With
the opening games of the tournament set to come from this group on Friday, it's
interesting to look at the 4 teams in Group A. This group is the most open of
all 4 and feasibly, any 2 of the sides can qualify for the quarter-finals and
once out of the group, anything can happen as Greece themselves proved by
winning the tournament in 2004.
Czech
Republic
At
the start of qualifying, head coach Michal Bilek identified the team had a lack
of width and switched his formation to have either Nurnberg's Tomas Peckhart or
Milan Baros from Galatasary as the lone striker with Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky in
support. Jaroslav Plasil, the defensive midfielder who plies his trade in
France for Bordeaux has been the key for the Czech's success in qualifying, he
allows them team to have more creative freedom with the likes of Vaclav Pilar
(Wolfsburg) at his side. The Czech's are a very well organised side that are
dangerous on the counter attack with team captain Petr Cech from Chelsea in
goal able to set the team on their way forward.
Key
player - Petr Cech, the 29 year old goalkeeper will need to be in fine form and keeping
clean sheets for the Czech's to even get out of the group, let alone progress
further but if he plays as well as he did for Chelsea in their winning
Champions League campaign last season the Czech have a fighting chance.
Prediction
- with
Poland having home support and Russia not far behind with fans surely to travel
to support them, Czech Republic may find it hard to get through the group and
should potentially finish 3rd
Greece
After Otto Rehhagel left as manager in 2010 after 9 years, new Portuguese
manager Fernando Santos brought with him a new mentality and changed the style
of the team to be more direct. They have over the past 2 years become a more
controlled team that tries to build play from the back. A side not littered
with star names but who, as in 2004, play as a strong team unit, have
experience in players like Celtic's Georgios Samaras, captain from
Panathinaikos Georgios Karagounis and Kostas Katsourninis, all who played in
2004.
Key
Player - Sotiris Ninis, the Panathinaikos playmaker missed most of last season for his club
through injury so may be rusty going into this tournament but has a chance to
make a name for himself. The 22 year old left sided winger has played 19 games
for Greece already and scored 2 goals and will look to impress to potentially
attract interest from bigger clubs across Europe
Prediction - Much like the Czech Republic,
Greece could well struggle in the anticipated hostile crowds and could well
finish bottom of the group
Poland
With managerial experience stretching back all the way to the early 70's (and
managing George Best no less at Los Angeles Aztecs), hugely experienced head
coach Francciszek Smuda has been happy to select players that have Polish roots
though raised in other countries after families have moved nations following
World War II (Tesco has announced 20,000 new jobs are to be created in the UK, Poland's Prime Minister has welcomed the news), this has allowed Smuda the luxury of fielding a side with a more
high energy side than seen over previous years, beating the likes of Germany
and Argentina in friendlies over the past 2 years. The midfield look to keep
possession with team captain Jakub Blaszczykowski from Borussia Dortmund
integral in the centre. They are perhaps over-reliant on fellow Dortmund player
Robert Lewandowski up front and if he was injured or suspended, it's hard to
see where they would score goals though Celtic's Pawel Brozek does aid the side
though not as prolifically.
Key
player - Robert Lewandowski, he will be in the form of his life having won the
German Bundesliga's Player Of The Year Award in leading Dortmund to a league
and cup double scoring 30 goals last season and 8 assists. Lewandowski could
well be the top goal scorer in this tournament or at least in the group stages.
Prediction - home advantage should mean
they qualify for the quarter-finals but there they could struggle against
superior opponents from Group B like Germany, Netherlands or Portugal
Russia
Succeeding Guus Hiddink as manager, Dutchman Dick Advocaat hasn't really
changed the side or stamped his own authority in the two years he's been in
charge and it's likely that he will stay with the same tried and trusted set of
players throughout. The likes of Arsenal's Andrei Arshavin, Zenit St
Petersburg's Aleksandr Kerzhakov and current Lokomotiv Moscow (and former
Tottenham) striker Roman Pavlyuchenko will be the main threat on goal for
opposition to worry about but it's young Alan Dzagoev from CSKA Moscow who
could really impress in this squad from midfield. With Arshavin and defender
Sergei Ignashevich both able to score from free-kicks, watch for the Russians
to be deadly at set pieces or with crosses into the goal area to their tall
forwards.
Key player
- Alan Dzagoev, so far scoring 4 goals in just 20 appearances and current
winner of Best Young Player Of The Year in Russia, this is a stage where the
young CSKA Moscow midfielder could make a name for himself. The 21 year old
attacking midfielder will be a threat and I expect him to stand out amongst the
younger players in the tournament
Prediction
- Much like Poland, they should progress from the group and then fall at the quarter
final stage, they will have travelling support who will get behind them and
they will be a danger to any side that face them.
No comments:
Post a Comment