Euro 2012 Preview - Poland
Nickname: “Biale Orly” ("The White Eagles")
Absurd FIFA ranking: 65th
Coach: Wily veteran Franciszek Smuda
Match Schedule:
June 8 – Poland v. Greece (Warsaw, 12 p.m. EST)
June 12 – Poland v. Russia (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)
June 16 – Poland v. Czech Republic (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)
Prospects: We start our ritual tournament preview with Group A, the crappest of crap Euro 2012 groups. Host team Poland were fortunate to qualify automatically as well as to be placed as top seed in the group. The advantages stop there. Whoever emerges from this group is destined to be demolished by whoever scrambles out of Group B - the official Group of Death. I expect the Poles to be something of a darkhorse side flattering to deceive in the group stages, though, as they possess a potent front line.
Key Player: Arsenal second-string keeper Lukas Fabianski will likely be a busy boy. (Oops, should have said Wojciech "Sussudio" Szczesny - Poland's #1)
Youngster to watch: None - the average age of the preliminary squad is close to 30.
Who Will Get the Goals: Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski was top scorer in the Bundesliga on the way to his side's title win.
Who Will Get the Cards: Rugged skipper Jakub Błaszczykowski will be taking them for the side.
Prediction: The Poles will just about escape the group stage before being rolled over Panzer division style by the Mannschaft on June 22.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 11:33 PM
6 Comments:
I agree. Actually, crap may be too kind a description for this group. I expect the Czechs to win this group, but even they are not world beaters. Do you think Russia has a chance of finishing runner up ahead of their bitter rivals and host neighbors.I am sure No prisoners will be taken when Poland hosts Russia.If Poland finishes runner up then Mannschaft will be a bitter rivalry too as there is no love lost between those two countries either.Lewandoski is a top class striker , but without adequate support, what use is he? I think Szezny will start for Poland and his Arsenal teammate Flappy will be on the subs bench. Two Arsenal keepers in the squad!
Lukas has his work cut out for him. Both the Czechs and the Russians on paper would appear too strong and Greece are as obdurate as ever. The hosts are in for a rough time, no doubt.
Great to see the previews back. It's my favorite start to the tournament.
Thanks, chaps! I'll look forward to your comments over the next few weeks.
MUR, you're spot on - I don't know how I could have forgot about Sussudio. Of course he'll be Poland's #1 for the tournament. As I said above, though - he'll be busy.
What's even odder is that though you listed Flaps, I was thinking of Super-chez and read right over it.
Funny story about that rivalry from last year was when Sczezny reportedly lead a chant on the Arsenal team bus "Poland's, #1, Poland's, Poland's, #1" with Flaps in one of the seats in front of him.
Sczezny is a mad one. At a pub called the Tollington down from the Emirates after a home win, my friend said that Sczez stopped his car outside the pub and participated in Arsenal chants through an open car window.
Those crazy keepers!I guess there's no love lost between those two. Sczezny is correct that he is both Poalnd and Arsenal's number one, but arrogant due to youth and lack of maturity. Non contest between him and Flappy.
The Poles will have done their morale some good today with a serviceable 1-0 win over Slovakia.
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