Euro 2012: Day 2 Thread

[Duty281]

Netherlands v Denmark (17:00, BBC 1)
Germany v Portugal (19:45, BBC 1)

Three big teams start their tournaments tomorrow and will be very eager to impress. Gonna say 3-0 Holland and 0-0 between Germany and Portugal.

[GSC]

Could we not just have 1 ongoing thread?

[mystiroakey]

gonna go with portugal causing an upset.

my sports guru predos are 2-1 to portugal and 2-0 to holland.

[JamesLincs]

2-1 in each game to holland and germany

need to get a table up as the first day saw a few people post predictions

[GSC]

I had 3-0 Holland, and 2-2 draw

[JamesLincs]

my main prediction for the tournament is portugal going out without gaining a single point, and ronaldo not to score a goal

[Crimey]

I think Portugal and Germany will be a 1-1 draw, while Netherlands will beat Denmark 2-0.

I have predicted Portugal to get through ahead of Netherlands, this was just by predicting each result of the matches and that's what it turned out to be. I'm not really sure myself, but I think Ronaldo has finally started performing in big games and with a player like that on your team, you always have a chance.

[GSC]

I don't think they'd lose to Denmark.

[mystiroakey]

I agree crimey- i can really see roanldo shining this Cup

[JamesLincs]

a striker is only as good as the service he is given. and its very true. that polish lad scored last night, but where else was he in the game. and against arguably the weakest team in that group. portugal dont have ozil, alonso, benzema, etc. ronaldo can change a game on his own, but its a big ask i think for him to lead them out that group!

[cremmer]

Really looking forward to today's games. Can't see anything other than a win for the Dutch. And I think the German's have too much for Portugal...even with Ronaldo

[Crimey]

Portugal hardly have a weak side though!

If you look at the Dutch back four, it's very weak and I can see Ronaldo having a great time up against Van Der Wiel who is incredibly overrated as a defender.

[cremmer]

Portugal hardly have a weak side though!

If you look at the Dutch back four, it's very weak and I can see Ronaldo having a great time up against Van Der Wiel who is incredibly overrated as a defender.

Yep I agree they're weak at the back but I'd say Van der Wiel is the best of the back four. He does go walkies a bit though but he has the pace to keep up with Ronaldo

[Crimey]

Van Der Wiel is the best of the back four true, but no way will he be able to cope with Ronaldo. If the service is good enough from the rest of the Portugal side, which it should be, he'll struggle.

Supposedly Lahm is going to play against wherever Ronaldo is for Germany, so if Ronaldo switches sides, so will Lahm.

[Crimey]

Van Persie has been preferred to Huntelaar up front.

[Crimey]

Good goal from Denmark.

I think it's been a mistake to start Van Persie, he's not getting into the box enough, Huntelaar would have done that. I will not be surprised if Van Persie continues like this if he is dropped for the next game.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Krul would probably have saved that goal. Stekelenburg is rated very high by the coach though so don't expect that to change unless injury.

[Duty281]

Just switched on and Denmark are 1-0 up! Apparently, Holland have dominated and just not taken their chances so I expect Denmark to park the bus in the second half and just hope to nick one on the break. If it stays like it is, Group B will be blown wide open.

[Crimey]

Thoughts on first half:

Netherlands showing how weak their defence are.

If Netherlands don't get the win, they're at serious risk at going out.

Eriksen, on this game, seems overrated, although Denmark haven't had enough possession to see him.

[Crimey]

Van Persie has blown 3-4 good chances now.

Huntelaar is licking his lips at the opportunity.

[mystiroakey]

denmark dont have a defense to talk off- Holland have had so many clear cut chances- but just cant take.. Strange game, not good quailty at all

[Crimey]

It's entertaining though.

All the games have been so far.

Germany vs. Portugal is the biggest game so far though, let's see if it can live up to its billing.

[cremmer]

denmark dont have a defense to talk off- Holland have had so many clear cut chances- but just cant take.. Strange game, not good quailty at all

Agger and Kjaer are better than anyone the Dutch have though. RvP has had a shocker...I really didn't think he'd start.

[mystiroakey]

The occasion good build up, but its poor defense and poor finishing from both sides.

just a really low key game, looks like a friendly that they cant be bothered with. Really doesnt feel like a cup game to me

[Crimey]

Both teams seem too happy to let the other just keep the ball.

I expected the Dutch to have changed their game by now.

[mystiroakey]

seem knackered dont they..

[Crimey]

Agger has been really good the past 20 minutes. I think if he could get over his injury problems he could be considered one of the best centre backs in Europe.

[mystiroakey]

did i say somewhere that holland were one of a few clinical teams.. could i have been more wrong

[Crimey]

Seen some say that Spain lost to Switzerland and won the World Cup, difference is, Spain weren't in a group with Germany and Portugal.

If they lose this game and the German game, they're almost certainly out.

[cremmer]

Seen some say that Spain lost to Switzerland and won the World Cup, difference is, Spain weren't in a group with Germany and Portugal.

If they lose this game and the German game, they're almost certainly out.

I'd say definitely out...I may be wrong but I can't imagine any team qualifying with only 3 points

[Crimey]

Well if Germany get 9, Denmark get 3, Portugal get 3, and Netherlands get 3.

Netherlands 0-1 Denmark
Germany b Portugal
Portugal b Denmark
Germany b Netherlands
Netherlands b Portugal
Germany b Denmark

That could conceivably happen, then it'd go down to goal difference I think.

[cremmer]

Well if Germany get 9, Denmark get 3, Portugal get 3, and Netherlands get 3.

Netherlands 0-1 Denmark
Germany b Portugal
Portugal b Denmark
Germany b Netherlands
Netherlands b Portugal
Germany b Denmark

That could conceivably happen, then it'd go down to goal difference I think.

Good math!

[Crimey]

Agger has been man of the match for me.

Robben has been poor. Van Persie has been poor and wasteful.

Sneijder has grown into the game.

If Denmark had somebody better up front than Bendtner, they could be have had a few more chances.

[mystiroakey]

Gonna be serious here, now we all have bad days at the office and miss chances. But holland arnt chaisng the game and are showing no passion- if england played like this i would not be happy at all!

[Crimey]

I fancy Denmark to possibly snatch another goal.

Holland keep giving the ball away and they're really stretched right now, not really playing a formation any more.

[Crimey]

Massive result.

Netherlands really need to get some kind of result against the Germans now.

[Guest]

Can't believe how poor the Dutch were. Awful.

[The Special Juan]

Thought Kjaer was excellent. Eriksen was anonymous but looks like he's the type of player who disappears in big games.

Looks like Denmark got away with 2 penalty shouts. Still, they took their chance well. A bit of hope for England fans: that's what no pressure does to a team.

[Duty281]

Massive upset that. The third favourites to win the Euros lose to the very unfavoured Denmark and they only have themselves to blame - if they took their chances, different story. Holland should have had a penalty at the end and will feel aggrieved but in truth they should have been ahead well before then. It's also a worry for the Dutch about how poor their defence was especially with the bigger tests of Ronaldo, Ozil and the like coming up and the pressure is heaped on Holland to beat Germany which doesn't look likely given the Germans superior firepower.

Meanwhile, Denmark must be delighted with the result and have a hope of making the last eight - they did beat Portugal in qualifying 2-1 and will fancy their chances of getting at least a draw.

Roll on Germany-Portugal!

[mystiroakey]

ohhhhhh reasons for ferdinand coming up!!

[Duty281]

Wow, just seen the stats. Holland had 29 shots with only 6 on target! Denmark only had 7 chances with 4 on target. Denmark took their chances, Holland didn't.

[The Special Juan]

Don't write them off yet. Spain lost to the Swiss in the first game of the WC. However, they need a rethink.

[mystiroakey]

hollands play was ok and possibly good enough to get4 points out the last two- the problem is they didnt chase the game at the end - they gave up 20 mins to go. it was shocking. So i would back em to only get 1 pt max from here on in

[Crimey]

Don't write them off yet. Spain lost to the Swiss in the first game of the WC. However, they need a rethink.

Spain had to play Chile and Honduras, Netherlands have to play Germans and Portugal, HUGE difference.

They're not out of it, but they really need a result against the Germans which will not be easy.

[Duty281]

Teams for Germany-Portugal:

Germany: Neuer, Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Ozil, Podolski, Gomez. Subs: Wiese, Gundogan, Schmelzer, Howedes, Schurrle, Klose, Bender, Mertesacker, Kroos, Gotze, Reus, Zieler.

Portugal: Rui Patricio, Joao Pereira, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Fabio Coentrao, Meireles, Veloso, Joao Moutinho, Nani, Postiga, Ronaldo. Subs: Eduardo, Custodio, Almeida, Quaresma, Nelson Oliveira, Ricardo Costa, Rolando, Ruben Micael, Varela, Miguel Lopes, Hugo Viana, Beto.

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France)

Lots of quality on show!

[Crimey]

Big news being Kroos being left out, Boateng chosen for the right side, Gomez picked ahead of Klose.

That German side looks very good. Boateng is probably the weak link, and Gomez will need to be a lot more clinical than he was in the CL final.

[The Special Juan]

Don't know why Schmelzer isn't playing. Ridiculous. Gomez will score goals, but he'll waste chances too. Would have started Klose over him and definitely would do in the knock-out stages.

[Crimey]

He's a left back.

Lahm is being used to stop Ronaldo, so needed full backs who could swap over I think.

[Hibbz]

I adore Schweinsteiger, such a classy and effective player. Looks a bit less athletic, powerful and quick than he used to be, whether through age or injury but still a wonderful footballer.

And his name is brilliant fun to say.

[The Special Juan]

I think Schmelzer could do a better job at stopping Ronny than Boateng but he can't play on both sides whereas Boateng + Lahm can. Still would have played Lahm RB and Schmelzer LB though.

[Sponsored content]