EURO 2012 Preview - Group B

With all the domestic leagues in Europe just about finished and this being an even numbered year, it means there's more football to come in the Northern summer.

This time it's the turn of the European Football Championships - or the Euros as we like to call them - and again it'll be hosted in two countries; this time it's the two former Eastern bloc neighbours, Poland and the Ukraine.

It looks set to be the biggest Euros yet in terms of following and money. Qualification saw little upsets and all the traditional giants like Germany, England, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, France & of course the champions, Spain, made it through to the Finals.

It means all groups are highly competitive with sides like Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Ukraine, the Czechs, etc. capable of an upset or two to knock one of the fancied sides out.

Group B
This could be the toughest group at this year's tournament with two of the tournament favourites drawn with two sides who can beat the best on their day.



Germany

After being bridesmaid to eventual champions in the last 3 major football tournaments, can the Germans finally win their second tournament as a united Germany and their first since the old Bayern Munich guard of Klinsmann-Matthaus retired and they adopted a fast, attacking approach to football?

Germany as West Germany were bridesmaids to eventual champions for a long time, i.e. between 1986 and 1990, they lost to eventual champions, Argentina in the 1986 World Cup Final, the Netherlands in the 1988 Euros before winning the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina.

Mario Goetze: new wonder kid?

Could history repeat itself in Kiev in 2012 - let's note, Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010, they lost to Spain in the final and semifinal respectively.

Loew's squad has evolved nicely over time with one of the most youthful and talented squads in world football that just gets younger and younger - Loew is now able to call on Borussia Dortmund's Mario Goetze and Schalke's Julian Drexler, 2 of world football's emerging footballers. It's going to be quite a competitive squad with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil likely to be heavily challenged for their starting spots.

Germany's success may be intertwined with the success of its most popular club, Bayern Munich - and to a certain extent, Real Madrid given that the midfield is made up of Germany's current starters there, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil.

Bayern Munich won the 1974 European Cup Final, just a couple of months before West Germany won the World Cup at home. And Bayern Munich look set for European Cup success on their home turf just months out from the European football championships. And Mario Gomez is in free scoring form just at the right time for club and country.

The German revolution that began under Jurgen Klinsmann prior to the 2006 World Cup and has continued at full steam under Jogi Loew since then must surely be due for its glorious finish just as Beckenbauer's revolution of the German team in the late 80s.

Germany to top the group and make it to the Final with glorious results.

Netherlands

What to make of the Dutch? Once again, they breezed through qualifying just like the All Blacks breeze through the group stages of the Rugby World Cup. But just like the All Blacks, the Dutch are a mixed bag in the crunch games.

However, judging from the 2010 World Cup, the Dutch appear to finally have a spine when it comes to the big games and this was evident in the quarterfinal against Brazil where they came from a goal behind to beat history and the samba boys to win 2-1 and book a place in the semifinals. After a 3-2 win against Uruguay, they faced Spain in the Final and even if the brutal and violent manner they played that Final was frowned upon by many, they showed they had gumption and were capable with winning the big games and were unlucky not to have taken that game to penalties.

The Dutch appear to have the ability to play the "Dutch" way we know - fast, flowing football - but they now seem to know how to be the bullies and able to play a more physical brand of football when they're required to. And of course, the Dutch have always had the talent in the side and this year should be no different with Arjen Robben, Klaus Huntelaar and the in-form, free-scoring, Robin van Persie. They've also now got a strong spine courtesy of Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel allowing the maestros to do their work in the other half of the field.

The Dutch will be a tough side to beat and they're actually more of a heavyweight during the Euros than in the World Cup. They looked set to win Euro 2008 with their free-flowing style under Marco van Basten until they faced the Russians and were outplayed at their own game. Under Bert van Marwijk, they will be quite determined to right that wrong as well as prove that they and not Spain should be world champions.

The Dutch to finish runners-up in the group and face Spain in a potentially tasty semifinal.

Denmark

After a brief, fallow period, Danish football appears to be on the way back up with players like Daniel Agger and Nicklas Bendtner now approaching the peak of their powers. However, the side is just solid, staid and unlikely to strike fear in the eyes of the Dutch and Germans. Mind you, the same was said about the Danes in 1992 and look what they did despite zero preparation for the tournament. However, this is a tough group and the Danes will need an excellent start if they are to have any chance in this Group of Death.

Denmark to finish last in their group but they shouldn't be ashamed if they don't get thrashed which they won't.

Portugal

Portugal aren't quite the same side they were under Luiz Felipe Scolari in my opinion. Yes they have the second best player in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo and there are plenty of familiar names in the Portugal lineup, i.e. Pepe, Fabio Coentrao, Raul Meireles and Nani but their form as one hasn't been that impressive, and they were second best to Denmark in qualifying, the same side they face here. A repeat of their inferiority against the Danes will definitely destroy any chance the Portuguese have of progressing out of this Group of Death.

Win though, and they could gain confidence and be a contender. But will Ronaldo, Pepe, Coentrao, Meireles and Nani be worn out by an exhausting club season? Will the pressure of ending Portugal's drought at international tournaments be too much for Ronaldo, a player who has the habit of disappearing in big games?

Portugal to finish 3rd in the group and just missing out.

So: Germany and Netherlands to advance in that order, Portugal and Denmark to miss out.