Euro 2008

[PBI]

Right, I guess I'll get the ball rolling on this one (I'm sorry, really I am) with my predicitions for this Saturday. Of course I'm banking on Ronaldo not breaking his leg between now and then or anything, but let's face it, until we've seen everyone play once it's pretty much guessing anyway (I'm wary about reading too much into pre-tournament friendlies).

OK, so:

Match Day 1
Final Prediction:

Czech Republic 2-0 Switzerland

Portugal 3-1 Turkey



No big surprises there I guess, of course it could all depend on which team Portugal or the Czechs decide to bring, they both seem to be pretty inconsistent from what I've seen, but overall the Czechs play the nicest football and the Portuguese have the most interesting kit of all the teams in the tournament so I'm banking on them both having good campaigns.

[Byblos]

PBI, those are good predictions.

Czech Rep 2-0 Switzerland

Portugal 2-1 Turkey I don't think Ronaldo will have a good Euro though. Without him on top form they wont score three against Turkey.

[LittleGrizzly]

Ok Grizzys predictions for day 1 as follows

Czech Rep 2-1 Switzerland

Portugal 2-0 Turkey

[naut]

I'd like to join in in this.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Match Day 1:
Switzerland 0 - 2 Czech Republic
Portugal 1 - 0 Turkey

Czech will be a bit stale at first without Nedved or Rosicky, but they'll overcome a rather average Swiss side.

The Altintop (sic?) brother's will keep Turkey in the game for long enough, but Ronaldo will set up something to edge it in the last 20 so minutes.

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Match Day 1:
Switzerland 1 - 1 Czech Republic (whisful thinking i know...)
Portugal 1 - 0 Turkey

As host nation maybe Switzerland can put things hard for the Czechs...

I bet Scolari will put Portugal playing just enough for a victory...he already said that a victory in the first match is half way to the quarter-finals. Besides, Turkey is a strong side.

[Mediolanicus]

Match Day 1:
Switzerland 0 - 2 Czech Republic
Portugal 1 - 2 Turkey

[InsaneApache]

Earwigoh!

Switzerland 1 - 3 Czech Republic
Portugal 2 - 1 Turkey

Let the tournament commence.

[Craterus]

How annoying. I intended to change my prediction to a Sweden win but missed the deadline because I was playing FF7. Glad they won though. Gotta hate Greek football.

Match Day 5(?)

Czech Republic 1 - 2 Portugal
Switzerland 0 - 1 Turkey

[naut]

Poor old Russia.

Match Day 5

Czech Republic 0 – 2 Portugal
Switzerland 0 – 1 Turkey

[Craterus]

Yes.. I agree.

*CHANGE* Czech Republic 0 - 2 Portugal
Leave other game as is please.

[Proletariat]

Alright, lemme show you Euro's how this is done.

Match Day 5
Portugal 3-0 Czech

Swiss 0-2 Turkey

[woad&fangs]

Match Day 5
Portugal 2-3 Czechs

Swiss 0-1 Turks

[Csargo]

Match Day 5

Czech Republic 1 - 2 Portugal
Switzerland 1 - 0 Turkey

[Ser Clegane]

Czech Republic - Portugal 1 - 1
Switzerland - Turkey 1 - 0

[Craterus]

but overall the Czechs play the nicest football and the Portuguese have the most interesting kit of all the teams in the tournament so I'm banking on them both having good campaigns.

Not sure I agree with either of those.

But, if I may ask, how does having an interesting kit set a team up to have a good campaign? I could play with a gold-threaded shirt and I don't think it'd improve my abilities.

As for my predictions, I'll make them later in the week.

[Scurvy]

But, if I may ask, how does having an interesting kit set a team up to have a good campaign? I could play with a gold-threaded shirt and I don't think it'd improve my abilities.

I think there was some research done that 'found' teams with red kits had an advantage, similarly goalkeepers in orange (according to chelsea)

I think an interesting kit helps, if only because you pick up neutral fans (i guess)

[Craterus]

I think Croatia have the best kit. I don't see anything special about Portugal's. But yes, I heard about those studies.

Orange is supposed to evoke hostility, that might explain that famously dirty match between Holland and Portugal.

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

In!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Switzerland 0-2 Czech Republic

The Czechs are a strong team and I don't see them slipping up here. The Swiss are as a rule strong at the back (somehow) but I don't see them scoring (...ever), and the Czechs will have too much quality.

Turkey 1-2 Portugal

I think that Turkey will surprise a few people and come close to an upset here. I don't see Ronaldo dominating this tournament, and Portugal will have to rely on other (admittedly quality) players.

[PBI]

Not sure I agree with either of those.

But, if I may ask, how does having an interesting kit set a team up to have a good campaign? I could play with a gold-threaded shirt and I don't think it'd improve my abilities.

As for my predictions, I'll make them later in the week.

It wouldn't make you any better at football, but it would make your games a bit more interesting to watch. Therefore I want teams with good kits to go far, rather than the usual tedious red/white/blue. Since I don't really care who wins it seems as good a criteria as any to choose.

And yes, Netherlands and Croatia also have good kits. Expect me to make optimistic predictions for their games as well

As for the Czechs, note I said "nicest", not "best" football. Netherlands also play very nice football, but I think they may struggle to show it in their group.

I think there was some research done that 'found' teams with red kits had an advantage, similarly goalkeepers in orange (according to chelsea)

Indeed, I believe it was partly based upon the fact that the Premiership has been so heavily dominated by Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal, who all play in red. Apparently this pattern is repeated in other leagues too.

Not sure this applies to international football though. How would it explain Brazil?

In fact, I'm struggling to think of a really top-class international side who play in red.

[LittleGrizzly]

In fact, I'm struggling to think of a really top-class international side who play in red.

all i can think of is England 66, portugal got to the final of the last euro's in red, ummm.... Denmark wear red for thier 92 success ?

the best international sides are yellow and blue, i would say with clubs sides success breeds success though so a little helping hand from a red kit can make a difference over years and years, whereas a slight improvment internationally because of a kit can't add up over the years only give a slight improvment on the day (i suppose it could help slightly over the years, but previous success to look up to isn't as valuable as previous success to look up to and spend on players)

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Maybe a red kit can add a little help together with many other factors. In my point of view the main diference is the way each team face each game, the way each team respect the opponents. The mental factor is the most important.
In fact i think today team shirts are made mostly because of merchandising concerns rather than club traditionaly colors, etc.
Brazil, Germany or Italy don't need a red shirt to win the WC/Euro, and they win a lot.

[PBI]

I think Grizzly's right about why a red shirt helps in club football but not international; if a red shirt gives you an edge in a game, no matter how slight, then there will be a gradual tendency for red teams to do slightly better than others. In turn this will let them make slightly more money, which will allow them to do better still, which will continue until the red teams dominate.

Whereas in international football past form is less important (the fans are pretty much a captive market and money is not relevant to the quality of players available), so the very slight advantage of a red shirt gets overwhelmed by all the other factors that are more important in the short term.

[Quintus.JC]

Match Day 1.
Switzerland v Czech Republic
Portugal v Turkey

Match day 2.
Austria v Croatia
Germany v Poland

Match Day 3.
Romania v France
Netherlands v Italy

Match Day 4.
Spain v Russia
Greece v Sweden

I think I'll have all of them in one go, but not today... Looks like no one sees an upset on the opening day. Switzerland have a good defence infront of home crowd, and Portugal are inconsistant as proven in the opening day of the previous European championship against another Balkan side.