

N - N is for nomad. Polish national team boss Franciszek Smuda played for 13 sides and has coached at a further 15.

O - Poland won the gold medal for football at the 1972 Olympic Games, beating Hungary 2-1 in the Munich final thanks to Kazimierz Deyna’s brace.

P - Górnik Zabrze’s stadium is named after their former player Ernest Pohl, the league’s record scorer who netted 186 times during his career.

Euro 2008 was a new experience, but not a fun one for Poland fans

Q - Poland have only previously qualified for one European Championships (Euro 2008), although they failed to make it out of the group stages and picked up just one point. Howard Webb became something of a hate figure among Poles after awarding Austria an injury-time penalty that denied them victory in their second game.

R - Borussia Dortmund’s 23-year-old forward Robert Lewandowski is the star of the national team. One of three Poles at the club, “Lewy” scored 22 league goals as Borussia were crowned champions of Germany.

S - In 1980 Śląsk Wrocław lost 7-2 on aggregate to Dundee United in the UEFA Cup. It took a few years, but they finally got their revenge this season, beating Peter Houston’s side on away goals in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

T - Famously described as a “circus clown in gloves” by Brian Clough, goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski starred during a World Cup qualifier in 1973 at Wembley, denying England a victory that ensured Poland went to the finals at the Three Lions’ expense. He went on to become the first goalkeeper to save two penalties at a World Cup finals.

U - At 65th place, Poland are the lowest-ranked team at Euro 2012, making them underdogs.

V - Violence has decreased since at games. Ustawka is the name for an organised meet between hooligans away from the stadium.

X - We’re open to suggestions on this one…

Y - Poland’s Youth League is known as the Młoda Ekstraklasa.

Z - Michał Żewłakow is Poland’s most capped player. The 36-year-old defender made 102 appearances for the national team before retiring last year.

FEATURE Goalkeeping crises & refereeing scandals: The A-Z of Ukrainian football

VIDEOS Moments that rocked the Euros

FourFourTwo Team — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Among the many marvellous features in the new FourFourTwo – out now, folks – there's a rundown of the 50 Moments That Rocked The Euros. Among them are the following, lovingly presented in the form of moving pictures. Don't say we never do anything for you...

Van Basten: from sub to superstar (1988)
Here's a happy tale for every benchwarmer: Marco van Basten started Euro 1988 on the bench. Then he scored a hat-trick against hapless England and ended the tournament with this trigonometry-trumping triumph, perhaps the finest goal in Euros history.

World, meet Wazza (2004)
Although he had started 10 games before the tournament, at Euro 2004 Wayne Rooney announced himself to a global audience as a bull of a player who didn't even stop when he was bootless with a broken foot. Hobbled without him, a lame England limped out. Alright, we'll stop now.

Exit Yugoslavia, enter Denmark (1992)
Youthful stars Pancev, Boban, Savicevic, Prosinecki and Suker were tipped to conquer Europe - until Yugoslavia's civil war led to a UN resolution banning them from the party. Qualification group runners-up Denmark were catapulted from the beach to unexpected glory.

Cruyff's Oranje see red (1976)
Beaten World Cup finalists either side of these Euros, Holland went one worse in '76, losing to the Czechs in the semi-finals. Johan Neeskens was sent off, Johan Cruyff picked up a booking which would rule him out of the final, and Wim van Hanegem was sent off for refusing to kick off.

Ronnie’s rocket rocks Russia; Republic rejoices (1988)
Having beaten England on their tournament debut, the Irish were ecstatic when Ronnie Whelan acrobatically volleyed them in front against a strong Russia team. Sadly the Soviets grabbed a draw and a defeat to the Dutch knocked Ireland out… but they had arrived as a footballing nation.

Germany strike gold (1996)
After quarter-final defeat at USA 94, Germany had plenty to prove at Euro 96. They did so by beating the hosts in the semi-final and coming from behind in the final to beat the Czechs via two goals from substitute Oliver Bierhoff, the winner being a major tournament first: a golden goal.

Paul the Octopus: better than Lawro (2008)
Cephalopod kerfuffle! Given a choice of two nationally-notated mussels by his keepers at a Sea Life centre in Germany, Paul 'predicted' the winner correctly in four out of Germany's six Euro 2008 games – then got eight out of eight for the 2010 World Cup.

The Euros' greatest ever game? Spain 4-3 Yugoslavia (2000)
Euro 96 had the lowest goal average since 1980, but the next episode was much better with goalfests like this seven-goal humdinger. Spain thrice went behind, levelled in the 94th, won it in the 96th to make it to the knock-outs, and partied like it was still 1999.

Jeepers, sweepers, where d’you get that keeper? (1960)
In the inaugural Euros, USSR goalkeeper Lev Yashin stood out for his black kit, superb saves and willingness to sweep up behind a sometimes ponderous defence. After USSR beat Yugoslavia in the final, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev sent a congratulatory telegram – to Yashin.

Political football: Franco rewrites history (1964)
Champions in 1960, the Soviets lost the 1964 final to hosts Spain. Fascist dictator Franco was delighted to have beaten the Communists who had supplied his Civil War enemies, but Spain's star was Barcelona's Basque icon Chus Pereda… so Franco ordered him to be cut out of the footage.

France supersubs break Italian’s hearts (2000)
In the 2000 final, Italy thought they'd done enough to defeat the world champions. But Roger Lemerre threw on three attacking subs, and two of them scored: Sylvain Wiltord the injury-time equaliser, David Trezeguet the golden goal winner. France got the gong, Italy boss Dino Zoff got the sack.

England going All The Way… or not (1988)
It seemed the dream combination for Euro 88 success: gallant Mexico 86 quarter-finalists England singing a ditty penned by chart annexers Stock, Aitken and Waterman. The Europap song hit No.64 in the charts, and England crashed out with three defeats in three games.

From tomatoes to trophies (1968)
Twice world champions in the 1930s, Italy hadn't got out of the group stage since and were welcomed home from England in 1966 with a hail of tomatoes. They hosted Euro 68 and, after winning the semi on a coin toss, won the final after a replay. Did they care? Not a jot.

Panenka's chocolate chip (1976)
As he explains in the new FFT, Czech midfielder Antonin Panenka used to wager chocolate and beer on post-training shootouts with a goalkeeper chum. His brightest idea was the subtle chip down the middle after the goalkeeper had dived. Publicly unveiled in the Euro 76 final shootout, it helped beat the (West) Germans.

Basil’s faulty move (1992)
A lack of research or an excess of chutzpah led Basile Boli to headbutt, of all people, Stuart Pearce during the dire 0-0 between England and France at Euro 92. Naturally, Pearce stayed on his feet and played on, blood pouring from his cheekbone.

Czechs complete greatest comeback (2004)
Despite the Greeks' gradual grind to glory, there were 77 goals at Euro 2004, and five of them came in a group-game classic between the Czechs and Dutch. The Oranje went two up within 20 minutes but the Czechs, er, bounced back through Koller, Baros and Smicer.

No Fontaine, no Kopa… no chance (1960)
The first Euro finals were a long weekend in France, and in the semi-final les Bleus hosted Yugoslavia. Despite missing stars Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine, they were winning 4-2 deep into the second half… whereupon the visitors scored three in four minutes to win.

Zizou heaves it late to sink England (2004)
Busy old injury-time for Zinedine Zidane. First he converted a free-kick to haul France level against England. Then he vomited. Then he converted the penalty for their late, late winner. Then, presumably, had a well-deserved lie down.

The Germans are coming (1972)
Fluid '70s team-play usually brings to mind Dutch Total Football, but West Germany were no slouches either – as England found out in the home leg of their (qualifying) quarter-final. The visitors outclassed their hosts and led for most of the game, showing the style that would triumph at Euro 72 and the 1974 World Cup.

“Conspiracy!” cry Italians (2004)
After drawing their first two group games, Italy needed a win – and one for either side in the simultaneous Sweden-Denmark game. The Azzurri dispatched Bulgaria but the Scandis shared a four-goal thriller, the 89th-minute leveller prompting predictable outrage in Italy.

Platini’s one-man show (sort of) (1984)
It might be a bit hard on the fellow members of France's 'Magic Square' midfield, but Michel Platini dragged les Bleus to victory on home soil with six goals in three group games, the last-minute winner in the semi against Portugal and then the crucial opening goal in the final. Bon!

Greece is the word (2004)
'Greece 2004 highlights' might sound like a short clip-reel, but you try saying that to a hot-blooded Hellenic. They started with a group-game win over Portugal and, three ground-out 1-0 knockout games later, defeated the same side to become champions of Europe.

Swedes 2 Turnips 1 (1992)
England's awful Euro 92 whimpered out with a 2-1 defeat to the hosts. One tabloid branded manager Graham Taylor a turnip, but Sweden were a good side who have frequently troubled England since – and their winner ("Brolin… Dahlin… BROLIN!") was a peach.

Poland declares war on Howard Webb (2008)
Injury-time penalty awards tend to inflame the passions somewhat, but rarely as much as this. After Howard Webb granted a late spot-kick for co-hosts Austria to level, Polish PM Donald Tusk's "I wanted to kill" quote summed up the aggrieved country's mood.

Mullers sees red (1968)
Someone had to be the first England player sent off, and it was Alan Mullery who got first go of the soap after reacting to Yugoslav provocation in the Euro 68 semi-final: "I turned and kicked him in the how's your fathers". The FA fined Mullers £50; it was paid by Alf Ramsey.

Holland pay the penalty… again (2000)
Think England suck at penalties? Try being Dutch. The Oranje had already exited three tournaments via spot-kick shootouts when they reached the Euro 2000 semis against Italy (themselves hardly experts at it). In total, they missed five, with Frank de Boer missing one in regulation time and one in the shootout.

Spain reign… at last (2008)
Before winning the World Cup, Spain conquered the continent with their tiki-taka football, laying to rest nearly half a century of underachievement. They go into Euro 2012 as European champions, world champions and favourites, but will they triumph? Watch this space…

There are more Euro moments in the current issue of FourFourTwo magazine, out now.

FourFourTwo.com: More to read
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Welcome to Lviv, the cradle of Ukrainian and Polish football

Mark Gilbey — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:00:00 GMT

At one stage it seemed as though Lviv was perhaps the most doubtful of the four Ukrainian host venues at this summer’s European Championships. After all, preparations could hardly be considered trouble-free.

To hold a major football tournament in Ukraine and Poland without it though just wouldn't have been the same. Not because Lviv (pronounced “luh-veev”) is an elegant, tourist-friendly city and something of a cultural capital, or that Oleh Luzhny’s hometown lies close to the Polish border. Rather, it was in this corner of western Ukraine that the game began for both of the Euro 2012 co-hosts.

Football was introduced to Ukraine by British sailors in Odesa some time during the 19th century, with ad hoc matches being played by the Odesa British Athletic Club in the port city that piqued the interest of curious locals.It soon spread beyond the Black Sea and came to Lviv through the Sokol sports society in 1867.

A Leopolitan professor, Edmund Cenar, who had acquired the region’s first proper ball from Britain in 1891, published a version of the game’s rules, and along with his colleague Henry Jordan mapped out a development plan for Lviv’s schools. He was responsible for football being added to the regional fairs that the city would come to host.

This was at a time when Halychyna’s capital belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and had developed into an important trading post, with merchants coming from all over Europe.

But at the inaugural fair in 1892, the football was merely an exhibition by a teacher and a few schoolboys rather than anything resembling a full-blown game. That would come two years later.

By then an actual sports stadium able to accommodated 7,000 had been built with a full-size pitch measuring 100 by 120 yards and it was there, on 14 July 1894, that two teams representing Lviv and Kraków contested what is considered to be Ukraine’s first official match, with Professor Cenar managing the home side.

Instead of two halves of 45 minutes, though, the organisers had decided to end the game after the first goal so that it would not interfere with the day’s gymnastics schedule.

Reports vary as to the crowd’s size. Some estimate as many as 10,000 spectators witnessed Lviv’s Volodymyr Khomytsky, a 16-year-old student, score the winner after just six minutes with a right-footed shot past the Kraków goalkeeper. The Kraków team, perhaps unsurprisingly, had wanted to continue the game to try and equalise.

Lviv - as pictured in 2012, not 1894 - is a fitting venue for top level football

Khomytsky went on to teach physical education, rather than becoming a professional footballer. When he passed away in 1953 a small monument was made for his graveside detailing Khomytsky’s important milestone for not only Ukrainian football, but also Polish, too. A statue in Stryisky Park, where he scored, commemorates the match that last year the Football Federation of Ukraine re-enacted.

The sport blossomed after the original game. Lviv, or Lwów to use its Polish name, is where the Polish Football Federation was born on 25 June 1911 and it became an autonomous member of the Austrian Football Union soon after.

Its national side even played their first three matches in Lwów, whose teams provided eight players for these early squads.

They included Czarni Lwów, Poland’s first professional club, but the Second World War brought about much upheaval in eastern Europe and the region was absorbed by the USSR.

Lwów became Lvov (Lviv is its Ukrainian name). The city’s main team since Soviet times have been Karpaty Lviv. Despite being born out of a factory side in 1963, it took just six years for Zeleni-Bili (the Green-and-Whites) to win a trophy after they defeated SKA Rostov-na-Donu in the final of the Soviet Union’s cup competition. But they are yet to win anything since.

It seemed like tangible progress was being made under the stewardship of Aleh Konanaw with successive fifth-place finishes in the past two seasons; the Belarusian even took Karpaty into the group stages of the Europa League after defeating Turkish side Galatasaray in the play-offs. But in the year the European Championships are coming to Lviv they have endured a miserable campaign.

Konanaw was unable to arrest their slump at the beginning of the season and resigned in October, with his successor Volodymyr Sharan lasting just a few matches as Karpaty sunk to the bottom of the table.

Although victory in the Halytsko-Volynske derby against Volyn Lutsk in round 27 – their 200th in the league (only six other sides are members of the “200 club”) – did take Karpaty out of the relegation zone, it wasn't until the final day that safety was secured, and that was only because Obolon Kyiv failed to beat Chornomorets Odesa.

It seems all may not be well. Karpaty could start the new season with a nine-point deduction as they await the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s verdict on a thorny match-fixing scandal concerning a 4-0 defeat to Metalist Kharkiv in 2008 that has once again brought to the fore the oligarch rivalries that exist in Ukrainian football.

The Ukrainian national team have never lost in Lviv; Karpaty could well do with some of that luck rubbing off on them in the next campaign.

Back of the Net's Euro 2012 previews

Back of the Net — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:54:00 GMT

The Back of the Net boys examine each participating country in depth...

Group A:
Poland – It's Not All Fun & Games
Russia – Excellent Control There
Greece – Cautious Football, Reckless Spending
Czech Republic – Might Not Surprise A Few People

Group C:
Spain – So Good, They Might Not Even Bother
Italy – The Bookmakers' Favourites
Croatia – Like A Game Of Chess. No, Really...
Rep of Ireland – Oh Yeah, Lucky As Anything

Group D:
Ukraine – No Definite Article
England – Struggling To Meet Low Expectations
France – Sane Coach Proving A Novelty
Sweden – Loveable Fans, Workmanlike Team

Also from Back of the Net:
An Alternative History of the European Championships
Michael Carrick set to miss out on watching Euros on TV
Everybody left out of Hodgson's England Euros squad