DJS

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but one year on, it seems as though that was the reason we signed Voronin. If it was his ability, then the manager's judgement is a bit wayward. I'd say it was a combination of the fact that he can do a job as a mediocre striker, and that he didnt cost us a transfer fee.

My bet? I havent placed it I dont think it'll happen, i expect the Swiss to score at some stage. My point was, however, that the chances of it happening are more than 'one in ninety', which is why it's decent value. I'd also suggest that anyone backing would do so with no more than a tenner maximum...which is no great loss. Very first word in that original post - 'speculative'

Switzerland are indeed not that bad, as you say - which is why it's 90/1 Worth a fiver, you never know what may happen, nerves could hit and they might have a mare. 90/1 is value.

Speculative 90/1 shot from Laddies... Austria and Switzerland to fail to score.

Portugal, Germany and Spain to each win their group nets you over 5/1.

The winners of the group will have a secret play-off against england, to determine who plays the winners of Euro 2008 in the 'best in the world cup' final on July 1st. Probably...

Is this the playoff for the 2008 world cup then? I'm totally out of touch with the current qualifying progress, what's the dealio?

Yeah, good shout...i remember hearing that it was being broadcast live...Sky Sports, isnt it? If it's ridiculous o'clock, i might have to sky plus it.

Hehe...done up the garden shed all nice and cosy for her?

I'm really looking forward to this tournement

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And Germany's:

Italy's final squad:

France confirm their 23 man squad, and have left out Cisse and Flamini.

RIP

Agreed, and i also think mental strength plays a part. Arsenal are suspect in this department IMO.

A bigger thing for me, is turning Anfield back into a fortress. Obviously you're not going to take 6 points off all teams from 5th-20th, that's stupid. But if we can look to be winning 15 or 16 of our home games, that's more than your title winning tally right there. 45-50 home points is obviously leaving little margin for error, but we've achieved it two out of the last three seasons and we should be looking to do so each year. If we do that next year and continue this season's good away form (forgetting the kind of dropped points that we sometimes lose in the last couple of games, when we've nothing to play for and are resting players), we'll be in with a proper chance. 15 home wins, 2 draws = 47 points. 12 away wins, 3 draws = 39 points. Total tally - 86 - that's there or thereabouts and it'd certainly leave us in the race til the latter couple of games. It's all very simple to put down numbers like that and anyone can do it. My main point is that even if we dont beat the other contenders, we can still sustain a proper challenge by winning a realistic/achievable amount of points from the other 15 or 16 sides. My figures above allow for 6 defeats, which isnt asking too much. For me, it's the ability to turn 1 point into three, when we play the lesser sides, that's the difference between winning the title or seriously challenging...and not.

Ah, but you see, nobody DOES...however it's far from impossible. Why the feck cant we just do what we 'should' do??! I think it's very do-able, if things are managed deliberately enough and we're properly focussed.

I do agree with you, but i'm just going on the notion that it *should* be (and really, is) easier to beat the dross more or less 95% of the time, than it is to have a good record against the mancs, chelsea and arsenal. If we did what we 'should' do, we'd win the title. Same goes for the others, but nobody ever does really.

I agree with you. So sit comfortably, safe in the knowledge that you must be right

Swings and roundabouts though. If we'd won at home to Spurs, Villa, Brum and Wigan (normally expect to do that with our eyes closed) and won at Reading (we battered them in the cup away from home), there's your 11 point difference made up.

How does Vennegoor of Hesselink get picked??

Total agree, sums up how i feel too.