Greece

Group A

 

Best finish Champions 2004

 

Current FIFA Ranking;  15

 

Greece are grouped along with Russia Poland and Czech Republic in group A which is comparetively the easiest in this years Euro. The unexpected champions of the Euro 2004 is considered the underdogs in this group. Coached by the Portugese Fernando Santos the Greece team lacks the individual talents. The Greece had a pretty good qualification campaign were they topped group F with 24 points from 10 games and remained undefeated throughout. The Greeks emphasise on teamwork and not on individual brillance as they did from 2004 and it is reflected in the qualification campaign as they came undefeated with a so called highly rated squad.

The Greece squad is built upon its defence as in 2004 with a impenetrable unit which has only conceded 5 goals in the qualification. The defence is built upon Avraam Papadopoulos of Olympiacos and Sokratis Papastathopoulos of SV Werder Bremen both good at tackling the opposition attackers. The defence of the Greece have good strength and workrate which is hard for the opposition attackers to breakthrough. Vassilis Torossidis of Olympiacos plays at the right side of defence and he is dangerous with his crosses to the box and can close down the opponent. 

Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis will play at the midfield and his longshots would be a threat to the opposition. Kostas Katsouranis of Panathinaikos Athens can play as a centre midfielder or as a defensive midfielder and helps his defence with his tackling capabilities. Sotiris Ninis of Panathinaikos would play at the right wing with Giorgos Samaras who played on leftwing for Celtic for most of the season the doing the same role for Greece aslo. Fanis Gekas of Samsunspor would play as the centre forward. The man behind the goal looks a bit of worry for Santos as none of the goalkeepers had been impressive this season but Santos decides to go with Kostas Chalkias.

Manager :Fernando Santos

Fernando Santos predecessor Otto Rehhagel had done near impossible task of winning the Euro with Greece and Santos is undaunted by the fact. Santos has in his Greece team a strong defensive impenetrable which had conceded only 5 times in the qualifications. Santos was able to build a efficent unit which doesnot include any highly talented players and is yet to lose with in a Competative match and had only lost once to Romania in a friendly.

Fernando Santos have no previous experience as coach of a national team but the performance of his team doesnot show any signs of his lack of experience of managing a national side. Santos had injected to the Greece squad young players like Giannis Fetfatzidis, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Sotiris Ninis to an ageing squad.

Formation

 The team can play either 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 formations of play according to the opposition, the team relies on teamwork rather than the individual brillance to make things happen. The Greece team plays with a solid defensive framework with its attack beginning from the back. Greece will sitback patiently and defend and build their attack by direct play. The centrebacks Avraam Papadopoulos and Sokratis Papastathopoulos along with fullbacks Vassilis Torossidis and  Jose Holebas would be entrusted to close down the opponents in the Greeks area.

Ninis and Samaras would provide the chances for attack along with captain Karagounis. Fanis Gekas will lead the Greek charge upfront and would be supported by occasional movement of Samaras from the leftwing. The Greece team which lacks creativity and flair upfront are the team which scored the least of the qualified nations for the Euro. Sotiris Ninis would be trusted with the task of adding some creativity and flair to the side. Kostas Katsouranis would play either in central midfield or a bit back as a defensive midfielder depending on the opposition.

Squad for the Euros:

Goalkeepers: Costas Chalkias (PAOK), Michalis Sifakis (Aris), Alexandros Tzorvas (Palermo).

Defenders: Vassilis Torosidis (Olympiakos), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Werder Bremen), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiakos), Jose Holebas (Olympiakos), Stelios Malezas (PAOK), Giorgos Tzavelas (Monaco), Yiannis Maniatis (Olympiakos), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Schalke).

Midfielders: Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Costas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos), Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK), Costas Fortounis (Kaiserslautern), Yiannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiakos), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos), Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens).

Forwards: Georgios Samaras (Celtic), Dimitris Salpigidis (PAOK), Costas Mitroglou (Atromitos), Nikos Lymberopoulos (AEK Athens), Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor).

Key Player

Sotiris Ninis

The 22 year old right winger has the flair and the creativity that the dull Greece side lacks and hence he is the key for the Greece to have any sucess in this years Euro. Ninis was in the squad of Greece in World Cup in SouthAfrica in 2010 were Greece were packed off after their group matches, as a unused substitute. Ninis is a player who have got dazzling skills, with a good variation of pace to trick the defenders, good vision to pickup teammates in advanced positions and also pocess a good long range shooting skills.

He had signed for Parma on a free transfer so that their is no concern for him about the future when he arrives on Poland Ukraine for the Euros. Fernando Santos is counting on Ninis for the work on other end of field which is the area of concern for Santos. Ninis was the UEFA Player of the tournamnet at the U-19 level European Championship in 2007 were Greece progressed till the Finals.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos

The centre back impressed all through the qualifications were the Greece defence showed good defensive work by conceding only 5 goals. He has been the backbone of the Greece defensive framework which is relied heavily to take anything from the opposition. He has been instrumental in the Greece theory of  "giving the opponents nothing rather than taking anything from them".  He was omitted by Otto Rehhagel for Euro 2008 from the provisonal squad.  The 23 year is good at marking and closing down opposition and is strong and brave to throw into tackles. He is good in the air which give the opposition players trouble to get ball into the boxes.

He had made good partnership with Avraam and they would be a hard defence to breakthrough.

Key to Quater finals Performance of the Attacking Unit

The Greece have a good defence which would closedown any opponents but the concern is about their attacking abilities as the Greece had not been good in front of goal all through qualification campaign and their attacking unit should pickup theirlevel of play so that they can secure important points to move through the group stages. Any how it is more of a concern as the attack has to score against Germany, Netherland or Portuguse which they may meet if they move to knockout stages.

UEFA EURO 2012 Group A fixtures
Friday 8 June: Poland v Greece, 18.00CET, Warsaw

Friday8 June:                               21.30 IST
Tuesday 12 June: Greece v Czech Republic, 18.00CET, Wroclaw

Wednesday 13 June:                                         21.30 IST

Saturday 16 June: Greece v Russia, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Sunday 17 June:                                00.15 IST

This blog will be covering footballing side of Euro 2012 hosted in Poland Ukraine to its best possible way.Your comments and criticisms are welcomed.

Russia

Group A

 

Best finish Champions 1960

 

Current FIFA Ranking 13

 

Russia is grouped along with Czech republic, Greece and Poland  in  group A as the hot favorites to proceed to the the knockout stages as group winners. The team which is currently ranked 13 by Fifa had a good qualification campaign winning 7 matches and drawing 2 and emerged winners from Group B. The only lose the Russian suffered were against Slovakia. Russia were the surprise package at the 2008 Euros when they reached the semifinals. This time around the expectations are high on the Russian team. Dick Advocaat and his team would be expected to match or even outshine what Guus Hiddink did in 2008.

The Russians have a attacking unit and plays attractive football with Captain Andre Arshavin of Arsenal with the role of playmaker in the advanced attacking midfielder role. Aleksandr Kerzhakov will be playing as the striker who will be a threat to the opposition defence. The former chelsea fullback Yuri Zhirkov would be the key player for plans of Dirk Advocaat in the defence. Dirk Adocaat has been able to built up an Russian squad based on the domestic Russian league were 20 players of his squads are from Russian Priemier League.

The midfield consist of the Roman Shirokov creating the chances for the forwards and also have the ability to score the goals. The defence is lead by the experienced 32 year old Sergei Ignashevich of CSK Moscow. Russia have a reliable shot stopper in Igor Akinfeev and the opposition players would have to work hard against the defence of Russians.

Manager : Dick Advocaat

Advocaat would have a hard time as the manager of the Russian team for the Euro 2012 as he would he measured against what Guus Hiddink achieved with Russia in Euro 2008. The Dutchman have taken his home country Netherland to the semifinals in 2004 on his second stint. Dick Advocaat is tactically sound manager and likes to play attacking football. Advocaat has vast experience coaching national teams has he has previous stints with Netherland, South Korea, Belgium and the U.A.E.. Advocaat's stint with the Russians is almost sure to end with this tournament.

Advocaat's stint in Russia started after sacking of Guis Hiddink when Russia failed to qualify for the worldcup 2010 in South Africa. The task ahead of Advocaat is harder than what he has achieved by qualifying the Russian's for the Euros. Anyhow drawn in a relatively easy group and a good bunch of players Advocaat would be hoping Russia would perform well in this years Euro.

Formation

Dick Advocaat had not been too experimental with the Russian team during the qualifiers and the friendlies and has sticked with a bunch of players. The Dutch had experimeted with both 4-3-3 and 4-3-2-1 during the qualifiers and the friendlies. The man to lead the Russian attack would be the captain Andry Arshavin from the left flank and together with the former Russian young player of the year Alan Dzagoev it would a good attack for the Russians. These players in the flank would supply the needed balls to the forward  Aleksandr Kerzhakov. Roman Shirokov and Konstantin Zyryanov would play in the midfield and Igor Denisov will be playing deep in the midfield as a ball winning midfielder for Russia.

In Vasili Berezutski and Sergei Ignashevich of CSKA moscow Russia will have two strong brave and hard tackling halfbacks who have formed a good defence partnership for both club and country. 

Offensive fullbacks Yuri Zhirkov and  Alexandr Anyukov are athletic and they have the pace and stamina to make constant threats to the oppositions by their run through the sides for the entire 90 minutes and Akinfeev at the goal it is hard for even worldclass strikers to beat him on one on one chances and the Russian number one have the reflexes to save even the unexpected.

Squad for the Euros:

 

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg), Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow).

Defenders: Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow), Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow).

Midfielders:Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala), Alan Dzagoyev (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Marat Izmailov (Sporting), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow).

Forwards: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham).

Key Players

Andry Arshavin

Even though not at his top of his game as in Euro 2008 the dribbler from Russia still has the ability to pass through the defences. The  31 year old who was on loan to his old club Zenit St Petersburg to regain his lost form is still a bet for many to do what he and the Russian squad did in Euro 2008. 

He has the creativity by which he can create chances from nothing. His dribbles through the opponents were a treat to watch and that was what it made Arsene Wenger to sign him back in 2008. In form and if he raises his game by a few notches as he will when playing for Russia they will be a force to reckon with.

Alan Dzagoev

Alan Dzagoev the 22 year old playing at CSKA Moscow was once the hottest young player in Europe as his play has attracted attention of any Big western European clubs. Dzagoev is a player who pocess amoung many abilities good ball control and and excellent vison to pickup his teammates. He is as creative as his country man Arshavin and he is good in air as well as is a deadball specialist. The modest and hard-working player naturally plays as an attacking mid fielder behind the centre forward feeding the ball and looking for oppurtunities to score can also play down the right flank with the same effect. The last 2 years has not been as he would have liked this Euro could be the breakthrough for the 22 year old.

Key to Semifinals - Raise the level of game

The road to the knockout stages remain clear for the Russian if the play to their calibre. A potential quaterfinal against runnersup of group B is on the cards and would be the first and the hardest test for the Russians. It would be against either Germans, Dutch or the Portugese. Any of the last two is the most likely. It would take a hard toll on the Russians as they would be against one of the favorites of the Euros. Dick Advocaat's team should take their game to a higher level to get a favourable result against these teams. Their players should use the group games to rise up their level of play and key players should hit their form to get anything from either Dutch or Portugese.

UEFA EURO 2012 Group A fixtures
Friday 8 June: Russia v Czech Republic, 20.45CET, Wroclaw

Saturday 9 June:                                       00.15 IST,

Tuesday 12 June: Poland v Russia, 20.45CET, Warsaw
wednesday 13 June:                          00.15IST,
Saturday 16 June: Greece v Russia, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Sunday 17 June                                  20.45IST

IST Indian standard Time

This blog will be covering footballing side of Euro 2012 hosted in Poland Ukraine to its best possible way.Your comments and criticisms are welcomed.