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A surprise 0-1 home defeat to Belarus on the opening day of qualifying threatened to send France in an even deeper downward spiral than they found themselves in after World Cup 2010. The public and the press were in outrage and Laurent Blanc’s selection policies were immediately questioned. Having dropped almost the entire disgraced World Cup squad for his opening few games, new talents such as Yann M’Vila, Jérémy Menez and Yohan Cabaye were introduced as the new generation to lead France forward. What a profound effect such a breath of fresh air has had. Les Bleus are now on a 21-game unbeaten streak and with all the pressure and expectation off, they’re a real darkhorse for a tilt at the title.
The hype surrounding Generation ’87 – touted a golden era of Clairefontaine graduates – should not be underestimated. Samir Nasri, Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa and Menez all possess deadly attacking quality, and in the latter two, still so much potential. Blanc is sure to deploy each with a special mission and their performances over the past year show he knows how to get the most out of them. The England press is already banging on how to best park the bus to contain France in the opener. Should France derail those plans, they could gather enough confidence and momentum to go far.
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Goalkeepers:
Cédric Carrasso (FC Girondins de Bordeaux)
Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyonnais)
Steve Mandanda(Olympique de Marseille)
Defenders:
Gaël Clichy (Manchester City FC)
Mathieu Debuchy (LOSC Lille Métropole)
Patrice Evra (Manchester United FC)
Laurent Koscielny(Arsenal FC)
Philippe Mexès (AC Milan)
Adil Rami (Valencia CF)
Anthony Réveillère (Olympique Lyonnais)
Midfielders:
Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United FC)
Alou Diarra (Olympiquede Marseille)
Florent Malouda (Chelsea FC)
Marvin Martin (FC Sochaux-Montbéliard)
Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain FC)
Yann M'Vila (Stade Rennais FC)
Samir Nasri (Manchester City FC)
Forwards:
Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle United FC)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid CF)
Olivier Giroud(Montpellier Hérault SC)
Jérémy Menez (Paris Saint-Germain FC)
Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern München)
Mathieu Valbuena(Olympique de Marseille)
Key Trio:
Lloris – M'Vila – Ribéry
Atjust 25, Hugo Lloris seems to have been around for an eternity and he plays like it too; a reliable last line of defence for Les Bleus. Yann M’Vila, another excellent young prospect, is a fundamental part of Blanc’s setup occupying a Makalele-like holding midfield role. Under an injury cloud his fitness will be vital. Benzema and Franck Ribéry can be equally influential, but it’s the latter that has more to prove in national colours and at 29, he’ll be eager to do it this summer.
Key to Success:
A united squad. It’s long been touted that under Blanc’s predecessor Raymond Domenech, France turned into a squad of egos, all vying for the limelight and underperforming for the team. This all came to the fore at the World Cup two years ago. Blanc has made France winners again and there’s a real sense of camaraderie within a mixture of youth and experience. It hasn’t been proven at a big tournament yet and Poland/Ukraine could be the stage for it.
Best Euro Memory:
The wonderful title winning era of Platini in 1984 was matched, if not surpassed by the world and European conquering Zidane-led team in 2000.
Most likely to leave heart on the field…
Patrice Evra. As hungry to reinstate his reputation among the France faithful as any of the humiliated 2010 brigade, Evra’s reputation as one of the best left full-backs in the world should be justified this summer.
Most likely to spit the dummy…
Hatem Ben Arfa. Keen to assert his place back in the team after a two-year absence, Clairefontaine graduate Ben Arfa has a reputation of being difficult to manage, having left both Lyon and Marseilles under a cloud.
The crowd will sing…
Mathieu! The livewire of the French team, the 5’6 ft pocket dynamo (above) always makes an impact off the bench.
Verdict:
Momentum from an early England victory to carry them to final.
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England
There’s a different feeling amongst Three Lions’ supporters this summer. Capello’s resignation, a series of injuries and unflattering performances means expectations are at an all-time low heading into a major tournament. Could it be that this is the key toEngland’s success? The appointment of Roy Hodgson raised many eyebrows; after all the FA went for a manager who’s highest achievements are winning the Swedish and Danish championships (no small feat) over one that has for long excelled with a plethora of English clubs; being Harry Redknapp. England’s early games under Hodgson indicate it’s going to be a threesome of hit and hope matches in the group stages. Narrow and somewhat undeserving 1-0 victories over Norway and Belgium may signify what’s to come during the Euro (don’t forget they were both victories).
Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, Gary Cahill and Jack Wilshere are all massive losses for England that most likely would have walked into the starting eleven against France. Add to that the ongoing saga of Rio Ferdinand’s omission and Wayne Rooney’s suspension for the first two group games and England’s options are looking very thin. Names such as Martin Kelly, Jordan Henderson and Stuart Downing breathe very little optimism among the English faithful, but the current situation will spur Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to assert themselves on the big stage. If there’s one factor that’s hindered England’s campaigns in the past it is the unrivalled pressure surrounding the team. With that absent this time around, perhaps it’s England’s turn to concentrate solely on football and finally deliver.
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Goalkeepers:
Joe Hart (Manchester City FC)
Robert Green (West Ham United FC)
Jack Butland (Birmingham City FC)
Defenders:
Leighton Baines (Everton FC)
Martin Kelly (Liverpool FC)
Ashley Cole (Chelsea FC)
Glen Johnson (Liverpool FC)
Phil Jones (Manchester United FC)
Joleon Lescott (Manchester City FC)
John Terry (Chelsea FC)
Midfielders:
Phil Jagielka (Everton FC)
Stewart Downing (Liverpool FC)
Steven Gerrard(Liverpool FC)
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool FC)
James Milner (Manchester City FC)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal FC)
Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Theo Walcott (Arsenal FC)
Ashley Young (Manchester United FC)
Forwards:
Andy Carroll (Liverpool FC)
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United FC)
Daniel Welbeck(Manchester United FC).
Key Trio:
Hart – Gerrard – Rooney
It has been a long time since England looked so assured in goal and it’s all due to the blistering form of 25-year old Joe Hart. Further up the field, veteran Gerrard will be in search for perhaps a last tilt at glory and who better to thump a 35-minute injury time winner that Stevie G. But England’s real weapon remains Wayne Rooney; the Three Lions will just be hopeful his introduction in the third game is not all too late.
Key to Success:
Break their own predictability. England have deployed a 4-4-2 formation for as long as most of us can remember and their style is usually synonymous with direct, outdated football. Let’s face it, Roy Hodgson is probably not the man to instil a core change to the English backbone, but the players on disposal are well capable of breaking the routine English fans have had nothing to shout about for the past 46 years.
Best Euro Memory:
England’s Gascoigne-inspired team came ever so close as hosts in 1996; knocked out in the semi-finals by Germany on, you guessed it, penalties. They fell at the same hurdle long before then, as World Cup winners in 1968.
Most likely to leave heart on the field…
Scott Parker (right). Overlooked for the three Lions for so long, Parker’s reliability and workhorse performances have cemented his status as a key member of the squad.
Most likely to spit the dummy…
Wayne Rooney. Even if he may even only have one game to do it in, expect Rooney to have another waffle at the opposition, the referee, England fans, the opposition’s fans, his teammates, the weather, etc…
The crowd will sing…
Woy woy woy! Win or lose,the likeable oldie won’t hear the end of it from the stands.
Verdict:
Quarter-finals will be asuccess.
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Ukraine
It is of little surprise that the majority of Ukraine’s squad is absolutely unheard of outside their border. Only two of the 23-man contingent ply their trade outside Ukraine; Tymoshchuk at Bayern and Voronin at Dinamo Moskva. Good thing they’re playing at home then, as there’ll certainly be no need to acclimatise to conditions and terrains. Perhaps the most recognisable names – Andriy Shevchenko, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and Andriy Voronin are arguably all past their prime and carrying worryingly old legs. The domestic feel of the team can also play to their advantage as there’s an aura of unknown for their opponents. With passionate home support behind them, Ukraine can really utilise the surprise factor over their more fancied group members.
The first chance to do just that is also a vital one; Oleg Blokhin will be desperate for his side to pick up maximum points against Sweden, expecting France and England to be tougher nuts to crack. Their friendly results over the past two years have failed to flatter. Interestingly, they played against both France and Sweden late last year before the draw was made and on both occasions lost at home (1-4 and 0-1). Further crunching defeats to other Euro participants Czech Republic and Italy means expectations are probably not as high as across the border. Ukraine’s defence will be under enormous pressure to keep three of the world’s most lethal strikers in Ibrahimovic, Benzema and Rooney at bay, but with little week-in week-out experience against such opposition, home fans may be left disapointed.
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Goalkeepers:
Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv)
Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
Defenders:
Bohdan Butko (FC Illychivets Mariupil)
Olexandr Kucher (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
Taras Mikhalik (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Yaroslav Rakitskiy (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
Yevhen Selin (FC Vorskla Poltava)
Yevhen Khacheridi (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Vyacheslav Shevchuk (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
Midfielders:
Olexandr Aliyev (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Denys Garmash (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Oleh Gusev (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Yevhen Konoplyanka (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)
Serhiy Nazarenko (SC Tavriya Simferopol)
Ruslan Rotan (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (FC Bayern München)
Andriy Yarmolenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Forwards:
Andriy Voronin (FC Dinamo Moskva)
Marko Dević (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv)
Key Trio:
Kucher – Tymoshchuk – Yarmolenko
Ukraine’s veteran at the back provides the only sense of continuity and experience as his three likely defensive partners and goalkeeper average 21 years. The midfield is another story with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk the standout amongst some seasoned internationals – the Bayern man is the key conductor of the team. Given Schevchenko’s loss of pace and adiminishing killer instinct, expect namesake Andriy Yarmolenko (above) to rise as one of the tournament’s shining young prospects. Touted by Schevchenko himself as “the future of Ukrainian football”, the goalscoring midfielder has a lot of hope resting on his 22-year old shoulders.
Key to Success:
Victory over Sweden in opening game. The hosts must capitalise early on what looks like their softest assignment in the group phase. They’ll want to get the nation behind them and if they fail to beat Sweden, they could be a victim of the home-town curtse Switzerland and Austria suffered four years ago.
Best Euro Memory:
Having failed to qualify for a Euro in four attempts since their separation from the Soviet Union, Ukraine will be looking to make it a memorable first appearance; just as they did reaching the quarter-finals at their first World Cup six years ago.
Most likely to leave heart on the field…
Ruslan Rotan. One of the few mainstays in a transitional squad is likely to put in 20 per cent extra than anyone else.
Most likely to spit the dummy…
Andriy Voronin. More known for his embarrassing howlers rather than prolific goalscoring (his latest open goal miss against Estonia becoming a Youtube sensation), the attacker has the attitude and potential to implode if he and the team under perform.
The crowd will sing…
Shevchenko! Inarguably the greatest Ukrainian export of the modern era (above), the fans don’t forget the joys he’s brought to the national side and the stadium will erupt if he scores.
Verdict:
Home support may edge them through but quarters is the limit.
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Sweden
After missing out on World Cup 2010, Sweden is back among the big boys and the yellow faithful are hopeful of an improvement on four years ago. In Austria/Switzerland, the Swedes looked out of touch and place amongst dynamic group opponents Russia and Spain. The concern grew even deeper when they failed to qualify for a tournament for the first time in eight years. But Erik Harmen has bonded a team that once again presents dangers from every corner rather than just Ibrahimović’s boot. Seb Larsson, Ola Toivonen, Kim Källström and Johan Elmander are all capable of moments of brilliance. But with all that said, Ibra’s incredible form at Milan will see him hog the opposition’s markers; something that may play to the advantageof the rest of the team.
Hamren has introduced belief in attacking football to what was an outdated conservative approach. Mikael Lustig and Martin Olsson are modern day forward-galloping full-backs, but have the Vikings become too offensive? Sweden have only managed to keep one clean sheet in their last eight outings since September last year against a hardly threatening Bahrain. Although they’ve been banging in the goals along the way, they cannot solely rely on trying to outscore their opposition in Ukraine. Keeping a solid defensive structure will be vital for Sweden, as will an early result against the hosts.
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Goalkeepers:
Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven)
Johan Wiland (FC København)
Pär Hansson (Helsingborgs IF)
Defenders:
Mikael Antonsson (Bologna FC)
Andreas Granqvist (Genoa CFC)
Olof Mellberg (Olympiacos FC)
Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich Albion FC)
Martin Olsson (Blackburn Rovers FC)
Behrang Safari (RSC Anderlecht)
Mikael Lustig (Celtic FC)
Midfielders:
Emir Bajrami (FC Twente)
Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar)
Samuel Holmén (İstanbul BB SK)
Kim Källström (Olympique Lyonnais)
Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland AFC)
Anders Svensson (IF Elfsborg)
Pontus Wernbloom (PFC CSKA Moskva)
Christian Wilhelmsson (Al-Hilal FC)
Forwards:
Johan Elmander (Galatasaray AŞ)
Tobias Hysén (IFK Göteborg)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (AC Milan)
Markus Rosenberg (SV Werder Bremen)
Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven)
Key Trio:
Mellberg – Larsson – Ibrahimović
The former Aston Villa centre-half oozes experience and at 34 remains Sweden’s most assured figure at the back. Sebastian Larsson has proven his worth in thePremier League and is deadly from set pieces much like Ibra (below), who sometimes seems to carry the whole nation on his shoulders.
Key to Success:
Getting the best out of Ibrahimović. On form but coming in on the back of his first domestic campaign as runner-up in eight years, Zlatan is inarguably Sweden’s most talented and deadly player. Heavily criticised for failing to bring his club form to national camps, it seems Erik Hamren has found the best place to utilise Ibra is just behind the main striker. Simple – give him the ball and await the magic.
Best Euro Memory:
The Swedes managed a spirited run to the semi-finals when they hosted the tournament in 1992 only to be undone by Germany.
Most likely to leave heart on the field…
Kim Källström. A true box-to-box midfielder if there ever was one, Källström is a brilliant tackler and his long range missiles are just as frequent.
Most likely to spit the dummy…
Ola Toivonen. A master at provoking opponents, Toivonen is known for his fiery antics at PSV as well as his perilous chellenges.
The crowd will sing…
Ibra! The 6’5 ft giant is impossible to miss, also largely due to his profound impact on matches.
Verdict:
If Ibra delivers,quarter-final is a possibility.