Euro 2016 Qualifying Draw

[sledger]

The schadenfreude meter will go off the scale if they balls it up somehow. Would be even funnier than another England implosion probably.

 

[Cabinet96]

I'm not sure they're that heavy favourites that it'll be embarrassing if they don't win it. There's loads of other good sides.

 

[Uppercut]

I'm not sure they're that heavy favourites that it'll be embarrassing if they don't win it. There's loads of other good sides.

It sort of will anyway though. They'll be favourites in every game because they're at home, so any defeat will be an unexpectedly bad result. Unfair perhaps, but it's how it is.

 

[sledger]

Probably won't be considered a huge failure if they don't win the entire thing. But I think anything less than a semi-final appearance would probably have to go down as a disappointment.

 

[Pothas]

Losing to Germany or Spain would not really be embarrassing would it?

I think Sledger was really referring to something ridiculous like a first round exit.

 

[sledger]

Losing to Germany or Spain would not really be embarrassing would it?

I think Sledger was really referring to something ridiculous like a first round exit.

Yes, indeed. Though I would take a Germany/Brazil style destruction at any point too.

 

[Cabinet96]

Basically impossible to go out at the group stages though given the new system and their particular group.

 

[Cabinet96]

People have seemed to go off Germany a bit, probably due to their average qualifying campaign, but they have the potential to be much better than they were during the World Cup. Reus and Gundogan missed that tournament and neither of Götze or Özil were in particularly great form during it. Their only weak area is at fullback.

 

[Uppercut]

People have seemed to go off Germany a bit, probably due to their average qualifying campaign, but they have the potential to be much better than they were during the World Cup. Reus and Gundogan missed that tournament and neither of Götze or Özil were in particularly great form during it. Their only weak area is at fullback.

I don't think they compare that well to France player-by-player, but having played together under a coherent system for so long will be a big advantage.

 

[Cabinet96]

Their team has amazing individuals. Best goalkeeper, superstar centre backs, Kroos-Gundogan as CMs, and an amazing front four.

 

[Uppercut]

Hey, no arguments here, Germany are awesome. I think they're much less dynamic than France though, and that tends to matter a lot in big games. I can really imagine Pogba or Matuidi storming past Kroos and Schweinsteiger as if they're not even there, especially in front of a home crowd.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah France definitely have them in the physical department, for the most part. Schweinsteiger definitely shouldn't play IMO, but it's a mistake Löw will probably make. I mean Podolski still gets games.

Quite curious to see how Spain do. I don't really know what their lineup should or will be.

 

[Uppercut]

Spain are badly weighed down by politics at this point. Del Bosque found success by taking ballsy decisions to chuck out past-it establishment-backed veterans like Raul... but now Del Bosque, and the players he replaced the old guard with, have become the new establishment figures. He's still picking Casillas over De Gea. I can't think of a selection decision being made at the moment that even comes close to how bad that is.

 

[Furball]

People have seemed to go off Germany a bit, probably due to their average qualifying campaign, but they have the potential to be much better than they were during the World Cup. Reus and Gundogan missed that tournament and neither of Götze or Özil were in particularly great form during it. Their only weak area is at fullback.

Germany have a clown of a manager, no fullbacks and no strikers.

France have quality right throughout their team, which is why I think they'll do it.

 

[Cabinet96]

No strikers is no problem. France have an average manager and average fullbacks (Sagna and Evra? It's not 2008).

Honestly I know Germany are flawed, but they managed to win the World Cup with the exact same problems.

 

[Furball]

They had Klose and Lahm though.

 

[wpdavid]

Germany always beat France when it matters, and I doubt whether this year will be any different.

 

[grecian]

I don't know why, but I'm quietly happy about England's chances of doing well here (no chance of winning obvs), finally ditched all the deadwood and a lot of youngsters and new faces in there. Obviously we still have Wazza for the forseeable future, and our defence is weak in practically every position, but hey lets play Alli and Barkley together with Dier and I guess Sterling, play with some brio with genuinely little too lose. Kane and Vardy/sturridge up-front

Mind you he'll probably pick a midfield of Milner-Barry-Carrick and Phil ****ing Jones in midfield, with Wazza and Carroll up-front

 

[Pothas]

Yeah this is the most I have liked an England side in a long time. Well I say side when I really mean group of players.

 

[Furball]

I don't know why, but I'm quietly happy about England's chances of doing well here (no chance of winning obvs), finally ditched all the deadwood and a lot of youngsters and new faces in there. Obviously we still have Wazza for the forseeable future, and our defence is weak in practically every position, but hey lets play Alli and Barkley together with Dier and I guess Sterling, play with some brio with genuinely little too lose. Kane and Vardy/sturridge up-front

Mind you he'll probably pick a midfield of Milner-Barry-Carrick and Phil ****ing Jones in midfield, with Wazza and Carroll up-front

You know Wilshere will walk back into the side on the back of playing 30 minutes off the bench in the final game of the season without re-injuring himself.