Premier League 2012-13 Preview

The London Olympics have come and gone and we are now just days away from the beginning of the Premier League football season, the start of nine months of ups and downs, excitement and disappointment and the ultimate roller-coaster for the fans of the individual clubs.

Speaking about the Olympics, I have been a little perturbed by the number of articles that have been written in the media comparing the 'good aspects' of the Games with all the 'bad aspects' of football- personally I think that is a little harsh as there isn't the same sort of pressure on the athletes of the Games outside of their sport as there is on footballers who have every aspect of their lives dissected for public consumption.

The bottom line is that people want to know everything about these footballers, while many of the athletes at the Olympic Games are 'forgotten' in the four year periods between Games, while I also heard an excellent point on the radio explaining how so few are willing to put up someone like Justin Gatlin and compare him with a Paul Scholes and actually show football in a positive light.

Others have bemoaned the behaviour of the football fan at matches- yes, some do take it too far in what they believe is 'banter', while some of the cruder chants are not necessary, but people invest a lot of time and money in their clubs and frustration can boil over which will lead to exclamations laced with some profanity.

I don't think as many people invest that same kind of interest in any of the events at the Olympics, so the crowds generated at such events are vastly different compared with a regular season football match.

Issues about behaviour on the field have been there for some time, but that will only be weeded out by bringing it in at youth level and gradually changing things, so complaining about it seems a little pointless to me.

All in all, I can't wait for the new season and a chance to watch all the drama unfolding over the next few months and below I will break down the Premier League into sections and look at all the contenders in this new season.

Winner and Champions League Places

Manchester City: The reigning Premier League Champions are the favourites to retain their title in the coming season and I do think they are the team to beat in the coming season.

It is a surprise that they haven't invested too much in the playing squad this Summer with Jack Rodwell the only major incoming signing, but I do believe the UEFA Financial Fair Play Rules may just have them a little worried. However, the fact they have Carlos Tevez back for the full season (barring any refusals to warm up as a substitute in the coming months) is a big boost to an already very productive forward line, while the spine of the side looks very good from Joe Hart through Vincent Kompany through Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

There has to be a slight concern of the understudy, Stefan Savic, to the first choice centre halves, but the attacking options at Roberto Mancini's disposal looks set to fire them to another title, while I also believe they have the best midfield in the League which will allow them to dictate more matches than their rivals can at this moment.

Manchester United: It was a heartbreaking end to the 2011-12 season for Manchester United as they suffered a kick in the teeth that they have delivered to so many others in the last 20 years. The League should never have slipped from their grasp after taking an 8 point lead in the title race with just 6 games to play, and it is clear that this is the priority this season.

Shinki Kagawa is the big Summer signing (as I write this), but there remains a lot of off-field turmoil as the fans continue to make their feelings about the owners very clear. The lack of investment remains in the middle of the park remains a real issue and they have to hope that both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs do not show their age as 'father time' can quickly catch up with you.

However, they still look good enough to compete in the Premier League with the personnel they have, and Nemanja Vidic's return is huge considering it was goal difference that cost them the title last season. 

'If Robin Van Persie can be signed from Arsenal, Manchester United may have enough in them to take the title back from their 'noisy neighbours' with the potential for extra goals and their leader in defence back in action'- this is what I wrote before it was announced that United had agreed a deal with Arsenal, and I now believe United can nick the title back as long as Rooney and Van Persie are compatible and not the second coming of the Didier Drogba-Fernando Torres issues.

My full views on Manchester United can be found here

Chelsea: After winning the Champions League in dramatic fashion, Chelsea have been on a spending spree this Summer, bringing in the likes of Eden Hazard (who was much sought after), Marko Marin and Oscar as Roberto Di Matteo looks to freshen up what was an ageing squad.

It will take time for some of these players to settle into the pace of the Premier League and there could be an issue of consistency in their play, although the younger legs will see a changing of the guard in the first team.

Even with those new signings bringing excitement to Stamford Bridge, it has to be a little concerning that Di Matteo has made it clear that he will not change tact from the 'negative' tactics he used to win the Champions League and the FA Cup- it took a lot of luck to do so last season and we have seen previously, Rafa Benitez being a notable example, that it doesn't work over a 38 game League season.

Losing Didier Drogba is also a big blow to this side, particularly if Fernando Torres cannot turn back the clock to his 2009 form and I still have a few issues about a defence that doesn't have a lot of depth if injuries take their toll.

Getting back into a top four spot will be the priority for the Blues this season and I think that is the best they can hope for as I still think there is a significant gap between themselves and the top two sides.

Arsenal: The Gunners finished 19 points behind the top two teams last season and they remain a side that is always liable to losing some of their better players as they become disillusioned with the lack of silverware picked up over the last few seasons.

There continues to be rumours surrounding the future of Robin Van Persie, a player that has made it clear he will not be extending his time at the Emirates Stadium and one that could be on his way to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes.

The Dutchman was so influential last season in terms of the goals he was getting and I don't think Lukas Podolski or Olivier Giroud have the same consistency in front of goal that Van Persie displayed last season.

If Van Persie leaves the club, Arsenal's place in the top four could be under significant threat from their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona also continue to sniff around Alex Song, who would be another major loss for Arsene Wenger, while Jack Wilshire is not due back until October at the earliest having missed all of last season.

A few of the issues at the Emirates Stadium were covered by the form of Van Persie last season, and I think they could have trouble holding onto a top four place if their talisman is sold in this transfer window, something which is probably playing a big part in them playing hard ball with potential suitors.

All of the Arsenal write-up was written before the Robin Van Persie sale to Manchester United had been confirmed and I think the Gunners are now in for a tough season in holding on to a top four spot.

Tottenham Hotspur: It was a surprising turn of events that saw Harry Redknapp removed as manager of Tottenham Hotspur in the off-season and he was replaced by Andre Villa-Boas who is looking to restore his damaged reputation following his time as manager of Chelsea last season.

Spurs look to have retained the services of Luka Modric after he once again asked to leave the club, the second Summer in succession he has done so, although the loss of Emmanuel Adebayor (returned to Manchester City after his loan) and failure to sign a striker leaves them looking a little light up front as far as I am concerned.

The defence has been improved with the signing of Jan Vertonghen, but they do look a weaker side than last season because of the forward situation and I am sure that is an area they will look to rectify before the transfer window is slammed shut.

Tottenham will not be in the Champions League thanks to Chelsea winning that competition last season, but they will think they can push Arsenal if the latter loses Robin Van Persie. Spurs will need to find another option up front if they are to push enough to stay in the top four this season and get a chance to get back into the Champions League.

Luka Modric has been sold to Real Madrid since I wrote this and he will be a big loss- there is a lot of pressure on Gylfi Sigurdsson to make a seamless entry into this midfield and the team do look a notch or two weaker than last season in the attacking areas of the pitch.

European Places

Liverpool: Despite winning the Carling Cup and reaching the Final of the FA Cup, it was largely a disappointing season for Liverpool that had made large investments over the previous six months in order to get into the coveted Champions League places.

The poor second half of the season cost Kenny Dalglish his job and it was later admitted that even winning the FA Cup would not have been enough to prevent that from happening. Now they hand the reigns over to Brendan Rodgers who enjoyed success at Swansea, but who is now going to have to prove himself all over again.

It is clear that the players are going to have to work in a new system, one that has seen Andy Carroll shopped around the League as the 35 million pound man looks surplus to requirements after going through a tough period on Merseyside.

Fabio Borini and Joe Allen, two players Rodgers is familiar with, have been brought into the club, but there hasn't been the same level of investment as last Summer (although they continue to be linked with a number of players in the press). Lucas has returned from a major injury, but a European place looks the limit of their potential this season as they get used to a new voice in the dressing room.

A Cup run would show they are going the right way, but more consistency in their League form is what the owners demand this season.

Everton: I was very surprised to see David Moyes was overlooked for the Tottenham Hotspur job in the Summer and it looks like there is a glass ceiling above him as the 'bigger clubs' feel he is inexperienced at the highest level, but yet no one is willing to give him a chance to prove himself.

Moyes led Everton to a top 7 finish last season and that is something I feel they can achieve again and perhaps even finish above their local rivals Liverpool. They surprisingly let Tim Cahill go in the Summer, although he isn't the same player from a couple of years ago, and the permanent signing of Steven Pienaar looks an upgrade.

Steven Naismith has been brought in from the now defunct Rangers and he should blend well with his former partner in Scotland, Nikica Jelavic, who has made a big impact in English football since joining Everton in January.

The sale of Jack Rodwell for 15 million pounds to Manchester City may mean Moyes is going to reinvest in the playing squad, but the team will need to steer clear of injuries if they are to make a concerted effort to move up from 7th that they finished last season and I think finishing above Liverpool would be seen as a successful season.

David Moyes will be looking to win his first piece of silverware since taking over as manager here.

Newcastle United: It was a great season for Newcastle United last year, one that fell a little short of getting the team into a Champions League spot and I am a little unsure they are going to be able to repeat their form to finish as high again this season.

Things just seemed to click for Newcastle last season with the signings of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse providing a number of goals (it seems that as soon as Ba stopped scoring, Cisse was signed and took over). However, both have now been exposed to the Premier League managers and may find it difficult to repeat their individual successes, which in turn may affect the success of the whole team.

Alan Pardew has not brought in a lot of new faces to the club and I think their surprise element is gone and may see them slip down a few places from the 5th placed finish from last season. They still have enough good players to finish in the top half of the table, but they over-achieved last year and a Cup run may be their best chance of getting back into Europe.

A Top Half Finish?

Fulham: Martin Jol had a decent first season in charge of Fulham and he would have continued to make a lot of friends with his brand of attacking football. He has done well so far in keeping hold of Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, two players that have been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, and they pose plenty of problems for other sides in the League along with Bryan Ruiz and new signing Hugo Rodallega.

They couldn't conclude a deal for Pavel Pogrebnyak, who has since signed with Reading, but they remain a solid looking eleven that could match their finish of 9th from last season as long as they can keep the team together before the transfer window closes and steer clear of injuries.

Much will also depend on their form at Craven Cottage where they regularly give the 'bigger' sides plenty of problems, especially considering their 10 losses on their travels last season and Fulham have annually struggled for wins away from home.

Still, in this Premier League, I like Fulham's chances for a top half finish.

Stoke City: I have noticed that a lot of people are tipping Stoke City to be the surprise struggling team this season, with some going so far as predicting relegation for the Potters, but I am not of that belief.

They have some downward indicators flashing considering their poor end to last season, but I believe that was down to an extended run in all of the Cup competitions that caught up with a relatively thin squad.

Stoke remain a real tough prospect at the Brittania Stadium, where they lost just 4 games last season, and they also picked up 3 more wins away from home than they had in the previous season.

Tony Pulis has a solid XI that he sends out for matches and has goals in the team through Peter Crouch and Jon Walters and I think they could be pushing for a top half finish without the distractions of Europe this season.

He will hope Matthew Etherington can return to form after a disappointing 2011-12 season, but I think there is too much in this team and too many other sides that I don't rate as highly and so they may just do enough to push into their highest Premier League finish since returning to the top flight.

Queens Park Rangers: Queens Park Rangers may have survived by the skin of their teeth last season, but there were enough signs to think they are going to have a stress-free season this time around, while the added investment in the club can only push them up the table.

Mark Hughes is a good manager in my opinion and he guided QPR to safety with some big wins down the stretch, including against Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and the signings he has made look good on paper.

Rob Green will take over between the sticks, while Andy Johnson should help in getting some more goals along with Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse. Ji Sung Park and Fabio come in from Manchester United and there is a more 'Premier League feel' to the squad this season.

If QPR can take their form from the end of last season into this, with the added quality in the side, they may just be able to push for a top half finish, far removed from the relegation battle from last season.

Relative Safety

Aston Villa: Paul Lambert took over from Alex McLeish this Summer and he seems to have brought in a much more positive vibe to the club. The Aston Villa fans were never happy with the appointment of McLeish and he didn't endear himself to the faithful with his perceived negative tactics.

Lambert has already made it clear that he wants to get the best out of Charles N'Zogbia and Stephen Ireland, two attack minded players, and that has been received positively from the Villa fans. Darren Bent is back after missing much of last season with an injury and he should have more chances to score goals with support coming from the midfield.

Ron Vlaar has been signed to strengthen the defence, but I expect better from Villa mainly down to the good work Lambert did with his Norwich City team and I think he can get the best out of a squad that under-achieved last season when flirting with a relegation battle.

There is a potential for them to finish in the top half, but I expect them to be much improved from last season and should be far from any relegation issues.

Sunderland: Martin O'Neill inspired Sunderland to a comfortable League position after they had been tumbling down the table in the final days of the Steve Bruce era. While I don't think they will be involved in a relegation battle, they will do well to finish higher than last seasons 13th place after a lack of investment in the playing staff over the Summer.

Nicklas Bendtner was only on-loan last season and they haven't been able to get a permanent deal in place so the Black Cats look a little short up-front and may struggle to get goals on a consistent basis.

However, they look solid enough to ensure they are relatively safe in the League again this season without messing around with a relegation battle, although O'Neill is almost certainly looking to bring in a couple of new faces before the transfer window closes.

Norwich City: There is always a danger in how a club reacts when a new manager takes over from a successful one that has moved on, but I believe the appointment of Chris Hughton at Carrow Road will ensure they don't suffer a 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League and can extend their stay.

Hughton did really well at Birmingham City last season considering all the off-field turmoil that affected his time at St Andrews, and he also was doing a pretty good job at Newcastle United before he was sacked in favour of Alan Pardew.

That was a harsh decision and I think Hughton is capable of proving himself at this level- Norwich struggled at times with their defensive performances, but Hughton has proven himself as being a manager that focuses on keeping things tight at the back and that may make the difference in keeping them up this season.

Norwich have held on to Grant Holt and all of their key players from last season, while signings like Robert Snodgrass and Steven Whittaker can have a positive impact. They will probably drop a couple of positions from last season as teams will be a little more familiar with their personnel, but I think they will be solid enough under Hughton to avoid a relegation scrap.

Relegation Contenders

Reading: A great statistic I have read is only one of the last six Championship winners have gone back down immediately from the Premier League and I, like a lot of others, feel Reading are the best equipped of the new boys to avoid the drop in this season.

Brian McDermott is a decent manager and has shown in Cup competitions that he can mix it with the Premier League managers he is to face this season, while they look to have the most solid squad of the new boys and with one key component- they have the ability to get goals.

Pavel Pogrebnyak ws signed from under the noses of Fulham and he showed his keen eye for goal in six months at Craven Cottage last season, while Adam Le Fondre has scored plenty of goals in the lower Leagues and will look to continue that in the top flight.

Adrian Mariappa can prove why so many Premier League teams wanted to sign the centre half over the last 12 months and the Royals may even be able to surprise many by finishing higher up the table. I have listed them in my 'relegation candidates', but they may surpass these expectations with minimal fuss.

Wigan Athletic: The biggest piece of business Wigan Athletic may have done in the Summer is keeping Roberto Martinez as manager of the club after he was heavily linked with the vacant Liverpool job.

Martinez really impressed me with the foresight to go against the Premier League grain and set his team up in a 3-4-3 fluid system that got the best out of his personnel at the end of last season and he once again somehow guided them free of relegation certainty.

At this moment they have held on to Victor Moses, which could be key to their chances of survival, but there remains an issue with their strikers as I just don't feel comfortable in relying on Franco Di Santo to fire them to safety. Hugo Rodallega has moved on to Fulham so that is an area of concern, especially as Di Santo was top scorer with just 7 goals last season.

It is likely that Martinez continues with the 3-4-3 formation that has worked so well with the players he has and I think they are going to find at least three teams that are not as good and survive yet another season in the Premier League.

However, the lack of goals may mean another season fighting against relegation for much of it.

West Ham United: I haven't been overly impressed with the signings made at Upton Park so far this Summer, but I think Sam Allardyce has the experience to guide them to safety this season, although they could be sitting right above the drop zone come May.

Jussi Jaaskelainan is a solid Premier League goalkeeper and should form the basis of a much more reserved West Ham team- this season the fans are unlikely to badger Allardyce with 'boring' accusations as survival is the key.

The pressure will be on Modibo Maiga to provide the goals after he was signed for a little under 5 million pounds from Sochaux, especially now the bid to buy/loan Andy Carroll from Liverpool has fallen through. Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te will also be asked to chip in.

There is a solid looking feel to the West Ham team, although slightly underwhelming in terms of creativity and attacking options, but the experience of Allardyce may just be enough to see them maintain their position in the top flight.

West Brom: A lot of people look for a surprise relegation candidate at this time of the season and I think West Brom may just be that team. They have lost inspirational manager Roy Hodgson, a man who levelled the team out after they looked doomed to relegation around 18 months ago, and new manager Steve Clarke is taking on his first job as the Number 1 rather than the Number 2.

They haven't lost any key players from last season and have added Ben Foster in a permanent deal from Birmingham City, but this was a side that wasn't going anywhere when Hodgson took charge and they may not respond to the new voice in the dressing room.

If the Baggies get off to a bad start, it might make life difficult for Clarke and there have been previous instances when a first-time manager doesn't have the same respect from the players as an established one. If things start going downhill, West Brom may be dragged into a relegation scrap, one that may not end well.

Swansea: One team that may not survive 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League is Swansea who have lost an influential manager in Brendan Rodgers and replaced him with Michael Laudrup, a manager that has no previous experience in England.

Joe Allen has already left Swansea to join his former manager at Anfield, while both Gylfi Sigurdsson and Steven Caulker have left having spent time on-loan here last season.

Their style of football surprised many teams last season, but they are unlikely to change that under Laudrup and that could lead to their downfall with more teams being able to cater to what Swansea are going to do (unlike Norwich City who have brought in a manager who should be able to help with their defensive issues from last season and may have a different feel to the rest of the League compared with how they played in 2011-12).

Swansea just look a little weaker this season in defence and midfield and I am not sure they are going to have enough in them to find three teams to finish below them.

Southampton: Southampton replicated Norwich City by moving up from League One and the Championship in consecutive seasons to return to the top flight, but I fear that is where the similarity may end.

Even though I have the Saints at the bottom of my Premier League preview, I have been impressed with the job Nigel Adkins has done in his short time as the manager, while signings like Steven Davis, Nathanial Clyne and Jay Rodriguez look good on paper.

Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert will be looked at for the goals, but I have a feeling the latter may have a hard time now that teams have faced Grant Holt for a season and he is a very similar player in his style and ability.

If those two strikers hit it off, Southampton may just survive, but they have a horrible beginning to the season and that may put some negative energy into the team that may extend into the season.

There are enough teams with question marks to think that Southampton have a chance of survival in this Premier League, but I have to put someone in this position and I think there are rumours that the owners are looking for a way to remove Adkins in favour of a foreign manager and these can create issues that send a club the wrong way.

All of the above are just my thoughts on the teams competing in the Premier League this season and where they could potentially finish. As everyone will have seen while watching football, injuries can affect these final positions, but these are just my personal opinions and I am sure there will be at least three or four teams that surprise me massively.

Let's just hope for a fabulous season.

Euro 2012 Pre-Tournament Preview and Outright Picks

It feels like just yesterday we were putting the final touches on the domestic season, yet the Euro 2012 tournament has sneaked up on us and is just days away. There are plenty of previews of the event out there, but one more won't hurt too much.

The tournament hasn't really gripped in the same manner as previous tournaments of this nature and I am not sure why? It looks like a decent event with plenty of good teams and the format means the 'less competitive' games you can sometimes see at the World Cup are not really here.

Which other tournament would see the matches of the calibre of Germany-Portugal, Spain-Italy and France-England in the first four days? I am looking forward to the football to begin and am very pleased that the times are almost perfectly for when we come out of work.

Group A

Poland

Poland are one of the co-hosts for the event and were one of the top seeded teams in the draw along with Germany, Spain and the Ukraine. They will be pleased with the way things worked out as they were placed alongside Russia, Czech Republic and Greece and the expectation is surely to get to the Quarter Finals at the very least.

Being a co-host will bring its own pressures and there are no guarantees that that will ensure their path through to the next stage. Four years ago, both Austria and Switzerland were dumped in the group stage, but the opposition in this group should not hold too many fears for Poland.

There are some decent players in the squad that they call upon, although the first game against the Greeks looks the key to their chances as they surely can't get away with anything less than the three points in that one.

Results in their friendly matches have not been that inspiring if I am honest and it does look like goals will be a real problem for them.

Player to Watch: Robert Lewandowski- Scored plenty of goals for Borussia Dortmund to help them win the Bundesliga and you have to think he will need to do the same to fire the hosts into the Quarter Finals.

Predicted Finish: 3rd in Group

Russia

The Russians were the surprise package of Euro 2008 when they reached the Semi Finals and who can forget their awesome destruction of the Dutch in the Quarter Finals that year? The team has the same feel from the one that impressed so many with their style of football in Austra/Switzerland and they couldn't really ask for a better group from which to progress, perhaps to another Quarter Final with Holland.

Russia finished top of their qualifying defeat and recovered from an early home loss to go unbeaten in their final 8 games in that section. They have also recorded some decent friendly results with the most eye-catching coming just days ago as they beat Italy 0-3 away from home.

Dick Advocaat has got the team playing good football and he has a few decent options in the attacking department which will make Russia a threat. They are also solid right through the team and will be a tough test for whichever team they face in the Quarter Finals.

Player to Watch: Alan Dzagoev- He is only 21, but is considered the next big thing in Russian football and will be expected to provide the ammunition for the team as well as scoring key goals

Predicted Finish: 1st

Czech Republic

Long gone are the days when the Czech Republic were considered one of the dark horse to win a tournament of this magnitude as they were in the early part of the 21st Century. These days, qualifying for the event is seen as a success, but I won't go overboard in downplaying their chances in this group.

The Czechs also beat Montenegro twice in the Play Offs to advance to this tournament, and that is something that England failed to do when in the same group as the latter. However, they were fortunate to finish above Scotland in their own section when they earned a 2-2 draw at Hampden Park in a qualifier in a game they were given a soft penalty while Scotland were denied a stonewall one themselves. If Scotland had won that game, they would have finished above the Czechs and perhaps been here instead.

Friendly results have been mixed for a side that doesn't have the same type of talent as they did ten years ago and it is hard to see them getting enough points from the section, despite it not being the strongest here.

Player to Watch: Tomas Rosicky- Will have to be at his best to ensure the team create enough chances to progress.

Predicted Finish: 4th

Greece

Hands up if you are not Greek and looking forward to seeing them play at the event this Summer... Not too many hands showing I expect.

However, they are a much better team to watch these days compared to the mind-numbing side that actually went on and won the European Championships in 2004. While the side do open up a little more than they did eight years ago, they are still a very well organised and disciplined defensive side as shown by the five goals scored in their ten qualifying games to get to Poland.

I don't think they could have hand picked a better group to be in and I think they may be the surprise package from it, but all will depend on how they get on in their first group game against the hosts Poland. If they can avoid defeat in that game, they could really amp the pressure on the teams fighting for qualification with a win over the Czech Republic in their second game and may even have the benefit of playing an already qualified Russia in their final game.

They haven't inspired anyone with their results in friendlies, but they do have a decent set piece package that may cause issues for their opponents. Goals can be a problem, but they may not need too many to get out of this group.

Player to Watch: Giorgios Karagounis- He might be in the twilight of his career at 35, but continues to pull the strings and is an expert dead ball striker... It will be his performances that will determine how far the Greeks go

Predicted Finish: 2nd

Group B

Germany

Undoubtedly one of the favourites to win the tournament after coming so close in the last three major international events. Germany reached the Final of this event four years ago and have twice been Semi Finalists in the World Cups that took place in 2006 and 2010, but they are now in the longest drought since winning their last international trophy in 1996.

The squad is packed full of talent with a few areas of concerns, but the biggest may be how the players from the Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund teams can play having been involved in long seasons already.

The Bayern players have also got to get their heads right after a crushing defeat in the Final of the Champions League that was played in their home stadium. However, on paper the Germans look like being one of the teams to beat with the strength available to them in the squad they are taking to Poland and the Ukraine.

They qualified for the tournament by winning all ten games in their section and, while friendly results have been up and down, I would be very surprised if they didn't get to the latter stages again and perhaps break their 16 years of hurt.

Player to Watch: Lukas Podolski- Some will consider this a strange choice, but Podolski always seems to come alive at the big events for his country and he has 8 goals in the last 3 major tournaments he has played. With Mario Gomez being hit or miss and Miroslav Klose coming towards the end of his career, Podolski may need to chip in with big goals.

Predicted Finish: 1st

Holland

Not too many people were impressed with the Dutch showing in the World Cup Final 2010 as they looked to kick lumps out of the Spain team they were facing rather than try to play football and that was a disappointment considering the talent available to them.

This group has been described as the 'group of death' and Holland do look a vulnerable side to going out a little earlier than their fans would be expecting. While they have a strong depth of attacking talent to call upon, the defensive side of the game looks susceptible in a group where they will face the talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and a combined strength of Germany.

Holland had no problems qualifying for the event with only one defeat from ten games, while they have some decent friendly wins to also fall back upon.

The opening game against Denmark looks a pivotal one for them... The Danes will be the team that the other three teams in the group will be targeting for a win and anything less will put a lot of pressure on Holland when they face Germany in their second group game.

Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben should provide plenty of goals for the Dutch if they are on their game, but pressure can do a funny thing to players (see Robben for his penalty miss against Chelsea in the Champions League Final) and they may be a surprise loser in the early stages of this tournament.

Player to Watch: Wesley Sneijder- While the two players I mentioned above are key to scoring the goals, Wesley Sneijder will need to bounce back from an average season to provide the bullets for the Van Persie and Robben calibre players.

Predicted Finish: 3rd

Portugal

Portugal are, like the Czech Republic, not quite the dark horses they were a few years ago when their 'golden generation' failed to pick up a big international prize that they crave so badly. However, any team that has a talent like Cristiano Ronaldo is sure to be a danger to the very best teams in the World.

Ronaldo's confidence should be high after helping Real Madrid lift the La Liga title this season, although he hasn't always been able to transfer that form to his international team as his opponents know he is by far and away the biggest threat in this side.

It would have been a different story if the likes of Rui Costa and Luis Figo were still around, but Portugal could be a surprise package if Nani can get on one of his hot streaks of form that he has displayed for Manchester United. Nani is capable of going on a run of 3-4 fantastic matches in a row and, if he can do that here, that could help Portugal get through a tough section and perhaps cause some surprises down the stretch.

The team also have a decent defensive discipline, although that wasn't always shown in their qualifying campaign when they were forced to win in the Play Offs having finished behind Denmark who are also in this group.

They face the Danes in their second game and that could be the key to their chances of progressing, especially if Portugal fail to get a result against Germany in their first game.

Player to Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo- So much of what Portugal can achieve will be down to Ronaldo... If he has a big tournament, Portugal could be a real surprise package in the whole tournament

Predicted Finish: 2nd

Denmark

Twenty years after surprising the whole of Europe by being crowned the winners of the European Championships, Denmark will try and surprise the viewers again and overcome the 'group of death' when they have been viewed as almost a non-factor.

Morten Olsen will look to inspire his team by reminding them that they beat Portugal, one of their rivals in this group, back in the qualifiers and finished above them to automatically book their ticket to Poland and the Ukraine. The Danes suffered just one loss in eight games in the qualifiers, that coming in a trip to Lisbon, but they were impressive for the most part. However, friendly performances leading up to this event have not been so impressive.

The problem for Denmark is that they won't be able to slowly make their way into the tournament as they did in 1992 when they went on to win it. That is because they likely face their closest rivals, Holland and Portugal, in their first two games and will not want to go into their final match with Germany needing points to qualify.

That kind of pressure can be telling on what is a fairly young and inexperienced group and despite their talents, it could be too much for them to overcome in this group.

Player to Watch: Christian Eriksen- The young Ajax midfielder has been attracting the attention of the biggest clubs in Europe and he could really show what he is about in a tough group against talented opposition.

Predicted Finish: 4th

Group C

Spain

The reigning European and World Champions will be going for an unprecedented third straight major international title. Spain remain the favourites to win this competition after that period of dominance, but they do look a little vulnerable with the likes of Carlos Puyol and David Villa not travelling to Poland and the Ukraine, while the members of the squad have all been involved in long domestic seasons.


Spain qualified with eight straight wins from eight games in their qualifying section, but there is a question mark to be answered as to who will provide the goals in the absence of Villa. Fernando Torres and Fernando Llorente are the main strikers likely to lead the line, but the absence of Roberto Soldado from the squad is a little head-scratching.

We know what we are going to get from Spain with the sharp passing, but Xavi is older and has had a long season and the absence of their main striker is hard to ignore. Add to that the issues at centre half without Puyol and they definitely look vulnerable.

Player to Watch: Fernando Torres- This sounds crazy in a squad full of talent, but you have to think Torres will need to fire if Spain are going to find enough goals for them to go all the way. I expect it will be Torres that starts ahead of Fernando Llorente, but the latter can be substituted into this spot if he does get the call.


Predicted Finish: Likely too strong for group, 1st


Italy


Memories of 2006 came flooding back as Italian football has once again been rocked by a match-fixing scandal, although it is to a lesser extent (at the moment at least) than back in 2006 when they went on to win the World Cup.


The Italians are not the power house of former years as coach Cesare Prandelli changes their method of playing the game and they are now a lot more exciting to watch than when I was growing up. However, I feel they lack the stars of the old days as they no longer have the Franco Baresis, Paolo Maldinis, Alessandro Del Pieros or Roberto Baggios to call upon.


Italy got through a tough looking qualification section with eight wins from ten games and they were unbeaten in those games. They also only conceded two goals in those games and I am not going to put too much into their recent disappointing results in friendlies which have seen them lose to the likes of the USA and Russia.


The key to their entire tournament may just rest on how they cope with all the scandal that has hit home- in 1982 and 2006 they went on to win the World Cup, but I find it tough to think they can do the same here.


Player to Watch: Mario Balotelli- This enigmatic player has all the talent in the World and there is no reason why he can't get hot for six games to help the Italians go far in this competition. This could be the perfect setting for Balotelli to really make a statement on the World stage, although he will need Andrea Pirlo's supply line to be working.


Predicted Finish: I wanted to oppose the Italians, but I think they sneak 2nd


Croatia


This will be seen as a chance for redemption for a Croatia team that failed to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa after a truly heartbreaking loss to Turkey in the Quarter Final of the 2008 European Championship.

It could be said that the national team has never got back to the heights that saw them knock out England before the Euro 2008 tournament and also finish above the eventual Runner Up, Germany, in the group stages of that event. In the Quarter Final, Croatia scored in the 119th minute, but conceded in the 123rd minute before being beaten on penalties.

They actually finished behind Greece to qualify for this event and had to earn revenge over Turkey in the Play Offs to reach this stage, but there hasn't been enough to suggest they are ready to beat one of the big nations like Spain or Italy in this group.

There are plenty of talented players in the Croatian team, but defensively they look suspect and I am not sure how their midfield will hold up against the Spanish or Italians and I don't know if they have enough about them to break down Ireland.

Croatia have to get off to a good start in their first game against Ireland if they are to have a real chance of getting through to the next stage, but it looks a tough ask.

Player to Watch: Luka Modric- Can Modric pull the strings and help create the chances needed against the tough midfields the Italians and Spanish will send out against them.


Predicted Finish: 4th


Ireland


It has been ten years since the Irish last graced a major international tournament and a lot of their fans will feel it has been a long time coming after the way they were put of the World Cup thanks to a Thierry Henry handball.


It is already an achievement for them to make it into the final 16 teams in Europe, but the draw has not been kind to them and while they are going to be tough and determined, I don't believe they have enough attacking options to cause either Spain or Italy too many problems.


Giovanni Trapattoni's experience will stand them in good stead and they have not lost to the Italians under his guidance, but they will need more than 3 draws if they have a real belief they can qualify for the Quarter Finals (and a potential match against England).


Ireland qualified by beating Estonia in the Play Offs, but they were only beaten once in a tough group along with Russia and Slovakia, while they were unbeaten in their games away from home. They will be well drilled as I said, but it looks too much for them to finish higher than third in this group.


Player to Watch: James McClean- The youngster has only 2 caps to his name but looked a real livewire for Sunderland in the Premier League and Ireland may need his goals from the wide areas to cause a surprise.


Predicted Finish: 3rd

Group D

Ukraine

As I said in my brief comments about Poland, the co-hosts are not guaranteed of making it through the group stages and I think the Ukraine look very vulnerable to falling victim to this stage.

Both France and England will provide tough tests for the hosts, while Sweden are no pushovers, so it looks like being a really tough ask for the Ukraine to find the four points that will likely be needed to get through to a Quarter Final.

Injuries had already taken their toll on the squad before the tournament began, while those in the squad have had to deal with a food poisoning crisis which should not affect them in their first match on Monday 11th June.

Friendly results have improved for the team in recent games, but there is no making up for competitive football and their first game against Sweden looks huge to dictate their chances of qualifying for the next stage. If the Ukraine are beaten in that game, I think they will already have one foot out of the door.

Player to Watch: Anatolli Tymoschuk- The Bayern Munich midfielder will need to lead by example from the midfield areas and protect the back four effectively if Ukraine are to qualify for the next stage.

Predicted Finish: 4th

England

This has been one of the worst build ups to an international tournament for England as long as I can remember and that has led to the least expectation for them at home. England didn't have a set captain or manager until a month ago and they will also be without their best player in Wayne Rooney for the first two games of the tournament.

Roy Hodgson is the man at the helm and he is sure to set his England team out to be hard to beat. The draw looks tough with Sweden having never lost a competitive game against them and France being one of the favourites for the tournament, while injuries to the likes of Frank Lampard and Gary Cahill will have troubled the fans... And that is not even talking about the controversy they courted by leaving out Rio Ferdinand for 'footballing reasons'.

Being solid won't be enough for England as far as I am concerned and they will have to find a win from somewhere. The hope for them will be they can get through the first two games with a chance to bring back Rooney and qualify for the Quarter Finals in their last game with the Ukraine.

However, I can't be excited by a squad that contains players like Jordan Henderson, Martin Kelly and Andy Carroll and I think they will have exceeded my expectations by getting out of the group.

England qualified comfortably enough for the tournament, but they had a number of inconsistent performances in a group that contained Montenegro, Switzerland, Wales and Bulgaria, while the friendlies haven't really excited anyone for their chances.

Player to Watch: Ashley Young- Can he provide and score enough goals to help England in the absence of Wayne Rooney in the floating role behind Andy Carroll in the first two games? If he can, England may just get into the Quarter Finals.

Predicted Finish: 3rd

France

It was an absolute shambles for the French team at the World Cup in South Africa with the low point being the strike organised by Patrice Evra as they made their way out of the tournament at the first hurdle. How things have changed since then!

Laurent Blanc came in as manager and has immediately stamped his authority on the team and they have been in very good form over the last 18 months which makes them one of the leading contenders to win the tournament as far as I am concerned.

However, there are some vulnerabilities in the side and it has to be remembered that it took a late penalty for them to finish above Bosnia in their qualifying group (Bosnia were subsequently thumped by Portugal). It is the friendly wins over the likes of Germany, England and both co-hosts of this event that would have excited their supporters and given them extra belief.

There are plenty of attacking talent in the side and they have very good young players in the squad and Les Bleus could be a serious threat to the likes of Germany and Spain in this tournament.

Player to Watch: Karim Benzema- France have a lot of talent in their squad, but I don't feel they have much behind Benzema so they will hope he can replicate the form shown for Real Madrid this season and fire France all the way.

Predicted Finish: 1st

Sweden

If any of the teams are going to help knock England out of the tournament at the group stage, Sweden are the ones alongside the French that should benefit. They qualified for the tournament without having the need for a Play Off despite finishing behind Holland and their win at home over the Dutch is impressive.

Sweden also have a fabulous record in competitive football against England and they look the kind of team that will cause the French and Ukraine problems with their brand of attacking football.

The biggest concern seems to be a defence that conceded 6 goals in two games against Holland in the qualifiers and they still have the ageing Olof Mellberg in the backline which is likely to cause some issues.

They do have goals in the side and that bodes well, but I have a feeling they will have to get a result against Ukraine to put themselves in good stead in the group, while they face England without Wayne Rooney and I think they have a chance to cause a surprise.

Player to Watch: Zlatan Ibrahimovic- He plays in his favoured deeper position for the Swedes and he may finally get the chance to impress the English people who have criticised him heavily for Champions League performances against English clubs.

Predicted Finish: 2nd

Outright Picks

With the way that I believe the tournament is going to pan out, I think the most likely Semi Finals are going to be France v Germany and Spain v Portugal.

I know a lot of people will be expecting to see the Germany-Spain rematch from four years ago, but both of those sides look vulnerable and instead I am going to put my interest in the two underdogs of those Semi Finals knowing one of them reaching the Final would bring in the profit.

I really like the France team and they could take a Germany side who have players that have played a lot of football this season. If France get to this stage, they will be confident and will draw on the knowledge that they have beaten the Germans albeit in a friendly recently.

Portugal look a stunning price despite not being the force of old. I think their price will come tumbling in if they do manage to get through a tough group and they have a special player in Cristiano Ronaldo that could win tight matches with a moment of magic. It will also likely be necessary for Nani to have a big tournament to complement the talent of Ronaldo and to ensure that defences are not cheating one way.

Spain beat Portugal 1-0 at the World Cup a couple of years ago, but they are missing enough important players for me to think Portugal could reverse that if they manage to get into that position.

The top scorer is always tough to pick and there is an element of looking at the team that you favour to go all the way- I am no different and I think Karim Benzema could be someone that goes very close to achieving this goal (pardon the pun).

As I said above, I don't think France have too much depth at this position so I would guess Benzema is going to start all of their games as the lone striker. He has had a brilliant season with Real Madrid and is looking the player that everyone in Europe expected him to be as he made his way through the ranks at Lyon.

Both Sweden and Ukraine have had defensive vulnerabilities that he could exploit, and he could be well on his way to this award before the Quarter Finals begin. It has needed 4 or 5 goals to win this prize in the last four tournaments, so he looks worth a chance considering I can see him having perhaps 3 in the bag by the end of the groups.

Another player I like at a bigger price is Lukas Podolski of Germany- he is a player that has regularly performed for the Germans at these big events since making his way into the team and he will be playing far enough forward to think he can be on the end of the chances that the team is likely to create.

Group B also looks like being a high scoring group so he may have plenty of chances to add to goals before the Semi Final, while Germany should face a pretty average opponent in the Quarter Finals if they get that far and he may have more chances to add to his goal tally.

Other options I will take are Russia to win Group A as they look to me to be by far and away the best team in the group and I figure they will get 7 points from their games which will be enough in my opinion to top the section and most likely avoid Germany in the next stage.

I will also take France to win Group D and Germany to win Group B and two of those coming off will produce a profit immediately.

MY OUTRIGHT PICKS: France to win Euro 2012 @ 11.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit E/W) E/W is 1/2 odds

Portugal to win Euro 2012 @ 21.00 Bet Fred (0.5 Units E/W) E/W is 1/2 odds

Karim Benzema Top Goalscorer @ 13.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit E/W) E/W is 1/4 odds

Lukas Podolski Top Goalscorer @ 34.00 Bet365 (1 Unit E/W) E/W is 1/4 odds

Russia to Win Group A @ 2.50 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Germany to Win Group B @ 2.30 Pinnacle (2 Units)

France to Win Group D @ 2.60 Pinnacle (2 Units)

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (March 31-April 2)

Fans leaving games early: Now this is a little bit of rant, but why do fans leave early from football matches?


I don't even really understand it when your team is losing by a couple of goals as you should really support your team to the bitter end.


However, I really don't understand fans that leave with ten minutes left to play when their team is clearly the one going in search of goals- that was the case at Manchester City this weekend as the team trailed 1-3 to Sunderland.


Now surely those fans don't get home that much quicker than someone who stayed until the end that it makes it worth leaving early? And I really don't understand how foolish they must feel when they get to the car, turn on the radio and hear that the side have got back to 3-3.


I have noticed it a few times at Old Trafford in the past, most notably in the 4-3 win over Manchester City when a number of fans got up after Bellamy had made it 3-3 and decided to leave the ground. How many times do United need to score game changing late goals before people realise it is best to sit (or stand) and support the team until the final whistle before they decide not to leave early?


And like I say, I don't think they manage to get that much closer to home if they wait ten minutes and watch the end of the game... I just don't understand why people do it and I don't think I ever will if I am honest with you.




Players fighting with their team mates: What was in the water on Saturday afternoon that saw three different teams have players that got into their team mates faces while still on the pitch?

At the Etihad Stadium, we had Mario Balotelli and Alexander Korolov arguing over who should take a free-kick, having to be separated by Vincent Kompany, while manager Roberto Mancini looked on and just shook his head.


Mancini had already spoken about not trusting Balotelli and the team need to get their unity back as soon as possible if the are going to keep the title race going.


That wasn't the only issue this weekend, we also had Roger Johnson and Wayne Hennessy getting in each others faces at Molineux and Ben Foster and Peter Odemwingie at Goodison Park.


The Johnson-Hennessy issue just shows that the Wolves' squad harmony is fractured and they will do well to survive in the Premier League now (more on that below), while the Odemwingie-Foster coming together seemed to come out of nowhere really.


You barely see events like this, in public, in the course of a season, so for it to happen three times on the same day was bizarre to say the least.




The relegation battle just got a lost tastier: Who would have thunk that Wigan would beat Stoke City, Bolton would win at Wolves and QPR would beat Arsenal to really tighten up the relegation dogfight.


I think the Wolves loss to Bolton at home has all but consigned them life in the Championship next season as they have a really poor goal difference too so are essentially 7 points from safety with just 7 games left to play this season.


I am going to make my prediction below as to how I think each team will do in their remaining games, and I will include Aston Villa in that, and see which three teams I think will go down;


Wolves: Stoke (a) 0 points, Arsenal (h) 0 points, Sunderland (a) 1 point, Manchester City (h) 0 points, Swansea (a) 0 points, Everton (h) 3 points and Wigan (a) 0 points; Total Points, 26 points


Wigan Athletic: Chelsea (a) 0 points, Manchester United (h) 0 points, Arsenal (a) 0 points, Fulham (a) 0 points, Newcastle United (h) 1 point, Blackburn Rovers (a) 1 point and Wolves (h) 3 points; Total Points, 33 points


QPR: Manchester United (a) 0 points, Swansea (h) 1 point, West Brom (a) 1 point, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points, Chelsea (a) 0 points, Stoke City (h) 3 points and Manchester City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 33 points


Blackburn Rovers: West Brom (a) 1 point, Liverpool (h) 3 points, Swansea (a) 0 points, Norwich City (h) 3 points, Tottenham Hotspur (a) 0 points, Wigan Athletic (h) 1 point and Chelsea (a) 0 points; Total Points, 36 points


Bolton Wanderers: Fulham (h) 3 points, Newcastle United (a) 0 points, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points, Swansea (h) 1 point, Aston Villa (a) 1 point, Sunderland (a) 1 point, West Brom (h) 3 points and Stoke City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 38 points


Aston Villa: Liverpool (a) 0 points, Stoke City (h) 1 point, Manchester United (a) 0 points, Sunderland (h) 1 point, Bolton Wanderers (h) 1 point, West Brom (a) 0 points, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points and Norwich City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 36 points




From the remaining games to be played this season, I just think the three relegated teams will come from the bottom four clubs unless the pick up some surprise results if they are escape relegation. I think Wolves are gone because they seem to have lost their belief and they are conceding far too many goals. They couldn't afford to lose to Bolton at home over the weekend (I even thought a draw was not going to be good enough) and they look doomed with some really tough games in front of them.


Both QPR and Wigan Athletic have given themselves opportunities, but they will have to find a big win somewhere. I think Wigan have done really well to get to this position, but their next three games are brutal and they will need a surprise result from one of those to give themselves an opportunity to survive, while they could get something from a Fulham side that may have nothing significant to play for (although I would predict a home win in that one right now).


QPR have at least three games where I think they can get more than I have given them, against Swansea, at West Brom and against Spurs at home, and that is where their survival could be built.


Whatever happens, it is going to be fascinating viewing.




The Premier League title race: Monday night could be the absolute pivotal moment of the season as Manchester United opened up a 5 point lead over Manchester City with just 21 points left to play for.


It was a big result at Blackburn Rovers, the game that looked the most difficult on paper from the ones left before the trip the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester Derby, but United did enough to secure the points. Now they have the opportunity to move 8 points clear in the table before City play again at Arsenal.


The pressure is really beginning to tell on City and the players are in-fighting and disharmony is reigning supreme and it does look like United's title to lose now.


Also, anyone know whether Roberto Mancini will be paying out to the journalists he offered a bet that United would draw at Ewood Park tonight?




Champions League positions: Arsenal looked like they had picked up the momentum for a top 4 finish at just the right time, but the defeat at QPR on Saturday will have been a huge shock to the system.


It is tight in the race for the top 4, with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on 58 points and being tracked by Chelsea and Newcastle United on 53 points. I did start thinking that Arsenal were going to finish in these positions, but their home games against Manchester City and an improving Chelsea side will be key to their success.


Tottenham will have felt better by winning on Sunday and I think they may just have turned a corner after a terrible set of results, and that could see Harry Redknapp succeed in his aims to finish in the Champions League berths.


We have two games coming up in a stretch of 5 days for each of these sides, and results in those games will make things a little clearer in what could be a tight race to the end of the season for these 4 sides.




Things are going to get a little darker at Upton Park: Sam Allardyce and the West Ham fans have not been seeing eye to eye in recent weeks, and the 2-4 home loss to Reading on Saturday may just be the final straw if promotion is not achieved this season.


There are only 6 games left this season and they find themselves 4 points behind Reading in the final automatic promotion spot with too many draws ruining their chances. The fans are unhappy that the team seem to play a more direct approach under Allardyce and the lack of results is increasing the tension.


Easter weekend is always a big time for the different Leagues in England and this year will prove no different in the Championship. All of the clubs will be playing twice in the space of 4 days as the race for promotion to the Premier League hots up.


West Ham need to stick together if they are to achieve their aims, but things are fast loosening at the seams as their season unravels, and it could already be too late for them if the top 2 don't falter now.