The Euro’s have finally kicked off much to the delight of football fans around the world. It’s been a cautious start from the teams on display, and the distractions of the Russian and English fans’ repeated clashes have not been pretty but as the tournament heats up expect the focus to be solely on the football.
Qualifying for the knockout stages is in a sense considerably easier, because of the new format but the standards of football have also increased and there are really no easy games, even in the 24-team tournament. The winners of these international tournaments are also increasingly dependent on how fresh, focused and tactically drilled these teams arrive at for the matches and the group stages are a great opportunity to look at how a team is shaping up. Managers have the time to resolve their formation issues, and fitting in their best players who might be used to playing in other positions for their clubs.
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The games are also a great opportunity to watch some thrilling, end to end matches, something that the latter stages of the tournament might not necessarily give us when teams have a lot more at stake. Here’s taking a look at 10 reasons to look forward to the next weeks Euro 2016 games.
What kind of Spanish team will we see?
In the last decade, Spanish football has experienced the kind of highs unprecedented in its history. The winners of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the Euro 2008 and 2012, there was a time when you wondered how long their run of winning successive international tournaments would go on. Until in the 2014 World Cup, in which they were humbled 5-1 by a Netherlands team that completely ripped them apart, and then systemically carved open 2-0 by a vibrant Chile side under the enigmatic Jorge Sampaoli.
Spain crashed out of the group stages then, and even though they still have an immensely talented squad well capable of winning the competition, they have had to face some transition and still have doubts about their playing system and starting line-up.
Learning how far Italy can go:
From a team with a stunning array of success at international tournaments, it’s safe to say not many people are expecting this Italian team to go too far. With injuries to crucial players, and the lack of quality Goal-scorers in attack heading into the tournament, they’re not really expected to beat a Belgium team brimming with talent.
How they perform in their opening match against a side many see progressing to the semi-finals at least, will tell us a lot about how they’ll perform in Euro 2016. If they pull a rabbit out of the hat to beat Belgium in their opening game, it certainly won’t be the first time they’ve surpassed expectations in a tournament of this magnitude and who knows how far they could go from there?
A look at Croatia, Iceland and Austria – How far could these sides progress?
A fair number of the semi-finalists of these tournaments are teams that you would expect to find there, the powerhouses of world football. What’s often more fun to see is the team that no one really expected to make to the last 4, and yet they find themselves there, having wowed the fans every step of the way. Think of Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup, Turkey and Russia in Euro 2008. Could Croatia or Austria possibly find themselves on an unlikely run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals? Even Iceland performed remarkably well in qualifying and form a cohesive unit, with the efficient Gylfi Sigurdsson performing quite magnificently for them of late.
Croatia have the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic, Mandzukic and Brozovic, the latter three all having good seasons in Serie A while Modric and Rakitic are considered amongst the best players in their position. Austria have David Alaba, Arnautovic constantly catching the eye at Stoke City and Christian Fuchs, who is coming off a splendid season with Leicester.
France finalizing their playing system:
Having won their first match against a plucky Romania and with the talent at their disposal, it would be a massive shock if France didn’t progress to the knockouts. Their next two matches will be critical in finding their best playing style though. They have plenty of verve and skill on their roster, and Deschamps has plenty of decisions to make.
Payet surely will continue to play a central role, but should either or both of Coman and Martial, the young but extremely talented attackers start come the knockout stages? How do France get the best out of Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann, both coming off successful seasons for their clubs and perhaps France’s best players, but slightly underwhelming in the first match. Is Adil Rami really dependable enough to start? Answering these questions will be critical in determining whether France can go all the way to lift the trophy and put their fans in dreamland.
England, a promising performance but a dissatisfying result:
England have rarely entered a recent tournament with so much youthful exuberance and talent. Their media and fans aren’t filling up with unrealistic expectation and amidst the squad there is genuine promise. They still need to figure out a playing system to get the maximum out of their fantastic strike force, and make the most of the opportunities that come their way during a match.
There is disappointment in the England camp after Russia’s late equalizer, but they can be proud of a good performance and will look to fine-tune their system against a Welsh side that will be full of pride and confidence, after their win against Slovakia. The British derby is a match to look immensely forward to.
A brilliant set of matches on Friday
Friday, the 17th of June has Italy vs Sweden, Czech Republic vs Croatia and Spain vs Turkey one after the other, an evening that you can spend essentially parked in front of your television. Italy will take on Sweden, in a match that will be critical to both of their progression from the group. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will know plenty of the Italian players really well, from the years he’s spent playing in Serie A.
His bullying of Giorgio Chiellini, the powerful and combative Juve defender was always amusing to watch. You’re welcome to check out their YouTube clips in anticipation. Croatia taking on the Czechs should be a brilliant matchup as well with plenty of talent on display, and Turkey will provide a stern test for a talented Spain team.
Portugal, an intriguing mix of youth and experience
On paper, Portugal have a great mix of youth and experience heading into these Euros. Having progressed to the latter stages of international tournaments with squads with perhaps less caliber than the one they have right now, there’s no telling how far they can go this time.
With Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, expect him to sniff out goal-scoring opportunities consistently, and a rear guard with Jose Fonte, Pepe and the experienced Ricardo Carvalho fighting it out for two positions in the centre of defense, Portugal will form a solid unit. The real doubts are in midfield, the area that Portugal have a long list of immensely talented players. Players like Renato Sanches and Andre Gomes might not even make the starting 11, such is the midfield talent the Portuguese will have on display. Making the most of the talent they have in their squad though is a tough job that Fernando Santos has on his hands.
Germany vs Poland
The Germans are fresh off their victorious run in the 2014 World Cup, what was seen as a reward for the money and energy they’ve been investing in their youth facilities over the last 15 odd years. They’d always been making the latter stages of these tournaments but were falling agonizingly short of victory and the World Cup win finally rid them of their demons.
The Germans are considered a safe bet to make the semi’s but face an extremely stern test in their very first match against a Polish side that could far. A potent attacking pair in Lewandowski and Milik, the skilful Zielinski (courted by Liverpool and Napoli) and the dynamic Krychowiak in midfield, as well as fairly recognisable defense, don’t be shocked if Poland pull off an upset. Watch out for this encounter.
Belgium – how good can they be?
If Eden Hazard finds his best form and De Bruyne continues his, Lukaku and Batshuayi take their chances and Nainggolan turns up as the dynamo he’s been for Roma this season Belgium can set the bar for these Euros. If Belgium can get more than the sum of their parts, it’ll be difficult to find a better unit in these championships.
A lot hinges on whether Jason Denayer can translate his impressive domestic form to the international circuit and make up for Vincent Kompany’s absence and how their defense holds up in general. But if Hazard, De Bruyne and Lukaku begin to play like we know they can (with Batshuayi and Mertens waiting on the bench), Belgium could win Euro 2016 with something to spare.
Group A will be decided
The final table of the first group of the Euro’s will be decided and we’ll know our first entrants into the knockout stages. France and Switzerland are expected to progress, but either of Romania and Albania could be in with a shout. Both teams showed enough endeavor and fight to take this to the final match-day. Neither France nor Switzerland can really afford to slip up.
With the runner up of Group A scheduled to take on the runner-up of Group C in the Round of 16, (a group that has Germany, Poland, Northern Ireland and Ukraine), both France and Switzerland will be keen to avoid a complicated matchup in the first knockout round and try to finish top of Group A.
